Tabor Church: Recent Episodes
Pastor Phil
Tabor Church is a church in the great city of Chicago. We live in a busy time and we want to help equip and encourage fellow Christ followers. Our goal is to have two different types of podcasts: one will be a quick devotion style for those who want a quick word to start or end their day...or anywhere in between. The second kind of podcast we will offer is an interview style conversation with people in different sectors of life that are learning to live out their faith. This will encourage each of us to find value in our everyday work and the people God puts in front of us.
Today we are going to continue with a Brandi Carlile song called "Sinners, Saints and Fools." Brandi is going to call out hypocrites, especially religious ones. I do get into the problem when we have blended politics and religion so much that they are often indistinguishable. This is not good and everyone who does this should run to the throne of God and repent. Just some helpful thoughts!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. We are going back to 1983 with this song and will take a look at specifically the chorus. There are a lot of great themes that we will talk through and try to apply to our own situation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the song "Have I told You Lately" by Van Morrison. You might recognize it as a Rod Stewart song, but he only covered it. We will talk about the origins of the song and then pull out some Biblical themes. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about Ooh La La by Faces. Most people think this is a Rod Stewart song, but no no no. We will talk about the origin of the song and the original voice when the album came out. We will particularly focus on the chorus "I wish that I knew what I know now, when I was younger."
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's song that we are going to cover is True Colors by Cyndi Lauper. This song was released in mid 1986. There are many themes that we will discuss from this song. We also will see that even though there are no Biblical references in the song, we will put out a few.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are jumping into our first Summer Concert Series song "God Bless the Child" by Billie Holiday. If you don't know Billie, now is the time to go and deep dive into her vocals. We are going to talk about the themes that I find in the song and how it can speak to us today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I am talking about the "why" of the series. At Tabor, we have done this series for 6 years and every year I talk about the why, but I will keep doing it so that people know why I am doing this again this year. We are going to talk about Acts 17 and talk about Paul engaging culture.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Galatians 5:13. The Apostle Paul talks about America's favorite topic...FREEDOM! What are we using our freedom for? There are good ways and bad ways so we need to examine it today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about James 1:26-27. It is our denominations convention going on right now, so we are going to take a bit of time and talk about how we should at times keep out mouths shut and work on practice. We will see how all this comes together.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore 2 Corinthians 9:10. It is a stewardship short message and will hopefully direct you to the source of the ultimate provider. Are you generous with all that God has given you?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Job 5:17. We could take this snippet out of Job and think the way God corrects by taking away everything we have. Instead we are going to look at the joy side of correction and take in the character of God. Rejoice!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Isaiah 41:10. It is a given that we will experience difficulty in this life. It is not a given on how we will handle it. God gives us an idea through the Prophet Isaiah on what we can count on.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to discuss 1 John 2:28-29. I have seen a lot people who say they are following Jesus but dismissing what Jesus has said. Let's abide with Jesus and actually see what it means to follow and remain.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to jump into Philippians 4:9. In this letter to the Church in Philippi, Paul has talked a lot about joy. In this chapter Paul is saying it is now time for you to apply what you heard. You have heard it and have seen it...now do it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Psalm 16:1. The Psalmist is coming to God for refuge, safety and security. So those who are seeking protection and safety are Refugees. Where are you running to when you need safety and protection?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's verse comes from Matthew 21:9. This is part of the Triumphant Entry or Palm Sunday. There were many who were lifting Jesus up and shouting his praise, but also missing who he is. Are you looking past Jesus today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Hebrews 10:23. It seems like we always start this way but in a world of uncertainty and change...its almost like a movie trailer. We will also bring in the topic of certainty and why we strive for all the answers. Lots of stuff going on today, enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are presented with a verse from the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:37. In a world of deception and poor follow through, Jesus says we need to be truthful in our speech. "Yes I will" or "No I won't." Let's seek to speak the truth and follow through with our words.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at two verses, Colossians 1:13-14. This is really the Gospel broken down into a short section. We talk about the domain of darkness being transferred into the Kingdom of Christ, which then leads to talk about Redemption and Forgiveness. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the stability of God in an unstable world. We will take a look at Isaiah 54:10 and see what God speaks to us today. What does your foundation look like...it is solid or shaky? Enjoy the episode.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to a familiar part of the Gospels for our random verse for the day. John 15:1-4 is the first part of the vine and branches passage. It is the most unpleasant part which Jesus talks about pruning. We love to be pruned...maybe not!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to spend some time looking at 2 Timothy 2:15. At first glance it looks like we are working for God's approval for salvation. This is what happens if we don't handle this well. Let's go on a discussion of interpreting this passage.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Romans 15:1-2. Instead of thinking about personal pleasure and "what's best for me," we should consider another alternative. Paul has some words for us today and gives us two things that we can do instead of considering just me.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to focus on 1Peter 5:6. Some people want God to do and be what they want. This is the story they were told; if I behave like this, God is going to reward me with a good life and do what I ask. We are going to talk about this today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to discuss 1 Peter 3:3-4. This is not a random verse selection but it is my daughters confirmation verse. Those that know Kaitlyn will see the ironic parts about the verse and what she does for a living. So let's talk about it!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I'm sure with a title like that people are thinking they should skip this episode. But we are taking a look at the Book of Romans. Lots of people love to sit in the condemnation of the Chapter 1 for "those" people who don't follow Jesus...but then Paul continues in Chapter 2 with a little bit of a surprise for those people. Listen and find out!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to Isaiah 54:10. In this short verse we see the Prophet talking about a constant in the midst of chaos. Does your life have any chaos or disorder? If you laugh and say of course...then this episode is for you.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's verse of the day comes from Proverbs 15:4. Solomon is going to address the words that are coming out of our mouth. Do your words bring life? Do your words crush the spirit of others?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Isaiah 1:17. Isaiah is laying out for us an understanding of Justice and what it looks like in the Kingdom of God. There is the oppressed, the fatherless and the widows. These are the vulnerable and often overlooked. What does justice mean for the church today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a look at a very confusing verse, Matthew 12:32. We will put this verse in context, but it can still be confusing. God is a God of forgiveness, but is there something that is unforgivable? That is what we will talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about St. Patty. There are some things that are folklore that are not really reality. We'll go over cultural practice and religious practice. If you have ever wondered about the whole day...take a listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Valentine's Day has turned into Love week. We are closing out the week with some talk about love. Romans 13:8-10 is where we are going to see what God has for us today. Paul is going to reiterate what God said in the OT and what Jesus said in the Gospels. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are jumping into the Book of Ecclesiastes. We just started studying it in men's Bible study and it has been so far depressing. Today we are going to focus on Ecclesiastes 11:5. What happens when we don't know something?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are kicking off the week with some good news from the Old Testament. Micah 7:18-19 gives us the good news, which if you read through Micah at all, the good news needs to be heard with all the condemnation. Let's talk about Good News!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are wrapping up the week with Romans 8:22-24. Creation groans and followers of Jesus groan. There is a definite connection between us and creation. Why are we groaning? We are waiting and waiting and no one likes to wait. This is what we are talking about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at John 16:24. Jesus is talking about prayer and it is the first time Jesus talks about using his name. We are going to talk about the ways people have distorted this verse (and others like it) and see what we can learn from this verse.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician and teacher that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Hebrews 13:1-2. Loving one another is good, but don't fail to see those other around us. How can you make sure the people around you know they matter? That is what we are going to talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has ben a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking James 1:26-27. James uses some buzz words that often take people off on crazy tangents. So....here we go on a crazy tangent. We talk about religion and what it means to follow Jesus.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are wrapping up the week with a familiar verse from the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 6:26 talks about the birds of the air which is a continuation of the flowers of the field. Neither one of these stress or worry about. We need to learn from Jesus on this one.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Forget or Never Forget, that is the question. We are looking at Psalm 119:93 today and the Psalmist doesn't ever want to forget God's precepts because it has brought life. We are going to talk about what we need to forget and what we should remember.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about 1 Corinthians 13:11-13. When we were kids we had a lot of questions. We probably drove adults crazy with all our questioning. Then we got older and someone discouraged us from asking big questions. Why? This is what we are going to talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about James 1:17. God is the perfect gift giver. In light of us God is a way better giver. I will loop in some other passages and shed some light on gift giving. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at 1 John 2:28. Depending on translation it says Continue in Jesus or abide in Jesus. We are going to talk about the Abide part. There are a lot of man made things that piled on Jesus that actually distracts us. Let's stick with Jesus.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to finish the week by going to Philippians 4:5. We are going to talk about this verse from two different translations. We need to understand what the word gentleness and considerate mean. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's random verse, of course, needed to be placed in context. I spend the first part of the podcast going over the danger of taking it out of context. So don't do that! Today we are looking at James 1:5-7. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's random verse actually doesn't seem very random at all. It speaks to our current Sermon Series and a topic that we talked about on the last episode. Judging people is the topic and we are focusing in on James 4:11-12.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's random verse brings us to Proverbs 21:25-26. King Solomon is going to point out the "Lazy" people. We love to jump on those who we think are lazy and need to work, but that is not what we'll talk about today. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at Paul's second letter to the Corinthians. There are some people who have called a fanatic based on these words, so we will see what kind of fanaticism is happening here. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about James 3:9-10. James, once again, talks about the danger of the tongue. We are using our mouths for a double purpose that should not be occurring. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Acts 10:34-43. Peter is revealing something that God has revealed to him. We'll talk Favoritism and also what it means to be a witness. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Happy Epiphany! That's right, today is the first day of Epiphany. What is Epiphany and why is it important? Those are good questions, thanks for asking. Today we are talking about Epiphany. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Luke 2:41-52, which is still closely related to the Christmas story. Jesus is around the age of 12 and Jesus' parents assumed he was in the large group traveling with them. We know what happens when we assume, right?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Happy New Year! Today we are going to talk about Matthew 2:13-15. This is the death of the innocent and Jesus needing to escape before Herod went on murder spree. Joseph once again has to trust what God has told him in a dream. With 2023 we can learn a lot about trust.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at Paul's Christmas account in Galatians 4. We think about time very linear and God looks at time differently. We really just want God to be on our time and that will be perfect. So let's learn about God's timing today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a break from Advent themes. It is the longest night of the year and it is officially Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. Many times people on the street die without most people knowing their name or if they are gone. Each one has a name and an identity. Let's take a moment to recognize that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This is the week leading up to Christmas. What do you want for Christmas? In this consumeristic culture, most of the stuff we want is exactly that...stuff. We are going to 1 Samuel 1:9-18 today and hear about what Hannah longs and desires for. We need to explore the desires of our hearts.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are wrapping up the week with the conclusion of Hebrews 11, known as the Faith chapter. We have talked about a few of the characters already and we'll push through and see what God can teach us. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to continue where we left off with Hebrews 11 and the walking by faith. Today we are going to talk about Noah, Abraham and Sarah. It will teach us followers of Jesus a lot about walking by faith. Enjoy!
The music on podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are starting off the week with a continuation of the message at Tabor Church yesterday. We are looking at Hebrews 11:1-6. This is the start of the Faith chapter in Hebrews and we will look at two people that are lifted up as people of faith. Enjoy!
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at Romans 15:4. Paul takes a bit of a detour as he quotes a passage from the Old Testament and then talks about why the Old Testament is still important. Let us not abandon the Old for the sake of the New.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore 2 Corinthians 4:18. Paul is trying to get us to think about perspective. There is the seen and the unseen, which one will we focus on? If we are fixing our eyes on something, don't you think it should be the seen and the physical? Let's talk about it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a look at another Advent theme, faith. We look at the Hebrew 11:1 passage that talks about faith. We will then dig in and really try and find out what it is. We are talkin Faith today, enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are closing out the week as we talk about one of the major themes of Advent...Hope. We all need hope, but hope is in short supply. Hope has been hijacked into some sort of wishful thinking. We are going to talk about the true source of Hope that we read in Romans 15:13. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to spend a little bot more time talking about Elizabeth and Zechariah. They were the subject of the first message in our Advent series, but we spent more time on John (their offspring) than we did on the couple. So here is a little bit more insight into the couple. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On this Giving Tuesday we should all consider what giving means. We will talk about stewardship and what it means to not just give our money but also other parts of our lives. So on this day consider your whole life. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about Advent. We do use the verse Psalm 27:14 to reinforce the waiting aspect of Advent. We do spend some time talking about preparation and the silly things that some people try and use from God's Word to not celebrate or put up trees.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Ephesians 4:30-32. Paul says we should not make the Holy Spirit sad with our actions. This would be a great season for us to start taking Paul's advice. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a bit longer because we are talking about a text that has 12-15 different topics that we could spend a whole episode on. So we will scratch the surface on John 4:7-26 and bring out a handful of topics. I encourage you to spend some time with this text and learn a whole bunch more.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about a familiar verse Luke 19:45-46. Jesus is flipping tables and calling people out. Jesus shouldn't be too mad, the Gentile court was established as a marketplace. Jesus should just take it easy, right?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are jumping into some wisdom literature. Proverbs 22:22-23 was written by a very wealthy individual and he has some guidance for us today. We should be speaking up for those who don't have a voice.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musican who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore the conclusion to the book of Hebrews. We will take a look at Hebrews 13:1-6. The author of Hebrews gives us some good life steps both amongst the body of believers and those who are not. Hope you find something helpful here today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yes we are going to talk about circumcision today. We don't spend a lot of time talking about the actual event, but there is a bit. We will be in Romans 2:25-29 and Paul spends some time talking about Jews and Gentiles. Your life is not all about your outward actions...its about your heart.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It is voting day, it is a mid term election but it doesn't mean that we should skip it. We are going to take a look at two passages, Romans 13:1-3 and Titus 3:1-2. Both passages tell us that we need to in respect to elected authorities. So let's do our part and get out and vote.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It is the beginning of the week so we are going back to the beginning. We are going to zero in on Genesis 2:25. Jesus wants to bring to us freedom but there is a lot in life that holds us down and holds us back. Shame gets built up in us and continues to divide us from God. We can be unashamed!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Psalm 37:1-8. There is a real balance of practical ways to live our lives. There are some do-not's, but there is also some to-do's. This should be really practical for you to implement. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about All Saints Day. We are going to clarify what this day is all about. There are two aspects that we will go over and maybe you can find some comfort in it. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It is October 31st and that means it is Reformation Day. It is also "Dress up as your favorite reformer" day. So if you see people running around in costume, just ask which reformer is their favorite. Today we are highlighting the freedom found in the Reformation. We'll focus on Galatians 5:13-18 to hammer that point home.
The music on the podcast comes from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are wrapping up the week by talking through Colossians 3:12-17. Paul starts this section by talking about the things we should be putting on or clothing ourselves with. The community standards for followers of Jesus should be different than the world sees. Enjoy the episode today!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about discipline. It can be a hard one to work through, especially if there is a background of trauma. Sinful people have distorted discipline but God calls it good. We are going to look at Hebrews 12:5-12.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Confidence can be a great thing but put in the wrong place it can be bad. Today we will be in Romans 8:31-37. Paul will tell us where confidence should be placed. Do you have confidence today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are starting the week talking about authority. Paul has some words in Ephesians 6:1-4 for Children and parents. Paul points us back to the Big 10 to the commandment with a promise. This is the foundation for how we see everyone else. Take a listen and see what you can learn.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are closing out the week with a look Mark 6:30-34. We see Jesus and the disciples are worn out and they are going to take a nap...but Jesus sees the people. They are a people that lack a leader and without a leader people long for something bigger. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at a transitional verse in scripture between two very well known stories of Jesus. Matthew 14:21-23 falls right after the feeding of the 5,000 and right before Jesus walks on water. "...He went up into the hills by himself to pray." That is what we are talking about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to go through a different translation of Psalm 23. Because Psalm 23 has many emotions or memories attached to the traditional translations, I have decided to go to a less traditional and see what we can learn. Hope you enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about 1 of the 10 Commandments. Side question: Where in Exodus does it say there are 10? We will talk about #3- Remember the Sabbath Day and keep it holy. We will particularly focus on the Sabbath part. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to wrap up the week with a bit of difficult message. We are going to take a look at Job 6:8-13. Job is in conversation with friends and he is feeling crushed after his life did not go as planned. If you are feeling crushed, its time to reach out.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a simple message that when we look at it seems very complicated. Luke 9:23-25 is where Jesus speaks very plainly with a big call, "If you want to follow me, take up your cross..." We want to find a way out of the entire call but we need to consider Jesus words.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the thoughts of God. Did you know that God thinks of you? We are going to explore 139:17-18, which is a Psalm of David. David is lifting up the all knowing God and marveling at the thoughts that can't be numbered. It is amazing!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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What are you willing to take a stand on? Over the years the things we are willing to do or not do have moved. We are going to take a look at Daniel 3 and the Rack, Shack and Benny story and see what they would and would not do. There are things we should stand on.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today on your calendars is Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement. We are going to spend some time today and talk about where it comes from and what do followers of Jesus do with a day like this. Enjoy the episode today!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Mark 7:5-13. Jesus confronts the Pharisees on their hypocritical words. "You honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me." That is what we'll talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Someone needs to hear this today...stop being so concerned about the end when life is lived today. We are going to take a look at Luke 21:8-11 and Jesus is going to talk about the "end times." Every generation has believed they are living in the end times. We are always looking for signs and then some "prophet" comes along and tells you things that are completely outside of God's Word and then we believe it. Stop it!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk through John 16:25-33. Jesus is trying to speak plainly to the disciples and they, of course, say thank you, we finally understand and believe these words. Jesus says, "Do you finally believe?" I hear some sarcasm and you'll hear why today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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What is truth? Everyone has their own response to this question. Everyone thinks they have their own version of it as well. How can we really decipher what truth is? If we don't like the truth can we just announce that it is fake? So many questions about truth. I'll have some thoughts about it today.
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Today we are going to hear some wisdom from Solomon. Ecclesiastes 5:1-3 is where we will be at today. Solomon in Ecclesiastes spends a lot of time asking if life is meaningless. But here is chapter 5 he switches to giving people some helpful understanding of approaching God. Are your ears open and mouth shut? Enjoy the episode.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to spend some time talking about Philippians 3:20-21. We will talk about three different aspects of the passage: Citizenship, Eager Expectation, and Transformation. It is a quick two verse study that packs a lot in. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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To close out the week we are going to talk about conflict. Couple of things we need to know up front...conflict is inevitable. As long as we have people in community, there will always be conflict. Once we get that we can then say, how am I going to deal with it? That is what we'll talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a little bit of a rant, but it is something that I also don't mind addressing. Sometimes you hear the things people say about God and the church, like they have spent years studying it. Here is the statement, "I don't have to go to church, my church is outside!" There is a bit of truth but a whole lot of wrong. Let's discuss.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at 1 Corinthians 1:18-24. This section is titled The Wisdom of God. What does it mean to be wise? Is wisdom the same as intelligence? Christ crucified, will be an offense and nonsense to people around, but it is the wisdom of God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to ask some questions that you have probably never even considered. Is the word Coach ever used in scripture? Is Coaching in the Bible? Those sound like very similar questions but will have different answers. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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There is a saying, "God willing and the creek don't rise." It is usually said that you have every intention to do something unless the unexpected happens. Well the phrase came to mind this morning because the actual water did rise yesterday...the unexpected occurred. What do we do with the unexpected?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to wrap up our Summer Concert Series in the same style we wrapped it up on Sunday at Tabor, with a hard rock song from 2013. The artist is Five Finger Death Punch and the song is called Wrong Side of Heaven. There is a lot of religious terminology and we'll sort through the meaning. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Alice Cooper and a song off the album, Welcome to my nightmare. The year was 2011 and the song is called, I am made of you. Most Alice Cooper fans will know that he became a Christian a while back, but others will only know him by his scary shows and makeup. Let's talk about it today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to wrap up the week with a song from 1997 called, Semi-Charmed Life by Third Eye Blind. Just as a warning, this song is about addiction, so there are drug references and it is probably not a song fro young kids. With all that...enjoy the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going back to the era of Peace and Love...1968. The artist is Tommy James and The Shondells and the song is Crystal Blue Persuasion. This is a pretty well known song but if you are like me, you may not know the background or the meaning of the song. Take a listen today and see what you think.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will go back to 1997 and talk about the only Creed album that will be necessary...My Own Prison. We will talk about the title track and see what we can learn. It is a low hanging fruit today and it will be easy to understand what the lyrics are talking about. I'll include the lyric video.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Happy Friday! We are finishing out the week with a 1973 song. Dream On was on the first album by Aerosmith. This was their first major hit and eventually solidified them as rock n' roll royalty. We are going to talk about this song and also go to the Scriptures to see what is said there.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician and teacher and is a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On today's episode we are revisiting an artist that we have talked about before, Mumford and Sons. This song is from their first album Sigh No More and it is called, "The Cave." There are a lot of ideas out there about what this song means. So today I will talk about it from my perspective and give you a quote that reflects the lyrics pretty closely.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Usually I just put the title of the song as the episode title, but today I put the artist there as well because just calling it Jesus may not be something that catches your attention. 1973 on Queen's self titled album, there is a song named "Jesus." As far as we know Freddie Mercury was not a follower of Jesus, but chose to sing this song. Today we'll discuss the lyrics.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going back to 1970 with the smash hit by Simon and Garfunkel, "Bridge Over Troubled Water." I will talk to you about the origin of the title line that may be surprising to some. This is really a great song for those going through difficulty.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing with our Summer Concert Songs. Today we are going to explore "What I've done" by Linkin Park. This was a 2007 song that was an immediate hit. It talks about the pain of regret and knowing that it is hard build back what was destroyed. Key Lyric: So let mercy come and wash away. This is what we'll talk about today. What are your thoughts about the song?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing the Summer Concert Series with a song by Red Hot Chili Peppers called, Under the Bridge. This is a song about drugs and drug addiction. If you are stuck in your addiction it is time to reach out and get help because it is a disease. But I believe there is also more to learn from this song. Listen and find out.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We have finally arrived at the podcast catching up with the series at Tabor Church. Summer Concert Series- is when we look at secular songs and dig into the content to see what we can learn as God's people. Today we are looking at "You Found Me" by The Fray from 2009. This song asks the questions we should all ask, Where is God in suffering?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We have finally arrived at the last Fruit of the Spirit...Self-Control or temperance. We are going to explore what this is and how we can see this at work in our daily life. We all have this but can often be found lacking. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the second to last Fruit of the Spirit, Gentleness. Gentleness is more than a command to treat something with kid gloves. We can see gentleness in our relationship with God and with others. We will talk through this today, enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing the exploration of the Fruit of the Spirit. We are going to talk about faithfulness. It is easy to attribute this only to God, but what does it look like in our lives and this fruit is on display? Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at the fruit of goodness. It is like holiness in action. We often say God is good and God certainly is...but what does or should our goodness look like? Today we will explore this. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to the next Fruit of the Spirit...Kindness. We all want to encounter kindness in our lives and in our relationships with others, but what is kindness? Today we will look at Ephesians 4:31-32 and discover what Paul describes. Be Kind!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to discuss Patience or Longsuffering. It is a fruit of the Spirit, so that means we all possess it. So what is patience and how can we get more of it? Enjoy the topic today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing with the Fruit of the Spirit discussion that we started last week. We particularly spend a lot of time repeating Romans 12:18 and will quickly discuss the dynamics of Peace. Hope you enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As we walk by the Spirit, we will see the Fruit of the Spirit in our life. Yesterday we went over Love and today we are going to tackle joy. We have the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...to stay. So what is Joy? Let's talk about it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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No we are not talking about the song...we are looking at the Fruit of the Spirit. Love should compel us to work for the good of our brothers and sisters. We can know if we are walking with the Spirit when the fruit is shown. Where is your love at?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are concluding the week with more talk about Following the Spirits Leading. Today we will talk about listening. It is important to listen on multiple levels to discern how God is leading. We are going to talk about the levels and ways we can practice this.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing in the how to be led by the Spirit of God, series. The key verse is James 1:22- and we'll talk about hearing the Word and doing the Word. What does it look like to apply passages to how we will live? We should ask God how we can live out the Word.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to start a short series on Following the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 is the foundation for wanting to figure out how to follow the Spirit. I believe most followers of Jesus would say that they are attempting to follow the Spirit in their lives...but what does it look like and how can we do it?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the difference between outreach and evangelism. Sometimes the two get mixed up and so we will sort it out today. Both of them are needed but don't think the one is the other.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about a slice of the story of the raising of Lazarus from John 11:30-35. Somehow we believe that God leaves us in tragedy and pain, like God is squeamish. Today we are going to see how God feels about death.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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If you are familiar with the Book of Esther, you will recognize that line from Mordecai as he speaks to Esther. Maybe God has you in a particular spot to be able to speak out and speak up. Fear is often what keeps us from saying anything and it was the same for Esther, but she risked it and it seems to pay off in the end.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Romans 8:1-6. There is no condemnation IN Christ. Paul gives us a great look at what this all means and then what we must do now. Let us not be dominated by the flesh but controlled by the Sprit of God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church,
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I am back in the podcast studio after a couple of weeks off. Today we are going to talk about Proverbs 6:16-19. It was written by the wisest man in the world at the time, so this must be good, right? We'll talk about wisdom and the path of virtue.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Philippians 2:5-8. We often stuff our lives with what we perceive as good things, only to find it doesn't add life. We are going to reflect on the Philippians passage to see what we can learn from Jesus.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are hearing from Jesus in the Gospel of Luke 18:9-14. There is a Pharisee and there is a tax collector and they are praying. Jesus gives us a glimpse of two different perspectives and only one of them will walk away justified. You guess which one?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Sometimes in life we get stuck trying to figure out life. Does God only have one chosen path for us to walk? What is right or what is good? Today we are going to take a look at Micah 6:8. This is gives a good idea of what God wants from us.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we explore some verses that I brought up yesterday in our new series. Jeremiah 17:9-10 talks about the human heart. We like to say "Follow your heart!" but that can lead us to places that we'll end up finding hurt or giving it out. Check your heart!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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To finish out the week we are going to visit Psalm 34:18-20. This chapter and the one previous are really trying to hammer home the point that God is near to His people. David will once again in this section give us some insight into this one thought.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a look at Romans 8:20-23. We will focus in on the creation portion of those verses. Creation is a gift for us to take care of and steward well, but we have not always done the best job of caring for it. We should want to have conversations about it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about all the ways that God prepares us as God works through us. God has been preparing Tabor Church for a work that we are still trying to figure out and put together. We know that God will do this work...so give us eyes to see and ears to hear.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are not hitting a random verse. I have a wedding today so I figured it would be good to visit the text that I will be preaching on. It is often used at weddings but it is not specifically a wedding text. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 is what we will discuss today, enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going back to 1 Chronicles 16:7-13. David leads the people in a song of praise to God. We gives thanks to God and proclaim God's greatness. God is great! Even more tragedy has fallen on our world but it doesn't take away from the greatness. God's ways are not our ways.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Matthew 11:28-30. I think we all need to hear these words over and over again, "Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest." We need to stop working for love and rest in God's grace.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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How do followers of Jesus present themselves to the world? We are called to be Good News bringers, but people don't often get anything good from us. We are going to take a look at Colossians 4:2-6 and see what Paul tells us concerning our conduct with those who do not follow Christ.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to spend some time looking at Ephesians 2:8-10. Salvation is a gift received by faith so that no one can boast or brag. But what comes after that?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yes, I am going to address my feelings on another school shooting. This is the second largest in our history and it should not fall back into a secondary story a few weeks from now. Followers of Jesus, we need to put on the mind of Christ and seek the best for neighbors and communities. Right now, this is not our best.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to Philippians 2:3-11. Paul starts off with, "Don't be selfish..." That should be enough for us to know that God doesn't want us to be selfish. But, much of what Paul says go against our very nature. We'll need a little more than that. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are jumping into one of the Pastoral Epistles, 1 Timothy 4:13-16. Paul is instructing young Timothy on some points of being a pastor and leading the church. Take a listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we focus on Luke 11:9-13. If you only read these verses, you could form a theology of God being a Cosmic Genie that grants wishes. We are going to talk about these verses and discover how we should be reading these verses.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Ezekiel 36:25-27. There is much to explore and so we look at original audience and then also look forward from Ezekiel to Jesus and see if it sounds like something he said. Hope you enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are in 1 Corinthians 1:4-9. Paul thanks God for the Church in Corinth even thought they have problems. Paul reminds them that they have everything they need. I think this is a good message for all churches today, as we often think about all the things we don't have.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Hey there followers of Jesus, this is another for you. John 15:12-17 is where we are landing today. Jesus gives a command that we often turn into a suggestion; Love One Another. This is never easy, which is why Jesus says, "Love each other in the same way I have loved you." It is going to take sacrifice.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I decided to take a turn and just pull up some random passages to talk about. Of course random passages are never random with God. Ephesians 4:1-6, Paul has some real words for the church. Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit. There is a lot to strive for.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are wrapping up the week and also wrapping up the last verses of the Gospel of John. It sounds like there is not much there, but the helpful advice from Jesus will actually be something that we all need to hear. Go ahead and listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing in John 21 as Jesus sits down with his disciples to eat breakfast together. He takes this time to address Peter, you know, after he betrayed him three times. Jesus addresses the situation in the best Jesus way possible. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will actually get to John 21. We find the disciples are not actually behind a locked door again. They are back to doing what they used to before Jesus. The resurrection has changed things...don't return to your day job.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I go backward from where we start. I start by saying we are hitting John 21, but then go back to John 20:30-31, and then go back to the previous story about Thomas (who people call Doubting Thomas). You can find out what all of this means when you listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about things that Easter People do. Easter people who are following Jesus should see the things that Jesus prioritized and then do that as well. So what did Jesus prioritize?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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What happened after Easter? Jesus had some priorities that were still very evident. In John 20:19-23 we see Jesus coming to the disciples and sharing the words of Peace. This peace is supposed to cut through their many levels of fear. As Easter people, where have you let fear drive you?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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“We are an Easter people and Alleluia is our hymn of praise!” -St. Augustine
What does it mean to be an Easter person? Is every Christian an Easter person? Today we are going to tackle some of these questions as we explore what it means to be an Easter person.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Easter Monday can be hard. Not on Jesus or the disciples on the first resurrection week, but mainly today on ministry leaders. Is there too much time and energy placed on 1 or 2 days a week? How can we incorporate Jesus into every area of our lives?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I just saw a short statement on Twitter that read...Jesus Died, that's bad...For you, that's good. Today we will discuss the "good" portion of Good Friday and Jesus' last word, It is Finished! Find a place to worship tonight and on Easter.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Maundy Thursday, which is latin for mandatum. We are going to address a few different aspects of the day and we'll see why this day is so important. Jesus has a mandate for us, which means that no excuse in the world will get us out of it. Let's explore that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is the Wednesday of Holy Week and there are a bunch of different names for it. The Catholics call it Spy Wednesday, but there is also Silent Wednesday and Good Wednesday. We are going to zero in on the Spy part of the day, as we focus on John 13:21-30. Let's see what we can learn.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Holy Tuesday and we are going to take a look at John 12:20-33, except we really just go over 20-28. Jesus talks about following him and what it takes. It is the same message he has told us before, but it means laying down our lives.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are starting our topics for Holy Week. It is the continuation from yesterday, which was Palm Sunday. Jesus sees the City of Jerusalem and he weeps. Luke 19:41-44 is where we find this particular passage. We will talk about why Jesus was weeping and what it means for us.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are wrapping up the week with a look at John 10:31-42. Religious folks out trying to kill Jesus. Jesus gets sarcastic with them and points out their hypocrisy. It is a good thing for us to sort through today as well.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about father's. We are in John 8:31-42 and Jesus is speaking truth. It is a truth that some do not want to hear or do not want to make room for. What causes us to not have room for Jesus and the truth? We need to analyze this in our own life.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to see John (and the rest of the disciples most likely) sound like a Jr High clique group. Those people are not in "our group" Jesus, tell them to stop. We spend a lot of time thinking and believing that our group is the best and correct, which means others are automatically incorrect. Jesus says we should live in peace with each other.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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That is the phrase that sometimes goes trough our heads when we come across something that we either don't understand or don't like. Today we are gong to take a look at the disciples not understanding or not liking a statement from Jesus in Mark 9:30-32. Instead of finding a way out, let's sit with it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are closing out the week with a look at Mark 9:33-37. The disciples are arguing who is the greatest among them. Of course they don't want to tell Jesus that they are talking about that. Jesus flips our economy of greatest to least upside down. It's time to humble ourselves and serve others.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Mark9:14-29. I believe we encounter a grumpy Jesus in the text. The disciples didn't do their job and now Jesus is confronting an angry evil spirit. Jesus will of course of win out, but the father of the boy has seen his son suffer a lot and he wants to believe all is possible but wants help in his unbelief. Where do you need help in unbelief?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at two short parables in Luke 13:18-21. The mustard seed and the yeast will teach us big things about small things. What is the Kingdom of God like? It is often not what we expect or imagine.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are exploring Matthew 18:21-35. This deals with the issue of forgiveness. I know that this is a complicated issue with many. I will not be able to cover the scope of this in 10 min. It is important to tackle the issues in your own life of not forgiving- both yourself and others.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will take a look at Luke 13:1-9. We will break it down into two sections; 1-5 and then 6-9. They work together well and Jesus is the real master teacher. Jesus uses two stories of tragedy in the headlines to talk about urgency. We'll break it down today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Matthew 21:33-46. I have talked with some builders and asked them about the cornerstone...They say, "Nope, it's not used anymore." We have moved beyond the need for the cornerstone in our building process. Is that the same way we have move beyond Jesus? He was good for a time or good for a teaching, but we must progress. We are going to talk about that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about Luke 17:11-19. There are 10 lepers and Jesus sends them off to the priest to verify that they are clean once again. One of the lepers comes back and thanks Jesus and praises God, but what about the other nine? What about you?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore Matthew 23:1-12. Jesus spends the whole of chapter 23 calling out the hypocrites, Pharisees and religious leaders. Jesus tells the people, "Practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example." Saying one thing and doing the opposite. That had to hurt. Where are you living hypocritically in your life?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking through the Mark 3:7-12. The people were following Jesus to be healed and yet Jesus wanted some time of teaching, so he balanced in a boat on the water. Some in the crowd are a little bot frightened...the demons.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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For Lent we are going to take a look at some of the daily readings and see what connection they have. Today we are looking at Deuteronomy 30:15-20 and Luke 9:22-25. Moses in Exodus talks about choosing Life or Death. The way of God is life and the way of self is death. Jesus in the Gospel says that we need to give up our lives and follow him daily. It is the way of life.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. We are going to spend some time today and break it down and see what we can do today to observe the day and the season. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we briefly talk about Fat Tuesday, the day before the official start of Lent. But we also discuss the conflicts happening around the globe. We will go over Psalm 94:16-23. I think it perfectly matches some feelings during these times. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is the last day of Black History Month. I'm not sure why we have to fit it all in one month but for a people who were not recognized for so long as having any contribution we must start somewhere. Today we are going to highlight a few voices from our history; GEORGE LIELE, PHILLIS WHEATLEY and MAHALIA JACKSON. There are so many more, so please go and do a study on the history of Black voices in the Church.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are wrapping up our series on Encounters with Jesus. We will close it off by talking about Saul/Paul. Acts 9:1-19 is where we see the conversion of Saul. Jesus comes to Saul because he sees the potential. Saul is breathing out murderous threats and wants to see the followers of Jesus die...a direction shift will need to occur.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing for Tabor Church.
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We are talking about two guys who had a similar experience with Jesus but came away with two different ideas. We are talking about the thieves that were next to Jesus at the crucifixion. Take a listen
The music on podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are in Luke 13:10-17. There is a woman who has been doubled over, crippled, for 18 years. She engages her, sees her and calls her over. Jesus heals this woman and she praises God. But there is always going to be "that guy" who speaks out to damper the celebration. Why? Take a listen today
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at a three year encounter with Jesus. There was one disciple that didn't really have his heart in it. We are talking about Judas today. What makes a person just go through the motions? Do they think their actions will save them? Let's discuss it today
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This is a continuation of topic yesterday from Luke 18:26-30. We find out that it is hard to enter the Kingdom of God. The crowd, including the disciples, see the impossibilities and how they are limited. Jesus gives them a new perspective on what is actually possible. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are heading to Luke 18:18-27. The religious man is not given a name but the headings always call him "The Rich Man." I find this to be an interesting story of identity. This is not a story of wealth or riches but discovering who we are. So, what's your identity?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are starting off the week with two encounters that are sandwiched; Luke 8:40-56. Jesus approaches the unclean in both instances and makes it intimate and personal. I think this has some great things for us to learn from. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Luke 4:1-13 is the temptation of Jesus. The Devil tries to come in and make Jesus doubt his identity and mission. This interaction helps us in many ways to figure out how to combat the evil one and to remember our own identity.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yesterday we started the section of Mark 5 with the introduction of Legion to Jesus. Today we continue that passage with the interaction with the crowd and what happens to the formally possessed man. There is a interesting encounter. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Mark 5:1-13 is the text we are in today. There is a demon possessed man that has secluded himself by the caves, often where dead people are placed. When Jesus arrives an interesting conversation ensues. The demons confession is possibly better than some of the followers of Jesus. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we explore an interaction from Matthew 15:21-28. There is a Gentile woman who approaches Jesus and pleads with him to heal her daughter. If this interaction was your only knowledge of Jesus, you might leave having a whole different perspective on Jesus. So today we are going to explore this encounter.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to discuss Mary of Magdala or Magdalene depending on how you know her. Mary is a known disciple of Jesus, but there has been many different stories told about her that are not in the Bible. We will go through some of those tales of Mary and discuss what we do know.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at a really great encounter with the wee little man. Luke 19:1-10 is where we find the story of Zacchaeus and his encounter with Jesus. Zacchaeus was very eager to see and hear from Jesus. Let's explore this encounter today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing the conversation we started yesterday about the Raising of Lazarus in John 11. We focus on the phrase that is used in John 11:33 and 11:38. Jesus was moved in his spirit. The whole thing didn't sit well with Jesus, Why? It seems like Jesus already knew what would happen. Why be angry or sad? Listen and I'll talk through it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing in the Gospel of John with more encounters with Jesus. Today is a bit longer because the scripture is John 11:1-44 and it is the Raising of Lazarus. I know that this a familiar story but there is so much complexity here that we could spend a whole week on it. Take a listen to the start of the conversation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The story in John 9 about the man born blind continues today. We are going to take a look at John 9:26-41. There were too many great things about this encounter that I didn't want to leave out. The interactions with the Pharisees with the blind man and Jesus are too great to pass up. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at the encounter of the blind man and Jesus in John 9:1-25. The blind man doesn't know much about Jesus, he just met him and the disciples that day. After Jesus heals him that's when the grilling from the Pharisees come in. The blind man testifies on what he does know. Take a listen today as we walk through this passage.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to take a look at a familiar story in John 8:1-11. This is the woman caught in adultery and is brought to the feet of Jesus by religious leaders and Pharisees. This is where we have two encounters- religious folks and the woman. I believe that both of them will learn something in this encounter. Listen to find out.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have an encounter with a man who has been sick for 38 years. John 5:1-15 gives us the story of this encounter that Jesus asks one man, "Would you like to get well?" Come on Jesus, is that a real question? Doesn't everyone want to be healed? We are going to explore this encounter today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today will be the conclusion of what I was going to talk about on Friday, the secret encounter of Nicodemus and Jesus. Nicodemus comes to Jesus under the shadow of darkness. There are questions asked of Jesus and this is big news from a Jewish religious leader.
The music of the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I was caught off guard this morning as I was going to launch into another encounter with Jesus. John 2:23-25, gives us a glimpse into Jesus. People were beginning to trust Jesus, BUT Jesus didn't trust them. Why didn't Jesus trust them? Jesus knew their heart. Why do you follow Jesus?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about some encounters that were more than a moment in time but encounters that lead to a lasting relationship. The Gospel of John chapter 1:35-ff give us a fast track on the early encounters with the disciples. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we see an encounter between Jesus and a Roman Centurion. Matthew 8:5-13 gives us the account for today. This is the first time in Matthew that we see faith outside of Israel. Jesus says this isn't about ancestry. People will come from East and West. Take a listen today!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we look at 5 different things that happen when people encounter Jesus. We are looking at a story that is the most universal story that you can talk about pretty much any topic; the Samaritan Woman at the well. Take a listen to this encounter.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are officially in the season of Epiphany. This is a season of the church year that is often overlooked. We usually pay attention to Advent, Christmas, Lent and Easter. I want to introduce you to Epiphany and show you that there is nothing to be frightened of.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today goes by many names- 12th day of Christmas, Epiphany, and 3 Kings Day. I decided to look into the origins of the day and it dates back to the 4th century. We are going to spend a moment today and talk about this day.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Happy New Year! We are back once again after the podcast studio was taken down. It is the 11th day of Christmas which is the Pipers Piping. I don't know much about Pipers or piping. I think we'll have some application still. Btw- It is Steve Kowbel's birthday, if you know him reach out and tell why you love him.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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At the end of the year we can start thinking about the end of the world or Jesus coming back. People create conspiracy theories and try and set dates...it's all a foolish pursuit. Today we are going to look at Mark 13:32-37 and see what Jesus says about all of this.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The title sounds like a commercial for a business that can help you with your foundation in your home. Consider this your spiritual commercial to hear from 1 Corinthians 3:10-17. It is important to check our foundation and make sure it is secure before the trials and tests come. Stand on the rock!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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At Tabor Church we talked about a One Word and One Verse focus or theme for 2022. I give a quick breakdown of the message today on the podcast. This one thing...we can keep in front of us and pay attention to. God is sufficient in all of our needs.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is the Eve of Christmas and we decided to read from the prophet Isaiah. We read one passage from chapter 9 and then jump to chapter 60. The theme we deal with is a big one for the Christmas season...Light and Darkness. It is a big theme across the scriptures and is highlighted and magnified during the birth of Jesus.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Week four of Advent has the theme of love. We will take a look at John 3:16-19 to try and understand the fullness of love and really see why there are some who choose not to be embraced by that love.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's Advent reading is from Luke 1:46-55. This is Mary's song or the Magnificat, which comes from the opening phrase that says, "My soul magnifies the Lord." Today we are going to talk a little bit about Mary and why we love her as a servant of God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today December 21st, 2021 is known as Homeless Person's Memorial Day. The homeless or shelterless are often not seen. We look past them or we see the shape they are in and ignore them. Today I will briefly share with you why this day matters to us.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are in Colossians 1:15-20. Jesus is the fullness of God. This little passage is all about the divinity of Christ. As we approach Christmas, we see an infant who already at birth was God in the flesh- he did not inherit it later, nor did it leave him at any point. The fullness of God in Christ.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It is tough to be patient. It is tough to wait. It is especially difficult to patiently wait while there are difficulties that surround you. I don't know about you but I don't like to endure long periods of hurt and sadness when I see that there is no end in sight. There is Good News and we will see it in our Hebrews 10 passage today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today our text is Luke 7:31-35. Jesus talks about the generation that he was witnessing. It seems like even when you are standing right in front of Jesus that you can still not be pleased. Once again, we ask God for fresh eyes this season to see Jesus and not all the trappings that distract.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Hardened hearts have been an issue for a long time. Isaiah talked about it, Jesus talked about it and now today we'll get to Paul in Acts 28 talking about it. What has hardened the hearts of people? Advent season we are surrounded with a public celebration of the season which can also harden hearts. Let's ask God to open our eyes and ears.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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From the stump will grow a shoot. This is a big verse of advent as the prophecy is clearly about the coming Messiah. Today we are going to put this verse in context and try and understand what God was talking about. God can't be defeated and some people think they can bring the axe to God...that pride will be brought down.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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How do you prepare for Christmas? We are going to talk today about some of the ways people have counted down the days till Christmas. We will talk about fasting, advent wreaths and advent calendars. Do you have some fun ways of preparing? Please share with us
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The Advent readings today really give a perfect balance. Isaiah calls us to joy, Amos calls us to repentance, and Paul in Corinth calls us to give generously. I think this is a perfect balance for the season of Advent as we get ready for Christmas.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are in Luke 7:18-22. John the Baptist is wondering if Jesus is the Messiah that they had been expecting or is there another? This is coming from a guy who already told his disciples that Jesus was the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. What happened? John was in jail and maybe the doubts crept in. Doubt is real.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Hope is a word that has been hijacked. We use hope synonymously with wish. We hope that something might happen, but most likely it will not. When we hope in the Lord, we will never be put to shame. Let's be confident about our hope.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Patiently and Confidently...two words that we recognize but are a little bit foreign to us. A big theme of Advent is waiting. We are taking a look at Romans 8:22-24 and see that we are not the only ones who are waiting with expectation. Take a listen to find out.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are closing out the week with a prophecy. The Prophets of God and prophecy is another big theme of Advent. We will not look at the prophets of old today but one that was a little closer to Jesus birth- Zechariah. We will take a look at Luke 1:68-79. Take a listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Light is a big theme in the season of Advent. Today we will look at John 1:1-5 and highlight the place where Jesus is referenced at life and light. Light has come into the world and it is a good reminder with darkness being more prevalent that we have hope in the midst of it all.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We celebrated Thanksgiving so that usually means we are starting Christmas...no wait! This is not Christmas season but Advent season. It is the first season of the church calendar and it teaches us of whole lot of things. Take a listen a discover a few things about the season.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to take a look at Psalm 107. I remember in Jr high Christian school we would close our lunch prayer with 107:1- Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever. It is a good Psalm as we prepare for Thanksgiving but also to be incorporated into our attitude of gratitude. Take a listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The word Eucharist sounds like a catholic word. It really is used by other people and so today we'll talk about the word and what it means to give thanks. Let's not let this week or this month be the only time we give thanks. Attitude of Gratitude is what we are looking for.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing for Tabor Church.
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We are finishing off our talk on covenants today with a culmination of understanding how the renewed covenant of Jesus is the ultimate good. We finish this episode by also sharing with you the covenant of Tabor Church. Take a listen!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we will bridge the gap between old and new. We will hear from two prophets: Jeremiah and Ezekiel about the covenants and what went wrong with them...especially that Mosaic covenant. They both talk about a new covenant or what I like to say, renewed covenant that God will do. Take a listen and enjoy.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we see an extension of the covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. David is the shepherd King and God talks to him about the covenant in 2 Samuel 7. This is once again a covenant that is very God heavy on the doing. There are things that God will do even without faithfulness from David or the people. Take a listen
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The Mosaic covenant is a little bit different from the past covenants we have talked about. This covenant has a lot more people participation and expectation. The people of Israel needed to embody the laws...sometimes that happened but a lot of times it didn't. We will talk about this covenant today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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To start the week we are going to talk about the continuation of the covenant with Abraham. Sons and grandsons will hear the same words spoken with the same key areas -big family, land and blessing to all other nations of the world. Good thing this covenant is based on the faithfulness of God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We will finish off the week talking about the covenant that most people are aware of. We find the covenant of Abraham in Genesis 12, 15, and 17. If you would like to go and check out the text in each of those chapters, you can see it all. God is making a partnership that will highlight three different areas: Offspring, land and a universal blessing. Listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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In Genesis 8, God establishes a covenant with Noah. We know there was a worldwide flood and it destroyed everything except for Noah, family and the boat full of animals. When all is done and everyone is off the boat God has some things to say. God calls this a covenant twice. Take a listen and be reminded of the covenant today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going back to the beginning. The covenant in eden is not always established as a major covenant of the Bible. But today I am going to talk about this and see what we can mine from the earliest covenant. Take a listen!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going on a little excursion to talk about Biblical Covenants. We are approaching covenant season at Tabor Church, so I figured it was time to do a little refresh course on what covenants are and what they are not. It is always good to clear up any misconceptions and really see that covenants are the backbone or operating system throughout the Bible.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about grief and mourning. Paul says Christians don't grieve like everyone else...and that's true. But sometimes that makes people think they shouldn't have any emotion. There should be emotion in grief. There is a reason why we say we have hope and why that hope is more than just a small percentage.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to close out the But God... series today with a glimpse into the life of Paul or also known as Saul. Galatians chapter 1 Paul give us the quick break down of how he became a religious zealot. He rose through the ranks and was a well respected man. I don't think there were any Christians who were rooting for Paul to become one of them. But God...wasn't done with Saul/Paul.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are sticking around in 1 Corinthians today with chapter 3, verse 6. In the church we are filled with humans who are flawed. We humans try and look at "our ministry" and want all the glory while we pass the buck on the flaws. It is not about you! Today we are going to talk about that.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to 1 Corinthians 1:28- But God chose things despised by the world...God's Kingdom looks upside-down to how we are used to considering things. We think the powerful, wealthy people are the ones we should use to pass along our significance. God thinks differently and I am glad for it.
The music on the podcast os from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are moving along to Paul's letter to church in Rome. We might be willing to die for someone close or even a "good" person. But die for an enemy? No. We'll pass on that one. But God...has an even greater side that really is the opposite of what makes sense to us humans. Listen and see what you think.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Can God change your opinion about people? Hopefully the answer to that question is yes. We are in the Book of Acts chapter 10 as God has been changing Peter's opinion about people, in particular the gentiles. This would be a difficult transition, as Peter has been raised to believe gentiles are unclean. Where does God need to change your perspective on people?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are closing out the week with two related Acts passages; Chapter 2 and 3. Peter is bold in his preaching and very pointed. But who is this Peter guy. He acts like he wasn't the one who denied Jesus three times. He says, "You killed the author of life!" But God...did not have the story end there.
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I was surprised to find that there are not a lot of But God...moments in the Gospels. We'll only talk about this one today in Matthew 19:26. Don't take this verse to mean that you can do anything that is impossible. We need to have the same heart of God and see what impossible things can happen when God is able to work.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to jump into the story of a minor prophet that most people know. Hi name is Jonah and Jonah is known for being swallowed by a big fish. We are going to read the first part of chapter 2 which is his cry from the belly of the fish. This will have a big But God...moment.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We have another Psalm in the mix today as we talk about But God... Health and spirit can diminish. This is a true statement that I am sure we have all felt over the years. There are a lot of things we try and carry- burdens, fear, worry, anxiety...over all kinds of issues. What are we going to do with all that baggage? Most of us still try and carry it all by ourselves. There is a better way.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are back today with more But God...Scripture. Today we are in Psalm 49 and we have a big But God moment. We are surrounded by death and fear and we lose focus on God we can easily get swallowed up in that. But God...has a different story.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a look at 1 Samuel and Saul and David. David is on the run because Saul wants him dead. This is a constant battle and Saul wants David dead. In Chapter 23 it looks like Saul has tracked David down and has now sent the army after him. There is a lot of fear. But God... does a work that is often not attributed to God. Listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Like I mentioned yesterday this would be the continuation of the story of Joseph. Jacob is gone and Joseph's brothers think Joe is coming after them now. But Joe gives them a perspective that took a while for him to learn. You meant evil But God...intended good. We are going to talk about that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are still in Genesis today with our But God...series. We talk about Jacob (Israel) and his son Joseph. Jacob is about to die and wants to have an important conversation with his favorite son. It's hard to lose the patriarch, its hard to lose your dad, But God...
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing with our But God...scripture moments. We are still in Genesis with Jacob and Laban (Father-in-law) who has tricked Jacob into working for him for over 20 years. Jacob has not been treated well and Laban was not a good boss. Take a look at Genesis 31:42.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have Heather back on the mic. She talks more about her perspective on the But God... series. She gives a big example and a smaller perspective. I am sure that you will enjoy this one as she also brings up a butt God moment in scripture. Only Heather would bring this up.
The song that Heather referenced in the show is called Alive by Big Daddy Weave. Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiuw2QX4RpI
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we continue our little mini series called But God...Today we are going back to the beginning Genesis 8. This is the time of the flood. There was destruction and death and we can just end it there because we don't get it. But God...remembered.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I was going to do the random generator again and came across the phrase, "But God." We'll tackle the one that I came across today and then continue with this mini series on where else the "But God" phrase shows up in scripture. Where have you seen a But God moment in your life?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today was another random verse generating day. Ephesians 6:1-4 is where we landed today. Paul has some instructions for Children and Parents. He points us back to the commandments and in particular the first one if the second table of the law. It is the first commandment with a promise. Take a listen today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Everyone has disappointments in life. There are different levels of disappointment but it is all an unmet expectation. What do we do with disappointments? Today we'll talk about disappointments and share a few Psalms that give us some good ideas.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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One of the pillars of my ministry is asking questions. Doubts have not always been encouraged to be shared out in the open, but why? Is it because we are afraid to say, "I don't know!" Or we just don't want to discuss it? We need to encourage each other to ask a lot of questions and to express our doubts because it is better they see light than to remain in the darkness.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Why do people leave the church? There are many reasons and we cover just a few of them today. What are some of the reasons that you have heard or are familiar with? Please add them in the comments below.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Sometimes I think reality television would have been a huge hit in the Old Testament era. People watch because all the drama and the Father's of the faith in the OT had plenty of drama. Some of it seems sensationalized but wait it is playing out in real families. Genesis 27- Isaac is going to give his oldest son the blessing and yet the younger son steals it. Dum dum dum...
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The title is meant to be very literal but also very metaphorical. Colossians 3 gives us a picture of the things we need to take off and the things we need to put on. We are spending time on introspection of the church. We need to evaluate ourselves and our motivations. Repentance and Forgiveness should be a big part of that. The church should be practicing reconciliation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have another random generated verses- 1 John 5:1. John takes us back to his Gospel a bit with the terminology. When we believe (which is more than just knowledge of) that Jesus is the Christ...we are born of God. This will lead us to understand the second part of the verse more in depth.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a moment to look at 2 Timothy 3:16-17. God breathed, God breathed into the writers of the Scriptures. God inspired. We'll also see that the verse shows us it is useful and equips us all for the work ahead of us. What would you like for us to tackle next? Is there a topic you would like me to cover?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I hit a random verse generator to see what the topic was going to be...Psalm 23:4. This is a familiar verse even for people who are not regular church attenders because everyone goes to funerals/memorials and this verse is often used. So I am going to break the verse down and speak about all the gold found here.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today on the calendar you may notice the Festival day of Yom Kippur. We are going to discover what that means so that we can understand the importance of the day. We will also do some New Testament connections from an Old Testament practice. Hope you enjoy the connections.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to close the mini series on Sabbath Rest with one more Biblical passage. It brings in busyness and the need to do more. Mark 6:30-34 is the passage we will look at and see what it adds to our conversation about Sabbath Rest.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Usually I start with or put it towards the beginning...but the science of the body tells us what God first established. Rest is good for the physical body. I'll highlight the ways that rest is good for our bodies. I also pose the question for you all- What practices of rest do you incorporate? What can you teach about this topic? Please comment below.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I know that I talked about silence and solitude probably a year ago when we were going over spiritual disciplines...well here is some more talk about it. I go over a practice here for you to try out this week. I have tried it and will continue to practice this and see what happens. Give it a try!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yesterday we talked about rest taking discipline. You will absolutely need discipline to carry out any of these practices. I took a little bit longer to go through six different ideas for rest. Let me know if there are ones here that you want me to go through in more detail. Rest is good and good for you...it's time to practice it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to focus on Mark 1:35- Jesus goes away to pray. We have so much on our plate and our calendars are full...there is no time for rest. Our culture doesn't celebrate rest of any kind because it will make you look lazy and not useful. Rest and even Sabbath rest is going to take discipline.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about two Hebrew words that are related to Sabbath. They actually really well together. I will also address the question: Do we still have to observe sabbath since it was in the Old Testament? What else do you have to add to the discussion on Sabbath Rest?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This mini series is based on the last conversation with Heather on Mondays episode. I am going to outline the reason for rest and what Sabbath rest is all about. We'll go over in the coming days the difficulties is following Sabbath Rest and some ways to practice Sabbath Rest. What parts of Sabbath rest do you have a hard time with? Is there something in this mini series that you want me to pay a little bit of attention on?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we welcome to the show my beautiful wife, Heather. Heather has been on the podcast before but it has been a while since she has been on. We talk about putting her on the spot, scripture, which leads us to talk about Sabbath and Sabbath rest. Where do you find rest? We'll talk about accountability for Phil on this subject. Take a listen to the conversation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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You may not be familiar with the title of the song unless you know the artist...today we are talking about Bob Dylan and the song title is Rainy Day Women #12 and #30. Most people know this as the "Everybody must get stoned" song. Dylan says he has never written a drug, nor will he ever. So it must be about something different. I go into a bit of the background on this episode. Take a listen!
Video of the song (there was no lyric video): https://youtu.be/fm-po_FUmvM
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have a song that you most likely are not familiar with from a band that you also may not be aware of Angels and Airwaves. The song is from 2006 and it is called A Little's Enough. Tom DeLonge explains the meaning behind this song and we will explore it even a bit further than a theory of God coming to be with us. Take a listen!
Lyric video: https://youtu.be/GMlBql47x1M
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going back to 1980 with another punk band...The Clash. The song is called The Sound of Sinnersand it was on the album Sandinista! The song has some perspective on natural disasters and it can cause you to have a little bit of a different focus. We are going to dig into the lyrics today and see what we can learn.
Couldn't find a lyric video so here is the song: https://youtu.be/dJLcrLRtT0M
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a familiar song but I never remember who sang it. The song is called You Gotta Be by Des'ree. It came out in 1994 and could be considered a one hit wonder. We are going to take a look at the lyrics today and see what we can learn.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/9oZXJD1NVW0
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On Friday I mentioned that Johnny Cash covered the song we did...so I decided to pull out a Cash song. It is probably his most well known. I walk the line was released in 1956 and Johnny wrote it for his first wife, who he wanted to remain faithful to. Faithfulness is a tricky thing with human beings...so that's what we'll talk about today.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/7blVWJ8GPVs
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are headed back to the 1990's. This would fit in with my favorite genre of music and one of the voices that would be a star of this era...Chris Cornell and Soundgarden. The song is called Rusty Cage from the 1991 release of BadMotorFinger. This is a song that I believe has some great spiritual connotations that are inferred and I don't think were intended by the Chris when he wrote it all down. What is your interpretation of the song?
Lyric Video Johnny Cash: https://youtu.be/S3krXGaOeaU
Lyric Video Soundgarden: https://youtu.be/k6-pqF3J7Jw
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are sticking with the 70's. In 1975 Patti Smith released her version of Gloria. Some people heard it and believed that Patti was against Christianity, but wait there is more to the story. Glory is high renown or honor; magnificence or great beauty. Gloria, in Christianity, is pointing that honor to God and ascribing the beauty to God. Take a listen to the song.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/TNQtz6Ajvfg
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today might be a little weird for you on this selection but it is from Black Sabbath. In 1971 they put out a song called After Forever.Black Sabbath was always painted as the ones who would drink the blood of the innocent...but their bassist was Catholic and penned this song. Listen to some of the lyrics and they are not trying to hide anything. They are speaking to their audience of metalheads and you might be surprised.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/mDt7q4fTx5w
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing with the Summer Concert Series theme. Today we have a harder rock song from Linkin Park called What I've Done.I am not sure whether the intent was intently religious connotations but the words used point us to God. Mercy, wash away, forgive are all words used here. Let's dig and see what we can find.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/ldNLO7pvmgo
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
It is Friday so I figured I throw out a familiar song with an easy connection. I Will Aways Love You covered by Whitney Houston. It was released on The BodyGuard soundtrack in 1992. The lyrics show that this is a song between people breaking up or departing from each other, but followers of Jesus can be assured that God always loves.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/H9nPf7w7pDI
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking about a song released in 2009 by the band The Fray. The song is called You Found Me. There is a lot of good lyrical content in this song. We are only going to scratch the service. It really comes down to us wrestling with the big question of Why do bad things happen to good people? We will discuss that today.
Lyric Video: https://youtu.be/xMlou7Q0GRE
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today is a selection from Harry Styles...it was my daughters pick. I picked the song Lights Up from the album Fine Line. I love the words of the chorus and I believe they directly apply to the life of a Follower of Jesus. It even gives us a question at the end of the chorus...Do You Know Who You Are? We will deal with identity and especially our identity as children of God.
https://youtu.be/uBHbGxZa3Yg
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are hitting a familiar song with a band that has iconic hair...Flock of Seagulls. The song is called I Ran (So far away) and was a hit in 1982. This song was not written with spiritual elements in mind, but we are going to pull out of it some things that often happens in our relationship with God.
https://youtu.be/S9jwXUITbtU
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are continuing with more pop songs that have some deep meaning and can even help us as we follow Jesus. We are talking Mumford and Sons and the album is Babel and the title track is Babel. If you are familiar with the Bible at all you will recognize that name in the Book of Genesis. It has some big thoughts about the human heart of discontent. Take a listen!
https://youtu.be/37DDFHaqzkM
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are hitting our first song in this series: Are You Gonna Go My Way by Lenny Kravitz. Lenny called Jesus the ultimate Rock Star. When he wrote this song he wrote it in the voice of Jesus. When you listen to the song listen to it as Jesus would be talking. Fascinating to think a big rock song like this was written in the voice of Jesus.
https://youtu.be/s_nq12hONbs
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are back...Sorry for the long break
We are going to talk about summer concert list and cultural prophets today. What songs should I be doing on here? Feel free to add it in the comments below.
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Today we will start with a quote from agnostic Bertrand Russell that will lead us into the question about prophecy and God being able to foretell of the things that will happen. God is not just a fortune teller, but even greater.
What do you think about the prophecies of old being fulfilled? Any other questions to add?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician, who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are back after a little bit of a break. We are continuing to talk about big questions and continuing with big questions about Jesus. We are going to talk about miracles. Do you believe in miracles? Do you believe that the natural world with all of its laws and rules, can be changed? Miracles are supernatural and therefore beyond the natural. What can you add to the conversation?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The major heresies of the Christian Church mainly come down to the issues of Jesus. They sometimes are about his humanity (being human) and his divinity (being God). So today we handle the claims that Jesus makes about himself. What do you have to add to this subject?
What other questions do you have about Jesus, that you would like to see discussed?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are starting up the big questions about the life of Jesus. We are going to start with the records or accounts of Jesus life. Are they reliable? Some try and say the Gospels were written hundreds of years after Jesus life, death and resurrection. This is simply made up. What big questions do you have about Jesus?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to discuss the different perspectives on Genesis 1. It is important to be open to discussion on this topic because there is a wide variety of interpretation even amongst people who are followers of Jesus. What do you have to add to the discussion?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the fine tuning of the universe. The fine tuning makes the universe just right for life to exist. We keep this discussion to the universe level and talk about complexity. Is this all an accident? Is there something else going on? What do you have to add to the conversation?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On Sunday at Tabor Church, we began the discussion on Science and religion. This week we will dive into more subjects of science. To begin with we'll talk about the start. Where did it come from? Did it have a beginning or was it created out of nothing? These are some of the questions I will discuss today. Feel free to add to the discussion.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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New Age philosophy says that we can't avoid creating our reality. Each time we think a thought we are creating it. This thinking leads people to believe that all the evil in their life is not anyone else's fault but their own. Today we'll talk karma and reincarnation and what that means with evil. What thoughts do you have on the subject?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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So if evil exists and God is not the cause of it, what is the purpose of it? There is a bunch of evil, does God not care about any of it? We are going to discuss this today. What do you have to add to the discussion today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I know that this question sounds ridiculous. But there are people who believe and report to others that evil is not reality. We will spend some time today talking about reality and the truth of evil. What do you have to add to the discussion?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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If evil exists it has to come from somewhere. Here is how the conversation usually goes...If God is all knowing and powerful, then God must be the source of evil. It sounds like this would be a problem. We'll discuss a couple of issues with this today. What do you have to add to the discussion today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We will merely scratch the surface on this subject today. The existence of evil is big question and discussion so we will take an overview today and then explore the topic this week. We will ask today, how do we know what evil is, if there is not a good that know of? Moral absolutes are what we really get down to. What do you have to add to the discussion today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The ending of yesterdays podcast I mentioned God being just and loving. It sounds like the two characteristics might clash. How can they be compatible? We will discuss this today and use one main illustration. Feel free to add to the discussion.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This is a pretty common question that is based on a lot of assumption. We are going to talk about Heaven and Hell and what God's desire is for all of humanity. Do you have something to add to the conversation? Please add it to the comments.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This is our first big question: Who Made God? If you have been raised in the Church this seems like a silly question. No one made God. There is a lot of conflict on this because if the universe didn't have a start it wouldn't need a someone/something to start it. If the universe is not eternal, how did God create out of nothing? What else would you add to this discussion?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are finishing up the conversation on logical fallacies. They sound like logical arguments but are actually just distractions to the discussion. Today we'll cover 8 different fallacies that will be helpful for us as we talk about Big Questions of faith. It is not too late for you to submit some questions that I would be happy to discuss on an episode.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This week we are launching into questions about God, faith, religion, etc. Before we get there I want to spend a few days talking about the logical fallacies that exist. Why talk about them? We come across these arguments all the time and once we start to notice them it dismiss it and get back on track with the discussion. We will hit a few today and a few tomorrow. It is not too late to add your questions that I will discuss.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we go with another verse of the day, Isaiah 25:1. Isaiah lifts up God for who God is and not what Isaiah has turned God into. Isaiah is sharing the story of how he has seen God work. God promises something and God fulfills. What is your story of knowing God is at work? It is good to share the stories.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As I wait for you to submit your questions of faith, we will hit a few scriptures for the day. Today we talk about Matthew 6:6, as Jesus talks about prayer and reward. We see the word reward and we think "give us what we want." Jesus gets to our motivation. Why are we praying? Why do we pray?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I believe that it is good to ask questions. There are things we wonder about or struggle with doubts. The Church has not always encouraged the asking of questions but that was a mistake. This sent people asking questions to people with only a google knowledge of the subject. I asked that you submit your questions on the Facebook page. Message us, go to the website, ask questions and I will discuss my thoughts on it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The title isn't that shocking for us but post resurrection people think he is a ghost. Jesus is like, "Bro, give me some food." Ghosts don't eat and I'm hungry about to get hangry. Jesus has some big news for them (and us) as he shares with them about future events.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue with our Easter Stories in John 21. As Jesus sits down for breakfast with the disciples he addresses Peter. This is a significant moment that you don't want to miss because it communicates Jesus' ability to restore.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we witness two disciples of Jesus who are walking away defeated. They have heard the news that Jesus is alive, but they are still walking away. It is easy to focus on our pain and sadness but where is Jesus? Jesus is present, we simply need to look.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue our Easter stories. This story today doesn't have the disciples locked behind a door, but actually out doing their "profession" fishing. Jesus helps them out because they labored all night with no bites. Jesus is inviting once again to relationship. Take some time with Jesus today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing with the Easter story and seeing the disciples hiding behind locked doors. I find it interesting that even after most all of them see Jesus, 8 days later they are still sitting behind locked doors. Fear grips this group of Jesus followers and Jesus confronts faith and belief.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we'll talk a little bit about apologetics. Apologetics is the defense of the faith. I believe that apologetics are best used to help the follower of Jesus and not just fun facts to throw at people who are not followers of Christ. It can help us today to know that this isn't just a flashy house of cards. What would you find helpful to know more about as followers of Jesus?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a day that Eastern Europeans celebrate by dumping water and spanking with Pussy Willow branches. But we also share the testimony of the woman in Luke and what that means for the resurrection story.
He is Risen!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Good Friday. It does sound weird to call it Good, but it is that way for a reason. We will talk about the reality of crucifixion and why it is still a hard day to consider it good. Read through the passion story and plan to attend worship. John 18:1-19:42
I will also be back tomorrow with a Holy Saturday edition of the podcast.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk more about the night that Jesus was betrayed. We'll focus on John 13:31-35 as we focus on the command part of the text. Maundy is from the latin mandate, which means command. It is an important day to observe in our walk with Jesus.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Wednesday of Holy Week and we are looking at John 13 when Jesus says, "Someone will betray me." All the disciples are shocked by this and have absolutely no clue who Jesus is talking about. We know Jesus is talking about Judas, but aren't all of them eventually going to betray him? Prophecy tells us that this is all going to happen. What would you do if you were in the sandals of the disciples?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing to look at the John 12 as we move along in this Holy Week. Once again Jesus predicts his own death and knows that it must be done. We also talk today about the 12:21- when it is requested of Philip, "Sir, we want to see Jesus." There are people who want to still meet Jesus today. Are you a barrier or an usher?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is the Monday of Holy Week and we begin with the scripture for the day John 12:1-10. In this passage Jesus is anointed with expensive perfume that fills the house with a sweet fragrance. Today I talk through the text but I also encourage you to spend some tie this Holy Week with it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are wrapping up our series on the Dysfunctional Family Tree. I hope you have enjoyed the series and have witnessed God working in the lives of a bunch of imperfect people. God also invites you in to this family that has some dysfunction but we follow a perfect God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about the dysfunction that has come from the terminology of the Bible. Paul talks about slaves and masters in Ephesians and Colossians and then some have tried to use those to justify the continuance of slavery in our nation. The two are not the same and we need to clear up this dysfunction.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Many of Paul's letters to the churches were trying to address issues that he heard were going wrong, Paul writes to the Church in Ephesus and talks about unity and making room for people. We all have faults, but we somehow want others peoples faults to match ours so we don't have to feel bad about ourselves. The Body of Christ is diverse and we are going to look differently...make room for it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about the confrontation of Paul against the strong Peter. Peter was being a hypocrite and Paul decided it would be right to call him out in front of everyone. There is no excuse for Peter's behavior but should Paul have handled it that way? Dysfunction rolls deep. Good thing Grace is sufficient.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we start the journey into the epistles. We talk in general about Corinth and the man issues that they face. It is really easy to fall into false understanding and doubt and struggle become natural. It is necessary for us to talk and seek God in these matters. We are in good company with the family at Corinth.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we discover more conflict/dysfunction in Acts 15. Paul and Barnabas go their separate ways after a heated argument. From our perspective it was handled pretty well as they continue on their mission but noticed they couldn't work together. Why do we separate ourselves from fellow disciples? With a common vision shouldn't we be able to move forward together?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we get into one of the most argued about items in the early church...circumcision or not? Salvation becomes a Jesus + _________________. This is not the kind of dysfunction we want in our church today. But it may not be circumcision but we find other things to fill on the black with and leads people to question the whole thing.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at Saul/Paul. He was breathing out murderous threats and leading Christ followers to the their death. Now this guy is on your team...do you trust them? God can do amazing things. Can we trust that God brings to us people that He has already been working on?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On todays episode we start to see the conflict that will extend through many difficulties of the early church...Jews and Gentiles. This is a difficult issue especially when it comes to people because people like control over "their" stuff and outsiders should not have a say. These new believers should not be considered outsiders but it is hard to give up the control.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we begin the discussion of the early church. The early church often gets put on a pedestal and idolized. We will start the discussion of why it needs to fall. The end of Chapter 4 gives us a perfect picture of people sharing and not having ownership over their stuff...but then chapter 5 begins with a story that goes against it all.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are summing up the journey of the disciples. WE can sum it up with the following words rejection, betrayal, disappointment, and hurt. It seems the dysfunction runs in the family. Thanks be to God we are not rejected for all of this.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we find some more dysfunction amongst the disciples. John hears about some people doing good things in Jesus name but is not apart of "their" group...we should go tell them to stop, right? We talk about the in crowd and our crowd and the ways that we sow divisions within the Body of Christ. Jesus does have some fitting words for us today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at a time where dysfunction was present in the conversations of the disciples. They were even ashamed to same what they were talking about. Self righteousness is never a good quality for a follower of Jesus. Our discussions on who is the greatest will be a short list...Jesus
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about another disciple of Jesus, Thomas. If you don't recognized Thomas it is usually because people know him by one moment in his life...when he wanted proof. Doubting Thomas is what he is known as but it really is a bum rap. We are going to talk about doubt today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today as we are going to start getting into the NT, we will tackle some of the dysfunction of the disciples. The first disciple we will talk about is one of the more prominent; Peter. Peter has some dysfunction that I believe also communicates to many people today. Jesus is still faithful.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we begin with the New Testament, and what do you know there is a whole list of the dysfunctional family tree...or commonly known as the genealogy. There is a great reminder for us that there is a long line of imperfect people and God has worked through them all.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I am going to address an issue that needs to be addressed. I did an episode May 19, 2020 talking about Ravi after he had died. I was unaware of the issues surrounding his ministry. An outside company came in and through investigation found there were multiple sexual and spiritual abuse cases that Ravi was a part of. I didn't want to just sweep this under the rug, like the church likes to do in many cases, but instead to speak out against celebrity church culture and the lack of accountability. We can't be silent!
"He who passively accepts evil is as much involved in it as he who helps to perpetrate it."
-Martin Luther King Jr.
The opening music in performed by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are summing up the rest of the Old Testament by talking about the rollercoaster ride of up's and down's. They really put the fun in dysfunctional. But before we go pointing fingers we also see a big parallel to many of us today. We definitely have some things in common with the family tree.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we see the continuation of Salmon's family. Rehoboam has some decisions to make about how he will rule. There are older advisers (worked for dad) and young advisers (his friends). Which group will he listen to? The answer will lead to dysfunction and a split in the kingdom.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue with our journey and find that once again power and popularity can corrupt. The system in Solomon's day didn't allow for people to call out anything against the King. So the issues continue...and fester....and grow. It corrupts future generations and ultimately the whole kingdom.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today there is a trigger warning attached. The story in 2 Samuel 13 is about rape, so if this topic triggers you, feel free to skip the episode. David, once again doesn't do what he should. The Bathsheba story is a familiar one but this story about Tamar is not always talked about. This divides a family and its loyalty.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will start the story of David as a place of dysfunction. There is so much dysfunction found here that we had to spend two days telling it. We do like to spend time talking about all the great things David did or the faith he had, but this whole story is not about David or Abraham or any of the other "pillars" of faith.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yes, we have a mad king in our family tree as well. Saul doesn't start off that way. What we see time and time again is that phrase, "Absolute power, corrupts absolutely." Something happens in Saul that takes him from God and on to a more destructive path. Good thing God is faithful.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we focus not on a single person but on a branch of the tree in 1 Samuel 8. These people reject God being the leader and want a human king because everyone else has one. Can you hear the spoiled brat in that voice? Sometimes we idolize what we see on the outside without understanding the struggle and problems.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about the Priest Eli from Samuel 2. This may be an unfamiliar story for you but I pulled it out because we find that early on there are imperfections in the priestly order. Even the priests/pastors in the church are not perfect (and their families). God is still working through Eli to raise Samuel (which is very important to the rest of the story).
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today in the soap opera of dysfunctional family tree we have the misogynistic Samson. He loved the women, especially the ones he should not have loved. It is a flaw that gets him into trouble. This is apart of the family tree and of course God is the real strength in the story.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are starting to talk about era of Judges. The family of God is up and down and God uses Judges to call people back or rescue them. I feel like if Gideon was in a movie he would be played by Woody Allen. The family has some people with no confidence in God...there is room for others who struggle.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about my wife's favorite person in the family tree, Rahab. I'm glad that God isn't embarrassed by the people in the family. We often like to hide the pieces we don't like and God highlights it. God highlights the broken to see the One who saves. The dysfunctional family tree has plenty of room for broken people.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue with the people of God as they journey though the wilderness. God tells them to go towards the promised land but the culture of complaint leads to a bigger toxic culture which doubts the direction. We should be on guard against complaint and grumbling. God is still faithful and the hero of every story.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the continuation of the story we started yesterday with Moses. The people are free, no master to tell them what to do, but it doesn't exactly make them happy. There will always be something to complain about.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we fast forward 400 years (or just turn the page in your Bible to Exodus) to see if the dysfunction was somehow filtered out. News flash...it wasn't. We are introduced to a well known guy, Moses. We'll see what kind of dysfunction has snuck in.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The Dysfunctional Family Tree soap opera continues where we left off with the spoiled Joseph who now shares with his brothers that they will be bowing down to him. His brothers do not react well...kind of reminiscent of Cain and Abel. Even through all of this dysfunction God is weaving together a picture that none of them could see at the time.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As we continue in our Dysfunctional Family Tree series, it is starting to feel like a daytime soap opera. The deception, lies and twisted family secrets...all before breakfast. We are continuing with the story yesterday and it is more favoritism that leads to hatred. I'm trying to figure out if this series will ever have an end???
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will see that favoritism has muddied the waters for Jacob. As he has fled for fear of his brother, he is not out trying to find a wife. But guess what, the deceiver is deceived and the story doesn't end where Jacob thinks it will. God is still faithful...even when the dysfunction continues.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I start with an intro about Inauguration Day. Instead of starting with dysfunction we want to start with Unity. Then we get back to the continuation of the dysfunctional family tree. Today we talk about the favoritism shown by parents that caused a greater family dispute, which would last for many years. The dysfunction continues...
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue our talk about Abraham's dysfunctional family as we talk about the moment they rushed past God's plan and went on to their own. Do you ever think you have a better handle of your own plan and God should just hand over the reigns to you? This is going to cause some dysfunction.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing in our look at God's Dysfunctional Family Tree. Genesis is full of the stories of dysfunction and we'll spend a few days of this family of Abraham's. We'll first talk about the lie he should have learned from the first time but then he tells it again. We should learn from dysfunction but Abraham is all about self preservation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we see another dysfunctional part of the family tree; Noah and sons. Genesis 9:20-25 is where our story is found. There are a lot of theories about what happened there but what we do know is that there it would cause dispute that would splinter the family. Dysfunction continues...
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we talk about the sibling rivalry gone way wrong. Jealousy turns to hate and hate turns to MURDER. It sounds like a true crime story but this is our dysfunctional family tree. What can we learn from this dysfunction?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Dysfunctional Family Tree series- We start with our great, great, great...great grandparents Adam and Eve. There was definitely some dysfunction going on and today we are going to point it out and look at it in the eye. Hope you enjoy the series.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are starting a new podcast series this week called: Dysfunctional Family Tree. We tend to look at all the highlights of the family tree and want to leave out all of the lowlights. God's family tree is filled with imperfect people. This shouldn't scare us but instead give us great hope that we too can be apart of an imperfect family, with a perfect God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I wanted to discuss what I see as the biggest hurdle to change: me (or you). We tend to doubt our ability to change for many reasons. Doubt can be destructive and we have to face it and not just dismiss it. What have you done with your doubts in the past? Have you allowed them to conquer you?
The Peter walking on water is in Matthew 14:22-33, if you would like to read the whole story.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to conclude our talk about Habits as I bring up the one place in scripture that actually translates the English word, Habits. So the one place uses it in terms of a bad habit but we'll discuss the positives and negatives of its use today. I would encourage you to continue thinking about your habits, good and bad, no matter the season we are in. Keep pursuing the small godly things into your everyday life.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Continuing our conversation on habits, we need to think about what we re putting in the place of the bad habit we are trying to remove. We think if we only can remove the bad habit then everything will be better. But if we leave a void, it is inevitable that something will fill it and it may be worse than the bad habit that was there before. We'll talk about replacement today.
As I mentioned on the episode today, here is the link to check out the YouVersion app.
https://www.youversion.com/the-bible-app/
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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After yesterday's show about habit loops, I starting wondering how we are supposed to know all of our bad habits. I know some are obvious but others are not. Left to ourselves we may never see the things that we do as bad habits. We never like to be wrong or told we are bad, so we go on living our individualistic existence. There has to be a better way...I'm glad that you wondered that as well because we'll talk about it today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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New Year, New Possibilities! At Tabor Church on Sunday I brought in a concept that I did not fully dive into; the Habit Loop. The habit loop is a neurological loop that governs a habit. It is a Cue, routine and reward. These habit loops help us to change or reinforce habits. We want to make lasting changes and not just a short term resolution. What are you trying to change today?
The Habit Loop is a concept that was most recently studied and in a book by Charles Duhigg, the author of The Power of Habit.If you care to read more about it, you can find it wherever you buy books.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I did not plan on it this way, but the last day of the 2020 is our 200th episode. We started on January 13th of this year and had no idea what was going to be in front of us. For some 2020 was the worst year in their lives, but for me there were some great highlights. Most important of it all is that God is still on the move and working for our good. What does your end of the year review look like? Where has God shown up? Feel free to drop your comments in the chat below.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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With 2020 coming to a close it is always important to look forward. Some are full of optimism and some are still pessimistic about the future. We want to focus on what God wants us to become. Going back to the message on Sunday, are you setting Do goals or Who goals?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I start off by talking about the 5th day of Christmas but then launch into some of the history of the carol. I didn't know there was such a dispute amongst the 12 Days of Christmas scholars. Take a listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is the 4th day of Christmas and historically it is the day the church observes the Death of the Innocent. It is found in Matthew 2 and is apart of the Christmas story. It is the dark side of the Christmas story that shows a power struggle. We'll talk about all that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Merry Christmas Eve! Why did we start worshipping on Christmas Eve and Christmas? Christmas was so big that it needed two days of worship? We are going to talk a little history today and ultimately rest on Jesus, God With Us, Immanuel. Find a place to worship today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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There are some people who prepare for Christmas year round. Some wait till the last minute...and everything in between. How prepared are you? Today I am reminded about how preparation plays into the season. We will talk about preparation today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing our conversation about love that we started yesterday. Love can be a word that we toss around frequently. When we talk about love we also see it as conditional. With a tough year like we all have had we can get stuck thinking we are unlovable or out of love. Today we are reminded of God's love.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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On Sunday we started the beginning of the fourth week of Advent. The theme changes for some people but we are going to call this week...Love. All four candles on the wreath should be lit. Love is really at the heart of the Christmas story and we'll talk about a few of those today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to conclude the week by talking about Joy. Looking back to the Christmas story in Luke we see shepherds go from fear to joy. How can we go from a bad year and bad circumstances to having joy? We will talk about this great joy today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The third week in Advent is usually reserved for the pink candle on the advent wreath. The pink candle is the candle of joy. Today we will begin our talk about joy and know that joy is more than a feeling and is not the same thing as happiness. Listen to the talk about joy.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Have you ever looked at Christmas as a declaration that the war is over? The angels declared "Glory to God in the highest and Peace on earth..." Two great phrases that we will spend a little bot of time talking about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are switching advent themes to Peace. Jesus is called the Prince of Peace, except it doesn't look like too much peace going on in the world around us. So what gives with all of the peace talk? Today we will scratch the surface of peace and see what it all means.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing our conversation on hope that we started yesterday. We will talk about a H.E.A.R.T check and get into Isaiah 60:1-4. We live in a world where we are surrounded by darkness; violence, racism, injustice...and the list goes on. We could all use some hope.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The season of Advent, or the weeks leading up to Christmas, is an amplifier. It amplifies the good and the bad. We all need a little bit of hope. Hope is another major theme of Advent and we will talk about how with God, we have the greatest hope of all.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is Chicagoland area musician who has been and real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue in our conversation about waiting. In waiting we appreciate the value of what we receive even more when we wait. All good things come from God and so when we receive something good we know it is from God. Don't rush past the waiting, but allow it to draw you to God in prayer and other spiritual disciplines.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As we continue in the season of Advent we want to know how we can thrive in this season and in seasons of waiting. The second key is that we need to see the value in it. Do you see the value in times when you have to wait? Do you think waiting is all pointless and we should hurry up and get past it? Today we will talk about those things.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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For the next couple of days we are going to explore what it is going to take to thrive in the season of Advent. We know that there is going to be some waiting. So, what is it going to take to thrive in the season of waiting? We need to be content in all situations.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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What are you waiting for? This can be a question that sounds different depending on what part we emphasize. We can yell it at people that are not making a decision to hurry and make one. Advent is a season of waiting. And we ask the question of each of us, What are you waiting for?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will talk about the origins of the Advent season. This season was not always connected to Christmas. It was once celebrated after Epiphany. It wasn't until the Middle Ages that they tied the first coming with the second coming. What can we learn in this season of Advent?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are closing out the book of James. James wants the Church, followers of Jesus, to know that it is important to go and seek and save that which is lost. If you remember, Jesus said those words. So how are we to go out and bring the wandering back? That is what we'll talk about today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are coming down to the end of the book of James. We will tackle James 5:16-18. In particular, verse 16 is the key. Some have distorted this verse to mean we have to do private confession and absolution in order to be healed, but I do not believe that is what James was talking about. I think this goes back to the messy community we talked about yesterday. Take a listen and find out.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will take a look at a couple of verses in James 5:13-15. This highlights the power of prayer but even more so highlights the importance of sharing our whole lives, the good and bad, with God and our community of faith. Are you suffering? Are you happy? Are you sick? James gives instruction for us to follow.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will not finish off the Book of James, as I mentioned last week. So today we will talk about one verse James 5:12. We all want to be truth tellers and we want to be known as people of integrity. Why do we use phrases like, "I swear on my family members..." Pinky promise...or any other phrase to elevate our truth? Are you only telling the truth when you say that or just verifying on a larger scale? It all gets so confusing, so we'll talk about it today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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No one likes to suffer. We usually do whatever we can to avoid suffering. But we also know deep down that suffering will come at some point in time. What do we do with suffering? Do we hurry and rush through it? Do we wallow in it and complain? We have two examples today of patience in suffering: Prophets and Job. We address these today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will focus on one verse, James 5:9. This is one of those verses that taken out of context could scare us. So we will look at this in the scope of the whole letter and see what James is talking about because it is easy to grumble about fellow brothers and sisters in the church. They can be very frustrating. God will have His justice.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We continue in our look at the book of James. This whole next section is about being patient about Jesus coming back. There are a lot of people really concerned about this and have now jumped into full time looking for the "signs." We can be so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Get your head out of the clouds and live everyday present with those around you. Trust that Jesus will return because God promised it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As we start off chapter 5 of James, we see that he returns to a major theme that we have witnessed throughout the book; rich and poor. So once again we are going to talk about wealth and what it means. Who is wealthy? Anyone who makes more than me, right? It is a good opportunity to think about all the ways God has blessed us.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Even though I said we finished chapter 4 yesterday, I happened to omit the talking about the last verse; James 4:17. This verse is all about the sins of omission in our lives that are also not good. Listen today to understand why sins of omission are also important for us to grieve.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will tackle James 4:13-17. Today is here and tomorrow is not promised. Sometimes it is difficult to figure out how to plan for our lives. We want to look into the future and be fairly certain of how things are going to play out. James warns us not to be arrogant about our lives. Instead we entrust them to God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about James 4:11-12. James warns the Christian not to judge fellow believers. But we know of other places in the Bible that tell us we need to speak the truth in love. We will talk about what it means to judge rightly. Let's get this straight here...we will never be the judge of salvation, that is God's job. Listen today as we figure out what this all means.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are taking a look at James 4:7-10. James tells us to humble ourselves and resist the devil because he will flee from us. We are going to talk about The Cause and the Result. We see the result of sin and feel guilt and shame but James is directing us to the cause and see what we can do with the temptation. Temptation is not sin but can lead us to it.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It's all about alleteration today. James gives a little bit of reprieve from the large amounts of law that he heaps on us. God gives grace! James quotes Proverbs and helps us understand that we should be humble in our reception. Do you need a little grace today?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about James 4:5. This verse is a highly contested translation verse. We are going to talk about two possible ways to translate it with equally as good scriptural backing in the rest of the Bible. What we do know is that God loves us and doesn't want us to waste the spirit that he has put in us.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will look at James 4:4. James brings out his inner Old Testament Prophet voice. You adulterers! Is being a friend of the world really that bad? Are we not called to build relationships and be in the world? We are going to explore that today and sort through this verse.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we begin our journey into chapter 4 of James. Why are there fights and quarrels? We all know the problems that exist as we are consumer driven people. We can try and find the consumer switch in us and get it under control but it will only lead to more frustration. Where is the hope when the battle rages on?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are finishing up chapter 3 of James. Verse 18 is connected with the godly wisdom that we spoke of yesterday. We will talk about Peacemakers today and what the difference between a peacemaker and peacekeeper is. We should be sowing seeds of peace so that God can make those seeds grow.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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James starts off the end of chapter 3 with a list of all the things godly wisdom is not. And finally we get to what godly wisdom actually is. So what is godly wisdom? Today we are going to take it word by word and dig into it a little bit. Enjoy!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue talking about Godly wisdom. James explains more of it by saying what it doesn't contain. It is an important message for us right now because the same things talked about are the same things being used in the church and outside the church in our communities right now. We are going to seek godly wisdom today!
The music on the podcast is rom John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today you will be reminded over 100 times that it is Election Day. It is good for you to vote and should go and do that. We will talk about a strategy for how we can handle today with grace and pose. It is going to be necessary because this election is weird. Let's keep our eyes fixed on the most important thing.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing with our discussion of James. We started into the second half of chapter 3 today and we try and figure out the difference between wisdom and knowledge. The scriptures give us a picture of wisdom personified, that is wisdom with flesh. What can we learn today about wisdom with flesh on?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we try and not get caught up in the pile of law heaped upon us by James. There doesn't seem to be any way out of this. We know the struggle is real as we also hear from Paul and see that in the flesh, in our sinful nature, we have no hope. Where can our hope be found?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about hypocrisy. I read a Phycology Today article about the origins on hypocrisy and found it to be pretty fascinating. Have you witnessed hypocrisy in the Church today? This isn't right. We must learn to call it out and make it a natural process of repentance. Everyone can be a hypocrite but let's not use that as an excuse.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we hit a verse that does not leave us with much hope. James says, "You can't tame the tongue." That's it? There is no exception or but? There are all kinds of things that we can tame in this world but the tongue is not one of them.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about 1 verse, James 3:6. There is a lot of talk of fire and it is not in a good way. If the average person speaks over 600 million words in their lifetime, we know that words are going to matter. Let us humbly look at our words and our mouths and give them to God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We will continue in James chapter 3 and our talk that we started last Friday about the tongue. I think we all know that the tongue is the instrument but what we are really getting at here is the condition of our hearts. What is the condition of your heart today? What well are you drawing up from- words of life and hope? Or are you drawing from the salty well?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to jump into chapter 3 of James. We will also talk about this chapter this week at church, but this will serve as an introduction to the conversation. People should be aware that there will an extra level of scrutiny and judgment when you start teaching; from God and from other people. Our words matter.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will close out chapter 2 of James and talk about a life of faith. If we have a faith that is from God, it will be alive and active. We do not want our lives to simply be following all the religious rules only to please God. Because God has saved us we want to live this life with boldness and figure out new ways of loving and serving. How are you living out your faith today? Please share.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today, as promised, we hit the second example that James uses as a person of active and practical faith, Rahab the prostitute. I think its weird that James still needs to add her occupation after a thousand years, but I guess there is a reason. We are going to talk about Rahab today and the unlikely saints that God can use for His Glory.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue in James. He ends chapter two by talking about two people of faith. Today we will spend time talking about the first one, Abraham. As I talk about in church, I try my best to dismantle pedestals because no one deserves to be on one except for God alone. Abraham is not saved by his works and that is where we have a great connection with him. Let's learn about a small glimpse of Abraham's life.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue with the book of James and mainly talk about James 2:19. Some people like to use this verse to say that demons believe in Jesus and therefore will be saved. That would not be a good way to interpret the passage or form your theology of demons. We are going to talk about that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We continue with another quintessential theme verse of James; 2:17-18. We know with the rest of scripture that works do not justify you. There is no amount of good stuff that you can do to save yourself. With that said, we need to live what we believe. Show me your good works!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will look at another major theme of James- Faith and works. James 2:14-16. What good is faith if there is no action? James follows it up with a practical look at someone without food or clothing. How should followers of Jesus respond to those without food, clothing or shelter? We know what the right answer is but is it practical?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will talk about James 2:12-13. James gives very pointed and practical words for the follower of Jesus today. It is something that we should wrestle with today and figure out if we are holding grudges or refusing to forgive. These are not easy and that is why I use the word wrestle. Don't easily dismiss this one.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we jump back into James and focus on James 2:10-11. James talks about breaking one law is breaking all the laws. Are all laws really the same? What is the point of bringing this up? James, please explain yourself.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will take a small detour from the Book of James and talk about Indigenous Peoples' Day. What's wrong with Columbus Day? Why do things have to change? It is a day to celebrate indigenous lives and culture but it can also be a day for repentance and prayer.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We will continue the thought we begun yesterday with James 2:9. Have you ever been discriminated against for race, creed, gender, weight, age or anything else? We need to put ourselves in the shoes of those who have been discriminated against so that we can put a stop to it, especially in our churches. Feel free to join this discussion in the comments below.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the phrase that James uses, "Royal Law." It sounds like it is something only meant for kings or other royalty, but that would be missing the point. Let's get practical with how to live out the royal law. Listen today and then add some of the practical ways you live it out.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will hit another section of James where he talks about Rich and Poor. As I mentioned before James will use this as a thread that runs through the book. So once again, I will talk about the rich and poor.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is a continuation or addition to the what we continued talking about in our James series. James tells us to not show partiality. Why? It really is inconsistent with the life of a follower of Jesus. We all need to see the areas in our own lives that we have discriminated and repent and hold on to the grace of God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will close out the week with the last verse of chapter 1. Pure religion is caring for the orphans and widows. So is our outreach only meant for those that fit in the two? Is this a command or descriptive? We are going to touch on all of this today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will focus on one verse, James 1:26. We will touch on two aspects of this verse; religious hypocrites and controlling our tongues. I think we should always realize that our words can and will bring hurt on others. Let's think about what we are saying before we launch our words. Take a listen.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will spend some time with James 1:22-25. We see James uses the Law of God picture of a mirror that we are looking at and seeing our faults. What will we do once our sin is pointed out in us: Turn away and forget it or pick a different mirror to look in to? We know what God wants but what will we do?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to hit James 1:21. Some reason I looked at the King James Version today and laughed out loud at the translation. We'll see if you also find it a little funny. Say it out loud get a chuckle for yourself. What should we do with our superfluity of naughtiness? That's what we'll talk about today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing our journey through the book of James. Today we hit James 1:19-20. We touched on it in the message this Sunday, but I thought we could spend a little bit more time because our listening can actually help us. This is very practical advice for us to follow today. So what is keeping you from obeying?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will finish up the last verses that will lead up to the rest of chapter 1 in church on Sunday; James 1:16-18. In a world where everything changes we need a constant, something that will not change. It is good to know that we have a God who never changes values or character. We will also throw in at the end what it means to be God's prized possession. Take a listen today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue in James with a passage that almost sounds like a contradiction; James 1:12-15. We will talk about temptation today. Where does it come from? Is temptation a sin? Does God tempt me? What questions do you still have about temptation? Leave us some comments.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue in the first chapter of James and explore verses 9-11. James bring up for the first time, the rich and the poor. We will see that this will be a theme that runs throughout his letter. Today we will talk about the rich and poor.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to tackle some of the parts of James that I don't have time to address on Sunday. We are going to talk about James 1:5-7. If you want wisdom, then ask for wisdom and God will not withhold it...but don't be double minded. So today we'll talk about standing on a true foundation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to tackle a cliche that I have used, probably even recently. This wasn't one that was a pet peeve of mine, but after talking through it, maybe it should be. Do you see God using people? Even in that question it is almost as if God only needs a warm body and doesn't care about who we are. Let's explore this one today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to hit a cliche that is also a pet peeve of mine. I think these are used to try and get us out of different conversations. Faith is good and having faith is good, but the cliche is really bad to say. We will discuss why I say that today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about another cliche. Once again it is a cliche with half truth. We are going to break this one down and not always try and find the simplistic way of faith but a constant call to explore and find the depth. Hope this helps you explore further.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are hitting another Christian cliche. I'm sure that if you have been a follower of Jesus for any length of time you have heard it said or said it yourself...God will never give you more than you can handle. It is a half truth, but even a half truth is a full lie. We are going to explore this cliche today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I just decided at the end of the podcast today that we will be tackling some Christian cliches. So I'll put it out to you all and see if there are any cliches that you would like for me to tackle, break apart and then figure out what we can take from it. We'll hit Proverbs 3:5-6 today and learn what it means to trust God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we look at a few passages in Scripture that remind us of God who is near to us, especially when we are broken hearted. On the 19th anniversary of 9-11 it is good for us to be reminded that God is near.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician, who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about confession. This is a topic everyone can understand. Followers of Christ live lives filled with confession. But people outside the Church also understand what it means to have crippling guilt and anxious thoughts. Where do we go to lay these burdens down?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I am going to bring up another point about the church and state being tied together. Religious tax exempt is different from other non-profits in that religious houses of worship do not have to file any kind of tax return at the end of the year. Religious tax exemption has been argued by some as an infringement on the separation of Church and State. I bring up these issues not to argue but to show that we are tied up together and it would be difficult to separate.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will talk about prayer in schools. Really this means prayer in public schools because private schools do not have any regulations because many of them are religious in nature anyways. Should there be prayer in public schools? Here is the big secret...there always has been. Take a listen and hear what I have to say on this topic.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to continue our conversation on politics and talk about the phrase Separation of Church and State. This is not in the constitution but has its roots in a conversation with Thomas Jefferson and the Baptists. The Church should not be absent the public arena but know where it can and can't be as an institution. We are going to unpack some of the ramifications of this in the next few days.
Correction: The Luther quote I mention on the show today is actually, "I'd rather be ruled by a wise Turk than a foolish Christian." Apparently this quote is disputed because it can't be found where he said it. But, Luther does have a lot to say about foolish Christian leaders.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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As I promised to you in the last few episodes that we would have a guest. So today we are talking to Mike Lauer. He is a friend of mine who I deeply respect as a person and a follower of Christ. Mike and I bring up a number of topics that I believe all go back to the central message of the Gospel in us and Christ works in us as we also bring it to the world. This episode is a little over an hour, so if you need to break it up and don't rush through it. Please interact with the discussion and ask more questions.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I want to talk about a big issue in our country...voter turnout. The United States is near the bottom of developing nations voter turnout. Why? Do we have half of our population that has ceased to care or is this intentional? You don't have to tell me it is you, but why are over half the population of eligible voters sitting it out?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at the Scripture that makes up the central part of our theology on government. Paul says they are put here by God, so obey or be punished. Yikes! Is there any wiggle room on that passage? We are going to talk through some of it today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue our political talk by bringing in the Two Kingdoms concept. There have been multiple theologians who have talked about this (Augustine, Aquinas, Luther and Calvin) but I will bring in Luther's perspective. We are citizens of two kingdoms and God is over both kingdoms. What is our obligation to the kingdoms in which we inhabit? Feel free to jump in on the conversation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Apparently polite conversation doesn't ever bring up religion or politics...but we already talk about religion so why not bring up politics as well. This week we will explore the conversation of politics and God's people. Should we be involved or try our best to be apolitical? Should we just preach the Gospel and let God do the work? Tell me your thoughts.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will finish the week with a charge, "Give people light!" God lights our way and in turn we give the light away. This little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine! Give this episode a listen to hear all that I have to say.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are looking at three passages about darkness and light. I believe each passage looks at light and darkness and points us to the reality of light and light being good for us. Take a listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we continue our talk about light and dark as we bring up the old debate whether humans are inherently good or inherently evil. I think when given the opportunity, people can be good but theologically we know that we were born into evil. So what do we do with all of that??
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are starting a conversation about light and darkness. It is a major theme in the Bible, so I figured why not talk about it. We will start this conversation in 1 John 1:5-9. The light and darkness conversation has to begin in us before we can ever call it out. Take a listen.
The music on the podcast comes from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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I was trying to come up with topics for the podcast and found many articles saying the church should talk about controversial topics. I was thinking, I don't mind talking about things that people will think controversial but should we? Paul writes in 2 Timothy, that we should stay away from foolish controversy that will lead to quarrels. Controversy gets more clicks and listeners, but we are not all about that. So what do you think?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Music is important to people. I really should have shared this episode before we went into all the songs, but better late than never. Music can be emotional and invoke feelings of happiness, sadness and everything in between. Let's see what God has to say about singing.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will hear from the Irish Prophet, Bono. U2 is a band that has a lot of spiritual content in their songs. We will look at one of them from the Joshua Tree album called, I still haven't found what I'm looking for. Bono calls this song a gospel song with a restless spirit. What a great way to describe a song. The Christian life is all about the Gospel and the struggles we have. Let's take some time and dig into this song.
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-5YC_oHjE
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to look at What's Going On by Marvin Gaye. It was a protest song that Motown didn't want released. Marvin basically had to give them an ultimatum that they release the song or he wouldn't work with them anymore. I think they are glad they put it out because it was a hit. Let's listen to the heartbeat of the protest before dismissing it.
Marvin Gaye, What's Going On?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-kA3UtBj4M&feature=emb_logo
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has a been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today, with the suggestion of podcast fan, we are going to talk about Ants Marching by Dave Matthews Band. It is a fun song which might distract us from the fact that the lyrics are kind of fatalistic. Let's see what we can learn about this song and what it can teach us about our lives today.
Ants Marching video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MNgJBIx-hK8
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to explore the song One Love by Bob Marley and the Wailers. The reggae version of the song came out in 1977 but there was a ska version initially put out in 1965. There is a lot of great spiritual content in this song even though Bob was famously Rastafarian. But there have been some stories about him possibly becoming Christian later on in his life. You can make that call for yourself.
Here is the reggae version of One Love- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g
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This week we will continue to explore some songs that were mentioned for the Summer Concert series. I still have a list of songs but if you want me to cover any songs this week let me know now. Today we are covering the 1972 hit from Bill Withers, Lean On Me. It is a great song with simple lyrics. What can we learn today?
If you haven't heard this song (you must have been underground for the last 48 years) but here is a great version of it for you: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOZ-MySzAac
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the song that Bette Midler made famous with From a Distance. The song was written by Julie Gold in 1985. There are some conflicting interpretations of this song but I give you two. Let me know how you hear the lyrics and what do you learn.
Bette Midler singing From a Distance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lN4AcFzxtdE
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will be discussing the song by Kanye West, Jesus Walks. It is off his 2004 album The College dropout. At this point in his life Kanye was not a self professed follower of Jesus, but you can definitely see that God was working on him. I would love to hear your feedback on this song on any other popular songs that have spoke to you.
If you haven't listened to this song before here is a link to the clean version:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPXbvFavFHo
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Today we are going to do a quick exploration of the song Hopeless Wanderer by Mumford and Sons. It did not make the list for our series starting this Sunday but has a lot of great content. I do love this song, and many others by Mumford. I hope you enjoy.
Link to the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rId6PKlDXeU
As you can see there are a few stars playing the parts in the video.
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Before we get into some examples of songs that have some deeper meaning, especially in a Christian context, we are going to talk about interpretation. Art can be interpreted differently by different people. When we hear songs we might like the music and not know the meaning of the song. Song lyrics might be the reason why we like a song. Listen today and understand where I am coming from as we approach songs coming up this week.
The music on the episode is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to start talking about cultural prophets. These are not prophets speaking about culture. These are people who have voices that people in our world are listening to that are speaking about culture. We don't always have to agree with them but they are influencing us whether we like it or not. Listen today and understand where I am coming from.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we conclude the week with a concluding thought about humility. God gives us great insight even when we don't expect it. I was listening to a podcast that had nothing to do with humility but then I hear the word and it stands out and causes me to rewind and listen again. Listen to the story today about how God speaks through many sources.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we celebrate 100 episodes. Very exciting! I'm not sure why its exciting other than there are 99 other episodes that came before it. It's fun to celebrate. I have a great idea...You should celebrate by listening to the episode today. I always have great ideas.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the role that pride plays in the life of humility. Pride can be very dangerous so we need to figure out how we can combat it and ultimately kill it so that we can live the life God intends.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the difference between humility and humiliation. They are closely related but not the same thing. What can we learn from humiliation? We'll check out some words from Jesus today as well. Thanks for listening!
Our music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are starting a conversation on humility. It has been almost two weeks since I posted last. I have been spending more time listening and learning. Now I want to get back to some devotional learning. Humility is not usually the goal for people in our culture and so it means that we need to spend time looking at it. Hope you enjoy the conversation.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I reference a news story about a pastor being removed from his church because he dared to say "Black Lives Matter." I believe this pastor was trying to align his people with the heart of God and they rejected him for that. What is God's heart? We are going to do a quick study of that today.
Link to the news story, if you care to read it: https://churchleaders.com/news/377951-heights-churchracialissues.htmlutm_source=SCmeta&utm_medium=email&utm_content=text&utm_campaign=SC-meta-&maropost_id=743014079&mpweb=256-8977380-743014079
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have a special guest on the podcast, Pastor Martin Doering, or Pastor D, as many Taborites call him. Pastor D shares with us what he has been learning both through Covid and through the racial unrest. Pastor D is humble and very wise. Listen to what he has to say today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I give thanks for each of you. Each time I remember you, I give thanks. After a birthday it is easy to be thankful and grateful. When the world is an uncertain place we have to be even more willing to choose gratefulness over negativity. Listen to the episode today and be challenged.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today, June 22nd, is my birthday. I have decided to share with you two things that I am continuing to learn and focus on. I love opportunities to think about and focus on opportunities for growth. If I am not growing, I'm dying. Take a listen to the episode today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I have a conversation with my friend, Pastor Jeff Howell. Pastor Howell is a pastor on the Southside of Chicago and has a heart for the City of Chicago. I ask Jeff about what he learned through Covid and what we can all be learning through the racial unrest. We can all be learners, so listen to the conversation today.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I have Steve Kowbel back on the show to help process the things that are happening right now. So, why now? Why 2 white dudes? For centuries white guys have benefitted from a system that has put a higher priority in what we thought and how our lives are affected. It is not a system that has been for people of color.
This episode is not 5 min- it is an hour long because there is a lot to pour through. I hope you can listen and then engage in peaceful dialogue. If you would like to hear more about any of the topics spoken here, please add it in the discussion or email info@taborchicago.org. We look forward to moving forward in positive directions, together!
The music on the episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I want to start with just the facts. I will share with you some statistics that show why the things we are facing have bubbled over and people are angry. These numbers are not just cerebral but I want you to see them as actual people who are facing the struggle. Imagine being a black kid growing up and facing the problem that 1 out of every 3 black males will end up in prison. How much hope would you have for a better life? Let's continue to learn about the problem, so that we can better understand how to speak out.
I have all of the supporting data for the stats and would be happy yo share them with you.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are beginning a conversation on race and racism. We need to have an open and honest conversation as we see once again a bubbling up of anger and outrage at the injustice. We want to explore together the issues that are underlying and how we can be a part of the solution and no longer being silent. We can't stay in ignorance but learn why people are so angry. We want to learn what we don't know.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today instead of just having me reflect on the day, I thought I would invite a friend who is a
Veteran to talk about his reflections. We welcome Jim to show and are happy to hear from him on this Memorial Day.
"For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love." Galatians 5:13
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today I am talking about the Christian response to the covid virus. How do you think the church at large is responding? We see all the negative press with churches trying to fight back and fight for "our" rights. But, what if Jesus has a better way? What if we were to fight for our right to submit?
Take a moment to consider some ideas before reacting harshly. Seek to understand before being understood. Let's discuss!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today is Ascension Day 2020. We are going to talk about why the ascension matters. The Ascension has reasons to celebrate and also gives us a charge of things to get done. Listen to the episode today to be challenged.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today I want to introduce you to someone who has been an influencer in my life, Ravi Zacharias. Ravi was an Apologist and Evangelist that would often be put in front of crowds that were hostile to the Christian message. It was there that Ravi was poised and ready to give a reason for his hope. Ravi went to be with Jesus this morning, so I give you a short reflection of his life.
Check out Ravi's ministry:
https://www.rzim.org
Take some time and google some of his talks.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we get back at it after a week long break. Today we talk with Pastor Bill Clark. Bill is a friend of mine from Iowa who has a real heart and passion for serving in multiple different contexts. Take a listen to the episode today.
Here are a few ways of continuing to connect with Bill and learn what Project 52 is doing and how you can help support their ongoing work.
https://p52.org
https://www.facebook.com/project52Inc/
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we talk with Pastor Keith Kinslow. Keith has been learning a lot from this pandemic and we have the opportunity to learn from him today. There are a lot of great points to consider here, so spend some time and listen to Keith today.
We are going to take a break next week, but have no fear, we'll be back the week after.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we check in with Norm Pacyga. Norm shares with us what he has been doing and what God has been teaching him. Norm is the church treasurer and has been doing a great job with Tabor. We are grateful for him. Check out todays episode.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking with Pastor Steve Benson. Steve is a classmate of mine from the Seminary and I thought it would be good to hear from Steve and find out what God was teaching him through this whole pandemic. This episode is a bit longer, but I hope you enjoy what Steve has to say.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking with Beth Houghtby. Beth is a busy CPS teacher and mother of 3. We are glad that we were able to get a little bit of her time to find out how she is doing and what God is teaching her right now.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
We are continuing our discovery of interesting people and what God is teaching them. Today we are talking with Penny Schramm. Penny shares with us who she is and what God has been teaching her. There are some really great reminders for us all, so make sure you check out this episode.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. John is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we will conclude on conversation with Steve Kowbel. I ask him what he would long for all people to know. So many great thoughts come out of the answer and it leads us to talk about vulnerability and not being afraid to deal with ourselves.
I have asked Steve to become a frequent contributor to the podcast and he agreed. We will look for some time in the future to have Steve back on. Thanks Steve!
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we continue our conversation with Steve Kowbel. We talk about encouraging others, music we are listening to and shows that we have watched that has led to discussion. This is a fun conversation.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Our conversation with Steve Kowbel continues. God is mysterious. We can either celebrate that mystery or make ourselves crazy by always having to solve the puzzle, when the puzzle doesn't have a solution. Today, Steve will talk about mystery and finding himself in the midst of it.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
We are continuing our conversation with Steve Kowbel. I asked him how he continues to feed his creativity during the pandemic. Once again a little question opens up the space for great content. Listen and discover some great content to engage with.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we begin a conversation with Steve Kowbel. Steve has so many good things to say that we can't fit it in to just one episode. So we will start today with the beginning of the conversation that sprouts from the question, "How are you doing?" From there we get some real truth. Hope you enjoy this episode and our continued conversation with Steve.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we hear from 7 year old, Nora Pacyga. She shares with us what God has been teaching her and what she has been filling her time with while having to stay home. We can learn a lot from Nora about trusting God and not getting sick.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we have a return guest that we haven't checked in on for a while...Kaitlyn Robarge. We spend some time talking about mental health and music. It was an enjoyable time making and I hope you enjoy it. Kaitlyn has a birthday on Friday the 24th, so make sure you reach out to her.
Kaitlyn's Instagram k.robarge
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we talk to Margarita Cruz. Margarita cares for elderly patients and has one lady in particular right now that she cares for. Margarita will share what God is teaching her right now and the scriptures that she is holding on to right now. If you don't know Margarita, now is the time to get to know her.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking to Allison Kinder. She is a medical professional and shares with us the ups and downs. We should all pay attention to what God is teaching Allison as it has some great application for life today. Thanks Allison for being on the podcast.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking about connection. It is vital to have connection with others, no matter if you are introvert or an extrovert. What keeps us from having connection with others? Right now it is to keep everyone safe and healthy, but what about in other times of life? The rest of this week we will be doing interviews with people as we continue to make connections.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going to focus on 1 Corinthians 15 as Paul is talking about the resurrection of the dead. The resurrection is not just a metaphor for us to know that we can rise from our bad situations. If Jesus didn't actually rise, then we should be a people pitied over all people. The resurrection matters.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about injustice. We will not discuss the root issues, why they exist or how long they have been around, but I want to acknowledge that they exist and that Easter has something to say about injustice, suffering and pain. Jesus is Risen!
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about everyone's favorite subject...death. Okay, maybe not. Death is in the top 5 fears of all Americans. Easter, Jesus' resurrection, has something to say about death. No guilt in life, no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me. Easter brings hope and assurance.
If you care to listen to a great version of "In Christ Alone" here is a link to Lauren Daigle singing it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ch6eXkQWU8
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are continuing our talk about Easter. Easter isn't just a day to throw a good party and then move on. How can we live like Easter matters? We will look at a few aspects to that in todays episode.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Easter is not a holiday to box up and put away. Our culture knows how to anticipate an event, but we rarely know how to sustain it. Easter is not a one and done kind of day. How do we keep the resurrection of Jesus before us everyday? I know that my redeemer lives and will one day see him face to face.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking to Marci Kirk. Marci is on the Board of Tabor Church and has been a wonderful addition to the team. Marci shares some great things she is doing in the midst of separation and then shares what she is holding on to in these times. Listen to the episode and be blessed by what Marci has to share.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking with Lisa Stewart. Lisa a nurse, so we ask some questions about some good tips for living in this crisis. We also ask Lisa what God is teaching her right now and I believe what she shares can be very helpful for us all. Continue to lift up the doctors, nurses, and medical teams in your prayers and maybe find some creative ways of saying thanks.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking to my son Tyson. He has been trying his best to get schoolwork done at home, but there are plenty of challenges. Tyson will share with us what God is teaching him and share some scripture that is particularly important to him.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we have Laura Mueller on the podcast. Laura is the president of Tabor Church and you'll also notice she is the one who voices the introduction every week. It's great to have Laura back as she shares some great insight to what God is teaching her right now. Listen to the episode as we can all learn what it means to stretch.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are talking to Emily Pacyga. Emily is Tabor's Executive Assistant in charge of making sure our building and ministry move forward. She is very good at her job! We are going to be doing more of these interview style podcasts, which means it will be a little longer than our normal 5 min. There is some great stuff here, give it a listen.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today's podcast is a bit longer than normal. Heather is closing out her week of podcasts as we are talking about idols. We start talking about religion and go on a few tangents. Heather breaks out in song and even quotes an Ice Cube song. Take a listen and and add your thoughts to the Facebook comments.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today Heather and I are going to talk about sports. Heather has never held this as an idol but I think there are many out there who are not holding this correctly. Pastor Phil has had a problem with this in the past. If my team wins, all is good, but if they lose then it effects the rest of the day or even more. We can be passionate about sports and get excited but it shouldn't control our whole world. Let's run the race!
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going to talk about busyness. We wear busyness like a badge of honor. We think that if we are busy, then we are important. Busyness can become our identity and we can be afraid of being called lazy because it challenges our self-image. When we are busy we miss out on all the moments that God wants us to cherish. We have been given some time to reevaluate our lives and capture the Kairos moments.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today Heather and I explore more of the topic of idols. We focus on relationships as an idol. It is okay to miss people and being with them is good, but if we are looking to a relationship to fulfill us or give us an identity, then it is in the wrong position. We need to evaluate our relationships to see a godly perspective in it all.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
On Sunday at Tabor Church we talked about giving and identified that one reason people may not want to talk about it is because money might be an idol. Today we are going to start the discussion about idols and idols aren't the evil or bad things but is often something good that we are looking towards to save us or bring us ultimate joy and hope. Let us look to the things of God.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we have a special guest on the podcast...my beautiful bride! Because Heather hasn't been on since the very first episode, I thought it was time to bring her back on and find out what she has been thinking about and what God has been teaching her. We do go over the 5 min mark but 7 min isn't too bad.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Everything seems to change daily. There is more news about those contracting the virus and those that are dying from it. Everything seems to change all the time. We need to find our constant, the thing that never changes. The thing that we will go back to when we feel like we are spinning out of control. What is your constant?
I made mention of Desmond from Lost- here is a link to the clip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUaHMOWRYpI
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
I want to collectively think about ways in which the Church can best be serving our neighbors at this time. It is good to social distance yourself to protect your neighbors by not spreading any illness. But I think we also need to think about other ways. What ways can a small church or individuals serve their neighbors?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are putting out our 50th episode. I didn't realize that it was the 50th until I saved the audio file. I don't have a lot to say today and instead of forcing some cliche thought or giving you a profound platitude, I thought it would be good to tell you that I have nothing to say. Maybe you have been there before. So today I want to know what is good in your life? What is God teaching you right now?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
I want to remind everyone today that the Church is not perfect. It is full of messy things because it's full of messy people. Jesus still loves His Church and died for that imperfect bride. I think the church and people have tried to rush through grief and pain because it is too hard to sit in. We need to make room for grief, sadness and a plethora of other emotions in ourselves and others.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Jesus says there is a time when you will be scattered to your own home...who knew Jesus would predict our situation. Ok, Jesus isn't talking about pandemics, but it is a good passage of scripture for us to hear because Jesus is telling us to take heart because we are going to face difficult things and we can do hard things. When we do hard things, God promises to be with us.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today's encouragement comes from Psalm 121. We can easily lose sight of the big picture when we are stuck in the everyday chaos. Whether it with this virus or even with everyday life, we get stuck because we have a limited view of things. Where does your help come from? My help comes from the Lord.
The music on the podcast comes from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are focusing on cynicism. Cynicism has always been apart of our culture but especially in these moments of chaos the cynicism roles very easily. Cynicism leads us to react in a self-righteous manner, as we are always looking for the bad in others and not the good. There must be a better way.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we will talk about a story of Jesus when he is on a boat with his disciples. A storm comes and the disciples think they are going to die and Jesus is asleep. Where is Jesus in our fear? We just want the suffering and chaos to disappear and be gone. Jesus is teaching another lesson that is important for us to keep in mind in the midst of chaos.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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It is easy to say we should have no fear, it is another thing to live it out. What if the fear is there to teach us something? What if our fear is showing us that we need to pause and seek the right direction in our lives? My friends, fear is here whether we like it or not. But let us not overreact out of fear but allow it to teach us and to walk faithfully forward with God.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to conclude our discussion on spiritual disciplines as we talk about Rest. It is more important than ever to practice this discipline. We are highly connected and always plugged in and almost always never resting. There is always going to be more work and more busyness, so we need to find the moments to simply rest. How do you practice the discipline of rest? Share, so that others may start to practice this much needed discipline.
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's discipline we are going to talk about is Celebration. I know that it sounds like an oxymoron, because discipline is serious business. Christianity has been missing out showing people that following Jesus isn't just serious work but also living a life of celebration. Jesus showed celebration and also lived celebration. "Christians ought to be celebrating constantly. We ought to be preoccupied with parties, banquets, feasts, and merriment...We ought to attract people to the church quite literally by the fun there is in being a Christian." -Robert Hotchkins
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today in our discussion of spiritual disciplines we are going to talk about Worship. Worship isn't just the time we spend in church for an hour to hour and half, those are expressions of worship but not the complete picture. We all worship something, it depends on what it is. We turn to money, sex, power, political leaders, etc. As followers of Jesus, we have a call to live a life of worship. How can we start to practice worship as a spiritual discipline?
The music on the episode in by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are continuing our discussion on spiritual disciplines. Today we are focusing on confession. Out of the reformation, Protestants pushed back against anything "Roman Catholic." People liked that they only had to confess to God. In this spiritual discipline we can learn different ways of practicing and finding freedom.
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about journaling. Journaling is a discipline that can blend multiple disciplines in one. You can meditate and journal or prayer and journaling. Journaling can be used as a great tool to record what God is doing in your life. You can then see for yourself, over time, that God is faithful. If you have never journaled before, I will give you an easy way to get started today.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about fellowship as a spiritual discipline. Maybe you didn't even know that it was a discipline. That is probably because it is probably the most misunderstood of the disciplines. It is not just getting together for a hang out or even a dinner. Fellowship is for the strengthening and sharpening of each other so that as we go we can see people differently. Let us spur one another on, to love and good deeds. It's time to practice some fellowship.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's spiritual discipline is the toughest one for me. I don't like silence or being alone with only my thoughts. This is something I need to work on. When Christians create silence they place themselves in a space to hear the gentle whisper of God. They can become aware of their own selves before the Creator of the universe without being attached to others or our own devices. We can gain clarity and perspective that is needed in this time and place.
The music on the podcast is done by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we talk about everyones favorite spiritual discipline...fasting. Ok, maybe its not a favorite but it is the most counter cultural. We live in a culture where everything we desire is at our immediate disposal. We don't have to spend much time wanting because we can have it now. In fasting we find renewal. You can purify your body and clarify your soul. The occasional discomfort can be exactly what we need. You don't have to jump into fasting with a 40 day run. You can start slowly. Maybe try a six hour fast...and every time you feel the hunger pains pray for clarity.
The music on the episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today's conversation will be a continuation of yesterday, as we talked about prayer. We are talking about prayer walking. We have an opportunity everyday to not just pray for our neighborhood but to see them up close and pray for them personally. There are a lot of great things that we can learn with this spiritual discipline. Try giving this a chance and take a walk in your neighborhood and see where God is working.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are continuing out talk on Spiritual Disciplines. Disciplines are best discovered through practice. We can't expect to be perfect on disciplines right out of the gate, we need to practice. Today we will only scratch the surface on prayer, but we can start off simply. We can look to Jesus and say, "Teach me to pray." What is your current prayer practice?
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going to look at our first spiritual discipline: meditation. Research has shown that there are health benefits to meditation and mindfulness. But long before research, God has talked about meditation in the life of His people. Meditation is simply thinking deeply or focusing one's mind for a period of time. What is your mind focused on? Spend some time today or this weekend thinking about what is good.
The music on this episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are beginning a topic on Spiritual Disciplines. Every faith tradition on the planet has spiritual disciplines, even non-theistic peoples. We are talking about Christian spiritual disciplines and what is the purpose of it. We went through discipleship and talked about every stage of Christian maturity is going to practice disciplines. It is a needed practice but do we have time for it? We need to order our loves correctly and see that it is needed.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are talking about Ash Wednesday. It is the start of the season of Lent, which is the 40 days before Easter when Jesus rose from the dead. Ashes are the sign of repentance. We can use this season to start cleaning up the things inside of us. We do need a word of caution here...do not make a big show of it. God isn't pleased by our grand public statements of repentance when there is nothing going on inside of us. God is always after the heart not the big show we try and put on.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Authentic relationships need to be seen as a two way street. We need to give and receive in every relationship. This will ensure that we are seeking to understand where people are coming from and who they are before we are trying to download all our info on them. People will stope listening when they notice they are really not apart of the conversation. We can learn a lot from Jesus on this one, as he asked questions of people he was in conversation with. He is God in flesh and knows everything and still asked questions...so what should that teach you?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We learn from Winnie the Pooh today as we learn to live in each moment we are given. One of the greatest gifts we can give to someone else is being present for them. We get distracted easily by time or our technology, but most often in our own heads. We get caught up thinking about the past or what the future may bring. We need to take away barriers and live in the moment.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Treating people with kindness is a great way to show our authentic selves. It is one of the fruits of the spirit but science also says it is good for us to do. There is a challenge today to try and go out and show some kindness to a stranger, family, friend or coworker. How did you feel? How do you think they felt? Report back and let us know. Let's spread some kindness.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today as we are talking about authenticity, it is good to know our own emotions and what that might mean as we are responding to people around us. How can we better know our emotions so that we can be our selves with others. As I tell my wife, release the crazy a little bit at a time so we don't scare anyone off. Your emotions will tell you a lot about what you need to know, we just have to ask why.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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This week we are going to focus on authentic relationships. Before you turn these episodes off because we use the word authentic...just wait. We want to flesh this out and see some different aspects of what we we mean when we talk about authentic. Today we will focus on you being you. "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken." -Oscar Wilde
The music on the episode is done by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Discipleship can be something that we feel is going to give us more than we can handle or that we just don't have everything we need. We will learn from Jesus today with the familiar story of the feeding of the 5,000. God is at work in us and around us. We need to believe that God has given us everything we need to continue the mission.
The music on the podcast is done by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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Jesus put a plan in place for the disciples to carry out. He says in Acts 1:8, that we will be his witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, to the ends of the earth. Conservative estimates show that by the year 300 A.D. there were about 6 million Christians. Today we have been impacted by the same message in a whole different place and culture. What is holding you back from making disciples, who then make disciples?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will conclude the stages with the spiritual parent. We could create all kinds of different stages after this- mid-life, or even elderly. But there is no retirement stage because we never retire from discipleship. People in this stage do not have greater worth. The Body of Christ is made up of all stages and everyone has worth. What does a parent look like and what do they need to grow? That is what we'll look at today.
The music on this episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are going to talk about the spiritual teens. In this stage people begin to change from a "me" focus to focus on God and others. People start to see that God has given them many gifts and the begin to get eager to use it. What do they need and how can they be supported?
The music on the episode today is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will be talking about the spiritual toddler. What do they look like? What challenges do they express? How can we support them? Don't fall into the trap of trying to compare levels of maturity...this is most definitely a sign of immaturity. This all about how we can support one another and encourage, comfort and urge each other.
The music on the podcast is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Yesterday we started talking about how to grow as a disciple and we started out with those who are far from God. Today we will talk about the spiritual infant. This does not correspond to age or how long someone has been a Christian. There can be plenty of infant Christians who have been in the Church for a long while. Infants need attention, they can't take care of themselves. That is just like spiritual infants who need mature Christians around them.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are going to talk about how we can grow as disciples. We will go through the stages from spiritually dead to mature follower (and all the stages in between). Today we will start out with the spiritually dead. We should all go back here sometimes to understand that we all started here. We were spiritually dead, as Ephesians 2, tells us. We shouldn't be surprised when people are here or by what they will do. We need patience and an open spirit to speak into their lives.
The music on the podcast is done by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we will continue the theme of family and talk with my other daughter Kaitlyn. She is at the tail end of the Millennials and at the beginning of Gen Z. I believe we need to listen more than we talk and it would lead to greater conversation and understanding. This episode is also longer than our typical 5 min, but it is good to do sometimes. Enjoy the episode!
The music on this episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
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I talked with my daughter Laura yesterday about her life as a disciple and so I thought it would also be good to talk with my two older granddaughters about how important it is to know and make known the love of God. You'll want to hear their beautiful rendition of "Be present at our table" it is the song they sing before their devotion time. We can learn a lot from child-like faith.
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
On todays podcast we will hear from my daughter Laura about how she maintains her balance as a follower of Christ and trying to raise her children in faith. There is a lot of great stuff on here so it goes a little longer than our typical 5 min. Listen and enjoy!
If you have questions for Laura, head over to Tabor Church Facebook page and add your thoughts or maybe a question.
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Why is discipleship important? It is the Sunday school answer to all questions...Jesus! Jesus commands us to make disciples and Jesus models discipleship for us. What can we do this next week, to begin to live like discipleship matters? Where do you need to make room to pray, read, observe and invite someone else to life together?
We grow as a disciple as we make disciples!
The music on the episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
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The phrase "sound doctrine" can make me a little crazy sometimes. People who hold sound doctrine as their #1 motivation in life, tend to try and carry it out on everyone they meet. They become the doctrinal police- believing they can correct the worlds issues with their power. Titus 2- gives us a picture of sound doctrine being carried out differently. Paul is saying this is done in relationship and we teach what it means to follow Jesus.
Start asking your fellow followers: Where do you see God at work in your life? and What is God teaching you, right now?
The music on the podcast is done by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland musician and has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
We defined discipleship yesterday and today we are exploring the importance of discipleship. The first reason of importance is growth. Hebrews 6:1-2, says that we should move forward into maturity. Spiritual growth is a process that will look differently in the lives of believers. Jesus is the foundation, we need to grow from here not past it. We can't do this growth alone. So, who do you have around you that is encouraging and supporting you towards growth?
The music on the episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland area musician and has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
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Today we are getting back to a basic understanding of discipleship. In John 1:35ff, Jesus has two disciples following him. They want to know where he is staying and he invites them into relational life with him. Discipleship at its core is counting the cost, and then learning and growing to the likeness of Christ. The journey of discipleship will be the greatest journey that we could ever go on.
The music on the episode is done by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area and has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going to talk about James 5:16. This can be misunderstood to believe that real healing happens when we confess our sins to each other. God still does the healing and forgiving of sins. We will discuss what it means not to hide from each other when there are difficult or crucial conversations to be had within the church. Let's not avoid or hide from each other but find the healing God has for us.
Tabor website mentioned in the show for today: taborchicago.org
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area and has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
It has been said that "Money is the root of all evil." This is misquoted from 1 Timothy 6:10 where it says, "For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil..." Jesus says We can't serve to two masters, we will love one and hate the other. When we love money or the pursuit of money or the accumulation of possessions, we will go to every length possible to get it. Paul warns Christians in 1 Timothy to be aware of godly leaders who are trying to present to you a Gospel that says godliness is a means to gain wealth. In Christ there is great gain.
What are you treasuring more than Christ today?
The music on the episode today is from John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area that has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Luke 11:9- "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you." Finally, the benefits of following Jesus. Ask for whatever I want and it will be given to me. This is how this verse can be used if we don't see the context in which Jesus spoke it. Today we are going to explore what Jesus is talking about and how we can apply it to our lives today.
The music on this episode is by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area and has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Jeremiah 29:11- "I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." This is a very common passage used for different circumstances. We tell it to people who are experiencing pain and reassure them that God s going to come and take it away. Or we tell it to people that are at a crossroads and wish them well into a prosperous new chapter that God is going to give them everything they want. Let's put this in context and see how this promise can be a blessing to us.
The music on this episode is from John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland musician who has been a real blessing to Tabor Church.
Support the show (http://taborchicago.org/give/)
Today we are going to look at Matthew 7:1. This is an often used verse when confronted with our sin or used against us when we are pointing out sin. "You can't judge me!" becomes the mantra of today and branded as if it is actually what Jesus had to say about judging. He wanted Christians to be aware of how they were calling out sin. Don't do it with a judgmental spirit, this would be hypocritical. So how do we judge correctly? Jesus says there is a log in our eye, so we should ask God to see our own faults and sin so that we don't come to others as we are better, but instead to build up and encourage.
When have you seen this verse used in a negative way? How can we be better stewards of this verse?
The music on the podcast is by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area that has been a great blessing to Tabor Church.
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We are back this week to look at some misused or misapplied scriptures. Today we will look at Philippians 4:13- I can do all things through him who gives me strength. It is a good verse but we should be careful to use it in context and not just when we are doing some hard work.
Are you content in all situations? It's hard to do without the strength of God in our lives.
The music on the episode is by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area and has been a blessing to Tabor Church.
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What a way to end the week with an episode on Pruning. John 15:2 says that God, the master gardener, will be doing the work of pruning his people. Even though it seems kind of scary or even painful, do we trust that God knows what is best for our lives?
What have you seen God change in you? In your journey with Jesus, what has the pruning process looked like?
Music on the podcast is done by John Nugent. He is a great musician in the Chicagoland area that has really helped Tabor Church with his skills.
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We are moving right along. John 15:5 we need to abide with Jesus. A third dimension of Abide is Remain. The two words are used interchangeably in different translations of the Bible, so I figured we should look at what it means to remain. To remain is to stick with. Even when the Word doesn't make sense to us or the things about faith leave us with a lot of questions...we need to remain with Jesus.
What are your current patterns of remaining in Jesus?
Our music is from John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area that is full of brilliance.
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We are continuing in John 15:1-5. We are looking at the dimensions of the word Abide. Today we focus on dependance. The branches need the vine but the vine doesn't need the branches to live. Jesus is trying to teach us where our dependance needs to be. Here is a hint- its not on yourself.
Have you been trying to depend only on yourself? Has self-reliance taught you anything in life; good or bad?
Our music, as always, is by John Nugent. He is a musician in the Chicagoland area and is quite brilliant. Check him out!
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For the next few days we are going to take a look at John 15:1-5. We will focus on the multiple dimensions of the word Abide. The first aspect is Connected. Jesus says he is the vine and we are the branches, if we abide with him we can bear much fruit and apart from him we can do nothing. Followers of Jesus need to ask themselves if they are staying connected to vine or trying to do things on their own.
How is your connection with Jesus today? What do you need to do in order to maintain your connection?
Music on every episode is by John Nugent. He is a Chicagoland musician. If you need some music look him up.
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Today we start a journey. We want to add content that will be worthwhile but also not take up a bunch of your time. This podcast will be 5 min or less on a regular basis. Phil wants to bring encouragement and a Godly perspective. Today's episode will have two special guests that will give their expectations and what they want to see. Then stay tuned for the coming episodes and feel free to leave your feedback.
The music on the podcast is all done by John Nugent. He is a great musician in the Chicagoland area. Feel free to look him up and see how he can help you.
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