LifeResource Presentation: Recent Episodes
LifeResource Ministries
Hundreds of presentations about living the Christian life — all FREE.
We cover topics such as parenting and family, church empowerment & growth, and spiritual & mental health. We have hundreds of presentations that allow you to find information on the topics that matter most to you.
We all know about prayer, talking to God. But how do we listen to Him? As it turns out, God has a “channel” on which he broadcasts His Way. Do you know how to find it? Having found it, do you listen to it? In this presentation, Tuning to God’s Channel, we will explore ways to hear what God has for each of us.
In our LifeResource Ministries mission statement we express the desire to help all the Church’s children develop a relationship with God. How can it be possible to do that? It’s simple. You could do it! Find out how in this presentation, Youth Advocacy?
In a heated public discussion with the Pharisees, Jesus told them they had approached the law by focusing on the minutia while neglecting the “weightier matters of the law.” What would that have to do with us today? Could present-day Christians be doing the same thing?
Jesus said, “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” From other biblical references, we know it to be a time after Christ returns and establishes a literal kingdom on earth. Yet, 2000 years later, he seemed to be saying it was about to begin. Is there an explanation for it?
A strange thing happens almost immediately after Christ returns. An angel appears with a key and a big chain. What he does next changes the world forever. Who is this nnamed mysterious angel? How did his action changed the world forever?
Every year, Jesus traveled to observe God’s festivals. The Bible shows us that even the trip to the festival has meaning for Christians, a meaning associated with our resurrection.
Before we can communicate effectively in any conversation, there is something we must do first. Do you know what it is? Learn more about it in Communicating Effectively.
Jesus marveled when a Roman Centurion demonstrated greater faith than the Jews, including His disciples. How is it that the children of the Abrahamic Covenant had less faith than a gentile soldier? What understanding does that hold for us today?
“Living stones” is a term used in the Bible to represent the various members in the Church of God, represented by a stone Temple. This presentation discusses a widely accepted mis-understanding about the use of the term. And then goes further into what it is to be a living stone and how to go about it.
The disciples asked Jesus to “Increase our faith.” When he answers them, what He said didn’t seem to connect to the request. This presentation, Increasing Faith, not only explains the issue but shows how God increases our faith.
Have you ever gone to bed on an icy cold night and been thankful for that warm quilt, or thick wool blanket, or down comforter? God has a blanket for us. It’s not a blanket of wool or down, but a spiritual blanket that covers us when we need it most. Learn more about this remarkable blanket in Under God’s Blanket.
Jesus tells us to “carry your cross.” He also said, in the same verse, we should carry it daily. What did he mean by that? Something we do every day must be important. Do you know what “carrying your cross” means? Do you do it every day? This Presentation, Carrying Our Cross, can help with that.
Traditionally, people wash each other’s feet at the Passover Service. Most Christians consider this to be following Jesus example of humility as he washed His disciples feet. There is another account of a woman who was washing Jesus’ feet and what Jesus said about it. Let’s think more about what that meant to Jesus as we study the account of Washing Jesus’ Feet.
The real topic of this presentation is hidden in the title. Discussing the Devil’s nature leads to understanding about our own. “Come and see” what hidden gem lies within Can the Devil be Grateful?
God tells us to trust in him, and lean not on your understanding. But how do we do that? It’s “natural” to form opinions and proceed. Occasionally when we ask God for help deciding what to do, it seems like he doesn’t answer us. What do we do with that? Consider the process in Lean not in Your Own Understanding.
Jordan Peterson recently delivered the keynote address at the ARC conference he sponsored. It was about our Identity as Christians—what we believe about ourselves. The phrase, Welcoming the Possibilities, jumped out at us, helping us in our Christian process of “Living Up.”
Thirty years after Christ died, we see in the Bible the Apostle Paul telling the Church to live “unleavened." It’s clearly a reference to the Festival of Unleavened Bread. He explains that leavening, in the Bible, is a symbol for sin. The only way to live sin free is by the Grace of Jesus Christ, which is the subject of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, a New Testament Christian Festival.
Checkpoint Charlie was a famous checkpoint of the Cold War. Did you know that God has a checkpoint for Christians too? Are your ID and other papers in order? Can you pass the checkpoint successfully? Learn more in Checkpoint Charlie - Passover Examination.
Small is good because God always starts small when he uses us to accomplish his will. Why is that? What else do we need to know about “small” being “good”?
Mind over Matter. It's a common expression. And it applies to Christian life in a most important way. Do you know how to put Mind over Matter the way God tells us? Consider the issue in this presentation.
Modern day Christianity teaches that we were born with the bad part of our nature. How can that be, as God made the creation, including Adam and Eve, and said, "This is good?" If we are not born with it, how did we come by it? Consider the topic in Human Nature - How We Got It.
Jesus said all Christians need to have the attitude of a child. Why did he say that? In our world, when we tell an adult they are acting like a child, it’s not meant to be a good thing. So this dichotomy runs us smack into one of the great spiritual paradoxes. Understand more about it in Acting Like a Child.
There is a term used throughout the Bible, "The Day of Visitation." Most Christians generally think of it related to the return of Christ to the Earth. While Christ's return is an aspect of God's visitation, there is much more to it. Join us in this presentation to expand your understanding of The Day of Visitation
Jesus presented his disciples with an enigmatic parable about putting new wine into old wineskins. What was he talking about? What’s the lesson for us?
Jesus said trees that don't bear fruit get cut down. A congregation that lasts over time knows it's purpose and bears fruit. What is the purpose of a Christian congregation? Are there more than one purpose?
In this second installment of our series, Elements of a Biblically-Based Congregation, we take a look at some of the characteristics of that kind of congregation.
How does the Bible say a congregation of God's Church should be organized? How would you know one if you saw one? What does a spirit-led congregation do to last over time? Learn more in Elements of a Biblically-Based Church of God Congregation - Part 1
In the Bible, we are told that the Church is to follow the original faith presented to it by Jesus Christ. It never needs updating. The original doctrines are eternal. But does that mean that the Church is never to adapt to societal shifts? Explore this topic with us in Up with the Times. Think ahead rather than behind.
God tells us over 360 times in the Bible, "Fear not." This command is usually related to fearing what others might do to us. God, however, tells us there is never any reason for this kind of fear. Explore the issue further in Fear or Fear Not.
As everyone knows, people are busier than ever, on a whole. This puts pressure on us to do the bare minimum on tasks, trying to get more things done. There is one area of life where we can’t afford to do that.
This presentation, A New Christian Holiday - Atonement, explains the meaning, not only of the Day of Atonement in God’s salvation plan, but also the 10 day gap between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These days have traditionally been called by the Jews, “The Days of Awe.”
The Bible includes numerous trials people have endured. God tells us trials are necessary for our spiritual development. This presentation, Managing Trials, offers some biblical strategies for dealing with trials successfully.
The Bible mentions on numerous occasions the catastrophic build up to and the return of Jesus Christ. Is there a way to prepare for it? Consider the implications in Measuring the Urgency of Christ’s Return - Festival of Trumpets.
Love Your Neighhbor Today is the third and final part of a three part series. In this part we explore the realities of wanting to do the impossible, while being able to do them with God’s help.
Loving our Neighbor isn’t just a cliché. It is a part of God’s nature. He loves all his “neighbors” in His eternal Realm and on Earth. That’s why we have to practice loving our neighbors in this life.
Our presentation, The Good Samaritan, is the first in a series titled Love Your Neighbor. We are going behind the words to understand what God means when He tells us to do this, and why.
God tells us that Satan is a deceiver. How does he do that? Can we spot his deceptions if we know what to look for in history and prophecy? How would that knowledge transfer to understanding his deceptions now? Learn more in Resisting Deception.
Christians have always known they were to be pilgrims, a community of believers moving through life, headed in a definite direction, with a specific destination the focus. But the picture of pilgrims also has another meaning—one that becomes increasingly vital as the United States has become post-Christian.
When Philip told Nathaniel about Jesus, Nathaniel expressed doubt, Philip’s response was, “Come and see.” What a potent invitation. It changed Nathaniel’s life forever. Do you know anyone who could use a life change? Learn more about it in this presentation. Come and see.
Most Christians know that another name for the Church is “The Body of Christ.” What does it mean to be Christ’s body? How do we fit into that Body? This Holy Day, Pentecost, helps us understand the answer.
Paul uses the term, Freedom in Christ. When I finally left a corporate version of my church, I understood that term in a way that was new to me. That was quite a few years ago. Lately ,that term has taken on a new and deeper meaning. I am offering it to you in this presentation.
Jesus didn’t use programs to teach his disciples how to love. Instead, he loved them one-at-a-time. The congregation is our extended spiritual environment. Will we make it a loving place? This presentation offers some thoughts on how to accomplish that goal.
If asked, “What is the basis of Christianity” nearly every Christian would answer, “the Bible.” Unfortunately, over the last 2000 years, Christianity has changed so much from the religion Jesus brought, most Christians today no longer follow His original faith and practice. So…are you a biblical Christian? And, does it matter?
Esau sold his birthright, something that displeased God. What was that all about? And what meaning might it have for us today? Learn more about it in Don’t Sell your Birthright, part of the Bible Stores for Adults series.
The Apostle Paul tells we need to “discern the Body of Christ” when we take the Passover symbols, bread and wine. What does that mean? Learn more in The Body of Christ - Holy Day Series 2023 - Part 1
In the story of the Exodus, God has left us a remarkable, encouraging eyewitness account of a tremendous miracle that saved God’s people from death. All we have to do is believe it. Do you? Can you defend it to skeptics? In this series, Bible Stories for Adults, we provide information about the Exodus and other Bible stories that can bolster our faith.
Pride and humility. Most Christians function on the world's definitions of these words. This presentation defines them out of the Bible. Check it out in our latest presentation, Pride and Humility
How would you like to be able to look at the notes you have taken on a sermon and see the direction God is moving in your life? How would you like to be able to find and recall what you heard for more than a few days. Listen to or read Taking Meaningful Sermon Notes and learn how to do all these things.
“Forgive and forget” is an old saying that makes no sense because it is impossible. We can’t forget. So, what do we do with all the wrongs done to us and that we have done to others? Consider the bigger picture in this presentation, and be at peace.
The old, familiar saying about the consequences of our actions might seem somewhat trivializing when we compare it with what the Bible says about our choices and their consequences. How have your choices affected your life, so far?
This presentation is an explanation showing how to derive the biblical intent of the Bible story about Jonah. Many people today, including some who profess Christianity, don’t believe it happened. The debate is like noise that distracts us from what God is telling us in the biblical record.
This final presentation in our series, Making Life Easier, is about a paradoxical statement Jesus made. He said his yoke was easy and his burden light. Yokes limit freedom and are for hard work. Burdens are heavy. That’s what the words mean. What did Jesus mean? How do we understand the paradox?
It probably wouldn’t come as a surprise that life is harder on us if we believe that we are better or worse than others. Is there a view of self that would make life easier? This part of our series, Making Life Easier, Self-View, digs into this vital issue.
It is so easy to misunderstand someone. And that is why we are adding Communication to our series, Making Life Easier. When we are misunderstood or misunderstand, things can get tangled and relationships damaged. Learn some vital tools to communicate and understand others so that life is easier.
In this series, Making Life Easier, we have covered topics that are strategies for making life easier, such as problem-solving and personal organization. For the remainder, we will cover more character based topics, the first of which is Mildness. What do you know about being mild?
Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes, that one of the few things in which we can find true satisfaction is our work. This squares with psychological research. People are happier when they are doing work that makes a contribution to a greater good. In other words, contributing makes life easier.
God tells us in his word that he will send “New Jerusalem” to us. His description of it in Revelation 21-22 is so different it’s difficult to comprehend. Can we learn anything about New Jerusalem by studying the Jerusalem of the past? This presentation explores Jerusalem from the past to discover more about her future.
What does God want us to learn from Bible prophecy? It’s quite likely Christians in every generation since Christ’s death have believed he would return in their life-times. And, so far, they have all been wrong. What is the purpose for Bible Prophecy, then, if it’s not to know when Christ will return?
Most of the theology schools have made an energetic effort to convince people that the Kingdom of God is the Church. They tell us that everything written by John in the Book of Revelation is nothing but a metaphor showing the work of the Church in the world. Still, the idea that Jesus Christ will literally return to the earth and establish a literal kingdom is in the Bible and many people believe he will do exactly that.
One of the topics Jesus emphasized many ways was that of preparedness. When we are ready for what comes next, life gets easier. Jesus talked about spiritual preparedness Consider the importance in this presentation , Making Life Easier - Part 5 Spiritual Preparedness.
The third in our series on Making Life Easier is about problem-solving. So often we focus on the problem to the exclusion of solutions. That leaves us stuck in the problem. I see this so often in counseling. Life is so much easier when we go proactive and start looking for solutions, or a the very least, doing what we can in the face of difficulty.
Many people make life unnecessarily hard for themselves by believing something about life that is not true. See how to live with less stress and more happily by learning how to adapt gracefully to the changes of life.
Life is hard enough without making it harder on ourselves. This series, Making Life Easier, provides strategies and tools, so we don’t inadvertently make it harder. These approaches are not no-brainer’s, like “don’t steal,” or “tell the truth,” but deal with real but less understood issues. The first in the series, Making Life Easier, is called Taking the Long View. It’s about the Bible teaching on foresight. Have you ever seen an Christian literature or a sermon on this topic?
The Apostle Paul tells us that the Old Testament biblical festivals are “shadows of things to come.” The Feast of First Fruits, gives away the shadow meaning of this Festival in God’s plan. While it was a harvest festival in ancient times, today it is a festival picturing God’s harvest of children for his Kingdom. Jesus founded the Church of God in the New Testament on that same festival (called Pentecost in the New Testament). What do each of the other festivals foreshadow? Not surprisingly, all of them have Jesus Christ stamped all over them.
Self-control in modern culture has gone out of style. It’s not often seen as a solution to our problems. Moderns would rather blame them on heredity, or parents, or the political party we are not a part of, or the culture itself. The Bible, however, offers a different view. There we are told that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit of God in us. In practical terms, what does that mean in a Christian’s daily life?
Is meekness weakness? Or is it strength? Jesus was meek. But no one thinks he was weak. How is it that meekness is a way of being strong? We examine this issue a biblical perspective in Fruit of the Spirt -Part 9- Meekness.
Most would say we observe the Passover to commemorate Christ’s death. Since we are asking what’s most important, it’s acceptable to ask, “Why?“ What’s behind Christ’s sacrifice? This presentation probes some more profound elements of God’s design, things that help us understand more about Christ’s sacrifice and what comes our way from it.
One of the fruit of the Spirit which Paul mentioned in Galatians 5 was faithfulness, an easy thing for God—faithful is what God is. It’s a part of his nature, he remains steady, committed, enduring, honest, ever-present with us. We, on the other hand...
One of the proofs that we have the Holy Spirit is the quality of “Goodness.” Do you have it? Goodness—what does the word mean? Check out this presentation to understand what it means when God tells us to be “good.”
We all could come up with a definition of the word, “gentleness.” But what is the Bible definition of the word? Since gentleness is called a fruit of the Spirit in the Bible, it would be good to know what the Bible means by this term. We do that in this presentation.
Patience seems like a difficult but completely human quality. And yet, the Bible highlights a kind of patience beyond the patience of human beings. Paul calls this kind of patience a fruit of the Holy Spirit—Jesus and the Father living in us. What is that kind of patience like? Read more in “The Fruit of the Spirit – Part 5 – Patience of God.”
Trees produce fruit. If you were a tree, what kind of fruit would you produce? The Bible tells us that a Christian has within him or herself the Holy Spirit—the Father and the Son within. One of the fruits of that kind of life is peace from God. Do you have the The Fruit of the Spirit, the Peace of God?
Many people think joy comes upon us because of benefits they receive or accomplishments they achieve. Consequently, they have no way to think about joy in the face of danger or deficiency. The Bible shows us a different way to experience joy. In this presentation, we explain biblical joy and how to experience it.
In the New Testament, God promises that both He and his son, Jesus, will live in believers by the power of His Spirit. The presence of God in the heart of believers causes real change. The Apostle Paul listed nine specific qualities and behaviors that are the fruit of God’s spirit in a believer. This presentation unpacks the first of these qualities, godly love.
Trees produce fruit. If you were a tree, what kind of fruit would you produce? That would depend on which of two different influences available to you. One is the Holy Spirit—God in us. The other called, in the Bible, “the flesh.” That influence passes to us from our original parents, Adam and Eve. They were infected with it and have passed down to all their children.
The biblical term, grace, has many meanings to many people. To some it is an unctuous, pious sanctimonious expression that is embarrassing to use. To others it is an excuse to wantonly violate the laws of God. And to yet others, it means freedom to worship God however one wants, Bible aside, Jesus example aside, New Testament faith and practice aside. Grace is none of these.
In Romans 6:14 Paul said Christians are “not under the law.” Many take this to mean that Christians do not need to obey the law of God any longer. Is that true, or is there more to the story? Consider the evidence presented in this presentation to learn what the Bible has to say about it.
Should we keep God’s law? Is there any benefit to it? Or is it an oppressive set of restrictions for an ancient time? Is the law of God the doorway into the Kingdom of God? Or is Jesus Christ the door? Consider this vital issue further in this presentation.
So far in this series, we’ve learned that Christians obey God’s law. Most Christians would agree with this statement. Disagreement occurs when we start discussing which parts of it are we to keep today. This presentation deals with this issue, out of the Bible rather than any church’s doctrinal positions on the issue.
In this series we, besides explaining what the Law of God is and how it works in a person’s life, also point out specific verses and phrases that have been misunderstood by many. This presentation discusses the biblical meaning of a phrase used by the Apostle Paul—“works of the law.”
Paul called the first resurrection a better resurrection. First, his statement implies that there is more than one resurrection. And why is one better than another? Learn something new from your Bible, or, if it is not new to you, learn how to explain it to others.
The largest Christian denomination tells us that because Christ died to cover our sins with a blanket of grace, we are now free to sin as we please, confess our sins, and do it all over again. Well, that’s not actually what they say, but that’s how it goes for them. Is that what God intends for us because of Christ’s precious sacrifice? Consider the issue with Law or Grace, the second in our series, The Law of God.
We would like to be able to say that a controversy rages over the issue of the law of God. But we can’t. Only a very few think it important to obey God’s law. We are with the few. The exposition of our case begins with the second chapter of the book of Colossians.
So many discontented people! What are you discontented about? Is there a way to feel happier, more fulfilled, more content? Have a look at this presentation to consider more on the issue.
Have you ever seen God intervene in your life, but wondered why He took so long? Here are some thoughts on the issue.
In this last part of the Life After Death Series, we continue on with the time progression through the Book of Revelation that provides a chronology of the final events in God’s plan as he has revealed it. Once we understand the Bible on this issue, we can see why God says he is “not willing that any should perish,” and how he is going to have His way in it. It’s good news!
In this fourth part of the series, Life After Death, we prove out of the Bible that there is no such thing as an immortal soul. Instead there is something much better in store for us. For those who already know, this offers a helpful review, for those new to it, the light of God’s truth on the subject—right out of the Bible.
When we consider the issue of loving God, it means we have to look into God's word to see what his "love language" is. Some people think it's going to church and putting an empty envelope in the offering basket. This presentation looks at scriptures revealing how God wants to be loved.
The apostle John, in the Book of Revelation, writes of a “first resurrection.” In this presentation we cover the second one. Some people consider this resurrection a mystery. While it seems true that the further out a mentioned event is on the Bible timeline, the more obscure the references. But the second resurrection is not so far out that we can’t gain a lot of detail about it, when it occurs, who is resurrected, what form they take. If you don’t understand this point of Bible truth, or if you need to explain it to others, this presentation can help.
The patriarch Job asked, “If a man die, will he live again?” Yes, but it’s not like you might think. It’s way better. Listen to this presentation to understand more about God’s plan for all his children, past present and future, right out of the Bible.
More and more people today believe that when they die that will be the end for them. They have no hope for a future beyond this life. Many others, also in ever-increasing numbers, are uncertain about what happens after death. This presentation is for those people or for those who talk to them on this topic.
How do we teach our children to endure the hard times in life and difficult situations that arise? The Bible has a lot to say about it and so does modern psychology. There have been many studies about resilience.
Today when we use the term “passed over,” it usually means we have been ignored. But in the Bible the term takes on a positive message, namely that we have been granted a pass on punishment. The Passover helps us relive, once a year, how that happens and offers us encouraging implications for living to please God.
Jeremiah the prophet said God would write the law in our hearts. Surprisingly to some, Paul reiterates this in the New Testament. Is God writing His law in your heart? How does that happen?
How do we know if we have the Holy Spirit? Since we are physical, the spirit cannot be detected physically—can’t feel it, can’t see it, can’t smell it, can’t touch it. But there is a way. It’s a way God reveals to us, so we can believe in His promise.
This is Mount Nebo, where God let Moses to view the promised land. God let him to see the promised land, his heart’s desire. But after 40 years of service, God did not let him cross the Jordan and enter into it. Why not? What could this biblical event possibly have to do with our lives today?
If you look at the latest survey results, most people living in the US, no longer consider themselves Christian. Europe when that way decades ago. Western Culture is now a post-Christian Culture. How should Christians adjust?
Twice in his ministry, Jesus told his disciples to fish on the other side of the boat. Both times they hauled up huge catches. What was his point? How can we fish on the other side of the boat today?
“Broken Arrow” is a military term used in the Viet Nam war. When command officers, monitoring a battle, heard this code term on their radios, they knew their troops were in danger of being completely overrun. They were to respond with immediate death-dealing air support delivering close-in bombing. We use it here to describe God’s immediate response when we embrace truth and resist lies.
The Bible tells us that, as Christian Soldiers, our weapons are not physical. We don’t need fighter planes or machine guns. How do we, then, fight “the good fight of faith?” In this presentation, we go into detail about how to wage war against the lies of the adversary.
Every army has rules soldiers follow in dealing with the enemy. How do Christian soldiers engage the adversary? What tactics do they use and under what circumstances? How and when do they use their weapons? Do you know the rules for spiritual combat?
The Apostle Paul, using a clever metaphor, lists the weapons Christians can use to wage spiritual warfare. When we read it we are impressed by how clever Paul was to come up with such an excellent literary device. If we hold to that, without understanding the vital message he conveyed, we’ve missed the whole point. Seriously, what is all this about the shield of faith and the helmet of salvation? Do you know how to swing the sword of the spirit?
In this second part of the series, Waging Spiritual War, we go to boot camp and learn of the enemy’s tactics. We know the devil is a deceiver. He’s so good at it that he has replaced God as “the God of this world.” but how did he do it? We explore his weapons in this presentation.
The Bible refers to Christian life as spiritual warfare. Why would God want Christians to think of life that way? What does it mean to be at war spiritually in terms of every day life? What are the advantages? If we don’t think of life as a war, are we missing something?
God tells us that he is the potter and we are his clay. But what does that mean—in our lives every day? Are there any advantages to being a gob of wet mud, turned at dizzying pace? Does it feel good like a massage? Or is it more like SEAL training? What do we have to do to play that role? Learn more about it in Pottery 101.
Is there any way one of God’s seven annual festivals can be “better” than another? Probably not. Each one is the best for the lession God is teaching. Still, it is permissible for us to have our favorites. Mine is Atonement. Here’s why. (No, it’s not all about food.)
Ever since Jesus departed for heaven, Christians have been trying to figure out when he was coming back. Many people, since then, have made dogmatic predictions about the exact date, and many have believed them. But so far, everyone has been wrong. Is there a way to figure it out? Do we even need to know? Or is what Jesus said about his return in the Bible all we need to know?
We just completed our series, The God-Based Marriage, in which we enumerated 9 organizing principles of marriage. How can those who are not married but want to be, use this information? Listen to this presentation to learn three ways the series can help you prepare for marriage.
We just completed our series, The God-Based Marriage, in which we enumerated 9 organizing principles of marriage. How can those who are not married but want to be, use this information? Listen to this presentation to learn three ways the series can help you prepare for marriage.
So far in this series, we have covered most of the fundamentals undergirding the God-based marriage. We saved this one for last because commitment is the one that makes marriage work when problems arise. It is also true that the concept of committed marriage is becoming lost in our culture. One of my counseling clients told me she didn’t know anyone who believed that marriage was for life. The results of this terrible loss are seen in the divorce statistics. Less than half of all marriages survive. Tune into his series to learn more about how to make a marriage last a lifetime.
There are no perfect people. Consequently, there are no perfect marriages. Relational ruptures often occur. How do we repair an issue in marriage when it happens? This presentation offers practical help.
Love is such a hard concept to define; we decided to focus on the emotional connection that produces love. Find an emotional connection with your mate, and you and your mate will love each other. Since the Bible shows us that emotional connection is the essence of love (and so does science), this presentation delves into the components of it.
Research shows us that most of the problems between husband and wives stem from poor communication—misunderstanding each other, in other words. This may be hard to believe. But, after watching many couples attempt to communicate, I believe the research. This presentation offers a potent tool to smooth out communication and help couples meet each other heart to heart.
If we are smart, we know that we need someone to have our back. Scripture reveals that God knew that Adam was not complete when he created Eve to be a support for him. Adam needed help. We see that Adam recognized this and was happy about what God had done. Later in the NT, we learn that Adam (and all husbands) are also to have their wife’s back as well, each one supporting the other in the specific way that is most helpful. Consider, in this presentation, what that looks like in a God-Based Marriage.
While marriage is an everyday relationship, it also looks beyond this life to the goal a husband and wife can both attain in the Kingdom of God. This goal causes a God-Based marriage to become a spiritually beneficial relationship for both parties, as they support each other in spiritual things. For that reason, knowing that a husband and wife are “heirs together of the grace of life,” organizes marriage into a profoundly spiritual endeavor.
Jesus said that laying down one’s life for one’s friends was the greatest love of all. How does this apply to marriage, when the marriage is God-Based? It’s the most powerful aspect of a healthy marriage. Are you good that this kind of love?
Jesus told us his Father is a farmer. Our Father is growing a crop of beings for his kingdom. We are those crops. What’s the import of that? God has a plan and we are a part of it. He is tending to us, cultivating, planting, watering, weeding, and harvesting. In our age, disconnected from the land, this might not mean much to us, but if we want to know what God is doing, we would be wise to learn more about his farming efforts.
Jesus, in his spiritual brilliance, compressed the entire Old Testament into one sentence. We call it the Golden Rule. This rule operates behind the scenes in heaven and on earth. It’s not just universal, but also spiritual, then. How does it function in marriage? Is it vital or irrelevant?
Perhaps the most important organizing principle of marriage is the way God and Jesus conduct their own relationship. It’s a model for relationships across the entire creation, both in heaven and on earth.
God makes everything according to a plan, with organizing principles underlying each creation. He created marriage this way. If we know the organizing principles and follow them, it stands to reason that being married happily depends on the application of these principles in the relationship. This series aims to lay them out, all in one package for easy review, and to explain each one with examples and scriptures. We hope this can be helpful for premarital, newlyweds, as well as those who have been married for years.
Every spring in ancient Israel, God instructed the people to hold a harvest festival in which they ate unleavened bread. It was an annual reminder that their predecessors ate unleavened bread the night they fled Egypt, not having time to let their dough rise. Much later, the Apostle Paul, while writing about this festival, compares leavening to sin in the Christian life. He confirms that we also are to observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread—not only eating unleavened bread but also to become unleavened in our hearts, to strive for a sin-free life, as we strive to follow the example Jesus set for us
When we think of encouragement we usually think of kind, uplifting words that help us feel better about ourselves or a situation. But there is way more to it than that. There is now brain science to shed light on how to really encourage our children, friends, etc. Learn to be Barnabas! Order Encouragement now.
Most of us, no matter our religious or political affiliation, find it hard to watch the news. Most Christians know that God tells us to keep up with world events. However, due to the deepening political division in the United States, human bias colors reporting across the media spectrum. It is often hard to discern the truth. Is there a way to parse the news from a godly perspective? We think so.
Many people today think that it’s old fashioned to follow God’s rules about sex. Sexual promiscuity is a way of life for many single people. And many marriages and relationships break up because of infidelity. We would never try to convince anyone against their will that God’s rules are for our own good. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t explain how his rules, when applied, save people a lot of heartache, and even mental illness.
At the recent Winter Family Weekend, the church service included a symposium about depression. It stimulated a number of us there to consider what a person can do to stave off or get past depression. This presentation includes an expansion on one of the strategies for doing just that.
This series wrap-up, we examine the intricate relationship between faith, hope, love, and obedience to God. If we take the time to understand how that relationship works, it’s good news!
The Apostle Paul wrote, in I Corinthians, that faith, hope, and love were three abiding Godly attributes. What is the connection between faith and hope? Does hope increase faith? Does faith increase hope? An important topic if we feel hopeless.
Faith and Patience—both are fruits of the Holy Spirit, we are told in Scripture. God is pleased when we exhibit either or both of these characteristics. It is also true that either of these traits makes it easier to maintain the other. They are somewhat interdependent. Consider the issue further in Faith and Patience.
Did you know you can participate in your own faith development? In this presentation, we discuss biblically sound ways to grow in faith. We also explain the sublime relationship between faith, obedience to God, and godly love, and how the interconnection helps us grow in all three vital spiritual qualities.
The Apostle Paul said, “Without faith, it is impossible to please God.” If you are a Christian, that makes faith an important issue. If we have faith and please God by it, what does he do for us in return? What are the fruits of faith? Consider the topic more closely in this presentation.
In the Book of Revelation, God describes the first round of inductees into his Kingdom as “called, chosen, and faithful.” If God expects us to be faithful, that is, to endure to the end, what guidance does he provide to help us accomplish that goal? Are there things we can do to up our chances of hanging in until the end? This presentation offers four intentional strategies that may help.
God tells us that he is working a plan to draw all of us into eternal life with him. He describes the first round of inductees as “Faithful” in Revelation 17. Since faithfulness is one of the three primary descriptors, we can assume this is important to God. Could you be described that way? This new series details some of the elements of faithfulness and how to intentionally go toward them.
John the Baptist referred to Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. The sins of the world we know about, but what about the lamb of God? Did you know there is a biblical festival for Christians that teaches us a lot more about Jesus and Christmas?
A friend asked me to produce a presentation explaining Christ’s return in a way that children could understand. This presentation is my effort at that—an outline with context. A timely presentation for the Festival of Trumpets, which falls on the first day of the 7th month. A day when ancient Israel blew the 7th Trumpet
Esau, we are told in scripture, sold his birthright to his brother Jacob for some lentil stew. Modern people often don’t grasp the value of a birthright as it was in Esau’s day—just as Christians today don’t grasp the value of God’s birthright gift to all his children. That’s why the apostle explains this life-saving lesson to us in the New Testament.
God tells us that the human heart is deceitful and wicked. Humans often are not truthful. He also tells us he desires truth in our “inward parts.” What a dilemma! Jesus further tells us that our problems in life, with others and with God, do not originate with our behaviors, but in our hearts. Yet when we try to please God, our focus is usually “being good”—on our behavior—rather than a change of heart. How can we sort ourselves out and become more aligned with God? One thing for sure, ignoring the problem, carrying on, muddling through, won’t cut it. It takes some focus—on our hearts.
So far in our series, Preaching to the Choir, we discussed, learned helplessness and entitlement. This time we address a closely related state, self-pity. All three of these cause psycho-social and spiritual arrest. In this presentation, learn how to get growing again by overcoming self-pity. Life is so much better when they have a bigger picture of God for our lives.
A lot of people have heard about the Bible story where God tells Abraham to sacrifice his son, Isaac. And a lot of people have serious misgivings about what God did in this story. Never-the-less, this is a vital lesson for all Christians. if we can grasp the message, it could save our eternal lives. Listen to this this presentation to consider deeper meaning.
I talked once with a man who had a floundering business. He felt helpless and resentful toward others who were successful. He thought everyone should get an income from the government. Psychological research has much to teach us about this kind of attitude and how to recognize and overcome it.
The Apostle Paul says that the Passover, as he got it from Jesus Christ, is an annual spiritual self-evaluation. One of the things he tells us to think about is our discernment of the Body of Christ. What does that mean? If you think you already know, consider that with God, there is always more to learn.