GCC Adams Center Podcast: Recent Episodes
Kyle Widrick
"What then shall we say, brothers and sisters? When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be strengthened." 1 Corinthians 14:26
There was a problem with the audio recording. Most of it is here (I think), but for an uninterrupted recording, the Youtube recording should give you that.
Paul, the Apostle Paul had a real compassion and burden for people. It motivated him to pour out his life on their behalf. In this message I use one of his prayers to share my heart to you. I pray this same prayer on your behalf and then close with a request for you to pray for me. Listen in to this "different" message. I am sure it will lift you up.
Ever have a dilemma in life? Being a Christian doe not make us immune from dilemmas. In fact, being a Christian guarantees a dilemma. In this message we see that the Apostle Paul had a dilemma and that God used him to communicate to us regarding that dilemma leading to a better understanding of what is going on inside of us and what we can do about it.
Did you know that if you are a follower of Jesus that you have a ministry? It is a ministry that God Himself has appointed to you and has authorized you to complete on His behalf. This ministry comes with a message that God has given. His desire is that we would share this message on His behalf to those around us. In this message we look at the ministry and message that God has given us as His followers. Listen in to be challenged to answer the call God has given you.
Spiritual gifts - they are tallked about in the Bible but in certain Christian circles are avoided or not mentioned. In others they become overly emphasized. Perhaps we are no different today than when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, "regarding spiritual gifts, I don't want you to be uninformed." We would do well to listen to the words the Holy Spirit prompted Paul to write. Let us take a look at them and work towards a better understanding of what these gifts are and what is behind them. How they work and what their benefit is. Let us find that they are God's plan for us to find help in a fallen world.
When we received a warning it is an indication that we are in danger of that which we are warned about. Warnings in the Bible are no different. In 1 Corinthians 5 Paul gives a warning to the Corithian church. Although this warning was given around 2000 years ago, it is as if it could be a warning given to us as a church in 2019 in America. In fact, this warning is just as applicable today as the day it was given. We would do well for ourselves if we take this warning to heart and heed it. Listen in and receive this warning as we seek to follow God in our current culture.
How important is obedience to God? How does He look at such things? We could speculate and share our opinions on such things but the best thing we can do is look to the Bible for answers. In this message we look at the life of Saul in the Old Testament to learn valuable lessons about obeying God at all times. Listen in to be encouraged in walking out life in such a way that God is pleased.
It is way too easy to look at someone else and think that what they seem to be so good at just comes naturally or is easy for them. We often think the same things about someone who has stong walk with God and strong faith. The reality is that strong relationship with God and strong faith come through a process. In this message we will take a look at some key doctrines of the Christian faith iin an effort to better understand them and better apply them in our lives so that we will grow stronger in our faith and relationship with God. Listen in and be encouraged.
Have you ever wondered why we have church? How about all the things we do at church? Too often as churches we cling to our traditions to the point where we defend them as God ordained. In this message we look at the first few chapters of Acts to see some principles of church. Listen in and be challenged with the question of why we do what we do and what does God have to say about chruch.
Have you ever encountered and obstacle that threatened to keep you from accomplishing an important goal or dream? Too many obstacles and we can be overwhelmed and even give up dreaming or believing that we will ever accomplish anything worthwhile. There is good news. God saw that this would be the case and gave us valuable advice on how to overcome obstacles that stand in our way. Listen in and be encouraged and challenge to overcome the obstacles that come your way.
What would it be like to hear one of the most influential people in history's final address? We would be drawn to such a speech looking for insights and nuggets of wisdom. Well, we have such an address found in Deuteronomy in the Bible. There we find recorded Moses' address to the people he had been leading for 40 years. He was aware that his time was short and that he would not be with them much longer. So, he speaks to them. He imparts to them great wisdom and gives them a challenge. This challenge is timeless in that it still is valid and applicable to us today. Listen in and learn from the timeless challenge that Moses gives.
There are many commands, warnings, and directions given by God in the Bible. It is easy to think that He did this for Himself. The reality is that He gave these directions, commands, and warnings for our good. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows what our hearts long for. He also knows how our longings and desires can be truly satisfied. So, He went to great lengths to communicate how we can walk out life in such a way that that brings lasting satisfaction, joy, and peace. Listen in and find our what you can do for your own good.
Moses - possibly the greatest leader in history. Yet, he admits that the burden of the people he was leading was more than he could handle alone. He cried out to God for help in carrying the burden of leadership and God saw fit to bring others alongside to help him. The same is true today in our churches. Pastors and spiritual leaders were never meant to carry the burden of the people they lead alone. Wise leaders seek help from not only God but from other people as well. In this message we look at these principles from Moses' perspective and what this means to our churches today.
We are all in a race. It is a spiritual race that has been laid out for us. We are instructed to run this race to win. This requires us to make choices that effect how successful we are in our race. In this message we will take a look at some advice from the Bible as to how we can indeed run this race to win.
How often do you find yourself feeling overwhelmed with life, reacting to your life as it passes by rather than living it? Do you ever wonder if you will make it? We live in an age where pressure and stress are on the rise and we seem to be helpless to stop it. In reality, as humans, we are largely helpless to put an end to the chaos of life. There is good news however. The Psalmist states: "My soul, find rest in God alone". These words give us hope that there is an answer to the pressures of life. In this message we find that God has designed us for periods of rest but that rest may be different than we normally think. Listen in to be encouraged that God has a plan for you to rest and make it over your whole life - living rather than reacting to all that life throws at you.
Motherhood comes with great joy and great purpose. It is however a major sacrifice. Mothers give up an awful lot for the benefit of their children. Mothers carry their children for their whole life. Being a mother can stretch a woman to her limits. The good news is that God has called mothers to a high call and to great responsibility and where He calls He also equips. In this message you will find encouragement in your journey as a mom and realize that you are not alone in what you carry on behalf of your children. Listen in and receive what God has promised you in your lifelong call as a mom.
What would it be like to take a trip to a place you have never been before. Not necessarily a big deal is it? How about taking a trip to a place you have never been before without knowing how to get there and having no map, no GPS, no one to give you directions, no marked roads, or road signs? Sounds impossible doesn't it. Well, the reality is that as humans navigating this life, this is exactly the situation we find ourselves in. The good news is that there is an account in the Bible of a group of people that were in a similar situation. In this account we see how God directed them along the way. There is much for us to take away from this account. Listen in to be encouraged by the fact that God has promised to guide us through this life if we will look to Him for that guidance.
We all face situations and circumstances in life that cause pain, discouragement, and even depression. Such life events test us like nothing else can raising questions about God - is He real, does He care, does He hear my prayers, and others like these. This message takes a look at such situations and contains encouragement and advice when we find ourselves facing such events. Listen in and be encouraged as well as challenged to taste and see that God is truly good.
Have you ever wondered why the law is recorded in the Bible with such intricate detail and repetition? Have you ever made the attempt to read through the Bible only to get bogged down in the law. This message is for you. We are going to look at the significance of sacrifices and offerings through the lense of the New Testament and the new covenant through Jesus Christ. As we do this we will see what it is that God is really after in each of His followers
Who would you like to talk with that you think would have good advice or have valuable nuggets of truth from their life experiences? What famous person's diary do wish you could get a copy of? The Psalms contain such information from David. David, who was quite familiar with all that life can throw at a person - both good and bad. David offers us valuable insights and advice if we will listen to him. Think of the psalms he wrote as his memoirs which we have the privilege of owning. I am sure that we will find his thoughts very valuable as we walk out our lives.
Do you ever wonder if a relationship with God really makes a difference? Does it make a difference that others around us notice? In this message we see that as we walk in relationship with God and spend time in His presence, it does indeed have a profound effect on us and is noticeable by others around us. Listen in as we look at how Moses' face shone with the glory of God as a result of his being in God's presence and as we look at what this means for us as we walk in relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
The most popular verse in the Bible: John 3:16. The pitfall of looking at a verse that is so popular is that we can easily shut down with the idea that "we already know that". In this message we take a closer look at this famous verse and the verses that come after it, looking for fresh insights into what God is saying through them. The main them is that God loves. We will never really understand the fullness and significance of God's love this side of heaven, but we will work at gaining a better understanding of his love in this message. We will also see that God's love for us moved Him to action, an action that forever changes the lives of men and women throughout the world. We will also see that God's love requires a choice from us. So, listen in to be both encouraged and challenged.
What are you afraid of? We are not talking about things like sharks or tornadoes or snakes. What is it that you face in life that scares you? What do you encounter that terrifies you? This message is for you! God recognizes that there are many things in life that grip us with fear and He has a plan to deliver us from them. Listen in to receive encouragement from how God delivered His people the Israelites from a very real threat.
Have you ever gotten to the "end of your rope"? How about to the end of yourself? We these phrases and others like them when life has gotten so overwhelming that there is nothing more we can do to "fix" the situation we find ourselves in. There is good news today! When we walk in relationship with God on a regular basis, coming to the end of ourselves or the end of our rope is a good place to be, for this is where God is. He has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. In fact when we are ready to quit, He hears our cries for help, He sees how we suffer and has compassion on us. He also has a plan to rescue us from these trials and difficulties. This message is for you as you seek to "make it through" all that life throws at you.
We consider the final words of someone as very important. What about the final words of Jesus? These words contain instruction and encouragement. In this message we will take a look at Jesus' final words as recorded in the Book of Mark.
As humans we often fail to see the "big picture". We easily get caught up in the here and now. We hyper focus on what is right in front of us whether it be a relationship, a circumstance, or an event. Another thing we often miss is the process that occurred to bring a person to a specific place. Again we get focused on where they are or where we are that we fail to recognize that there was a process that occurred which was instrumental in bringing a person to where they are at any given time. In this message we will look at the big picture and the process in the Biblical character Joseph's life. We will see that there was a process in his life and that we have the privilege of seeing the big picture from the beginning to the end of his story. There is great encouragement for us in this story.
Unanswered prayers, unfulfilled dreams, and God's promises yet to be seen... These things often bring pain, disillusionment, frustration, loss of hope, and even doubts about God. In reality, if we find ourselves in such a place we are in the company of some of the most prominent heroes of the faith in the Bible. In this message we will look at one of those heroes, Abraham, and see what life was like for him as he walked for years without seeing God's promises come to be. There are great lessons for us - the biggest of which is that God is not finished in the area we are waiting for or have lost hope in. No matter how impossible something seems, it is possible for God. God wants to encourage you that He has not left you or forgotten that which He has promised you. His power is enough to make that thing come to pass. After all, He is the God who calls the things that aren't as though they were. Listen in and be encouraged by God's power to move on your behalf.
Why is it that Christians are often waiting for revival to come? Jesus observed people as he interacted with them and made the statement that the harvest is ready and the fields are ripe. He then sent His disciples out into those fields to minister to people. In this message we see that Jesus statements all those years ago fit for us today. Today is the day of harvest. There are people all around us who are ready. Are we?
Original Sin, The fall of man: both are common phrases in Christianity. But, where do they come from. In this message we look at both of these phrases and find where they come from in the Bible, who were the main players and what do they mean to us today. Listen in and be encouraged with hope that you don't have to labor under the curse that came as a result of original sin and the fall of man.
Its New-Years resolution time again. What is a resolution and why do we make them. What do we base these firm decision on? What should we be basing them on. In this message we are strongly encouraged and challenged to CONSIDER as we make decisions - including our new years resolutions.We will see that we need to be future minded when we make such decision and what better place to look for insights than the Bible. Listen and and be challenged and encouraged.
Is the Bible believable? If it is then we should take notice and seriously look into what it has to say. If it isn't believable, then Christianity is a false religion. How do we know if we can believe it? That is what this message is about. Listen in to find out if you can indeed trust in and believe what the Bible has to say.
We long for things that are reliable, that have been tested and found to be stable. The Bible is just that, reliable. In this message we look at David's claim that the God's word has been tested and found to be trustworthy, flawless, and pure. Oh, how we long for such as this. Oh, how we need such as this. Listen in and be encouraged.
David - the famous king of Israel - the one all other kings were compared to. David was a man after God's heart according to God Himself. God said that David would do all that He commanded him to. David experienced so much and had so much. We see in Psalm 119 David's passionate expression of how he felt about God's word. But, do you realize that you and I have experienced things that David never did? We have the whole Bible. We know about Jesus and his death and resurrection whereas David at best only saw this from afar. In this message we use David as an example to prepare ourselves to share communion. Listen to be encouraged and challenged.
What does it mean to be blessed? What does the Bible mean when it says you are blessed? Unfortunately, our western culture has skewed our understanding of what true blessings are. In this message we look at what it means to be blessed from a Biblical perspective as well as how to receive God's blessings.
The human heart; that place where our emotions reside, where our thoughts originate and where are attitudes and passions are found. What if you were told that the human heart, left to itself, is in a bad state? What if you were told that the human heart, left to itself, cannot be trusted. That is what we are told in the Bible. In this message we will look at the state of the heart and find that God has given us His Word to remedy the fallen state of our hearts. We must realize that we cannot trust our hearts until they have been changed by God's truth. Listen in to be challenged and encouraged.
Humans seem to constantly looking for purpose in life. We are often wonder why we are here and what we should be doing with our lives. There is good news. God clearly declares the purpose for which we were made. In this message we look at the fact that God not only created us for good works but that He plans on equipping us to do these good works. So, listen in and be encouraged in your God-given purpose as well as the role the Word of God plays in equipping you to competently and successful do these good works.
In a time where we are bombarded with "Limited Lifetime warranties" and extended warranties, wouldn't it be nice to have a good old-fashioned GUARANTEE? It is easy for us to claim that such guarantees no longer exist. But what if I told you that there still is such a guarantee out there. The Word of God comes with a genuine guarantee. In this message we look at this guarantee and look at what it is about the Word of God that makes such a guarantee possible. Listen in to be challenged and encouraged.
Why do so many people place so much emphasis on what the Bible says? Why has this book had such influence on people and cultures throughout history? The answer lies in its source. We are told that the Bible is God-Breathed. What does that mean? Listen in to this message which discusses God-Breathed writings.
Faith vs reason. It is a hot debate these days. What if in reality we should be looking at it as Faith and Reason. The reality is that Faith and Reason work quite well together when seeking answers to life's biggest questions. Listen in to be challenged in your faith and your reason as well as being challenged to give the Bible a chance when it comes to your search for the answers to life's biggest questions.
As we look forward to our plan to read through the bible in two years beginning in January, we want to do some prep work. No one would just travel across the world for a trek without making adequate preparations so why would we think that a trek through the Bible in two years wouldn't require some preparation as well. In this message we begin the preparations for our journey through the Bible which will begin in January of 2019.
What do you do with a letter? Do we even receive letters anymore? In days gone by if you received a letter from a friend you would read it and reread it. You would go to great lengths to understand what they were saying and even try to figure out what they may have been thinking. You would have responded back to them as well. What do we do with the letters from Jesus in Revelation? What do we do with God's communication to us as found in the Bible? Listen in to this message to find that the only proper response is obedience.
Our past. Our reputation. Our name. All of these things identify us. Sometimes this is a positive thing but too often we are desperately trying to rid ourselves of our past or the reputation we have built for ourselves. We really want to be know for who we truly are. The person on the inside that no one else sees. There is good news. If we walk a life of obedience to Jesus, we will get this wish when we cross into heaven. In this message we look at Jesus promise of a new name to those who overcome. Listen in and be encouraged.
Have you ever wondered what we will do in heaven? In this message we will take a look at God's plan for mankind from the beginning and how he is going to restore that original plan throughout eternity. We will also see that we are in training while on this earth for what God has planned for us in eternity. Listen in and be encouraged.
We are all looking for paradise. We are all looking for ways to extend life. We are looking ways to make life better for ourselves and long for life free of evil and difficulties. What if there was a way to have all of this and more. In this message we see that Jesus promised such things to those who would follow after Him. Listen in and find out that you can live eternally in paradise and be sustained in this life by what God has to offer you.
As Christians we love the promises of God. But, do we realize that many promises have conditions on them? In this message we continue to look at the promises that are found in Jesus' letters to the seven churches which are found in Revelation. Are we acknowledging Jesus before men or are we disowning Him? This is a very important question as the answer determines Jesus response in regards to us. Are we wearing the proper clothes - clothes fit for heaven? How does one get these clothes? Listen in to this message and hear these topics discussed.
God is speaking but are we listening. Really. God is trying to get our attention in so many ways, yet we too often fail to hear what He is saying. In this message we are challenged to really listen to what God is telling and to walk in such a way that we will reap the blessings that come along with hearing and obeying.
We are all in a race and every race has a beginning and an end. This race is not a foot race or a bike race. It is a spiritual race. Where are you at in your race? We all need to start by coming the Jesus for forgiveness and yielding our lives to Him. This is only the beginning. We must be steadfast and diligent in order to finish the race given to us. Listen to this message to find out what it means to start and finish this spiritual race as well as how to run it effectively.
Some things were meant to be hot, like coffee. Some of you may disagree but coffee is predominately drunk hot. Christianity is the same. Christians are supposed to be hot. Jesus said he wants us to be hot but if not hot then cold. What He can't stand is lukewarm. Listen in and see what Jesus has to say about lukewarm Christians.
Is there a door or a vault that when sealed shut, is impossible to open unless you have the code? How about a door that is open which is impossible to shut. In our world, such things don't exist. It is just a matter of time until someone cracks the safe or forces the door shut. But when it comes to spiritual things, God opens and shuts doors, spiritually speaking, and when He does, they can't be opened or closed by anyone or anything other than him. In this message we look at the statement made by Jesus that He has place an open door in front of us. This is the door to eternal life, the door to relationship with God where true satisfaction lies. Listen to find our what side of that door you are on and what you can do about it.
Men often wonder what being a father is all about. Fatherhood is leadership. We are called of God to lead our chilldren and to lead our wives. What does it take to be a good leader? In this message we look to answer this question and others regarding leadership.
Did you know that God has a plan for your life? Your family? Your church? It is a powerful plan, one that will further His kingdom. He has gone to great lengths to prepare you for plan and equip you to successfully accomplish it. Yet, we have an enemy, Satan, who is dedicated to thwarting God's plan anywhere it shows up. In this message we look at the attacks that come against those who are walking in true spiritual authority and leadership from Jesus' letter to the church of Thyatira. Remember, being forewarned is being forearmed and prepared
We have heard the statement: Love the sinner, yet hate the sin. How does one do such a thing? Is it even possible? Is is something that Christians should strive for or is it merely a statement made up by men? In this message we see that we are called as followers of Jesus to stand against sin with a heart of love and compassion like Jesus did while on this earth. It is never easy to stand against sin in our own lives or in the lives of others. Thankfully we can find encouragement from Jesus Himself. Listen in and be both challenged and encouraged
We don't write letters very often these days nor do we receive them. Even rarer is a handwritten letter. In days gone by, letters were often the only form of communication available. Even Jesus saw to it that letters from Him were given to His people. In this message we take an introductory look at the letters Jesus communicated to 7 different churches and see the importance of us looking for personal instruction, correction, and encouragement in them. Listen in and prepare yourself to read letters that Jesus might write to you today.
We have many "tools" to use when we want to navigate to a specific location. We use GPS units and maps in our cars. We use compasses and maps for orienteering. We even have the stars, specifically the North Star, that will point us to true North. God had also given a way to successfully Navigate our way to eternity in Heaven with Him. It comes through obedience. In this message we clearly see that obedience is equated with truly loving God and truly loving Jesus. Listen in and be challenged to truly obey God's truths to assure you stay on track in your journey to Heaven.
A paradox - something that doesn't seem to make sense or or seems contradictory. A paradox in the Bible often contains deep and encouraging truth when we take the time to look deeper. In this message we look at such a paradox - Jesus quieting demons becasue they knew who He was. We find that the cause of Christ is not always served by those who merely state truths but by those who state truth that they know and understand experientially. Listen in and be both encouraged and challenged in your witness of Jesus.