Living Faith: Recent Episodes
Northside Baptist Church
One of the great hopes of the Christian life is that things are not always going to be the way they are now. In more ways than we care to imagine, these truly are days of trouble and sorrow and knowing that someday it will all change for us is a source of great encouragement.
In this "Fridays with Friends" edition of Living Faith we'll be talking about events the Bible describes as the day of the Lord's wrath and what follows: the millennial reign of Christ.
Friday's With Friends with Jim German as we discuss the role of 144,00 Jewish missionaries who are sent out to their countrymen during the Tribulation period.
Our future is held in the hands of the Almighty, and no circumstance on earth can change that. We worship the only true God, and He is more than capable of meeting our needs today and every day forward.
We are continuing our discussion of end time events with Jim German. Today we're discussing the symbols and characters of the Book of Revelation.
Choosing to live generously isn’t a sacrifice…it’s a joy. It been said by so many others before me but let me remind you that each of us have been blessed to be a blessing, and in more ways than we realize…we can be!
I have long heard people say that God works in strange and mysterious ways… why I’ve probably said it a time or two myself. We usually hear someone say that when God does something that is completely unexpected…which, frankly, is fairly often from my experience.
Jim German walks us through and introduction to the Book of Revelation and as he does he shows the connection it makes with the teaching of the Old Testament!
By all means take time today to thank God for the freedom we have in this country, and as you do, let me encourage you to step back and consider the freedom Christ has given you to approach God and celebrate that too!
God's grace is still sufficient and as the people of God that should always be our clear message to the world.
The power to change the world does not lay in politics, the judiciary, or the military but in the message of Christ’s death and resurrection.
The rapture of the church. The tribulation. We've heard about them and know they are coming...but what are they about and who are they for? Jim will be talking about both in today episode...
In the Psalms 89 the psalmist wrote of his confidence in God this way…You rule over the surging sea; when its waves mount up, you still them. Think about that…God is in control of all of His creation, there is nothing that is off limits or out of control.
In today's episode Jim will be talking about the order of events that bring us to the end our age, things that help us see that we really are living at the end of the end times!
Battling deceptive fears can be challenging, but let’s be careful not to overthink it. When we start thinking only about what could go wrong we forget about what can go right!
In today's episode Jim German will talks with us about the events that are leading up to "the end times" and reminds us that because God still saves, His people need to still be working!
I don’t want to simply have an intellectual faith; I want my faith to be the guiding force in my life regardless of whether I am facing good things or bad…I want to live in contentment when the rubber hits the road.
If we are to be strong spiritually, it will be through Christ. We must learn to say with confidence, “I can do all things through Christ, which strengthened me.”
When we choose to live by faith, we are drawn closer to the Lord, we become true warriors in prayer, and our hearts will be burdened by the need of those around us.
If you are a Christian, you have been born again as a child of the living God, and while that comes with some tremendous blessings it also carries some clear responsibilities.
One of the most challenging lessons we can and must learn is that God’s knows best…He always knows best…even when His ways seem unusual or unlikely to succeed.
Have you ever noticed how in the heat of the moment anger, frustration, and self-pity win out over patience?
Loving, compassionate, endearing, kind, strong, extraordinary, intuitive, caring and fiercely protective when they need to be…those all might be ways to describe a mother.
Reminding ourselves of God’s faithfulness and control over everything that touches us gives us the strength to walk with God even when we feel like giving up in despair.
Make it your hearts desire that you become so yielded to our Lord that after viewing God’s work through you those who put their faith in something other than Jesus will come to you saying the God you serve is greater than the god I serve…tell me more!
One of the things I greatly value in life is being a positive and faithful witness for my Lord. But I’ve also learned that sometimes it is the little things we do that can have the greatest impact on others.
I am constantly amazed at how God uses all the circumstances of our lives for the greater good He is trying to accomplish in our lives.
Wouldn’t we better served to have a guide who was never surprised by a sudden event or circumstance, someone who just seemed to know whenever a curve in the road or a difficulty in life was coming and could help us prepare for it?
God wants us to be so aware of His presence that it becomes natural for us to communicate with Him throughout our day, kind of like it would be if you were walking through your day talking with a friend.
Yet the Lord does not want merely to be the resource you call on when you’re in trouble. God wants to be your all- sufficient Lord and Master, Savior and Friend.
Real joy doesn’t come from what we keep, but from what we give away into our heavenly Father’s hand
Easter is more than a day to remember; it’s a day to celebrate our belief that anything is possible with God.
When we are reminded of the punishment, the pain, the brutality, the indignation that was inflicted upon Jesus that we stop and ask ourselves, what’s so good about it?
I don’t need to fill the empty spaces of my life with the things of this world, I'll just leave my empty spaces empty, and remember that God will fill them with what’s best for best for me.
God's word from Isaiah 42:16 have meant so much over the years. Knowing that we can trust Him to guide and provide mean that no matter what our assignment might be He will be there with us.
In Ephesians 6, Paul quoting from the 5th of the 10 Commandments said, Honor your father and mother that it may go well with you and that you may enjoy long life on the earth.”
As important as the descriptions made about us might be, they pale along our understanding of who God says we are. As believers we are taught that we are the children of God, we are a the justified and the redeemed.
Whenever I am confronted with busyness of my life, I try to remind myself that creating some blank space by taking the time to slow down and spend quality time and effort deepening my relationship with God is invaluable..
God's word says to remember the Sabbath and keep it holy. A day for worship, a day to rest the body, mind, and soul. How can that be a bad thing for us?
It's important that we now and again take time to evaluate what we are doing and how effectively we are doing it
Spiritual disciplines are like sleep apnea machines, only for our soul. They supply us with a continuous flow of God’s life-sustaining Spirit empowering us and enabling us to live with an endurance and strength we didn’t know we had.
Have you ever faced something so daunting that you just couldn’t see anyway through it? Maybe in that moment you even felt like there was no hope, no purpose in continuing to try.
Do you think it possible that we are running low on imagination and vision these days? As a people we are great a remaking something from the past, but things that are fresh and new seem to be few and far between.
When our goal is to love and accept others God gives us the opportunity to put that on display, many times in the most unexpected ways and to the most unexpected of people.
There have been more lives than we can number who have misinterpreted or ignored the warning signs people around them were putting off and as a result experienced hurt or loss that they never saw coming.
There is nothing in this world like the church, the people of God that are live out their faith, blessing those around them as they share the Good News of Jesus and His ready acceptance of all men.
Waiting is never easy but knowing the faithfulness of the One we wait for makes it so much easier.
We’ve probably all heard someone tell us at one time or another that life will come at you pretty fast sometimes, and sometimes it happens in the most unexpected times.
There are moments in life when taking a shortcut seems to be the right and prudent thing to do, but some of the most important things take time, effort, and patience because there are no shortcuts.
There are few things in life that bring more joy and satisfaction than passing on something we’ve learned or experienced in way that helps someone through a tough spot in life.
While there are many things in life that are complicated and difficult to understand, God’s word is not one of them
One of the hallmarks of Christian faith is generosity, even when it is difficult, and the examples of people demonstrating a generous spirit are boundless.
There is no magic formula for growth, there are some clear principles we that if we follow will prepare to grow in Christ.
Distractions, worries, unexpected happenings will always beg for our attention, but that doesn’t mean we they have to be overwhelming to us.
Just like we depended on Christ at the beginning for our salvation we need to depend on Him daily as we "work out" out the reality of our salvation.
Have you ever had a deal that seemed too good to be true? When we are forever skeptical, we can miss the full and free life that Jesus offers.
I’ve always known that God cares for me, but when discovered that His care extends to everything that relates to me it was a game changer.
Jesus was the personification of God’s love is for all of creation, and He desires then that everyone experience His grace, and that...it is our privilege as His people to make His desire known.
I grew up in church and I learned to pray “in Jesus’ name, but over time I sometimes simply added the phrase as a kind of magic tag for my prayers… maybe thinking that doing so would coerce God to do what I was asking.
Life can be a mess sometimes, and there are moments that we feel like just standing there in tears because we can’t think of anything else to do, and often it is in those moments that God picks us up and draws us closer to Him.
Unplowed ground won't let a crop grow. It's hard, preventing seeds from penetrating, germinating, and growing to maturity.
Travelers who made the journey from Persia to Bethlehem, to worship and offer gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense for the Lord.
A fictionized story written by Ralph Wilson that speaks of a moment when the angel Gabriel was asked to share at a chapel service of the heavenly host…
We know that God can do whatever He wants, whenever He wants, but at Christmastime it sometimes seems as if His miracles shine all the brighter!
Thankfully we have God’s word, but have you ever given thought to how the virtues of God are on display for us to see and learn from in the simplest of things in His creation.
Have you ever noticed how often we fail to see real value in things in life because we are so taken by what seems those things of greater value to us?
It’s fascinating (and sometimes heartbreaking) to hear some of the twisted views people have about God these days. But despite what people say and thing about Him, God’s redeeming grace enough for us.
Maybe there’s a lesson to be learned from the Ark…no matter how badly the storm is blowing, when you’re with God, rest assured there is always a rainbow waiting!
How do you handle those moments in life when things go off the rails and one thing after another just seems to keep piling up in your life?
Never doubt how important you are… the same God, who created mountains, oceans, stars, and galaxies, determined that the world needed one of you too!
It might sometimes be easy for us to live with disappointment about what we don’t have, how can we overlook the bounty of God’s blessing. If you are a Christian, you are the child of the king and all the privileges that go with that position are yours!
It's not necessary to understand why a Mother, a Father, a spouse, or a friend loves you. And it's not necessary to understand why God loves you, but it certainly does make life worth living.
As my faith in Christ continues to mature, I come to see what a privilege and joy it is speak to my heavenly Father, knowing that He hear not just my words, but the things in my heart that I don’t even know how to put into words.
We are blessed and have so much to be thankful for. This Veterans Day show your thanks to those who have sacrificed so much, and while you're at it take a moment to that God for His abiding presence in your life as well!
Have you ever wondered how many there are around us who speeding down the road of life, without giving even a thought to what is waiting around the corner? Probably more than we realize.
We’ve probably all learned that most of the time things aren’t really as bad as we might make them out to be. When pain comes to our lives, it’s never more than we can bear, when we are asked to face difficulties of various sorts, we never have to do it alone.
Sometimes we can get so enamored with the world that we forget who we really are...children of KING!
Everybody is looking for something...but are you sure you are looking for the right things?
There is no doubt that winning and losing is important, but what never discover is that the criteria for winning is far different than many realize!
In our spiritual journey we have no GPS indicating heavy traffic and detours. We don’t know how much further we have to travel. We don’t know the day or the hour that we’ll come into the presence of God, but we do know the direction—through following Jesus.
All too often we allow the peace that God brings us to be disrupted by the circumstances of life. For some reason or another we seem to forget that God, the One described as Almighty, has our back.
As a Christ-follower, I know that my decisions, all of them, have in more ways than I often realize, far-reaching implications. More so than anything else they paint a clear and accurate picture of who I really am.
It’s true that 21st century man has demonstrated an insatiable desire to know more, to experience more, to be more it isn’t working. Despite all the advances of our world, there is a restlessness continues to dominate both the heart and mind of many.
Sometimes we may feel ashamed when we are reminded that that God sees everything about our lives, but in spite of whatever we might have in our past God wants us to know that He loves us and that His forgiveness is for us
Jesus came to make forgiveness and eternal life possible for everyone, no matter who we are or what we’ve done. He came for the broken and the lost because God loves all of us the same.
Skeptics of our faith in Christ have been with us every single day since the time of His resurrection. But we take great comfort in knowing that even a world full of skepticism what they say doesn’t make the truth any less true.
Jesus called on His followers to let their light shine before men, but how do you do that? The answer may be easier than you think. And it starts with just being who you are.
Ever had someone in your life that you just couldn't forgive? The story of Chris Carrier might make you think otherwise.
Jesus said we are the light of the world, a light that is so powerful that it can stop the forces of darkness in its tracks. Is it shining in you?
We might sometimes think we need a superhero to rescue us from our enemies, from unforeseen calamities, even sometimes from ourselves, but wouldn't we simultaneously want our hero to be someone with whom we can identify?
As we move closer and closer to the end of this age and the attacks on God’s faithful by the forces of evil grow stronger and stronger it becomes imperative that the character of Christ is seen in each of us.
Although most people probably wouldn’t say it out loud, deep down there may be more than a few who think of God is out to get them, just waiting for them to mess up so He can meet his divine quota for punishing sin.
Frequently questions relating to knowing God’s will come to our minds. Answering that is not as easy as you might think, because people are looking for something more than clichés or some pat answer.
Have you ever noticed how everybody seems to be chasing something? It might be a job, or someone’s attention, or some kind of creature comfort—it doesn’t matter what it is, we all have something that we keep at the forefront of our mind because it is a priority for us.
This is God’s fight, so we faithfully stand in God’s strength, with God’s armor, and we can stand firm because we rest in the Lord.
How many times have your actions been geared toward currying favor, rather than being your response to someone you love and care for?
How many times have your actions been geared toward currying favor, rather than being your response to someone you love and care for?
The Greek philosopher Plato (who lived 400 years before Jesus) said, "we can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark, but the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light." I think he was on to something
A reputation is built over time as others evaluate our live choices and determine who we are based on how we behave. While we don’t like the idea of being judged, the fact is that we are always judging each other as a way of determining who is trustworthy and who is not.
In order to ensure that is not us we must remember that a wise Christian studies both the Bible and his or her own heart. We must become experts on our own heart.
Sometimes we put far too much value on things that can only be ours for a little while. those things need to be set aside and replaced with a contentment that comes from our knowledge that Jesus is our all in all.
In God’s word we are encouraged to hold on tight and be strong and faithful to the end. To live with perseverance, knowing that our future is in God’s hands and in His control.
Don’t wait for heaven; get to know your amazing Lord…spend some quality time with Him today.
There is something unbelievably comforting to know that Jesus is with us…and He is bigger than any storm.
Everything the Bible says is true of the believer is true because we are in Christ. We are citizens of His kingdom. We identify with Him.
It’s natural, our tendency to try to run from suffering, and to somehow try to drag other folks from their own...but is that the right way for us?
The one thing we must not do in life is to make an excuse and shrink into the background because we are afraid. Making a difference requires that we put ourselves out there, no matter what the cost.
The Bible's central message is one of atonement, and I know that is one of those churchy words that we toss around but it really has a very simple meaning… Atonement means that God has provided a way for humankind to come back into a harmonious relationship with Him.
Let’s face it, for all of us there have been times that we’ve done something and then had to go back and undo those same things because at the time we didn’t realize we were making wrong choices. It happens to all of us.
If you pray like it depends on God (because it does) and work like it depends on you anything is possible!
Freedom is an amazing gift, paid for by the blood of patriots who viewed their sacrifice as forwarding the cause of liberty.
God takes all of your life experiences—whether positive or painful, intentional or accidental, caused by you or by someone else, to shape you for His unique calling in your life.
Are there areas of pridefulness (even in small things) that may be creeping into your life? Don’t give them a place in your heart and mind…
People are under all kinds of pressure, and instead of sharing our burdens many are isolating themselves, and those on the fringes of our world seem to be left behind.
It’s likely that we all, at one time or another, have been deceived by Satan’s lies, but it is wonderful to know that the word of God can set you free from the lies of the enemy.
If you have suffered because of a foray into disobedience, you have good company because there are a lot of others (myself included) who are right there with you.
There are times, maybe for all of us, that we’ve tried to avoid personal responsibility, but it never works, does it?
Years ago, Bob Dylan wrote a song that he titled, The Times They Are a Changing and it’s hard to believe that he could have ever imagined just how much change was coming.
Using small, what we might see as insignificant things to make a big difference is right up God’s alley, and it is something He does all the time.
No one should ever in any way discount the sacrifices that are made on the front lines of life, and yet neither should we forget those who stand faithfully supporting, encouraging, and praying in the background.
"In days like these, what we of the world need is to hear a word from the Lord.” - FORTUNE Magazine
When darkness is all around us, even a small light can change everything. Light enables us to find our way, it gives us a sense of security and helps us see things clearly.
No one wants to suffer, but it is hard to argue that it is not a tool God uses to get our attention and to accomplish His purposes in our lives.
Real wisdom comes from a desire to grow in our understanding of God’s word and its proper application in our lives.
We sometimes struggle to understand how someone can pour their all their energy, their love, their life into others without wanting anything in return, but that's exactly what Mother's do!
One thing we all have in common is temptation, we all probably have more have experience with it than we ever wanted.
We often encounter great struggles on the road to great achievement, but very often it is those moments of struggle that give birth to our greatest times of faith and trust.
But sometimes, we have it in our heart to serve God in some significant way, and then doubt begins to fill us and we wonder if what we have to offer is really all that significant
Some just choose to live a lifestyle if avoidance, they try to keep nearly all their relationships superficial, but is that really the life God has called us live?
Our lives have been changed by a living and powerful God who is with us every moment of every day. Our lives, lived for the Savior, are the greatest evidence of the reality of the resurrection!
Today and everyday thank God for His great gift of love and sacrifice…thank Him for the power of the cross and the victory of the Resurrection.
Life can seem awfully bleak to us at times, and daily there seems to be more and more bad news coming our way, but let’s not lose sight of what awaits us.
With great patience and hope we join with so many others who pray that God will protect and guide those we love, with the certain knowledge that God loves them more!
Getting involved will always include taking a risk, but it’s a worthwhile one…especially when you remember you are the hands and feet of Jesus in the world!
Simple, yet powerful things that make a huge difference for others. Don’t let anything hold you back.
Living Faith is a ministry of Northside Baptist Church in Dixon Il. I you would like more visit our website northsidedixon.com or download our app in the Apple app store or the Google Play store by searching Northside Dixon