Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Showing posts with label trust. Show all posts
Sunday, October 01, 2017
619. Where Do I Really Stand with God?
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Podcast from the Past: Rules or Relationship?
We'll be back next week, taking a look at the inheritance we have in Christ.
Sunday, January 26, 2014
429. The Snare of Spiritual Self-Improvement
"I am a work in progress." A phrase that gets quoted by many in Christianity and it's usually in the context of us working to become better. The problem with this is that at any time in our Christian life when the focus becomes about us, we begin to place our trust in the wrong person. Often we try to "do better" in the effort to become more accepted by God. We miss the truth that we are already accepted and Christ has become our life. We are already in Him. He now works in and through us and whatever fruit we bear is His. In Him we have our being. In Him we are complete. In Him, we have been perfected.
Download The Snare of Spiritual Self-Improvement
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"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
This week's GIG Bite - A bite-sized chunk of this week's program.
Sunday, January 19, 2014
428. Attitude Under Grace: Always Proclaiming God's Goodness
"God is good!" A phrase that gets thrown around a lot in Christian religious circles. Yet it shouldn't become just a catch-phrase for us. As we grow in grace and our understanding of the good news it becomes more of a reality that we can't be swayed from. Although we may not always understand why things happen the way they do, coming to the realization of the truth that God really is good (all the time) is a key component in regards to our attitude under grace.
Download Attitude Under Grace: Always Proclaiming God's Goodness
(Click to Play or Right-Click to Download.)
"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
This week's GIG Bite - A bite-sized chunk of this week's program.
Sunday, October 13, 2013
415. Eternal Life - It's More Than You Think
God has provided us with eternal life in Christ. This is not simply life that lasts forever without end. Eternal life is HIS life in us and it also had no BEGINNING. Your life was replaced with His life and in Him we are brand new creations. This (eternal) life in you provides the power to bear the fruit of the Spirit as He produces it through you.
Performance-based religion will emphasize behavior. It will attempt to put you in a position where the responsibility is on you to live up to a certain moral standard. When compared to the gospel, this is backwards thinking. Relying on your efforts is guaranteed to fall short. Stop trying! Begin to rest in Him and trust His life that is in you.
Download Eternal Life - It's More Than You Think
(Click to Play or Right-Click to Download.)
"Watch" this episode on YouTube.
This week's GIG Bite - A bite-sized chunk of this week's program.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
187. God's Work In Us
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Most would agree that the Christian life is not a passive lifestyle. But just how is the life of the Christian animated? Where does the "action" come from? We know we're saved by the grace of God, but then is it up to us - and our own striving - to hop into action for God and His kingdom?
The Apostle Paul said he "labored abundantly." What was it that was working so mightily in him that caused him to spring into action? Was it a sense of duty to "work for God?" Was he compelled by a sense of obligation to serve God and to labor and strive for the kingdom? Or did he simply yield to God and trust His work to work mightily in Him?
The religious system is good at burdening people with heavy labor and wearing people out! Jesus told those who labored and were weary to come to Him for rest! And He said the work of God is to believe. Since we do trust God's grace to save us, can't we also trust His grace to animate us and to accomplish all that He wants to accomplish in and through us - as we simply believe, and rest in Him and trust Him!
Most would agree that the Christian life is not a passive lifestyle. But just how is the life of the Christian animated? Where does the "action" come from? We know we're saved by the grace of God, but then is it up to us - and our own striving - to hop into action for God and His kingdom?
The Apostle Paul said he "labored abundantly." What was it that was working so mightily in him that caused him to spring into action? Was it a sense of duty to "work for God?" Was he compelled by a sense of obligation to serve God and to labor and strive for the kingdom? Or did he simply yield to God and trust His work to work mightily in Him?
The religious system is good at burdening people with heavy labor and wearing people out! Jesus told those who labored and were weary to come to Him for rest! And He said the work of God is to believe. Since we do trust God's grace to save us, can't we also trust His grace to animate us and to accomplish all that He wants to accomplish in and through us - as we simply believe, and rest in Him and trust Him!
Sunday, April 05, 2009
185. Religion vs. Relationship - Part 1
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This week we talk about how life in Christ is not about religion, but about relationship. Religion is man's attempt to get to God. It's based upon self-effort and performance. It puts the focus on us. Relationship is based upon faith and trust, and relying upon the finished work of Jesus.
A little leaven can go a long way. A little legalism, or a little religion, worked into our lives in Christ can blur our perspective of the perfect relationship we have with God that is based solely upon His love and grace.
This week we talk about how life in Christ is not about religion, but about relationship. Religion is man's attempt to get to God. It's based upon self-effort and performance. It puts the focus on us. Relationship is based upon faith and trust, and relying upon the finished work of Jesus.
A little leaven can go a long way. A little legalism, or a little religion, worked into our lives in Christ can blur our perspective of the perfect relationship we have with God that is based solely upon His love and grace.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
179. God's Discipline - Loving Teaching and Correction, Not Punishment
Download/Play MP3
This week we look at the words "chasten" and "discipline" in Hebrews 12, and discuss how these words don't mean "punish," as the words are often wrongfully taken to mean. As legitimate children of God, He teaches us and corrects us in His love - not impatiently and not fearfully or out of anger - to help us to know His love and to trust Him and to walk as the children of God that we truly are.
It's interesting that the writer of Hebrews, leading up to this, would write so many words to help get people rooted and grounded in Jesus Himself bearing the sin of the world, being the once-for-all perfect sacrifice,that we're not under the wrath of God, that we should hold fast our hope in Him, and that we look unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... and then suddenly, according to various interpretations of this, the writer tells us God is angry and impatient with us, and beats us and punishes us???
If God's "perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us" (1 John 4:18, The Living Bible), then we must know and be encouraged that He never harms us or punishes us. He disciplines us (teaches us, corrects us) in loving ways, for our own good, not as a display of anger or wrath.
This week we look at the words "chasten" and "discipline" in Hebrews 12, and discuss how these words don't mean "punish," as the words are often wrongfully taken to mean. As legitimate children of God, He teaches us and corrects us in His love - not impatiently and not fearfully or out of anger - to help us to know His love and to trust Him and to walk as the children of God that we truly are.
It's interesting that the writer of Hebrews, leading up to this, would write so many words to help get people rooted and grounded in Jesus Himself bearing the sin of the world, being the once-for-all perfect sacrifice,that we're not under the wrath of God, that we should hold fast our hope in Him, and that we look unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith... and then suddenly, according to various interpretations of this, the writer tells us God is angry and impatient with us, and beats us and punishes us???
If God's "perfect love for us eliminates all dread of what he might do to us" (1 John 4:18, The Living Bible), then we must know and be encouraged that He never harms us or punishes us. He disciplines us (teaches us, corrects us) in loving ways, for our own good, not as a display of anger or wrath.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
176. Living By Faith is Not a Matter of Living By Rules and Laws
Download/Play MP3
Continuing our look into the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, this week we talk about how the things that the people did were all different - but the things that they did weren't the point! The things they did were the result of something else. Not a result of following rules and laws, but the result of faith - a trust in a loving God who was for them and not against them, and who was a rewarder and not a condemner.
Continuing our look into the people of faith mentioned in Hebrews 11, this week we talk about how the things that the people did were all different - but the things that they did weren't the point! The things they did were the result of something else. Not a result of following rules and laws, but the result of faith - a trust in a loving God who was for them and not against them, and who was a rewarder and not a condemner.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
175. Faith - What You Trust, Not What You Do
Download/Play MP3
Looking into Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," we look at what the "faith" means. It was "by faith" that the people listed in this chapter did the things they did, but it wasn't "what they did" that gave them their testimony of righteousness. Rather, it was their Trust in God - their faith. We've got to keep in mind that faith shows itself by what we do, but what we do is not what makes us righteous! If what we do is what makes us righteous, and we call that "faith," then faith is nothing more than self-righteousness! Faith is trusting in God, not in ourselves or our works.
Looking into Hebrews 11, often called the "Hall of Faith," we look at what the "faith" means. It was "by faith" that the people listed in this chapter did the things they did, but it wasn't "what they did" that gave them their testimony of righteousness. Rather, it was their Trust in God - their faith. We've got to keep in mind that faith shows itself by what we do, but what we do is not what makes us righteous! If what we do is what makes us righteous, and we call that "faith," then faith is nothing more than self-righteousness! Faith is trusting in God, not in ourselves or our works.
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