Episodes
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
Sunday Oct 25, 2020
We Have “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt, and Feelings of “Hopelessness” Through God’s Abiding Presence With Us and In Us
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Special Feature: God is our “Hope” in this ever changing and threatening world. “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life. Here are some of the things we can say about “God’s Hope” for us through His: 1) promise of Eternal Life; 2) abiding presence with us; 3) answering of our prayers; and 4) unchanging promises.
Initially, our focus is on “God’s Hope” that He has given us for “Eternal Life”. We are all going to die, but God’s Grace and promise to the Followers of Jesus for “Eternal Life” places an entirely different perspective on dying, God not only has given us “Eternal Life”, through His Grace to the followers of Jesus; but God wants us to know and have “Hope” in the certain knowledge of our “Eternal Life”.
In addition to the Gospel’s messages of “Hope” directly from Jesus, Romans provides more assurances of our basis for “Hope from God”, as in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. Also, Paul’s expression of “God’s Hope” is profoundly expressed in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.". In Philippians 1:21-24, Paul again expresses his “Hope” in an earthly life lived in Christ for service to the Kingdom of God but also his “Hope” in his death for his “Eternal Life” with Jesus: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”.
Today’s Message -- God Gives Us “Hope” In His Abiding Presence With Us and In Us: In Psalms 42:5-6a, we are told that, in all circumstances, God is our “Hope”: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”.
Do you believe that the Lord’s presence is with you as a Follower of Jesus? With God’s abiding presence in our lives, we have “Hope” because we know that we are not alone! Whatever we are facing, the Lord is with us! God gives us His abiding presence because: 1) our positional presence is In Christ – God looks at us through His Son, Jesus. In John 5:24-25, Jesus tells us that we have been transferred to the Kingdom of Life: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live."; 2) the presence of the Holy Spirit, God Himself, in our lives, as Jesus tells us in John 14:16-17 as He is headed for the dross: “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”; 3) our abiding presence in the Promises of Jesus, as is referenced in Hebrews 13:5b-6: “for he {Jesus} has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear, what can man do to me?’”; and 4) “Hope” in God’s abiding presence when we practice the presence of God, which is our living with an awareness that God is with us every moment of the day through our walking, living, and being in communion with God at all times -- in our awareness of God’s abiding presence with us, God takes us away from the despair inherent in life’s uncertainties and into His “Hope”.
In 1 Peter 3:15, we are told: “but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”. Sadly, too many do not have “God’s Hope” today because of their life’s circumstances and issues, which they deem as overwhelming. Let us remember and take with us Psalms 42:5-6a: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.”. God wants us to have “Hope” in Him through His assurance of His abiding presence in our lives – God’s “Hope” for us.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Psalms 42:5-6a; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:21-24; 1 Peter 3:15; Romans 15:13; John 3:16-17; John 5:24-25; Acts 2:38; Titus 3:5; John 14:16-17; Hebrews 13:5b-6; Matthew 28:20; 1 Peter 3:15; Romans 15:13.
WEBSITE LINK: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
Sunday Oct 18, 2020
We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope”
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Special Feature – Our Peace and the World’s Peace: There are five different ways that “Peace” is used in the Bible: 1) attribute of God; 2) a fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) state of mind – condition of one’s heart; 4) absence of conflict – between peoples or countries; and 5) and a “right relationship with God” through Jesus.
esus does always bring His Followers a personal “Peace” through our Salvation, by God’s Grace, as God’s “Peace that passes all understanding”. However, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring “Peace” to and in the world. The world has tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke’s Gospel, we need to pay attention to God’s signs in the world. If we are serious about being a Follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His sermon, to many thousands starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise and rejects Jesus and His Gospel.
Today’s Message – We Are All in Need of “Hope” Today, and God Is our “Hope”: In Psalms 42:5-6a, we are told that, in all circumstances, God is our “Hope”: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”.
God is our “Hope” in this ever changing and threatening world. “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life. God, Himself, as He has revealed Himself in Jesus and by trusting in His promises as revealed to us in the Bible are the basis of our “Hope”. Here are some of the things we can say about “God’s Hope” for us through His: 1) promise of Eternal Life; 2) abiding presence with us; 3) answering of our prayers; and 4) unchanging promises.
Initially, our focus is on “God’s Hope” that He has given us for “Eternal Life”. We are all going to die, but God’s Grace and promise to the Followers of Jesus for “Eternal Life” places an entirely different perspective on dying, as Jesus tells us in John 5:24-25: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.". God not only has given us “Eternal Life”, through His Grace to the followers of Jesus; but God wants us to know and have “Hope” in the certain knowledge of our “Eternal Life”.
In addition to the Gospel’s messages of “Hope” directly from Jesus, Romans provides more assurances of our basis for “Hope from God”, as in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. Also, Paul’s expression of “God’s Hope” is profoundly expressed in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.". In Philippians 1:21-24, Paul again expresses his “Hope” in an earthly life lived in Christ for service to the Kingdom of God but also his “Hope” in his death for his “Eternal Life” with Jesus: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”.
God wants us to have “Hope” in Him through His assurance of our “Eternal Life” – His “Hope” for us.
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; John 16:33; Psalms 42:5-6a; John 3:16-17; John 5:24-25; John 11:25; John 17:3; John 20:30-31; 1 John 5:13; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:21-24; 1 Peter 3:15; Romans 15:13.
WEBSITE LINK: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Oct 11, 2020
Sunday Oct 11, 2020
In This Period of Decision for America, We Need to Wake Up and Return to God so that God Will Return to Us
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Paul points out to us, in Romans1:18, that God is not a disinterested bystander in either our lives or the life of our country: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.".
From the end of WWI, in 1918, through the middle of the 1930s, Hitler and the National Socialist Party coopted the Christian Churches in Germany as the National Socialists rose to power politically, thereby, reducing Germany to only one state-supported religion. Also, the National Socialists coopted all of Germany’s political parties to reduce Germany to a one-party country.
Is the Christian Church, here in the US, abdicating its role, as the Christian Church did in Germany, by not speaking with a voice that is heard against the changing culture? As followers of Jesus, we and our churches need to wake up to the cultural changes that are opposed to Jesus’ teachings and the Bible.
The US was created, by the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution, to be a “country of laws”; and the founding legal context for these laws was the Ten Commandments of God. However, our current and evolving culture, and its related value system, is opposed to the Ten Commandments of God.
As we adhere to the new culture and its values, we are in opposition to God and the basic tenants of Christianity. Therefore, our departure from God positions us for the Wrath of God as posited in Romans 1:18. God’s Wrath may well take the form of God turning us over to our lusts, desires and the outcomes of this changed culture – as we walk away from God, He may walk away from us.
It is not too late for the US to wake up! As God told Solomon in 2 Chronicles 7:14: “if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.". God has instructed us that He will forgive us if we: 1) humble ourselves: 2) seek Him, not our culture; 3) turn from wicked ways; and 4) pray. Will America wake up and follow God’s instructions?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f)
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Romans1:18; 2 Chronicles 7:14.
WEBSITE LINK: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB
Sunday Oct 04, 2020
Sunday Oct 04, 2020
Watch the World Today Through the Lens of Jesus’ Teachings; “I came to cast fire on the earth . . . {and} division”
MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Introduction: Jesus does always bring His Followers a personal “Peace” through our Salvation, by God’s Grace, as God’s “Peace that passes all understanding”. However, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring “Peace” to and in the world. The world has tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke’s Gospel, we need to pay attention to God’s signs in the world.
Today’s Message: If we are serious about being a Follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His Simon, to many thousands starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise and rejects Jesus and His Gospel.
Jesus continues, in Luke 12:50, with: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”. Jesus uses “baptism” to refer to His immersion in death and His separation from the Father on the cross, but death would not hold Him. Continuing with Luke 12:51, Jesus tells us: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”. How does this statement of “division” rather than “Peace” reconcile to Jesus’ other statements regarding His bringing “Peace” into the world? This apparent contradiction, regarding Jesus and His “Peace”, can be addressed by considering the five ways the word “Peace” is used in the Bible [as presented in the audio teaching]: 1) an attribute of God; 2) fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) a state of mind; 4) absence of conflict; and 5) being in right relationship with God through Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus, in Luke 12:51, says that: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”, Jesus is referring to the Bible’s use of “Peace” regarding an “absence of conflict”. Jesus is telling His followers that He, the Gospel, and they [His Disciples} have come to disrupt and confront the world. However, Jesus wants to have “Peace” in the other four contexts of “Peace”.
In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good or bad. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners.
Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?’". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God’s signs. Do we see and follow God’s signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”?
Are we listening for God’s Word in our lives and in the life of the world – are we watching the world today in the context of Jesus and His teachings?
TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; Luke 3:21; John 14:27; Judges 6:24; Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20; Ephesians 2:13; John 16:36; John 17:22-23.
WEBSITE LINK: www.AWordFromTheLord.org/
WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”: www.AWFTL.org/watch
DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB