Episodes

“Truly God is good to Israel, to such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; my steps had nearly slipped. For I was envious of the boastful when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” Psalms 73:1-3 This is a typical example of how we establish our patterns of depression as we compare our circumstances with the ways of the world. Today, let’s investigate how these patterns develop and strengthen their hold in our thinking; setting us up for anger, bitterness, resentment,...

“The Spirit of a man will sustain his infirmity, but a wounded spirit who can bear?” Proverbs 18:4 - - Depression can show up in many different symptoms and it may be hard to discover the root problem. Depression can lead to physical problems as th...

“I in them, and you in Me; that they may be made perfect in one and that the world may know that you have sent me and have loved them as You have loved Me." John 17:23 Friendships made real are cemented in love. The sharing, the desire to be together, the willingness to sacrifice for others, and the same objectives with the same goals are all afforded us when we respond to the drawing of the Father’s heart desiring friendship with each of us. Knowing each other’s thinking, hopes, dreams, plans...

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 Being a true friend that stays by your side can require some character development in the relationship. Sometimes words of correction are needed to remove blind spots in thinking. Sometimes special support is needed when your friend has made some wrong choices and is struggling to overcome guilt. There are so many different ways to express the heart of a true friend that brin...

“A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” Proverbs 18:24 As we build relationships, even from early childhood, we find that issues that draw us together are not always because of personality appeal. For a Christian, the hand of God is placing one another into positions that will further His plan for each life and how that plan will bring glory to Him, not just someone we can enjoy because of comfort or convenience. We learn as time...

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30 When we choose to ignore the plain simple commands to obey, in love, what is taught in the Scriptures we grieve and can quench the Holy Spirit’s working in our lives. He will no longer support us in our poor choices but wants to restore us if we will REPENT and follow His leading. Confess in agreement that we are out of step with Him and REPENT, turn around, and change our direction in thi...

“The spirit of a man will sustain him in sickness, but who can bear a broken spirit?" Proverbs 18:4 - - We probably do not give much thought that our spirit can be a tool for fighting sickness in the soul and body – an actual healing tool for getti...

Then He said to them ALL, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.” Luke 9:23 On the surface, these words are not the most soothing to hear in wanting to grow as a Christian. We think we have a good standard of what our lives should look like, but the Lord knows the depths of hidden threats that will rob us of the best. Thank goodness we do not have to lean on our own understanding. How does one die to self? Join us today, as we exp...

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you; before you were born I sanctified you; I ordained you a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah 1:5 In that one sentence, we have a mini-view of why we are here on earth at this appointed time and place. God told Jeremiah I am responsible for your very life for a special purpose, he was set apart. The path Jeremiah was to walk included times of trials and pressure. To prepare us for God’s BEST, He may place us on the Potter’s wheel as he sculpts and fashio...

“In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” I Thessalonians 5:18 With the upside-down world, we are daily confronted giving thanks for our circumstances is posing more and more of a challenge with many new pressures. Romans 8:37-39 is TRUTH His Word can be trusted. How do we choose to respond to difficulties in our thinking THAT CONTROL our attitudes? Let’s visit about VICTORY IN ATTITUDES.

“Count it all joy when you fall into various trials” James 1:2 - - - Now, where is the logic and wisdom from rational thinking with this verse? Normally we avoid trials at all costs,s not with all joy.

“Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves.” 2 Corinthians 13:5 - - When we are fretful, full of anger, anxiety, withdrawn, isolated by choice, and no hunger for God’s Word, it is time to stop,

2 Peter 1:5-9 “Give all diligence add to your faith, virtue, to virtue knowledge and self-control.” - This passage in Peter guides us on the right road for living by faith and signs to keep us on the main highway of Godly living. - Somewhere,

As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving" Colossians 2:6-7. As Christians, faith is the basis for our walk with the Lord. It is important that we evaluate what the foundation of our faith is in; facts of the scriptures or the feelings of our flesh. We can't let emotions and experiences become the final authority for living out our Christian life. Jesus...

"When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work He did for Israel." Judges 2:10 Bridges connect us with where we have been and where we are going. This is true in the physical world, so it is true in the spiritual eternal world. Without bridges connecting the history of the past, we do not know how to learn from the past and repeat the blunders of bad choices. In Judges 2:10-11 we are told that a new ge...

"The days are coming when I will send a famine in the land, not of bread, nor thirst of water, but of hearing the words of the Lord." Amos 8:11 Why would God want to make hearing the Word a famine? Perhaps we no longer desire TRUTH as spiritual food, or we only want "food" that satisfies, tastes good, and comforts us without nourishing and healing. Today, information alone is being called truth, but who can trust the truth that can change? The Word of God is being discredited by many as the r...

“But we Christians have no veil over our faces; we can be mirrors that brightly reflect the glory of the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 3:18 If we want to check our growth in Christian living through practical means, we can look at our personality, temperament, actions, and attitudes. Do they reflect in a mirror the image of who God says He is? Can a person say there is something different about us? Can they see Christ “in us”? As the Spirit is cleaning and cleansing our life, we may reflect the characte...

“Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest.” Matthew 11:28 - - To labor and be heavy burdened are two descriptions of our conditions that most are facing in one area or another.

“Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test Yourselves.” 1 Corinthians 13:5 - - We have an age-old problem – a portion of the Christian community lacks the discipline to look at our lives with discernment.

“Exercise yourself toward godliness” 1 Timothy 4:7-10 - - Godliness can begin with physically taking care of the body through exercise. Our bodies are temporal temples and exercise does require discipline, training, being faithful,

“Judge not that you be not judged” Matthew 7:1 - - Word matter and the way you use them can change a whole conversation. We can never “judge” the person for condemnation, that belongs to God alone. -

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." 1 Thessalonians 2:21 - - This mandate is in a list of requirements for being set apart to discern the current “teaching” of the day. They were to discern what was written and spoken was the truth or popula...

“For he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins.” 2 Peter 1:9 Life can start with wonderful words of wisdom and affirmation that the God we have trusted is giving us grace and peace. His divine power is drawing our hearts to be conformed to His image. He supplies us with an outline of what is needed, step by step, in case we forget our provisions and remain as “newborns.” We will grow like a weaned child with his m...

“Giving all diligence add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge” 2 Peter 1:5 - - This little nugget of truth tucked away in the progressive path of growth is a command to be fully committed to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; for without faith,