Abundant Life

In this Episode Saso and Ben discuss the topic of biblical love and more specifically agape love.

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk about the issue of forgiving one another because we've been forgiven so much.

Forgiveness does not mean “bro, now you owe me a solid”. Forgiveness means the debt is canceled and now you no longer have a hook, the debtor does not owe anything. It’s like paying the bill for your food at the restaurant. Once it’s paid you don’t owe anything else, there fore nothing else should be expected by the restaurant.

The Lord’s prayer speaking of forgiveness and an example of how we should pray for others who sin against us

Matthew 6:12-15

Colossians 3:13

How often should we forgive?

Matthew 18:21-22

Examples of Forgiveness in Scripture 

Joseph - Genesis 50:19

Stephen - Acts 7:59-60

Simon Peter - Luke 24:34

Jesus Christ - Luke 23:34

The new covenant with the house of Israel and house of Judah

Hebrews 8:11-12

John 8:3-11

Forgiveness is a command

Ephesians 4:30-32

Since forgiveness is a command, we must willfully make the decision to obey God and forgive others.

Forgivness is conditional

Matthew 6:14

Also, the prerequisite to biblically forgiving others is to be forgiven. If you’ve not placed your faith in Christ, if you’ve not been born again as spoken of in John 3, then you are incapable of forgiving others as commanded in scripture.

What about forgive and forget?

This is a common question among Christians. We can’t selectively choose what we want to forget. In fact there are many things stored in our brains that we’d like to delete but it's just not possible. Unfortunately there are things we do forget but we don’t willfully forget them because it’s impossible for us to forget things on demand.

The bible never tells us to forget, however, the Bible tells us to be prudent.

Proverbs 22:3

Forgiveness and trust are two different things. Forgiveness means that you’ve released the person from any type of repayment or retribution. However, that means that the dynamics of the relationship may and will likely change until trust is regained which can take time and honestly, trust may never be regained.

We are not instructed to forget but we are instructed to love and pray for enemies.

Matthew 5:44

Romans 12:18

Consequences of unforgiveness

The bad thing about unforgiveness is that it leads to other sins like anger, jealousy, bitterness, and hate. Just think what the United States of America would be like if we just forgave each other. What would our world be like if forgiveness was a priority?

The parable of the unmerciful servant

Matthew 18:22-23

What prevented the servant from forgiving his fellow servant? Pride and greed! And what was the consequence?

Matthew 18:35

Why is there a need for forgiveness?

Romans 5:8

Who are we to not forgive? After all I’ve been forgiven so much.

Romans 6:23 

Romans 5:12 

Romans 6:23

Psalm 51:5

Forgiveness available for all of us

2 Corinthians 5:21

Prodigal Son

Luke 15:18-24

Who do you need to forgive?

Has anyone plucked out your beard? Put a crown of thorns on your head?

God help us to forgive as we have been forgiven of all of our unrighteousness if we have placed our faith in Him.

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk about the to topic if friendship. Do you have solid, biblical friendships? If not, you are missing out!

Paul & Barnabas - Acts 15:36-40

What are friends for?

Comfort - 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Forgiveness - 1 Peter 4:8-10

Unity - Ecclesiastes 4:10-12

Sharpening - Hebrews 10:24, Proverbs 27:17

How are we to be good friends? 

1 John 4:7

How do we know we are to love our brothers and sisters in the faith?

John 4:21

Jesus is our example

John 15:13

John 13:1

Jesus command to love one another

John 15:12-14

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk about the topic of unbelief.

Mark 9:17 - 24 - Then one of the crowd answered and said, “Teacher, I brought You my son, who has a mute spirit. And wherever it seizes him, it throws him down; he foams at the mouth, gnashes his teeth, and becomes rigid. So I spoke to Your disciples, that they should cast it out, but they could not.” He answered him and said, “O faithless generation, how long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to Me.” Then they brought him to Him. And when he saw Him, immediately the spirit convulsed him, and he fell on the ground and wallowed, foaming at the mouth. So He asked his father, “How long has this been happening to him?” And he said, “From childhood. And often he has thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, have compassion on us and help us.” Jesus said to him, r“If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.” Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

We want to believe but there comes a time when we need to ask God to help our unbelief. The times where we are discouraged, or we have asked for many years with no change that we can see. “Help thou mine unbelief.”

Essentially the sin of unbelief is the equivalent of us saying, God you are not enough and I don’t trust you. We would never shake our fist at God and say that, but if we are honest, our actions portray it. It’s our beliefs that fuels our desire for sin and our beliefs are formed in our minds. And as we’ve talked about in past episodes, the mind is battleground for spiritual warfare. It’s in our minds that we form beliefs. It’s in our minds where we decide what we believe and how we will behave and act according to those beliefs.

What is your belief in today?  Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?  Have you put your belief in Him?

May our prayer be, “Help thou mine unbelief.”

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Is it possible to change? Is it possible to have victory over sin?

Yes! 100%

Biblical change can happen for any believer no matter what the sin. Thats encouraging!

But there is a catch.

The prerequisite for change is salvation. You must be born again. You must be regenerated by the Holy Spirit, otherwise victory over sin is impossible. Apart from salvation, we have no power to stop sinning.

Why is that? Here are a couple supporting verses.

1 Corinthians 1:18

1 Corinthians 2:14

The bottom line is this. The word of God is what changes us, however, if you are not a Christian, you can’t understand the things of God, therefore you can’t change.

In Episode 14 we spoke about God’s grace. God’s grace is the means that changes us. But we can’t experience this grace unless we are born again. It’s God’s grace that saves us and it’s also God’s grace that changes us.

Titus 2:11-12

What is the pattern of biblical change?

According to Ephesians 4 he pattern for change is put off - renew - put on. Let’s take a look.

Ephesians 4:17-24 - Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!— assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

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In this episode Saso and Ben reflect on various events of the passion week. Happy Resurrection Sunday.

He is risen - He is risen indeed!

Messianic Prophecy Genesis 3:15

Crucifixion ProphecyDaniel 9:27

Crucifixion Prophecy Isaiah 53:5

Mary anoints Jesus John 12:1-8

Jesus washes disciples feet - John 13:1-17

High Priestly Prayer - John 17:9,20

Peter’s denial foretold - Luke 22:31-34

Gethsemane Prayer - Luke 22:43-44

Peter Denies Jesus - Luke 22:56-61

Judas Hangs Himself - Acts 1:18 & Matthew 27:3-5

Jesus Coronation - Matthew 27:27-31

Jesus forgives soldiers - Luke 23:34

Jesus Crucified between two thieves - Luke 23:39-43

Jesus Provision for Mother John - 19:26-27

Empty Tomb - Luke 24:1-12

Road To Emaus - Luke 24:13-24

Thomas Believes - John 20:24-29

Peter Restored - John 21:15-19

Ascension - Acts 1:8-11

Second Coming Warning - Matthew 24:36-38

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In this episode Saso and Ben cover the topic of God's amazing abounding grace.

How do I gain victory in a world full of sin?

Because of God’s grace should I continue in my sin?

Why do I still struggle with my sin nature and my besetting sins?

How can I be victorious?

Take the grace has given you as discussed in Romans 5:20-21

Testimony of God’s grace in the midst of a wicked world

Are you praying for God’s grace?

God does not always say yes to what we ask for or even a bad thing we may ask to be taken away. Grace is always a sign of God’s good will towards us and it is sufficient in all things and for all things. We would not go to Him if we felt capable of being successful within ourselves. True victory is only found in Christ Jesus and only through His grace are we truly strong.

Will you allow His grace to abound in you?

Will you come boldly before Him and ask for His grace and will you take it when He gives it to you?

Are you sinning and presuming upon God’s grace? God forbid!

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk the topic of prayer.

Why should we pray?

Where should we pray?

What and how should we pray?

We need to praise Him 

When should we pray? 

Asking in His name

Name it claim it theology

Ask in Faith

Ask From A Pure Heart

What will be changed because you decided to pray?

What will God do through your prayers?

There is no magic formula for praying. In fact some prayers are simply a few words like “Lord help me”, and some prayers are very carefully thought out like Jesus High Priestly Prayer in John 17. Prayer is simply talking to God.

The question is, are you engaging?

Is this something you are doing on a regular basis?

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk about setting spiritual goals in 2021.

This episode will be divided in two parts. In the first half, we will address the following question.

Is it biblical to set spiritual goals and if so, how should I go about it? 

In the second half, Saso will share 10 of his personal spiritual goals.

Remember, goals are not a direct command in scripture, but scripture does encourage planning. At the end of the day, growing in Christ should begin at salvation and not cease until the Lord returns or till you go to glory. We should strive to be holy and to give God all the glory.

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In this episode Saso and Ben talk about the greatest gift ever, our Saviors birth.

Scripture references:

Daniel 9:24-25

Isaiah 9:6-7

Isaiah 53

Luke 2:1-38

Merry Christmas and a Happy New year from our family to yours.

Saso & Ben

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