Bountiful Living

Did you discover your spiritual gifts?
If not, listen to the previous podcast "What is My Purpose?"

Today we expand on knowing the gifts, talents, and skillset the Lord has entrusted us and discuss how Jesus tells us to use them in Matthew 25 "The Parable of the Talents".

When we ask Jesus to be Lord of our lives, that is not the end, that is the first step in becoming His disciple.  We begin living a changed, new, transformed life surrendered to his Lordship. Jesus taught this parable of talents to His disciples about a week before He went to the cross to help them to understand the Kingdom of Heaven and their job until the Master, Jesus returns.

Two of the servants were faithful, diligent, and good stewards of what the Lord had given them. They took what God gave them and multiplied it.

The third servant buried his talent in the ground. This servant was unfaithful to the Lord and wasted opportunity and the resources he was given.

If you have buried your talent, dig it up!
God is a God of second chances, mercy, and love. Repent and return to your God.

2 Peter 3:9-18 "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not willing for any to perish, but for all to come to repentance.

But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be discovered.

Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat! But according to His promise, we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.

Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found spotless and blameless by Him, at peace, 15 and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, 16 as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which there are some things that are hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. 

You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unscrupulous people and lose your own firm commitment,  but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen."

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

Do you ever wonder, why am I here? What is my purpose for living?

God has gifted you with a unique, one-of-a-kind calling. He has equipped you with talents and spiritual gifts to bring heaven to this earth and glory to His name.

In this episode, we discuss the difference between a calling and a career:

"A calling is what you're made to do,
A career is what you're paid to do."

Spiritual Gifts Test:
1. Find a test online.
2. Ask your church if they have an available test. (better resource)
3. Pray and ask God to reveal your spiritual gifts.

If you aren't sure how to know you're hearing from God and not some other voice, check out Episode 27: "How to Hear From God" 

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

As we celebrate the one year mark of the Bountiful Living podcast, Katie shares how she is learning to abide in Christ. Life in Christ is one that transforms us, steadies us and gives us joy and peace in the midst of suffering and an overstuffed calendar.

We discuss:

1. Proper Priorities
2. Setting Healthy Boundaries 
3. Pleasing God, not Man

RESOURCES:
John 15 "Abiding in Christ"
"Boundaries: When to say yes, When to say no" by Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
"Best Yes" by Lysa TerKeurst
"To Hell with the Hustle" by Jefferson Bethke

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

Life doesn't always turn out like we expect or plan. How do we navigate these roadblocks? Today we continue our study of the Book of Ezra we will identify some of the tactics the enemy can use against us to frustrate us and attempt to halt the work God is doing in our lives.

We find our victory in Christ: "We are hard pressed on all sides, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body...Therefore we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, yet our inner self is being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
2 Corinthians 4:8-10, 16-18

In this episode, we study Ezra 4-6: 

• The enemy wants to extinguish God's work in our lives.
• Ask God for discernment, there are wolves in sheep's clothing.
• The enemy will frustrate your plans, but in Christ, we have victory!
• Do not lose heart!

EZRA SERIES:
What is Revival?
Revival is in You
Navigating Roadblocks

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

Where are you in your walk with the Lord?
1. at the epic newness of salvation
2. captivity/going my own way/drifting
3. needing to rebuild
4. mature believer
5. on fire

If your connection with God is severed, you can rebuild.

We cover a lot of ground in this episode. Here are some of the scriptures we discussed for your reference:

Old Covenant? New Covenant? What is the difference?
Romans 12:1-2 "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."

Hebrews 8:1-7 "Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest [Jesus], one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.  For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer. Now if he were on earth, he would not be a priest at all, since there are priests who offer gifts according to the law. They serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things. For when Moses was about to erect the tent, he was instructed by God, saying, 'See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.'  But as it is, Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant He mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.  For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.

2 Chronicles 6 & 7 Solomon's dedication for the Temple
2 Chronicles 7:14-16 "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. Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and consecrated this house that my name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time." - God

EZRA SERIES:
What is Revival?
Revival is in You
Navigating Roadblocks

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

What does the Bible say about revival?

The only verse that states the word revival verbatim is found in Ezra 9:8 and this specific verbiage is found only in the New King James translation, where it says, “And now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant to escape, and to give us a peg in His holy place, that our God may enlighten our eyes and give us a measure of revival in our bondage.”

This week's podcast, we will explore what the Bible has to say about revival through the eyes of Ezra, a scribe in the days of Israel's return to the promised land to rebuild.

In Ezra 1-3 we learn that:

REVIVAL BEGINS WITH REPENTANCE AND HUMILITY
REVIVAL IS A STIRRING IN THE HEART
REVIVAL RESULTS IN UNITY
REVIVAL IS A FRAGRANT OFFERING TO GOD
REVIVAL KEEPS THE FIRE BURNING

EZRA SERIES:
What is Revival?
Revival is in You
Navigating Roadblocks

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

How do we hear from God?

We must first posture ourselves to hear what the Lord speaks. We must come to a place of willingness to seek God and hear what He speaks through prayer and reading His Word.

1 Peter 3:12 (ESV) “For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayer.”

Jeremiah 33:3 (ESV) “Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.”

Here is the good news, God hears us when we pray and when we cry out to Him in desperation. 
He is faithful, but are we faithful?
Are we faithful to spend time in His word?
Are we faithful to wait when it feels like we will never see an end to our suffering?

Posturing is not enough, we must also spend time in His presence. Through prayer and the reading of His Word, we discover His will, His character, His plan, and His call for our lives.

Another way God speaks to us is through His Son, Jesus who shows us how to live.
Time and time again, He tells us, He has come to do the will of His father.
John 5:30 (CSB) Jesus says, “I can do nothing on my own. I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent me.”

In conclusion, I share my personal testimony and advice on how to hear from the Lord.

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

There are days and seasons when life feels like it has hit a dead end.

What if I told you in this very moment God has a plan for your life and is working things out for your good?

As followers of Christ, "We have become his poetry,  a re-created people that will fulfill the destiny he has given each of us, for we are joined to Jesus, the Anointed One. Even before we were born, God planned in advance our destiny and the good works  we would do to fulfill it!" Ephesians 2:10 The Passion Translation

This episode is dedicated to my Mom: Happy Birthday! Thank you for the investment you made in my life, for teaching me to pray and setting the example of reading your Bible, and being passionate about God's Word. I love you!

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

Have you sought the Lord this year for your vision, your word, and your resolutions? 

If we go with God in 2023, we will not fail or falter, He is a firm foundation. 

We do this through: 
1. Reading your Bible 
2. Pray 
3. Rest in Him.

You've got this because God has got you!

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living 

For the JOY of YOU, Christ endured the suffering of the cross!

This week on the podcast we discuss the JOY of knowing Jesus as well as His JOY of knowing you.

"We look away from the natural realm and we focus our attention and expectation onto Jesus who birthed faith within us and who leads us forward into faith's perfection. His example is this: Because His heart was focused on the JOY of knowing the YOU would be His, He endured the cross and conquered its humiliation, and now sits exalted at the right hand of the throne of God!" Hebrews 12:2, The Passion Translation

Discover life in Christ at bountifulliving.net
Sharpen your faith on Instagram at @Bountiful_Living