Escape urself Podcast

Quick update...

We have a new goal for this podcast.  If we can get 50 listeners to join us then it will open up some new possibilities for us.  So if you have not subscribed yet, please do.  And if you can share this with a few other people it would be greatly appreciated!  Thank you for listening.

Here they come!

How great is it that we get to study the life of Jesus together?  How great is it that God can use this to help each of us grow in our personal relationship with Jesus?  How great is it that God is growing us so that we can be better prepared and equipped to reach out to those around us that have questions, those that don’t know Jesus, those that have had a bad experience with the church or with “religious” people?  This is an incredible opportunity to invite others in to do their own “investigation” into Jesus.  Will you continue to pray with me that the Spirit will move pre-believers into the relationship with Jesus they were created for?  Can we pray that this journey will lead believers into a deeper understanding and stronger relationship with Jesus? Remember we will never become who Jesus wants us to be by remaining who we are.

This week we look at what might be the most famous passage in all of Luke.  The birth story of Jesus.  Why did Luke record this in such detail?  Can you imagine being Luke as he heard about this event for the very first time?  Did he have any idea that 2000 years later people would open up his letter and read this account to celebrate the greatest gift ever given to humanity?  We cannot wait to share the details with you

Where did He come from?

We are just beginning a journey into the book of Luke.  The author lays out a careful investigation into the absolute truth of Jesus.  His goal is for us to be certain of what we believe.  We have two specific prayers for this study.  Will you pray with us that the Spirit will move pre-believers into the relationship with Jesus they were created for?  Second, please pray that believers will be moved into a deeper understanding and stronger relationship with Jesus.  Remember we will never become who Jesus wants us to be by remaining who we are.

This week we begin with what might be Luke’s most famous writings.  They are found at the very beginning of his book.  Instead of just starting with Jesus and His ministry, he dug deep and found out the miraculous nature of Jesus’ arrival.  He even found the origin of John, a relative of Jesus, whose story is also a miracle!  Luke works hard to fill in the gaps, share all the details, answer all the who, what, when, where, why and how questions.  It is an incredible story that I cannot wait to share with you!

This Sunday we are being a journey into the book of Luke.  Don’t you love a good investigation!  The who, what, when, where, why, and how?  As a family, we will be taking a deep dive into the life of Jesus from a very unique perspective.  We will be looking at the entire life of Jesus through the eyes of a man who was first a believer, second and physician, then a historian.

This week we will look at Luke, the man.  Who he was, why he wrote this account and who did he write it to?  How great is it that we get to study the life of Jesus together?  How great is it that God can use this to help each of us grow in our personal relationship with Jesus?  How great is it that God is growing us so that we can be better prepared and equipped to reach out to those around us that have questions, those that don’t know Jesus, those that have had a bad experience with the church or with “religious” people?  This is an incredible opportunity to invite others in to do their own “investigation” into Jesus.  Will you pray with us that the Spirit will move pre-believers into the relationship with Jesus they were created for?  And also pray that it will move believers into a deeper understanding and stronger relationship with Jesus.  Remember we will never become who Jesus wants us to be by remaining who we are.  Thank you for listening and please share this investigation with others.  I am so excited about this study with all of you!

Do you have doubts?  About what?  In the world today, it seems like we are being led to question everything.  However, some in authority try to shut down anyone who has doubts.  Some mock and ridicule those that will not go along with the crowd.  But not Jesus.   He is not afraid of our questions.   He welcomes our doubts.  Jesus knows that honest doubt will lead to honest answers.  We do not have all the answers but we know the One who does.

Thank you for joining us in this digital world!  We pray that one day we will get to meet you in person.

Please take 2 minutes and listen to this.  I am so grateful to our worship pastor for putting this clip together.  Please share it with those that need a bit of a challenge today!

Don’t you love a good underdog story?  There is something about them that offers all of us some encouragement.   At times, we all face situations in life that can seem overwhelming.  Things that seem impossible to overcome on our own.  Maybe that is because we were never supposed to face them alone…

Thank you for listening!  We pray that God will use these words to help you grow closer to Him.   And if you need a family we would love to have you join us at Berea! 

https://bccbrazil.org

Hope is Here!

There is hope for the broken…

The next 3 Sundays we will be part of a nationwide movement known as Back to Church Sunday.  The official date for Back to Church Sunday this year is September 19th.  We want to invite anyone who has been unable to attend, anyone who is search for truth, anyone who is search for hope and meaning in life, anyone who is in need of forgiveness or restoration to join us.

Our lives are fragile. In fact, the harder we try to hold it all together on our own the more the cracks begin to appear.  The more we can be overcome by the sense that things are falling apart.  It is by the grace and mercy and power of God that He can hold it all together for us, if we allow Him.  After all, He is the only one who knows exactly how all the pieces fit together.   In John 8 there is a woman whose life is not only falling apart but is near the end.  Jesus picks up the pieces and restores her.  The same restoration and healing are awaiting you.

We cannot thank you enough for listening.   The greatest help you could provide is to share this with someone in need.   

Hope is Here!

There is hope for the weary…

The next 4 Sundays we will be part of a nationwide movement known as Back to Church Sunday.  The official date for Back to Church Sunday this year is September 19th.  We want to invite anyone who has been unable to attend, anyone who is search for truth, anyone who is search for hope and meaning in life, anyone who is in need of forgiveness or restoration to join us.

As we prepare for that special day, we want to invite you to see how Jesus provides hope for the weary.   In our community, there are so many that are weary for so many different reasons.   Jesus invites all who are weary to come to Him for rest.  We pray that you will be willing to discover this truth in your life.

Whether you are a long-time follower of Jesus searching for a church family or someone who is searching for the grace, love and truth that only Jesus can provide. We welcome you, come as you are.

Everyone faces challenges.  From pain and heartache to disease and tragedy, no one escapes.  This week we will use 2 Corinthians 4:5-18 as a starting point to look at each of our stories.  For those of us who are believers, to be reminded of the faithfulness of our God and the urgency we all must have to share His love with the world around us.   If you are not yet a believer, then a look at what is waiting for you in your new life with Jesus!

This week is a very personal message.  The last 3 weeks have been hard for our family, yet there is a spirit of excitement and strength coming out of this season.

Thank you for listening.  We pray this encourages you and challenges you as you grow.  Please subscribe to the podcast and leave a review.   It is would be incredible if you could share this with others as well!

I am getting caught up!  Here is this week's back-to-school message!   I am excited to challenge parents, grandparents, whoever has an opportunity to influence kids with this!

Where did the Summer go?

After a 5-month Summer in 2020 it seems like this year’s break was the shortest ever in our family.  This week we sent our kids off to school.  Did you know that on average students will spend more than 17,000 hours in school?   That does not even include and extra-curricular activities, preschool or college.  Parents we will be sending our kids away and trusting someone we do not know to influence our kids in immeasurable ways.  Our kids’ educational development is essential to their success in this world.  There is no doubt about that.  But that development without a spiritual foundation is deceiving at best and fatal at worst.

As our kids Go back this Fall we have put together a shortlist of passages to encourage them and you.  Some of these could be used with any age, some definitely geared toward older students and some will need a bit of explanation.  That is where you come in.   Read these to your families.  Pray them over your kids, pray them with your kids.  I cannot wait to share them with you on Sunday.