Foundational Podcast

“Who are you,” they asked in a less than gracious tone.

Jesus had been in the temple area since early morning teaching a large gathering of people who had come to hear His words.

A group of religious leaders brought an adulterous woman into the middle of the crowd, right before him and said, “The Law of Moses says stone her.

What do you say?”

They were not seeking counsel but an opportunity to impugn His character and His teaching.

Jesus turned the tables on his accusers. “You, who are without sin, cast the first stone.”

Indignant and offended by His tone, convicted in their own heart, the men who had brought the woman slithered away one by one.

The woman remained before Him; no doubt humiliated, maybe very angry at the men and at the crowd around her.

Jesus looked at her with eyes of love, mercy and grace. “Where are those who accuse you? Is someone condemning you,” Jesus asked? “No one,” she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” He answered, “Go and sin no more.”

Jesus continued teaching the crowd that had been with Him all morning.

Among them were some Pharisees who had watched this whole seen with great interest. They began to question the Lord. “Where is your father? Who are you?”

Who Is Jesus Christ?

Ah, there you have the great question that Lucifer has used for millennia to gain an entrance and establish a foothold in a person’s life.

He used that strategy on Jesus when was in the wilderness forty days fasting and praying.

The Lord was preparing Himself spiritually for the next three years of public ministry.

Satan came on the last day seeking opportunity to stop the advance of God’s Kingdom.  “If you are the Son of God,” he challenged the one born in Bethlehem’s stable.

When Jesus parried His attacker with “It is written…”

The Devil resumed the offense with, “If you are the Son of God…”

Jesus again parried His attacker with, “It is also written…”

Satan made a counter move with a more subtle attack on Jesus true identity, “All these things I will give You if You fall down and worship me.”

Je

How can we live in this time of crisis, not only with COVID-19 sweeping across the world, but with the dire economic predictions, with a heart of peace and security in Christ?

How can we have such peace within us that it flows from us and influences the situations and people around us?

Is this even possible?

"Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going." Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way? Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him." Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father ' Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:1-4

How to Live with Peace from the Inside Out

There is a lot of confusion right now.

Media reports and data on COVID-19 are conflicting, and people are confused and experiencing anxiety.

But God's people can walk through times of crisis and not only have peace that surpasses all understanding, but they can be an influence of God's peace to all around them!

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners. Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about

Death was never supposed to be part of the human experience.

Death entered the human experience because Adam and Eve made a choice, and they partook of what God told them not to.

The human body cannot withstand sinful behavior. When an individual begins to participate in sin, the human body begins to break down.

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23 'As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;"' Romans 3:10

Sin has a strong grip on every person's heart, and every time we participate in sin, death has a stronger and stronger grip on our heart until it kills us.

That's why Jesus said we must be born again.

God has given us a wonderful thing called grace; and because He loves us so much and is merciful toward us, by His grace He gives us something we don't deserve and we cannot earn.

A whole new life!

We have a choice: To live in sin and death or to live by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

Dear friend, you can live a whole new life! You can have a whole new identity!

Your past or your present circumstances do not have to determine your future or your identity from this day forward. You can arise to resurrection life in Jesus Christ and live a whole new life.

Do you want to arise to a whole new identity?

Do you want to arise to a life without condemnation?

Watch my message below and find out how you can begin living this kind of a life today!

If you have trouble viewing this video, click here.

Discover how you can move beyond your past to a future of promise and hope in my book Discovering True Identity.

Get Discovering True Identity 30% off today with the coupon code: Identity

How can we have perfect peace despite the crisis and drama we are walking through right now all around the world.

Now only has the world come to a complete halt because of COVID-19, but there are earthquakes happening all around the world.

We are facing a global economic crisis.

Conflict is threatening to erupt.

These are the days that Jesus talked about when he said that in the last days there would be wars and rumors of wars.

He said that in the days leading up to His 2nd return that crisis would increase in regularly and intensity, just as when a woman is in labor and her birth pangs increase in regularity and intensity.

But as children of God we should have no fear!

"In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: 'We have a strong city; God will appoint salvation for walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, That the righteous nation which keeps the truth may enter in. You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.'" Isaiah 26: 1-3

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners. 

Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about the free Bible Reading Challenge journal they will receive when they subscribe to receive my newsletter!

That is why I have created a Leadership Development Institute eCourse called "No Mo' Drama"

No Mo' Drama is a 6-part video-based course all about learning how to live and walk in perfect peace.

We will examine deeply what the Bible has to say and how we can apply it to our lives.

God’s message through Jeremiah to the Children of Israel who were refugees in Babylon is very relevant today.

“Build houses and dwell in them; plant gardens and eat their fruit. Take wives and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, so that they may bear sons and daughters — that you may be increased there, and not diminished. And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace” (Jeremiah 29:5-7 NKJV).

We have all watched the growing disunity, rioting, racial tension, and violence across the United States of America; and we ask ourselves how the church should respond in times of violence in our cities.

How the Church Should Respond In Times Of Violence

Violence does not have to define your city.

Multiple times in the Holy Scripture God demonstrated the level of authority He has given His sons and daughters in praying for peace and safety for the city where they live.

When Sodom and Gomorrah was filled with moral impurity and violence at a level that could no longer be endured council God said:

“Shall I hide from Abraham what I am doing, since Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him.’ And the LORD said, ‘Because the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grave, I will go down now and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry against it that has come to Me; and if not, I will know’" (Genesis 18:17-21 NKJV).

The level of authority over cities delegated to Abraham is revealed in his conversation with the Lord about Sodom and Gomorrah.

“And Abraham came near and said, ‘Would You also destroy the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there were fifty righteous within the city; would You also destroy the place and not spare it for the fifty righteous that were in it? Far be it from You to do such a thing as this, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous should be as the wicked; far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right’?" (Genesis 18:23-25 NKJV)

As the conversation between Abraham and the Lord continues it is Abraham dictating the terms by which the city will be destroyed.

God is not angry with the boldness of His servant, rather seems to be pleased that he is graciously standing between the city and God crying out for mercy.

When it is clear the level of wickedness has reached such severity, ten righteous people could not be found judgment was inevitable.

There is a similar conversation between Moses and God when the Children of Israel rebelled against God in their journey from Egypt to the Promised Land (Exodus 32:1-18).

The sin of the Israelis had become so severe God was prepared to destroy them. Moses immediately began interceding on their behalf.

His authority was great and God said, “I have seen this people and indeed it is a stiff-necked people. Now therefore, let Me alone…”

But Moses continued to plead for the people and God responded with grace and mercy.

Isaiah 62 clearly portrays the authority God has given to His people and the role

The quote rang out in my mind:

"Your past and present circumstances do not have to determine your future or your identity."

This quote would become my motto. A new identity in Christ. It not only became a foundation for much of what I teach and preach today, it became the premise for a series of books I've written called The Freedom Series.

God provided a way for all of mankind to undergo a transformation of such proportion that everything we've ever done would not only be forgiven, it would be completely eradicated through a legal term: Justification.

Justification simply means just as if you've never sinned.

And justification gives us a new identity in Christ!

Governor Pilate did not want this case before him. He had sent it to Herod Antipater, the Tetrarch of Galilee.

Here it was before him again.

Standing in front of him was the man Jesus of Nazareth. Behind Him was the unruly Jewish mob demanding the crucifixion of the one called “King of the Jews” while calling for the release of a rebel.

Pilate was angry; angry that he had to come out of his palace to deal with Jewish leaders who were afraid of defiling themselves before Passover; angry that he had deal with yet another Jewish religious issue; angry that they were demanding the execution of this innocent man.

The significance of this scene might have escaped the Roman Governor; but his wife knew. “Have nothing to do with that just man…” was her message to him. “I have suffered many things in a dream because of Him.”

The crowd was screaming louder as the Jewish leaders agitated them to call for the crucifixion.

The two men stood in front of the Governor, facing the crowd.

One had been up all night; face swollen from several beatings; bruised and bloody from the mocking abuse; wearing a very expensive purple robe given to Him by Herod.

The other man had just been brought from prison; a known rebel; convicted of robbery and murder.

Barabbas was his name.

An exchange was about to be made; an exchange that would affect eternity.

“Give us Barabbas and crucify Jesus who is called the Christ,” crowd yells!

Barabbas is the crowd choice. Bar – son of; Abbas – father – the son of father. The crowd is calling for the Governor to release “the son of father” and crucify Jesus.

Jesus is the Hellenic form of Jeshua (Jehovah is salvation).

He was raised in Nazareth as the son of Joseph. Jeshua bar Joseph (Jehovah has added). That was His earthly family. Actually, Joseph was not His father.

He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. His father was God, Himself. His proper name is Jesus Son of God - Jeshua bar Jehovah.

Governor Pilate is about to exchange Barabbas (the son of father) for Jeshua (Jehovah is salvation) bar Jehovah.

Can you imagine?

God will allow “the son of father” to be set free, just as if he had never done anything wrong.

Discover how you can move beyond your past to a future of promise and hope in my book Discovering True Identity.

Get Discovering True Identity 30% off today with the coupon code: Identity

I have heard it said and read in several blogs and newsletters that this generation of high school and young college age students are the Joshua Generation that will lead the church into the greatest revival of history.

It is a reference to them being like the man of God who assumed leadership of the Israelites following the death of Moses.

With eyes of faith they see these young people courageously walking through the land with the promise from God, “Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you” (Joshua 1:3 NKJV).

They see them boldly standing up, proclaiming God’s Word, and no man or woman will able to stand in resistance before them.

They see these young men and women strong in the power of God, walking mighty in the Spirit, with signs and wonders following them.

The Word of God is in their heart, as they walk in full obedience to the precepts and principles written in it, with eye scorching holiness and purity.

Such mighty men and women of God will be amazing to behold and life-changing to encounter. However, there is one major issue that must be addressed if we are going to see them rise to the front of this generation.

We must have men who will purposefully and intentionally be a Moses to the Joshua Generation.

The Joshua Generation Needs a Moses

The Joshua Generation must have mentors and spiritual fathers who have encountered the Lord at a “burning bush” and come away with a life-changing experience and such a calling of God upon their life they will never be the same.

They must have men who walk with a broken and contrite heart.

Called men of God, who know they will only be able to speak God’s Word and do the things God has called them to do by the power of “I AM.”

1.  A Moses-kind-of-man is not enamored by success, publicity and recognition.

He is passionate about one thing: walking in obedience to the living God who encountered them at the “burning bush” and pleasing Him.

He lives to do His will and to fulfill His calling.

2. A Moses-kind-of-man is not driven to see the miracles, signs and wonders of God, for he is merely a tool God will use to defeat the enemy and deliver His people from the slavery of darkness.

That is God’s business and only to be done at His bidding and instruction. These are not what defines the man of God.

His identity is found in the intimacy of the relationship he has with I AM. He is intimately acquainted with the pathway to the top of the mountain and the walkway to the “tent of meeting.”

Waiting in the presence of the Lord and speaking with Him “face to face” have become as familiar to him as the face of his own wife and sitting his favorite chair.

There is a well-worn path in his life that leads to the mountain of God. It is that place where he meets with the Father every day and allows Him to write the Word of God upon the tablet of his heart.

It is not enough to simply read the printed Word and study it for sermons to preach.

Meditation and waiting in the presence of God have implanted the Word deep. “Your Word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against you… Oh how I love your law, it is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:11, 96 NKJV).

He looks deep into the perfect law of liberty, walks in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the Word. The blessings upon his life are obvious.

Spiritual disciplines of fasting, prayer, meditation and personal worship are so much a part of his life they are one with him.

They are not merely routine or religious habit, but are as important to him as road work is to a boxer, the practice range is to a professional golfer and weight lifting is to an NFL player.

These are the personal disciplines that empower him with the impartation of divine authority to “tread on serpents and scorpions and over all the power of the enemy;” enabling him to bring “healing to the broken-hearted; proclaim liberty to the captive, recovery of sight to the blind, and set at liberty those who are oppressed; and proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord” (Luke 4:189, 19; 10:19 NKJV).

These are men who will feel the pull of God’s Spirit and go up the mountain into God’s glory while other leaders are content to have dinner together.

Although the majority are fine men of God, spiritual leaders in their community and in their different movements and tribes; this man of God walks with the glory of God radiating from his life because he chosen to the more disciplined life of greater intimacy with his God.

He has met with His God at the burning bush, in the mountain of God’s glory and in the tent of meeting and nothing will satisfy except the fullness of God’s glory upon him and the intimacy that comes from meeting Him face to face.

The Joshua Generation will cling to these men of God.

They walk with him, talk with him learning his heart and hearing his wisdom.

They will observe his life and personal discipline and want it in their own life.

While their peers are content with what is usual and normal, they go with their “Moses” up the mountain of God and into the tent of meeting. They learn how to wait in His presence and to live full of His glory.

When God is ready to take Moses home, the Joshua Generation is ready to lead the next generation into the land promised by God.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners. Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about the free Bible Reading Challenge journal they will receive when they subscribe to receive my newsletter!

Learn how to engage in deep spiritual warfare for your city with The Freedom Series!

 

Discovering True Identity: A Believer's Position in Christ (Freedom Series) (Volume 1)Agape: Unveiling the Mask of Darkness, Setting the Captives Free (Freedom Series) (Volume 2)Charis: The Power of Grace (The Freedom Series) (Volume 3)

 

Listen to more Foundational Podcasts here:

Save

The Lord Jesus Christ has made it possible for a sinner to become a saint; to be controlled by the power of the Holy Spirit.

This is made possible is when Jesus Christ was crucified on the cross, Scripture says that He has laid upon Him the iniquity of us all.

When Jesus was buried, our life of sin was buried with Him to live no more.

When He walked out of the grave, He also made it possible for us to walk out in newness of life!

What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Romans 6:1-7

When a person receives Christ as their Lord, everything in their life before is eradicated and as far as He is concerned, they have never done anything wrong.

The old person doesn't exist anymore.

But there is a choice we must make.

Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. (Emphasis mine)

We must choose to walk in that newness of life.

There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4

You get to make a choice!

The Most Important Choice Every Christian Will Make

1.  You can live by the law of sin and death or

2. You can live by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.

If you have trouble viewing this video, click here.

If you enjoyed this podcast, please consider leaving us a review. This helps the Foundational podcast reach more listeners. 

Be sure to tell a friend about the Foundational blog and podcast, and share with them about the free Bible Reading Challenge journal they will receive when they subscribe to receive my newsletter!

Discover how you can move beyond your past to a future of promise and hope in my book Discovering True Identity.

Get Discovering True Identity 30% off today with the coupon code: Identity

Isaiah 53:5 says, "But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are healed."

The stripes on Jesus' back didn't just bring us salvation and physical healing, it brought emotional healing as well.

Jesus was taken by the Roman soldiers from the trial before Governor Pilate and the Jewish crowd into the Praetorium, where He would be scourged and then delivered to execution.

When He arrived at the Praetorium, the guards gathered the entire Roman cohort to enjoy some fun with this unusual prisoner.

A Roman cohort consisted of either 480 soldiers or 800 soldiers depending on their assignment. The soldiers gathered around ready to mock and ridicule this “prophet” of the Jewish people.

First, they stripped Jesus of His clothes to prepare Him for the flogging.

One of the soldiers grabbed the royal garment Herod Antipater had given Jesus, put it back on Him and began mocking and calling Him “King of the Jews.”

Another soldier furthered the game by making a crown of thorns and pressing it firmly on His head. Blood vessels close to the surface were pierced, causing bleeding as only head wounds can bleed.

They put a rod in his hand and knelt before Him; bowing in mock worship shouting, “Hail King of the Jews.”

Others began to spit on Him, mocked Him and struck Him on the head with the rod that had been in His hand and pulled handfuls of beard from His face.

Blood streamed from his scalp, down His face and onto His shoulders.

After the mocking they stripped Him naked again and led Him to the flogging post. Flagellation is a cruel and excruciating punishment; being used in the Middle East, even today.

The flagellum was short whip with several strands of either single strips or braided strips of leather. Small lead balls and sharp pieces of bone were tied into the leather strips at varying intervals.

The victim’s hands were tied above his head to the flogging post so his back, buttocks and legs were fully exposed.

Usually two men, called lictors, would take turns striking the victim from one side and then the other, pulling the whips from the shoulders toward the spine.

The small balls would cause deep contusions. The leather strips and pieces of bone would cut the skin and the deeper tissue of the back.

As the flogging continued the back and leg muscles would be torn, leaving long strands of flesh hanging.

Blood vessels and arteries in the muscles would be torn so blood would be flowing and flying through the air as the flagellation continued.

The victim would go into shock.

Why would Father allow such abuse of His Son?

Two Ways Jesus' Death Brought Emotional Healing

1. The crown of thorns was for the renewing of the mind.

The writer of Proverbs said, “As a man thinks in his heart so is he.”

From the earliest days we are taught and trained in human reasoning, fleshing concepts, ideology and philosophy of mankind.

Our human experiences cause us to form opinions and thought patterns.

Our thoughts and reasoning are not God’s thoughts and reasoning. They will conform us to this world.

We must be transformed by the renewing of the mind so we can live the good, acceptab

Click here to download this podcast

Today is your opportunity to experience the transformation power of the Holy Spirit!

What do you think blind Bartamaeus felt when he was able to see for the first time in his life? Or how about the woman whose son had died, and during the funeral procession Jesus raised her son from the dead?

In Jeremiah 13:23, we read God's questioning to Israel, "Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard its spots?
Then may you also do good who are accustomed to do evil."

The answer is obviously no.

But God can perform an even greater transformation a person changing the color of their skin or an animal changing the color of their fur.

One Powerful Secret That Will Transform Your Life

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." 2 Corinthians 5:17

• Jesus suffered torturous flogging because He knew the pain we would endure
  • Abandonment by our parents
  • Betrayal from friends
  • Failed marriages and infidelity
  • Abuse, molestation, date rape
• Jesus purchased our healing. He suffered horrible pain so
  • Our damaged emotions could be healed
  • Our trouble minds can be healed
• Jesus doesn't want us to life a lifetime as a victim

Discover how you can move beyond your past to a future of promise and hope in my book Discovering True Identity.

Get Discovering True Identity 30% off today with the coupon code: Identity

"But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed. " Isaiah 53:5

• Why would God allow His Son to die such a violent death?
  • He wasn't just wounded for our transgressions
  • He wasn't just bruised for our iniquity
  • He also said...

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 6:23

• What is sin?
  • To miss the mark, to fall short
  • When we knowingly - or even unknowingly - do those things that are wrong
• When Jesus was being beaten, flogged, and hanging on the cross
  • He took all of our suffering on Himself
  • God took all our sin and put it on Him
  • He was dying in our place, so we wouldn't have to die
• God is offering us an amazing opportunity!
  • To have everything wrong we've ever