Hope's Harbor Podcast - Gritty Bible Devotions

A deeper look at John 15:2 reveals a tender promise from GOD. That of a loving Father who lifts up a fallen child and takes the steps necessary to restore His beloved child to wholeness.

But what about our part in the restoration process? If you have fallen into a low condition of stress and depression, etc. what can you do to help yourself within GOD's power and promises?

Listen in and let me know if this message helps you in any way. I need feedback in order to improve future episodes. [email protected]

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

During the night before Jesus was arrested, He spent hours teaching His followers several things dear to His heart. Abiding with Him spiritually was one of the lessons He wanted them to remember.

He used an analogy of a branch abiding in the vine, without which a branch will wither and not produce that for which it is intended.

We are those branches. Jesus is the vine. Almighty GOD tends to both. And from this state of being close to the Son of GOD, we are promised a life of benefiting others, we are promised joy, and we are promised answers to our prayers when they are prayed in keeping with Jesus's nature, power, and authority.

The question is, how do we abide?

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

The foundation for living the Christian life is, I believe, obedience to the commands of Jesus. There are truths in the Bible by which to test our faith and whether we are who we say we are. That is... when we say we belong to GOD. 

The bottom line question is this: is our name written in the Book of Life? The truths I refer to help us determine if we were sincere when we gave our lives to GOD and took the forgiveness offered. 

This episode takes a balanced look at what the Bible reveals to us concerning our relationship with GOD.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

Every system of religious belief must have a solid foundation upon which to base its claims. If viewed the same as constructing a highrise building, if the foundation doesn't hold up, the system, like a building, will fail those who inhabit it.

Christianity makes the claim of eternal forgiveness of sin, restoration of the lost connection with GOD, power to live each day in faith (belief), and witness accounts of each of these claims.

What makes Christianity different is the forgiveness of GOD is offered free to those who choose it, although it cost GOD the life of His Son here on the earth. So what happened to Jesus that caused religious people to seek His death at the hands of the Roman government?

He told the religious leaders of His day their religion would not get them to Heaven.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

Have you ever thought about the influence people have in your life? How about in the past? Many things influence us, especially during our childhood, whether physical or spiritual.

Let this episode bring consideration to the influence you're having in someone's life right now. We all influence others; how will they remember us in years to come?

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

Have you ever seen the bumper stickers that read 'CoExist,' and then usually followed by a row of major religious emblems? Coexistence is one thing. All religions being the way to GOD in their own way is quite another.

Do you know what Jesus had to say about the way to GOD? By the statement He made concerning this issue, He excluded His claim to divinity and His teachings from consideration as just another way to find GOD.

This episode examines the claims of Christianity and those of several other major religions.

Something to consider: Either Jesus told the truth about Himself, or He is a fraud.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

You may have heard of the love of GOD, but how does GOD's love help us today? What can I know and understand about GOD's love so that it becomes real to me?

Well, GOD's nature is love and everything about Him stems from His nature. All of His attributes, those characteristics that help identify GOD to us, are all tied to His love and His love to all His other attributes.

This episode explores the measure of GOD's love and what it led Him to do for us. And this is where knowledge meets experience. You see, all new spiritual life offered to us is possible right now for the asking because of what Jesus did for us on that cross.

If we choose to believe what the Bible reveals about the new life in Christ, then we begin to experience GOD's love as His purposes for us are lived out. Those purposes are also revealed in the Bible.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

GOD's goodness ensures He carries out justice. His justice is tempered by mercy.

Do you want or need GOD's mercy? In goodness He gives mercy. But what about justice? It was justice that sent Jesus, the Son of GOD to the cross to die. However, the mercy of GOD moved Him to substitute His Son in our place of death.

You see, justice demands the death penalty for sinning against GOD. And if we take the message of this episode to heart, we need not die an eternal death of the soul but rather, live for eternity with GOD who loves us dearly.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

These attributes of GOD explain something of the mind of GOD. Is there comfort in knowing GOD never changes? Would you trust your life, and your future to GOD regardless of the cost if you believe He knows all there is to know?

And what if GOD holds all knowledge? Doesn't He need to know how to apply His will to our lives with wisdom?

It's easy to say we believe these attributes are true about GOD, but do we live by them, day by day? This is not a rhetorical question. If you want to deepen your knowledge of GOD and by deeper knowledge deepen your faith, listen to this episode and others in the series The Attributes of GOD, taken from A W Tozer's book Knowledge of the Holy.

Key verses:

• Malachi 3:6 
• Psalm 147:4 & 5 
• Romans 11:33-36 

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net

How is it known GOD is trustworthy? Well, over the last several thousand years people of those ages and even today test GOD's promises in the Bible. How is this done? By praying. And how to pray... that is a whole other subject!

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:10 - 'whom we trust...' And he meant GOD.

I was skeptical about GOD when I was younger, and whether the Bible is true. Then I took a chance by choosing to believe the Bible account. It took time but I eventually came to experience enough interaction with GOD over the last 47 years to learn something.

GOD is trustworthy.

I explain it as best I can in this episode.

Show notes at HopesHarbor.net