RCCG Victory Temple Chantilly's Podcast

"The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Ac 2:47 NKJV

The church has only two options: evangelize or fossilize. When we fail to share our faith with those outside the church, we either end up in a holding pattern or in death throes. The New Testament church's growth is described in these words: "The Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." Not only did they influence every level of society, but their enemies said, "These who have turned the world upside down have come here too" (Ac 17:6 NKJV). Question: If your church closed its doors tomorrow, would anyone other than your congregation notice the difference? Think about those early believers. Their assignment seemed geographically impossible; most people still believed the world was flat. They had no air travel, radio, television, printing presses, internet, or any other modern means at their disposal for communicating the gospel. It seemed legally impossible; they were forbidden by the government authorities to speak in Jesus' name. And it seemed socially impossible; after all, who would really listen to a bunch of Galileans, devoid of culture and class?

Yet they were witnesses through the power of the Holy Spirit, and people did listen. They did so much with so little, and we seem to do so little with so much. It's reckoned that if just 10 percent of the members in the average church got serious about evangelism, their church would double in one year.

By the way, the word translated "witness" is the same word from which we get our English word martyr. These early believers reached the world for Christ because they were willing to lay down their lives for His cause. You must be too.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"You shall be witnesses to Me." Ac 1:8 NKJV

Coach Vince Lombardi led the Green Bay Packers football team to victory after victory. But one day, they lost to a team they should have easily defeated. So, Lombardi gathered his team together.

He put his hand into a bag and brought out a football. With his inimitable smile, he told them,

"Gentlemen, this is a football!" In other words, it was time to get back to basics. Jesus is "the captain of [our] salvation" (Heb 2:10). And before He went back to heaven, He gave us the game plan: "You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Jude and Samaria, and to the end of the earth" (Ac 1:8 NKJV). And since a person's last words are some of their most important ones, it leads us to ask this: Who was Jesus talking to? You! "You shall...be witnesses to Me." There are people around today who will never go to church. Their only chance of hearing the gospel is through you; through what your lips declare and your life demonstrates. What is this

"power" Jesus spoke of? The Greek word for

"power" is dynamos, from which we get the word dynamite. Dynamite is an explosive force, which when properly harnessed can remove any obstacle that stands in the way of progress. You say, "I have never been to seminary, and I don't feel qualified to share the gospel!" God doesn't call the qualified; He qualifies the called by filling them with His Spirit and using them to reach a hurting world. Today you have been called to do that.

I "You shall. be witnesses to Me."

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Train up a child in the way he should go." Pr 22:6

The Bible says, "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (v. 6). Observe the word "child." You must begin early when: (1) Their will is flexible. A twig is much simpler to bend than a trunk. In the early years, your child's will is like soft clay; malleable and flexible. You see, it's when they're young that you are to "set their ways," because when they grow older, their "ways are set." The Hebrew phrase

"train up" refers to training a vine to grow in a certain shape or direction. If you wait, it will be too late! (2) There is still hope. "Chasten your son while there is hope, and do not set your heart on his destruction" (Pr 19:18 NKJV). When a parent says,

"My kids are hopeless," too often you find out those parents didn't train their children while there was still hope. Listen to the urgency in Solomon's voice:

"He who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly" (Pr 13:24

NKJV). The Hebrew word for "promptly" refers to dawn, or early in the day. So, start early! Maybe you have a little darling running around in your house right now that you think is an angel. But someday those legs will grow longer, those wings will become shorter, and sometimes a little "angel" even sprouts horns! While your child is young and more apt and ready to listen to your advice and counsel, teach and train him or her how to live God's way. If you do, you will never regret it.

While your child is young, teach and train him or her how to live.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."

2Th 3:10 NIV

Compassion without accountability is just indulgence. The Bible teaches that we have a responsibility to feed those who are truly hungry and can't provide for themselves. But let's face it, there are some folks who would rather go hungry than go to work. Solomon writes, "Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, and an idle person will suffer hunger" (Pr 19:15 NKJV). Centuries later the apostle Paul was even more explicit: "For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: 'The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.'" Listen to what Solomon says about the sluggard: "The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting" (Pr

12:27 NKJV). "A lazy man buries his hand in the bowl, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again" (Pr 19:24 NKJV). Talk about laziness! He wants his bread buttered, but he wants someone else to butter it for him. If he kills a deer while he is hunting, he won't even clean the meat and cook it; he wants someone else to cook it for him and serve it to him. What's the Bible talking about here? It's talking about the person who never starts a job; and if you give them one, they either won't finish it or they will do it only halfway. Then Solomon wraps it all up in one final zinger. "The desire of the lazy man kills him, for his hands refuse to labor" (Pr 21:25

NKJV). There are no two ways about it; if you want God's blessing on your life, you have to be willing to work!

Be willing to work!

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"You must go...And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you." Dt 31:7-8 NKJV

When God tells you to "go," remind yourself that every detail of your future is already known to Him.

Centuries ago when a mapmaker ran out of the known world before he ran out of parchment, he would frequently draw a dragon at the edge of the scroll. This was intended as a sign to explorers that they were entering unknown territory at their own risk. Many, however, didn't regard the dragon as a mapmaker's warning sign but instead as a prophecy. They foresaw disaster beyond the known worlds they traversed, and their fear kept them from pushing on to discover new lands and peoples.

Other more adventuresome travelers, however, saw the dragon as a sign of opportunity and a doorway to new worlds worth exploring. Each of us has a mental map that contains the information we use for guidance as we begin each day. And like the maps of long ago, our mental maps have edges to them, and sometimes those edges seem to be marked by dragons or fears. We fear failing, or being rejected, or ridiculed, or that we won't have enough, or that we will lose what we have. If that's how you feel today, read these words spoken by God to His people when they stood on the threshold of the promised land without knowing what awaited them when they went into it. "The Lord, He is the One who goes before you." So, write down your goal, map out a strategy, and set a deadline. Then commit it to God, believing that He has gone before you to prepare the way.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"From any tree of the garden you may freely eat." Ge 2:16 NAS

Adam had the perfect job, perfect home, perfect marriage, and the perfect environment; all the things we strive for. So how did it come about? As a result of his relationship with God! God basically gave him two rules to live by: "From any tree of the garden you may freely eat; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will certainly die" (vv. 16-17 NAS). So, the two rules are these: (1)

With God, what you get back is always greater than what you give up. "From any tree of the garden you may freely eat." But what we so often do-and what legalistic religion does-is look at that Scripture and similar Scriptures and focus on what we can't do.

The truth is, when our list of can't do's exceeds our list of what we're free to do, we have gone far beyond what the Scriptures intended. The Christian life should be measured by what you're free to enjoy, not by what you're denied. (2) When you live your life according to God's Word instead of your own impulses, you're blessed. "Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to...keep all my commands...so that it might go well with them" (Dt 5:29 NIV). The only thing God denies us is the right to determine for ourselves what's "good or evil," because He knows we're not qualified to do it. We must live by divine revelation rather than human inclination. God in His love and wisdom set this limitation in place to protect and bless us.

I "That it might go well with them"

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence." Heb 4:16
NIV

If you feel unworthy to approach God in prayer, stop and read these words: "Let us...approach God's throne of grace with confidence...that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (v. 16 NIV). The word "grace" means

"undeserved kindness, mercy, favor, and help when you need it." Notice three important things: (1)

When you need grace, you can approach God with complete confidence. Why? Because you're coming to a throne of grace and mercy, not a throne of judgment. All your sins-past, present, and future-were paid for the moment Jesus said, "It is finished." Satan, whom the Bible calls "the accuser," wants you to feel condemned, guilty, and unworthy to approach God. But the moment you placed your trust in Christ, God clothed you in Christ's righteousness. Therefore, you can always come to Him with confidence. (2) When you need more grace, pray more. God has all the grace needed to help you, but you must go before His throne and ask for it. A prayerless Christian is a graceless Christian.

The Bible says, "Grow in grace" (2Pe 3:18), and if you're not praying every day, you're not growing in your spiritual life. So, what's the answer? Spend more time hanging around the throne that dispenses grace. (3) God's grace is given based on your need at that moment. He won't give you tomorrow's grace until tomorrow, so don't bother asking for it. But don't be concerned; the supply of grace you have in Christ will not run out tomorrow-or ever! That means you can't wear out your welcome by going to the throne of grace too often.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Talk of them when you sit in your house, [and] when you walk by the way." Dt 6:7 NKJV

Dr. Armand Nicholi, a psychiatrist from Harvard University, was invited to speak at a White House conference on the status of the American family. He explained how an overcommitted lifestyle that makes parents inaccessible to their children produces much the same effect as divorce itself.

Cross-cultural studies sav that parents in the United States spend less time with their children than parents in almost any other nation in the world. For generations fathers have devoted themselves exclusively to their occupations. But today, mothers have joined the workforce, rendering themselves exhausted at night and burdened with domestic duties on weekends. As a result, no one is at home to meet the needs of the lonely preschoolers and latchkey children. Nicholi stressed the undeniable link between the interruption of parent-child relationships and the escalation of psvchiatric problems we are seeing. "If the trend continues," he said, "serious national health problems are inevitable." Year after year we are seeing more and more children suffering from depression, anxiety disorders and panic attacks. And that figure will continue to grow with the incidence of divorce, child neglect, child abuse, and child molestation continuing to soar. You say, "What's the answer?" Sacrifice and simplify! Even if it means sacrificing certain material things and simplifying your lifestyle, spend time with your children! God told the Israelites, "You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in vour house."

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord and do good; so shall you dwell in the land and feed surely on His faithfulness." Ps 37:3 AMPC

Sometimes when we have problems, we withdraw from normal life and spend all our time obsessing and trying to solve them. We talk about them to anyone who will listen. All this is unproductive activity which prevents us from doing what we should be doing, which is "doing good." If you want to experience the benefits of God's faithfulness, you must do two things: (1) "Trust (lean on, rely on, and be confident) in the Lord." (2) "And do good." When we have problems, it feels counterintuitive to focus on blessing others. But it's not; it's actually a very powerful thing to do. It takes your mind off you and your problem. Plus, you're sowing good seed that ultimately brings your good harvest. Falling into self-pity, fretting, and talking negatively prevent

God from helping you. But trusting Him and persisting in doing good for others release Him to work on your behalf. We may know it's wrong to worry and yet continue worrying. We must realize that none of God's promises work for us until we actually obey His Word. Knowledge alone won't solve your problems; you must take action and be obedient no matter how you feel. You might not feel like keeping a commitment or doing something to help someone else, but when you do it, God goes to work on your behalf. So, one of the keys to overcoming fear and worry is doing what God has told you to do regardless of how you feel.

I God goes to work on your behalf.

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

"Turn thou me, and I shall be turned." Jer 31:18

When we have been hurt, our first instinct is to retaliate. We know it's wrong because the Bible says we must forgive in order to be forgiven (See Mk

11:25. We also know that bitterness can hurt us physically and emotionally. But sometimes we can't bring ourselves to forgive, so we keep wrestling with it in our mind. Stop and think what happens in a wrestling match. You focus on your opponent, clinging to them and trying to control them. Your aim is to put them on the mat and bring them into submission, and it requires all your energy. Plus, you risk getting hurt in the process. The only real power you have over someone who hurts you is the power of forgiveness. So for your own sake, forgive them and move on! Even though you don't feel like forgiving, pray, "Turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the Lord my God." In other words, "Lord, make me willing to forgive." The old saying, "To err is human, to forgive is divine," is the truth. Now, small offenses can be forgiven quickly, but big ones require divine assistance. And you can have it: "God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him" (Php 2:13 NLT). Yes, you may want your offender to suffer, but when your greatest desire is to please the Lord, He will give you the grace to forgive. When you realize the blessings God has in store for you in the future, you will refuse to spend another moment stuck in the past.

Forgive them and move on!

Send us Fan Mail

Support the show

Changing Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!