Real Hope Conversations

From powerful prayers to talking in tongues, heartfelt hospitality to loving leadership, there are many spiritual gifts that are mentioned in the bible. Today Dwayne Jeffries gives his perspective on spiritual gifts and how they can be used today. 

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

SPIRITUAL GIFTS

Your spiritual gifts were not given for your own benefit but for the benefit of others, just as other people were given gifts for your benefit. - RICK WARREN

‘Spiritual gifts’ is a term we can get really hung up on. Questions or statements like ‘God, what are my spiritual gifts?’, or, ‘God why didn’t you give me a gift like that person?’, or, ‘I think this is my spiritual gift but how does that help anyone?’ can regularly come up when we think about gifts.

However, all these gifts work together for the good of all! This week we’ll look at all the spiritual gifts God gives us. Gifts to serve, gifts to love others, gifts to challenge one another, and gifts that leave a legacy.

We’ll look at how the gifts God has given us can change the circumstances around us because these gifts were given to shine His light, not our own.

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We're told to look out for number 1! Why should we be generous when everyone else is just in it for themselves? Neri Morris talks to us today about the benefits of generosity both for ourselves and others.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

GENEROSITY

No one has ever become poor by giving. - ANNE FRANK

In a world that’s about ‘more’ and ‘excess’, it’s easy to fall into the trap of storing up our possessions and wealth for ourselves in an effort to ‘Keep up with the Joneses’.

However, throughout the Bible, from the Old to the New Testament, we are called to lives of generosity. Lives that see the need around us and meet it. Lives that give because we have been given so much.

In this week’s devotionals, we explore this topic of generosity, a word that can at times be counter-cultural, but has the power to be transformational in this world where ‘self’ reigns supreme and where God’s love is needed more than ever.

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It's almost a dirty word in our society, we admire a strong work ethic and going "above and beyond". Working hard is often a badge of honor, but rest is a gift from God. Today we talk to Kath Henry about the importance of rest and its place in our lives.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

REST

In place of our exhaustion and spiritual fatigue, God will give us rest. All He asks is that we come to Him… that we spend a while thinking about Him, meditating on Him, talking to Him, listening in silence, occupying ourselves with Him – totally and thoroughly lost in the hiding place of His presence.

CHUCK SWINDOLL

Rest. We all need it but all too often don’t get enough of it. In the hustle of life, rest can be overlooked, not prioritised, and forgotten.

However, rest is important for renewal and restoration of our mind, body and spirit. A time to connect with God and find strength and encouragement in Him.

As you walk through this week’s readings, our prayer is that you would take time to rest. To refresh and renew your heart and spirit. To seek God in your life and circumstance. To find comfort in His ever-loving arms.

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Its often to forget that we as Christians are in the middle of a war. Even as we go about our daily lives we have barriers and hurdles in living the way God wants. Today we talk to Nat Bennett about the realities of Spiritual Attack.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

SPIRITUAL ATTACK

For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. EPHESIANS 6:12 (ESV)

Many times it’s easy for us to see things from our human perspective and not see the spiritual battle that rages around us.

A spiritual battle that’s still being fought, despite Jesus defeating death on the cross. Satan does not want us to succeed in our mission to make disciples of all nations and to share God’s love with those around us.

When we see situations and circumstances through a spiritual lens, the verse in Ephesians becomes real. So how can we arm ourselves for battle and what are the obstacles we may face?

In this week’s readings, we talk about how we can prepare and fight in the battle for lives and eternity so that when the fight comes to our door, we are ready!

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It takes some serious wisdom to talk about a topic this big. Ben McEachen is back for another episode bringing the humour and wisdom and also challenging us to question how we view love.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

FORMS OF LOVE

What does love look like? It has the hands to help others. It has the feet to hasten to the poor and needy. It has eyes to see misery and want. It has the ears to hear the sighs and sorrows of men. That is what love looks like. - AUGUSTINE

Love. Over time it’s a word that’s so intricately linked to its romanticised definition that we can miss not only the many forms of love that are around us but more importantly we can miss the enormity of the love God has for us.

Love is not just a feeling you get when you meet ‘the one’ or when you hold your child in your arms for the first time, or when you like an outfit you’re wearing. Love is an action. It bears fruit. It is eternal. It is transformational and it is sacrificial.

As you journey through this week’s readings, spend time reflecting on your own experiences of love – in relationships, in community, in family and in your relationship with God. Over the next week we hope that the word ‘LOVE’ takes on new meaning and depth in your life, a meaning anchored not in romantic feelings or earthly relationships but one that is anchored in your Heavenly Father.

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A book of the bible that may cause contention for some, seemingly filled with pain and suffering. However, is it possible to find hope in such circumstances? Heidi Wysman is back again in this episode talking about how we may find peace and comfort despite our trials.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

FINDING HOPE IN JOB

A Series by Heidi Wysman

We honor them as our heroes because they remained faithful even while enduring great sufferings. And you have heard of all that Job went through and we can now see that the Lord ultimately treated him with wonderful kindness, revealing how tenderhearted he really is! JAMES 5:11 (TPT)

We often see the book of Job as a study of suffering. But Job is a story of a man’s search for hope in a broken world. The way he dealt with his suffering has been a source of strength ever since people began searching the Bible for answers.

Job is the book in the Bible using the word ‘hope’ the most. It uses the word 19 times. But does he find this hope he seeks? He does. Not in the restoration of his goods, though this does happen. He finds hope in knowing the character of our Almighty God.

Job 1:1 introduces to us the man Job and his character. It says he was ‘blameless and upright, one who feared God, and turned away from evil’. Job’s suffering seems to come out of nowhere and has no connection to his character. But isn’t that just like ‘life’? Most of our grief and pain comes out of nowhere and baffles our sense of justice.

But if you ever doubted what the point of the book of Job is, read James 5:11!

We call it the ‘Book’ of Job. But I prefer to call it a ‘chapter’ in his life…

I pray that by the end of this story your eyes will be open to see the awe, wonder and faithfulness of our holy God.

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An incredibly wonderful and humble man, Druvi Perera is back again to talk about Pride and Humility. Today Druvi talks about examples of people from his own life and gives some practical advice about living humbly through service. 

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

PRIDE VS HUMILITY

At every step of our Christian development and in every sphere of our Christian discipleship, pride is the greatest enemy and humility, our greatest friend. - JOHN STOTT

Pride and humility. Two words that contradict one another but also in our humanity we really struggle with. At times it can feel like letting go of pride weakens us, and humility makes us small and insignificant. However, that’s not the case. In fact, the Bible tells us that pride is our enemy, and humility is the position of our heart that God desires for us.

As you explore this week’s devotions, our prayer is that God would work a new thing in your life. That He would challenge, encourage, and change you as you seek to be more like Him.

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The CFO and Secretary of Hope Media, David Barker has a passion for God's word, and a love for the old testament. Today we talk about Ruth, not only in terms of its context, but also its place within God's plan, and wisdom for us today.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

FAITH IN ALL THINGS

A Study of the Book of Ruth

For where you go I will go, and where you lodge I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, and your God my God. Where you die I will die, and there will I be buried. May the LORD do so to me and more also if anything but death parts me from you. RUTH 1:16b–17 (ESV)

The story of Ruth is one filled with loss, hope, fear, courage, love and faith. Through every twist and turn, Ruth and Naomi never lost faith that God was in control. That He in fact was going before them and He knew the bigger picture for their lives.

No matter what you’re facing at the moment, our hope is that through the story of Ruth you’ll find strength, encouragement and hope to persevere knowing that God is working a bigger picture in your life.

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A man with many talents, that have led him to serve in ministries across the globe to this day. David Smethurst returns with more wisdom and heartfelt advice in this episode.

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook or Instagram. 

PURSUING CHRIST

To have found God and still to pursue Him is the soul’s paradox of love.
AW TOZER

The path to seeking God is the journey we are all on through life. Even though we have found Him and accept Him as our Lord and Saviour, the pursuit of God is still an evolving one.

It’s a pursuit of understanding, a deeper relationship, dependence, surrender, and a pursuit of His heart for us, those around us, and the world.  

Through this week’s readings, we hope your pursuit of God will be renewed, encouraged, and inspired as we journey together to see His name proclaimed.

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A brand new contributor to Real Hope, Chris Parfoot has worked in libraries, education, and learning for many years. He has both a degree in biblical studies and theology and his wisdom and practicality make this an episode not to miss!

Listen to more from our Hope Podcasts collection at hopepodcasts.com.au. And send the team a message via Hope 103.2’s app, Facebook, or Instagram. 

PRESENT AND PURPOSEFUL

 Wherever you are, be all there. JIM ELLIOT

Life is constantly moving and changing. Sometimes it can feel like there’s a steady stream of distractions flowing around us – work, family, friends, community.

With all the noise, it can be easy to just move from one thing to the next and not be fully present in the moments of our life. In the busyness we can also miss the purpose God may have had for us in those moments and interactions with those around us.

Over the next week, our prayer is that these devotionals will help you develop the practice of being present not only in your day-to-day life, but also with God. Inviting Him to be present with you in all seasons, circumstances and situations. His presence can make an insignificant moment become full of purpose and opportunity.

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