Reliable Truth

Do you have pain in your life that is unresolved? Maybe a painful memory, unresolved relationship or self-inflicted wound that seems to be unusually hard to get over?

There are things in our lives that can be absorbing, unresolved and unknown and yet really need the grace of God.

Hebrews 9:23-26 tells us:

Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Nor was it to offer Himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, for then He would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, He has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

In the last verse of Paul Gerhard's hymn "Awake, My Heart with Gladness", we sing, "Now I am safe from evil and sin I love to scorn, for Christ again is free in glorious victory. He who is strong to save has triumphed over the grave!"

>>Watch on YouTube⁠

The Rev. Dr. Paul F.M. Zahl is a retired Episcopal minister and author, and served as dean of Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama for 10 years. His wife is Mary, and they have 3 grown sons, all serving in ministry. Paul and Mary recently moved back to the Birmingham area.In this season of retirement, Paul is actively waiting on God to send him the work the Lord has him to do, which currently includes mentoring younger ministers, and one-on-one meetings in a ministry of encouragement.

>>You can find Paul's book "Peace in the Last Third of Life - a Handbook of Hope for Boomers" on Amazon here: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Last-Third-Life-Handbook/dp/173371667X⁠>>See the complete collection of Paul Zahl's books here: ⁠https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HCV1VW/allbooks

Everyone wants peace and hope.

As we grow older, we feel a special urgency to make peace with the past and to discover hope for the future.

In doing this, it's important to be thinking more and more about eternity. Let the gospel be the lens through which we act and move and have our being.

I John 4:19 is the key to our motivation for life:"We love because He first loved us."

>>Watch on YouTube

The Rev. Dr. Paul F.M. Zahl is a retired Episcopal minister and author, and served as dean of Cathedral Church of the Advent in Birmingham, Alabama for 10 years. His wife is Mary, and they have 3 grown sons, all serving in ministry. Paul and Mary recently moved back to the Birmingham area.
In this season of retirement, Paul is actively waiting on God to send him the work the Lord has him to do, which currently includes mentoring younger ministers, and one-on-one meetings in a ministry of encouragement.

>>You can find Paul's book "Peace in the Last Third of Life - a Handbook of Hope for Boomers" on Amazon here: https://www.amazon.com/Peace-Last-Third-Life-Handbook/dp/173371667X>>See the complete collection of Paul Zahl's books here: https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B001HCV1VW/allbooks

Have you given much thought to what God can do through you?

Today my special guest is Tim Kallam, senior pastor of Mountain Brook Community Church. His message highlights the life of Barnabas through the book of Acts.

From Acts 4:32-37
"All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had. With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them.

For from time to time those who owned land or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need.
Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”), sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet."

>>Watch on YouTube

Tim Kallam is the senior pastor of Mountain Brook Community Church in Birmingham, Alabama. >>Learn more about Tim and his church here

Is anything holding you back from fully embracing Christ?

Today's message from Jerry Leachman closes with this prayer, interceding for all istening:

"Dear God, there's no catch today. We don't have anything for anybody to join. We don't want anybody's money. We don't want anybody's anything. We're a band of brothers in here this morning.

Lord, if there are men here that go, 'You know, I've believed in Christ, but I think the chaplain's right. I've been chasing idols. That's what's been holding me back.'

Lord, I pray we just crash and break all the idols, like in the book of Acts. Paul went in and shared Christ with a town, and it says they begin to destroy all their idols. Idols either break our heart, leave us frustrated, or punish us all our days.

There may be guys here who go, 'You know, I've never connected with Christ.' They may be looking over the ledge of that crater. I pray they would jump in the arms of Jesus. Now.

I pray we all would jump into the crater in the arms of Christ. Lord... when my faith gets really thin, and it does from time to time. I think, 'I can't see you Lord, but You can see me.' Thank God Almighty.

Thank you for Eric Liddell's example. He knew You made him fast. These men are so gifted, so talented. I pray they would get a chance to use their gifts, their talents; and when they do, they'd feel Your pleasure.

But I pray they'd cease trying to validate themselves, stop wasting their life, covering up, trying to convince everybody else they're somebody they're not. Let them walk out of here free men today, I love the words of William Wallace about to go into impossible battle. He said:

'Men, the moment's going to come for all of us when we die. By God's help, let's just at least die free men.'

Lord, I don't want to go to my grave a slave. I don't want to live another day a slave. Free us today, Lord. We're asking You for a miracle here today. In Christ's name, amen. Amen." - Jerry Leachman

Jerry Leachman of ⁠⁠Leachman Ministries⁠⁠ is a favorite speaker at The Center's events. Along with being an associate Chaplain in The NFL for many years, Jerry has done ministry in Guatemala, Scotland, Russia, Europe and Africa as well as all over the U.S. He and his wife Holly have been on Young Life Staff and continue to be involved with Young Life here and also internationally.

The father of the prodigal son gave a hugh banquet to celebrate his son's return home. His son was lost, but now was found. Does this remind you of what awaits believers in heaven?

In Revelation 19:6-9, John describes the Lord's future banquet in heaven for those who have trusted in Christ:

"Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

'Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.'

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Then the angel said to me, 'Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!' And he added, 'These are the true words of God.'”

This is part 4, the final episode of Richard's series on the Prodigal Son. ⁠>>Watch on YouTube

What was Paul's legacy to Christians?

Paul was a man that was given a real vision. He was an apostle to the Gentiles and he was a man on the move. In many senses we might think of the Apostle Paul in today's terminology as a church planter, but not one who would plant a church in Jasper, Alabama and then stay there for the next 20 years.

Instead, he would be like one who planted a church at Jasper, build up some leadership there in that local congregation, and then he's going to move on to Pell City, Alabama - Paul is on the move. >>Watch on YouTube

Dr. Mark Gignilliat is professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, where he teaches courses in Old Testament and Hebrew, and also serves as theologian in residence at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Birmingham. Dr. Gignilliat is married to Naomi, and they have four children.

Why do men have difficulty being transparent and sharing vulnerable details about their lives

Richard contends that it comes down to problems associated with pride, which drives men to worry about being seen as a failure by those around them.

In his book The Power of a Humble Life Richard explains why men especially struggle with pride and humility—and how pride is, quite literally, the driving force behind so many of humanity’s problems, from wars to parenting struggles. >>Watch on YouTube

**This conversation originally appeared on The Counter Culture Mom Show with Tina Griffin. >>Watch Tina's episode

Have you ever thought about the prodigal son's older brother?

From Luke 15:25-28a:
“Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. ‘Your brother has come,’ he replied, ‘and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.’ The older brother became angry and refused to go in..."

In Rembrandt's famous painting of the Prodigal Son, you see there's a darkness to the older brother as he looks down, watching their father embracing the wayward younger son who has returned home. The older brother is angry and jealous.

Luke 15:28b-32 continues:
"...So his father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, ‘Look! All these years I’ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!’

“‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

This is part 3 of Richard's series on the Prodigal Son. >>Watch on YouTube

How does a person become "lost?"
Many times it's because they have run out of relationships—they've burned through all their relationships, for all kinds of reasons.
In the parable of the Prodigal Son, that's what this young son has done. He didn't have anybody to go to. He's in this distant land. He's run out of money, food and resources. He has no friends.
Why do you think he didn't immediately go back to his father? Why did he decide to go and work with the pigs? Shame? Obviously, the shame arose from the pride in his life.
This is part 2 of Richard's series on the Prodigal Son. >>Watch on YouTube

Where is the love and hope of the Cross?

They are found in the person of Jesus Christ alone, "who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time."  - 1 Timothy 2:6

This Good Friday annual message from Richard and The Center features a unique performance by the Birmingham Boy's Choir. >>Watch on YouTube