Riot Podcast

is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

The presence of evil in the world is a result of human sin and disobedience, as seen in the story of Adam and Eve and their decision to eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in Genesis. This disobedience caused a separation between humanity and God, leading to a loss of authority and influence over Satan, who is described as the ruler of this world. The effects of sin are evident in the cultural values and practices that promote selfishness, greed, violence, and other forms of evil.

The impact of these cultural values and practices can be seen in the way they affect how we live our lives. They promote a worldview that is centered on individualism, materialism, and self-gratification, often at the expense of others. This leads to a lack of empathy and concern for the well-being of others, which in turn perpetuates social and economic inequalities, injustice, and violence.

To overcome the negative effects of cultural evil, we need to turn back to the Tree of Life and embrace the values of love, compassion, and selflessness. This requires a change of heart and a commitment to living a life that is guided by the principles of the Gospel, which teaches us to love our neighbors as ourselves, to care for the poor and the marginalized, and to seek justice and righteousness. By living in the spirit of Christ, we can counteract the negative effects of cultural evil and help to bring healing and transformation to the world around us.

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Did Jesus’ resurrection happen? is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is a central doctrine of the Christian faith. It is believed to be the ultimate vindication of Jesus’ teachings, life, and ministry, and the ultimate sign of God’s power and love for humanity. The resurrection is seen as evidence that Jesus is the Son of God and that he has conquered sin and death.

For Christians, the Resurrection is not just a historical event, but a present reality that is central to their faith. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:17, “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.” In other words, the Resurrection is essential to the Christian belief that Jesus’ death on the cross was the atonement for humanity’s sins.

The Resurrection also has significant implications for the Christian understanding of life and death. It is believed to be a promise of eternal life for believers, who will be raised from the dead like Jesus and live forever in the presence of God.

In conclusion, while there may be differing opinions on the historicity of the Resurrection, it remains a central and foundational doctrine of the Christian faith. The Resurrection is seen as evidence of God’s power and love for humanity, the ultimate vindication of Jesus’ life and teachings, and the promise of eternal life for believers.

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Overcoming our pain with Joy – John 16:16-38

16-24 Confusion, go away. World rejoice them sorrowful, but they will have joy

25-33 No matter what we go through we are never alone; the Father is always with us and He loves us.

Last week’s show “?????????? ?? ??? ???? ??????” was a passionate spirit filled show. If you haven’t already, we would recommend you go back and listen to it. Today, we’ll pick up where Jesus left off in preparing the disciples for His departure from earth this week. This section of our reading will cover John 16:16-33, which concludes the Upper Room Discourse and focuses on the disciples’ emotions.

They were depressed, perplexed by some of Jesus’ teaching, and terrified. It gives us hope to know that the disciples were real men with real problems, and yet Jesus was able to use them. Joy is a recurring theme in this section of our reading. That night, the Eleven were not having much joy! But what Jesus said to them eventually changed their lives. Today, we will see how tenderly and patiently Jesus explained to His people how they can have joy in their lives.

Let’s read John 16:16-22

We see here that Jesus gives His disciples something to live by, and that is that God brings joy to our lives, not by substitution but by transformation.

Yeah, His illustration of the woman giving birth makes this clear. The same baby that caused the pain also caused the joy. In birth God does not substitute something else to relieve the mother’s pain. Instead, He uses what is there already but transforms it.

Every parent knows what it is like to have an unhappy child because a toy is broken, or a friend has gone home. The parent can do one or two things. One substitutes something else for the broken toy or absent friend. Or transform the situation into a new experience for the unhappy child.

If the mother always gets a new toy for the child each time a toy is broken. That child will grow up expecting that every problem is to be solved by substitution. If the mother always calls another playmate and invites him or her over, the child will grow up expecting people to come to his rescue whenever there is a crisis. The result, either way, is a spoiled child. The way of substitution for solving our problems, is the way of immaturity. The way of transformation is the way of faith and maturity. We cannot mature emotionally or spiritually if somebody is always replacing our broken toys.

So now that we understand the principle, we can better understand the problems and the questions of the disciples. In vs 16, Jesus announced that “in a little while, they would not see Him.” This appears to be a deliberately puzzling statement. Jesus spoke in proverbs and the disciples did not understand them. What did Jesus mean?

I am encouraged by this, because there are many hours that I read through the scripture to try and understand what is being said. Without trying to read into this, Jesus was possibly talking about “the soon to occur events” in connection with His death and resurrection. After his burial, they would not see Him for a little while, but then, He would rise from the dead and they would see Him again. He had told them on previous occasions that He would rise from the dead after 3 days, but His words did not sink into their minds and hearts.

I think Jesus is also speaking about His return to the Father. This ties in with vs 10, Because I go to my Father, and you will see no more. The disciples did not live to see the return of Christ, but they did see Him die and arrive in His glory.

Yeah, in comparison to eternity, the time that the church has been awaiting the Lord’s return has really been but a little while. The phrase “a little while”, is used in this very sense in Hebrews 10:37. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Jesus had to go to the Father to set up the church phase. He sent His Holy Spirit to the Church, and the church is carrying the Word of His grace to the ends of the earth.

To the mother experiencing birth pains, every minute may seem to be an hour. Our concept of time changes with our feelings. 30 minutes in the dentist chair may seem like hours, while hours fishing or dining with friends may seem like a very short time. The mother feels as though the birth is taking a long time, when really it may be only a little while. When the baby has been born, pain is forgotten as joy fills her heart.

The world today does not want Jesus or His church. The world is rejoicing while we are suffering, longing for our lord to return. In Romans 8:22 it says “all of creation is suffering birth pangs, because of sin, awaiting His return.” In Matthew 9:15 it says “when the bridegroom is away, the bride mourns. But in a little while, he shall return, and we shall go with Him to heaven to enjoy the Fathers house.” While the immediate application may have been to the sorrowing hearts of the disciples, the ultimate application is to all of God’s people as they await the coming of Jesus. It seems like a long time, but God does not measure time as we do.

Let’s Read John 16:23-33

The central theme here in this paragraph is prayer. Vs 34 “Ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full.” It is important to note that the text uses two different words for “ask” although they can be used interchangeably.

The word used in John 16:19 and 23a means to ask a question or to ask a request. It is used when someone makes a request of someone equal. The word translated ask in vs 23b, 23 means to request something of a superior. This latter word was never used by Jesus in His prayer life because He is equal to the Father. We come as inferiors to God, asking for His blessing, but He came as the very Son of God, equal with the Father.

In vs23 Jesus says on that day, what period of time did Jesus mean?

I think He was referring to the time after the coming of the Spirit. He promised them in John vs 22 that He would see them again, and he kept His promise. That day cannot refer to the day of His return for His church, because there is no evidence in Scripture that we shall pray to Him after we get to heaven.

Jesus mentions prayer many times in His teachings and He had set the example for prayer in His own life. He was indeed a man of prayer and here Jesus is making it clear that a believing prayer is one of the secrets of a faithful Christian life.

Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to us to help us understand the things of God. In prayer we put ourselves in a position to walk in the Spirit. The world does not have access to the Father but the believer in Jesus does. Jesus wanted His disciples to know that by Him going to the Father they will always have access to Him. They will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to continue on the work He has laid before them.

When you read the book of Acts, you discover that the early church depended on prayer. They believed the promise of God and asked God for what they needed. It would do all of us Good if we reviewed regularly what Jesus is teaching His disciples here about prayer. Jesus is clearly laying out the case that there is great Joy in praying and in receiving answers to prayers.

My faith hero, George Muller, who said “that true prayer was not overcoming God’s reluctance, but overcoming God’s willingness.” There is joy in prayer, and there is joy in realizing the principle of transformation. Jesus in essence has to Go to the father to birth and empower the church. The way He connects with the church is through prayer, and because of this we can still experience the great joys of having fellowship with Jesus. He still hears us and answers us.

Let’s finish up this section and read 29-33

We see in vs 29-30 the disciples suddenly moved out of their spiritual stupor and made a tremendous affirmation of faith. They claimed to understand what Jesus had been teaching them, though this claim was probably presumptuous, as their subsequent actions proved.

Yeah, they were bewildered even after His resurrection as to the future of Israel. I have many moments when I declare God’s truth for my life to only not believe or understand what’s going on when a circumstance comes.

Another thing we see the disciples affirm here is their faith and assurance. They said “Now we are sure, by this we believe.” This is quite a statement of faith. In the next chapter, John 17, we will read that Jesus told the Father about His disciples and reported on their spiritual condition. He knew they were weak in their faith, but He was quick to approve their growing evidence of faith and assurance. Is it possible to have faith, understanding, and assurance and still fail Jesus?

Well great question, unless we practice our faith and apply that understanding with rest in our assurance, we will fail when the time of testing comes. This is what happened to the disciples, and Jesus warned them that it would happen. We must live out loud our faith every day or risk denying Jesus when testing comes.

Jesus gave this message to His disciples because he wanted them to have peace in a world of tribulation. Note what Jesus said when He said in me and in the world. In Christ there is peace, in the world there is tribulation. This is the portion we need to claim for ourselves. We are in Christ, and therefore we can overcome the world and all of its hatred.

George Morrison defined peace as the possession of adequate resources. In Jesus, we have all the resources that we need. But peace depends also on appropriate relationships, because spiritual resources depend on spiritual relationships. In me is the key. In ourselves, we have nothing, but in Christ, we have all that we need. Every believer is either overcome or an overcomer. The world wants to overcome us, this is why Satan uses the world to persecute and pressure believers. The world wants us to conform, it does not want us to transform. When we yield our lives to God, he enables us to be overcomers. There is joy when we permit God to transform sorrow into joy. There is joy when God answers prayer and there is Joy when we overcome the world.

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The Geniusness of the Holy Spirit is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

In Episode 122 Titled: “Why does the world hate Christians?” We unpacked John 15:18–16:4. In verses 18 and 20, Jesus stated that the reason the world hates Christians is because they first hated Him, and because we now identify with Him, they will also hate us. If you haven’t listened to it already, I encourage you to do so.

This week we will pick up where we left off in John. At this time, Jesus has told His disciples once more that He must die and ascend to the Father. As usual, Jesus gives His disciples hope with the promise of the Holy Spirit, despite the fact that His disciples are somewhat confused and sorrowful. Today’s reading will reveal to us some additional awesome ways the Holy Spirit assists us in our daily walk with God. It will be a fantastic show. Let’s begin and start our reading with John 16:5-11.

We know that up until this point, Jesus had been with His disciples for three years and had protected them from attack, but He was about to leave them. He’d told them this earlier in the upper room, and Peter had asked as to where He was going. So, they were still a bit confused, and Jesus needed to explain why it was critical for them that He had to return to the Father.

Of course, the main reason is that the Holy Spirit may come to empower the church for life and witness. Furthermore, the risen Savior would be able to intercede for His people before the heavenly throne of grace. This new truth was difficult for his disciples to grasp.

Something to keep in mind in what we just read; the Spirit comes to the Church and not to the World. This means that Jesus is working in and through the Church.

The Holy Spirit does not operate in isolation. Just as the Son of God required a body to carry out His work on earth, so too does the Holy Spirit require a body to carry out His ministries, and that body is the church. Our bodies are His instruments and temples, and He desires to use us to praise Christ and proclaim the gospel to the lost. Is our ministry set up to equip and advance God’s kingdom?

People occasionally pray, “Lord, send your Spirit to speak to the Lost!” May the Spirit move from one heart to another. Such prayer is without a doubt sincere, but is it Biblical?

No, the Holy Spirit does not float up and down the rows of a church building, seeking to win the lost. The Holy Spirit works through the people He dwells in. When the Holy Spirit descended on Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2, He gave him authority to preach, and the preaching of the Word brought conviction to those who heard.

The key word here in vs 8 is “reprove”. It is a legal word that means to bring to light, to expose, to refute, to convict and convince”. It could be translated as “pronounce the verdict”. So by this definition Jesus is saying the world may think that it is judging Christians, but it is the Christians who are passing judgment on the world as they witness to Jesus.

Yes exactly, Believers are the witnesses, the Holy Spirit is the prosecuting attorney, and the unsaved are the guilty prisoners. However, the purpose of this indictment is not to condemn, but to bring to salivation.

The Holy Spirit convicts the world of one specific sin, unbelief. The law of God and man’s conscience will convict the sinner of his sins (plural), but it is the work of the Spirit, through the witness of the believers, to expose the lost world’s unbelief.

Yes because it is the unbelief that condemns the lost sinner, not the committing of individual sins. A person could clean up his life and quit his or her bad habits and still be lost and go to hell.

The Spirit also convicts the sinner of righteousness, not unrighteousness, walk us through whose righteousness?

The righteousness of Jesus, the perfect Lamb of God. The world would not receive the Son of God, so He has returned to the Father. When He was here on earth, He was accused by men of being a blasphemer, a lawbreaker, a deceiver, and even a demon. The Spirit of God reveals the Savior in the Word and in this way glorifies Him. The Spirit also reveals Christ in the lives of believers. Keep in mind the world cannot receive or see the Spirit of God, but they can see what He does as they watch the lives of dedicated believers.

The Holy Spirit convicts the lost sinner of sin. This statement should not be confused with Acts 24:25, which speaks of righteousness, temperance, and the coming judgment. Jesus is referring to His judgment of Satan, which was accomplished through His death on the cross.

Satan has already been judged and the verdict announced. All that must take place is the executing of the sentence, and that will occur when Jesus returns. But back to Jesus’ point a lost sinner is truly under conviction, he will see the folly and evil of unbelief, he will confess that he does not measure up to the righteousness of Christ, and he will realize that he is under condemnation because he belongs to the world and the devil. The only person who can rescue him from certain death is Jesus. There can be no conversion without conviction.

Let’s transition and read vs 12-15 and unpack how the Spirit is our teacher that guides us.

Jesus was always careful to give His disciples the right amount of truth at the best time. This is always the mark of a great teacher.

Yes indeed, The Holy Spirit is our teacher today, and He follows that same principle with us. He teaches us the truths we need to know, when we need them, and when we are ready to receive them.

When you compare John 14:26 with what we see here in Vs 13, you see the wonderful way that God arranged for the writing of the New Testament. The Spirit would remind them of what Jesus had taught them, this gives us the 4 gospels.

The spirit would also guide them into all truth, and this would result in the Epistles. He will show you “things to come” refers to the prophetic Scriptures, especially the book of Revelation.

We must always remember that the Spirit of God is always associated with the Word of God which is Truth. The phrase He (The Spirit) shall not speak of himself in vs 13, this does not mean that the Spirit never refers to Himself. Rather, it means that He does not speak apart from the Father and the Son.

Exactly, He does not manufacture a different message. You have the entire Godhead mentioned in John 16:13, because the Spirit of God does not ignore either the Father or the Son. They all work harmoniously together as one.

It is the Spirit’s ministry to enrich us with the treasures of God’s truth. He illuminates us with God’s truth and enriches us with God’s riches. God’s word is a gold, silver, and precious jewel mine (Prov 3:13-15) What a blessing to have the Holy Spirit illuminate His word for us every day.

Amen, We do not study the Word of God in order to argue religion with people, or to show off our grasp of spiritual things. We study the word to see Jesus, to know God better, and to glorify Him in our lives. As we witness in this hostile world, the Spirit uses the Word He has taught us, and we share Jesus with the lost. It is our job to witness, it is the Spirit’s job to convict.

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What is a Christian Revival?

The topic of today’s show is“What Is a Christian Revival?”.We’ve heard about what’s going on at Asbury, and we’re seeing signs of revival on the campuses of many other universities across the country.So, what is Revival exactly? We believe it is a spiritual re-awakening from a state of dormancy or stagnation in a believer’s life. It includes a renewed love for God, an appreciation for God’s holiness, a love for His Word and His church, a convincing awareness of personal and corporate sin, a spirit of humility, and a desire for repentance and growth in righteousness. Revival energizes and sometimes deepens a believer’s faith, opening his or her eyes to the truth in a new and exciting way. It generally causes a new beginning with a clean slate, a new beginning of a life lived in obedience to God. Revival breaks the world’s charm and power, which blinds men’s eyes, and generates both the will and power to live in the world but not of the world.

The First Great Awakening, also known as the First Revival, occurred in the United States in the 1730s and 1740s and resulted in a spike in Protestant devotion, leaving a lasting imprint on American religion. It came about as a result of authoritative preaching that profoundly affected the congregation with a convicting understanding of individual guilt and the amazing nature of salvation through Christ.

By igniting a strong emotional need for a relationship with Christ, the Great Awakening liberated Christianity from mindless ceremonial and dull ritual, making it extremely personal to the average person as it should be.

In many ways, revival mimics the experience of a believer when he or she is saved. It is prompted by the Holy Spirit, who creates an awareness of something missing or wrong in the believer’s life that can only be corrected by God. The Christian, in turn, must respond from the heart, acknowledging his or her own need. The Holy Spirit then powerfully draws back the veil that the world has cast over the truth, allowing believers to fully see themselves in comparison to God’s majesty and holiness. Such comparisons, of course, bring great humility, but also great awe of God and His truly amazing grace.

Isaiah 6:5 And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”. Unlike the initial conversion experience, which results in a new relationship with God, revival represents a restoration of fellowship with God, the relationship having been maintained despite the believer’s withdrawal for a time.

In a variety of situations, God, through His Holy Spirit, calls us to revival. The letters of Christ to the seven churches reveal some of the circumstances that may necessitate revival. Christ praised the church in the letter to Ephesus for their perseverance and discernment, but He also stated that they had abandoned their first love (Revelation 2:4-5 “But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the work you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.”

Many times, as the excitement of accepting Christ fades, we lose the zeal that we once had. We become engrossed in the ritual, going through the motions, and lose sight of the joy of serving Christ. Revival aids in the restoration of that first love and passion for Christ. Revelation 2:10-11 is about the church in Smyrna, which was under severe persecution. Life’s cares and concerns can wear us down, leaving us emotionally, physically, and spiritually exhausted. Revival can provide us with new hope and faith.

Revelation 2:14-16 says “But I have a few things against you: you have some there who hold the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the sons of Israel, so that they might eat food sacrificed to idols and practice sexual immorality. So also, you have some who hold the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon and war against them with the sword of my mouth.” These verses address the issue of worldly compromise and incorporating worldly values into our belief systems.

Revival assists us in correctly determining what values we should hold. The problem of tolerating false teaching in our churches is addressed in Revelation 2:20-23 it says “But I have this against you, that you tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess and is teaching and seducing my servants to practice sexual immorality and to eat food sacrificed to idols. I gave her time to repent, but she refuses to repent of her sexual immorality. Behold, I will throw her onto a sickbed, and those who commit adultery with her I will throw into great tribulation, unless they repent of her works, and I will strike her children dead. And all the churches will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you according to your works.” We must examine the messages we hear and compare them to the Bible’s message.

Revival aids us in discovering the truth. Revelation 3:1-6 says “And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: ‘The words of him who has the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. ‘I know your works. You have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God. Remember, then, what you received and heard. Keep it, and repent. If you will not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what hour I will come against you. Yet you still have a few names in Sardis, people who have not soiled their garments, and they will walk with me in white, for they are worthy. The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This describes a dead church, one that goes through the motions on the outside but has nothing on the inside.

Here is a picture of nominal Christianity: prosperous on the outside, preoccupied with religious rituals, but devoid of spiritual life and power. Revival aids in the resuscitation of spiritual life. In Revelation 3:11 it says “I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. We are warned against complacency, or living a fruitless life.” All of these scenarios necessitate revival.

The root word for “revival” comes from the word “revive”. The prefix “re” meaning “again,” and “vive”, which derives from the Old French word vivere, meaning “to live.” So, the word revive literally means “to live again.”

This type of reviving involves the renewing of the mind, Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

If Pastors and leaders want to see Revival in their churches, then True revival involves proper preaching of God’s word: This quality can be found in the book of Nehemiah (chap. 9:1-38), where Ezra, a scribe who was highly trained in the Law of Moses, stood at a wooden podium that was made for this purpose (vs. 1-5). It was at the wooden podium where Ezra spoke the Law to all of Israel, while they sat attentively listening to Ezra (v. 7)

In similar fashion, Peter, on the day of Pentecost, gave the first sermon to the Jewish people pointing from the Old Testament that Jesus was Messiah sent by God, to be crucified (Acts 2:14-36). A true revival has with it true preaching from God’s word in context. Popcorn preaching many times leaves out context

Bottom line is True revival is not a superficial, emotional response that results in a temporary experience, but no long-term fruit of righteousness. True revival is when the living God sovereignly and powerfully breaks into human history with the good news of His salvation. It invariably begins with His people coming under deep conviction of sin and turning from that sin in genuine repentance. It always involves a recovery of biblical truth, especially the truth about how sinners are reconciled to a holy God. Therefore, it also involves a recovery of the centrality and authority of God’s Word over all of life.

It is long lasting with a renewed sense of God’s presence, power, holiness, and truth then inevitably spills out of the church and into the world, resulting in many genuine conversions. If you want to read two excellent books on the subject, I recommend Revival, by Martyn Lloyd-Jones, and Revival and Revivalism, by Iain Murray.

The evidence of revival has changed lives. Great movements toward righteousness, evangelism, and social justice occur. Believers are once again spending time in prayer and reading and obeying God’s Word. Believers begin to powerfully use their spiritual gifts. There is confession of sin and repentance.

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Why Does The World Hate Christians? is the topic that will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

We will discover a unifying thread in today’s reading from John 15:18–16:4 that unites all of our reading. That is, the church is facing hostility from the world, while the Holy Spirit’s ministry is operating with and through the Church. Jesus had been teaching His disciples primarily about love up until this point, but now He will be speaking about hatred. In this section of scripture that we are reading today, He used the term “hatred” seven times.

Jesus is the very definition of love. Everything He has ever done is because of His love for others, so how could anyone hate him? His desires the best for us, however, He tells us that we too will be hated like Him. If we identify ourselves as Christians today, then that is the way things will be. Jesus warns His followers that the world will persecute them in the same way that He is being persecuted, and that the world also will hate them. It is clear from John’s gospel that the religious establishment not only rejected Jesus, but also actively sought to have him killed. The lesson Jesus is teaching His disciples here is that they must endure this hostile environment and persistent hostility until Jesus comes again or until they die.

Let’s dive in and unpack these powerful verses. Let’s Read John 15:18- 16:4

We should start by defining what Jesus means by “the world,” because the term appears at least three times in the Bible. It can refer to the created world (John 1:10 the world was made by Him), the world of humanity (John 3:16 for God so loved the world), or society apart from God and opposed to God, which we refer to as the world system.

From a Christian perspective, the world includes all of the people, plans, organizations, activities, philosophies, values, and so on that belong to society without God. Some of these things may be very cultural, while others may be very corrupt, but they all have their origins in the heart and mind of sinful man and promote what sinful man wishes to enjoy and achieve. As Christians, we must be careful not to fall in love with or conform to the world.

Now that we described the term “world”, let’s ask the question, Why does the world system, including the religious world, hate Christians, the ones who believe in Jesus and seek to follow Him? Jesus himself gave us several reasons and the first one is because “we Identify with Him”.

In verses 18 and 20, Jesus says that if they hated Him, they will also hate those who identify with Him. Jesus quoted the statement He made earlier in John 13:16 and in John 15:20, and the logic is clear. We are the servants to the Master. Because He is greater than we are, He deserves to be praised and glorified, but the world will not praise or glorify Him. The world despises Him, so the world must despise us. If Jesus, despite His greatness and perfection, does not escape persecution, what hope do we have with our own flaws?

Some other passages in the Bible show a special bond between Christ and His followers, that when He is attacked, so are we. In Matt 26:31, we are the sheep and he is the shepherd, so when the shepherd is attacked, the sheep suffer. When they attack Him, they also target us because He is the Master and we are His followers. But it is comforting to know that Jesus shares in the pain of God’s people when they are persecuted since He is the Head of the body and we are the members.

Remember in Acts 9:4 when Jesus said Saul and Saul, why are you persecuting me? Paul was persecuting the Church and Jesus took it personally. So, anything that the enemy can do to us has already been done to Jesus. He is with us as we suffer, absolutely amazing.

The next reason Jesus gives us why the world system hates us, is found in vs 19, “because we do not belong to the world.”

When we trusted Jesus we moved into a new spiritual position. We are now “in Christ” and “out of the world” To be sure, we are in the world physically, but not of the world spiritually

We are now partakers of the heavenly calling (Heb 3:1) we are no longer interested in the treasures or pleasures of sin in this world. This does not mean we are isolated from reality or insulated from the world’s needs, so heavenly minded that we are no earthly good. Rather it means that we look at the things of earth from heaven’s point of view.

The world system operates on the basis of conformity. As long as a person follows the fads and fashions and accepts the values of the world, he or she will get along. But the Christian refuses to be conformed to this world. In 2 Cor 5:17 says that “the believer is a new creation; old things are passed and behold all things are made new.” That is saying that we no longer want to live in the old life. We are the light of the world, and the salt of the earth. But a dark world does not want light and the world hates that we are different and out of step with them.

The next reason Jesus gives us why the world system hates us, is found in vs 21 because, the world is spiritually ignorant and blind. If you have asked the religious leaders in Jerusalem if they knew the God they were seeking to defend, they would have said, of course we know Him. But Jesus said that they did not know the Father, therefore, they could not know the Son.

This was not a new theme for Jesus to discuss, He has mentioned this many times before to the religious leaders. Remember, in John 8:19, He said, “You neither know me nor my father. If you had known me, you should have known my father also. You have not known me, but I know Him.” The religious world claims to know God, but it does not want to bow the knee to Jesus as the son of God and the only Savior of the world. In 2 Cor 4:3 says that Satan has blinded their minds, in Eph 4:17 it says that Satan has blinded their hearts. The world chooses religion over relationships.

Another reason the world system Hates us, is found in vs 22-24, because the world will not be honest about its own sin. Once again, Jesus emphasized His words and His works. We have seen this emphasis throughout the gospel of John. The people had no excuse for their sin. They had seen His works and heard His words, but they would not admit the truth. Jesus presented to them all of the evidence they would ever need, but they were not honest enough to receive it and act on it.

This statement here parallels what Jesus told the Pharisees after He healed the blind man. They had to admit that Jesus had healed the man born blind, but they would not follow the evidence to its logical conclusion and put their trust in Him. Jesus told them that they were the ones who were blind. Since they admitted that they had seen a miracle, this made their sin even worse. They were no longer sinning in ignorance, they now had the truth and completely rejected it. 2 Peter 3:5 says “For this they willingly are ignorant.” People in the world refuse to face their sin honestly.

How does the Holy Spirit encourage believers when they are experiencing the hatred and opposition of the world?

Let’s read 1 Peter 4:12-19 and unpack this more

Times of persecution have always been times of proclamation and witness for the church. We must be always ready to give an answer when unsaved people attack us (1 Peter 3:15) The Spirit witnesses us so that we can witness to the world (Mark 13:11). Apart from the power of the Spirit of God, we cannot give a clear witness for Christ (Acts 1:8)

This is no reason for the believer to stumble, John 16:1 says, “to be offended when the world turns against us.” We should expect persecution, as Jesus has told His disciples. We should not stumble as well when other religious leaders attack us, when they think they are serving God when they do so.

The word “service” translated in vs 2 means “priestly service” This statement is a description of Saul, who thought he was serving God by destroying the church.

It is always tragic when religious people persecute and murder in the name of God. While it is true that the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church, Tertullian said this. It is also true that their blood is the stain on the pages of History.

The post Why Does The World Hate Christians John 15:18-16:4 | RIOT Podcast Ep 122 | Christian Podcast appeared first on Riotpodcast.

on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast.

God tells us in Genesis, that travel is a divine command (vocation). It’s a work trip to do the Lord’s business. God tells Adam and Eve to “be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth”(??????? ?:??). In other words, traveling is part of humanity’s job description. However, God isn’t so much telling Adam and Eve to leave the Garden as He is telling them to extend the Garden.

From the beginning of time, travel was a thing to do and it was something that we did together, with God and one another. Gen 2:1-3 We worked together and Sabbathed together. Sadly, many of us have lost the missional, meaningful, sabbatical, worshipful and communal intent of a trip.

Before the fall travel was blessed by God, after the fall it became a curse. God had to “turn the car around” in a sense; instead of the trip being about expanding the Garden, it became about finding a way back to the Garden.

It’s hard to deny that there is something troubling about the modern American approach to travel, which at this point, could almost be classified as a competitive sport. Travel, especially the travel we see on social media, seems to have devolved into:

• ? ?????? ??? ???????? (travel to find myself);

• ? ????? ??? ?????????? (travel as a way to be seen and accepted);

• ??? ??????? ?? ??????? (travel as a substitute for purpose);

• ?? ??????? ?? ??????? ?? ??????????? ?????? ??? ?????????(travel as a way to titillate and medicate).

We should travel with an eye towards the opportunities God will provide to share the gospel and extend mercy. In other words, whether we are traveling for work or play, we should be looking for opportunities on the plane, playground or in the hotel lobby for chances to tell people about and practically show them the love of Jesus. .

To wrap up everything today, God wants us to take advantage of the opportunity to travel and explore the world around us. He knows that through experiencing different cultures and learning about different people, we can become better, more understanding, and compassionate individuals. Traveling allows us to break down barriers and make connections that would not have been possible otherwise. It can also be a great way to practice our faith and deepen our spiritual connection with God.

The post God Wants Us To Travel | RIOT Podcast Ep 121 | Christian Podcast appeared first on Riotpodcast.

On today’s podcast, we will discuss, “????? ? ?????? ?? ??? ??? ????????” on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast.

Today we continue our reading in ???? ??:??-??, and we will see the common theme we have read over the last three chapters: that we are to love one another. When we bear fruit in our lives, one of the byproducts is that we love others as Christ first loved us. In ??????? ??:??-??, Jesus is asked what the most important commandment is. He shared with them the Jewish Shema, a prayer said by Jews every morning and evening that states that the Lord God is one and that we should love the Lord God with all of our heart, soul, and might. Then He added a second commandment, that we should love our neighbor as ourselves; all the law and prophets hang on these two commandments.

We see Jesus here telling His disciples that they are no longer just servants, but that they are His friends. Many of us have a large number of friends who are not close to us and only a few who are in our inner circle. We also have friends who have turned on us or that have been unfaithful and betrayed us, such as Judas Iscariot. To be honest, even our closest friends can let us down when we need them the most. When Peter, James, and John should have been praying, they went to sleep in the garden, and Peter, even denied Jesus three times. Jesus is saying that the only person that will never let you down in Him.

Being a friend and a servant are not mutually exclusive. Abraham is the perfect example of this. According to ? ?????????? ??:?, he was a “friend of God” and a “servant of God”. God desires that we have a deep friendship with Him, but in order to do so, we must remain in Him and obey Him. The more we get to know Him, the more we become acquainted with his thoughts, ideas, and purposes. It’s then that the incredible intimacy and love grow within us as a result of that. God will never stop loving us in spite of us, but we cannot know Him as a friend if we don’t remain in Him.

This kind of relationship that Jesus is describing is supernatural, it is unlike anything any of us will ever experience here on earth. It is a relationship of deep love, both for Him and for each other. The friends of the King, could not compete with each other for attention or promotion. They were a part of the inner circle, not to promote themselves but to serve their King.

How is it possible that Jesus commands us to love one another? Can true love be commanded?

We must remember that Christian love is not simply a feeling, it is a deliberate act. The evidence of our love is not in our feelings, but in our actions, even if it means laying down our lives for Christ and one another. Jesus gave His life for both His friends and His enemies (Romans 5:10) While emotions are definitely involved in how we love it’s more than that. True Christian love is an act of will and a byproduct of the fruit we produce. We can love naturally as Christ loves when we remain in Him.

One of the greatest privileges of being a friend of Jesus is getting to know God better and learning God’s secrets. Servants get first dibs, and each of us can get as close to Jesus as we want. We are His friends, and we should be near the throne, hearing His word, enjoying His intimacy, and obeying His commands.

In ???? ??:?? Jesus reminded the men that they had this privileged position only because of His grace. They did not choose Him, it was He that chose them! In ???? ??:?? He said He chose them out of the world and ordained them to do His will. So, because God chooses us to do His work, does this take away our free will?

No, as we have always said, He will not force us to be His friends; we must act in obedience in order to experience intimacy with Jesus. The word ordained means “appointed” in this context. It refers to the act of distinguishing someone for special service. The Lord has graciously chosen and sets us apart to go into the world and bear His fruit. He is telling His disciples that He is sending them out into the world as His personal ambassadors to tell and witness Himself to others. Friends of Christ bear fruit and advance the kingdom of God.

???? ??:? says the evidence that we know we are Jesus’s disciples is because we bear fruit. We are in the kingdom-building business with Jesus. Where there is true fruit, it remains forever. But if it is manufactured by Man, done in the flesh by man’s own power, then that fruit will eventually disappear.

Jesus closes this part of His message by reminding them and us of the most important commandment of all: Love one another. There are dozens of “one another” statements in the New Testament, but all of them are summarized in “Love one another”.

To wrap up everything today, we can put it like this; Being a friend of God has many spiritual and practical benefits. Friendship with God is a source of strength, comfort, and peace. It provides a feeling of being connected to something greater than ourselves. We can draw on His wisdom and power to help us through life’s challenges. God’s friendship offers us guidance. He knows our personality, strengths, and weaknesses. He knows what is best for us and can provide direction as we make decisions. He can also offer protection from harm and danger. Being a friend of God can give us the insight to make the best choices and to trust in His plan for our lives.

The post Being a Friend of God Has Benefits John 15 18 – RIOT Podcast Ep 120 | Christian Podcast appeared first on Riotpodcast.

Why Dating Matters is what will be discussing today, with our special guest, on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

In honor of Valentine’s Day this week in the United States, we thought we’d do a show about ways to date your spouse or, for those who are single, your girlfriend or boyfriend. When most people think of “dating,” they envision pre-engagement fun filled with long talks, throbbing hearts, and flower bouquets. But, who says it has to end after engagement “or, for that matter, after marriage?

What is the purpose of dating? “A purpose”, according to Merriam Webster, is “something set up as an object or end to be attained.” A purpose defines the ultimate goal, destination, or intended outcome of an action.

If your ultimate goal is having a great relationship, then dating should be a part of your purpose. While Christ-centered intimacy is the great prize in marriage, Christ-centered clarity is the great prize in dating. In the context of marriage between man and woman, intimacy is the safest, and marriage is safest in the context of clarity. We must date to get married and date to stay married if we want to have and enjoy a Christ-centered intimacy

If “Clarity” is Gods truth on everything, then our ultimate purpose is “to glorify God and to enjoy him forever,” Colossians 3:17 says, “every part of us should be striving toward this end.” In order to glorify God in our marriage we must first and foremost grow in our holiness together. Humans are created for relationship (Genesis 2:18), and it’s in this context of connecting and clashing with other sinners that God frequently makes us aware of our sin. What does that mean exactly?

Dating is a time to get to know each other better, to focus on how we can elevate one another.

LEARN TO LOVE To grow in Holiness together is hard to do if you don’t know how to love each other as Christ love us. This “love” is different from the kind you’re referring to when you say “I love you” for the first time. Rather, it’s the selfless, sacrificial love we are commanded to show to everyone as believers (Mark 12:30-31).

The longer you date someone, the more you’ll know how to love them really well. You learn their love language. For instance, like how hugs make them happy, so you go out of your way to give them a quick embrace before anything else happens in the date. Learn their love languages and sacrifice what you want first to focus on them. If you both do this the date will be unbelievable.

What are the love languages? Time, Touch, Words, gifts, service

MAKE TIME…No Matter What. Hebrews 10:24-25 “24 Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. 25 And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”

The first step to dating your spouse is commitment. Always plan one date a week, you don’t have to be stuck on a certain day unless your schedule demands it. The bottom line is to make it a priority, not an every once in a while, sort of thing.

HAVE GOOD TALKS James 1:19-20 tells us that “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” Don’t just talk to talk, but make it a point while dating to have fruitful meaningful talks, ask positive questions and listen. Creating space for healthy communication is important! Dates are the perfect opportunity for you and your spouse to reconnect. Spend time talking so that you can keep acquainted and stay in touch with each other’s lives!

GET-CREATIVE- Colossians 3:23, ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord.” Romans 12:6, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us.”

MAKE ERRANDS INTO DATES- Ecclesiastes 4: 9-12 “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”

A relationship is stronger when they work together, but it’s even stronger when they have God as their leader. Obviously, there is a time we should date without doing errands together but, why not go to the store together, have fun, and adjust your schedule to just hang out.

BE OK WITH CHEAP Even if you’re rich. A common misconception is that quality romance has to be expensive. Let’s throw out that idea right now. Sure, we may be able to afford bouquets of roses and diamond jewelry, but handmade notes and picnic dinners can be just as sweet! Always walk in the Spirit, our money is not our own, but God’s. Proverbs 3:9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your produce.

BE ACTIVE TOGETHER- 1 Cor 6:19-20, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor 3:16-17 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

BE SEXY TOGETHER- There are a lot of Bible verses that talk about being beautiful “The girl had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at.” Esther 2:7. Your lips are like a scarlet thread, and your mouth is lovely. Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate behind your veil. Your hair is like a flock of goats leaping down the slopes of Gilead.” Song of Solomon Chapter 4: 3. Bottom line is to make yourself look good to your partner.

DO OVERNIGHT DATES- Do weekend trips together, or for one night. Make it fun and do it often. Proverbs 4:23 Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. 1 Peter 4:8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.

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On today’s podcast we are teaching from John 15:1-11. How do we know if we are producing fruit? is what will be discussed today on RIOT Podcast, a Christian Discipleship Podcast

Let’s read vs 1-11 and uncover all of its fruit.

The planting of vineyards was essential to Israel’s economy and way of life back then. According to history, a golden vine decorated Herod’s temple. When Jesus employed this picture, He was not introducing anything new; it was well-known to every Jew. Let’s dissect four aspects of Jesus’ teaching to better comprehend what He is saying. The first is the vine itself.

In the Bible, there are three different vines. The past vine is “Israel”, the future vine is “the earth” as described in Revelation 14:14–20, and the present vine is “Jesus”, which Includes His church as its branches. Let’s break down each one, starting with the past.

Psalms 80:8-10

1. The Past Vine: The past vine mentioned here is an act of God’s grace, He transplanted Israel into the land of Canaan. He blessed them with fruit, milk and honey.

So, let’s look at what Jesus says, “The first, was that He is the vine, and the second, was that we are His branches.

This crucial idea of connection and communion is emphasized in a number of the biblical passages that relate to Christ and the believer. In Eph 5:25-33, it talks about Jesus as “The Bride” and we as “His bridegroom”. In 1 Cor 12, Jesus is the Head of the body and we are its members, and in John 10 we are Jesus’ “sheep” and He is “our shepherd”. Jesus, in referencing the branch being broken off here, is saying, that a body part that is severed from the body will die.

As Christians, we must accept that we are branches that need to be in communion with Jesus in order to live and breathe.

How can we know for sure that we are continuing to abide in Christ? Is there a distinct feeling we get?

We must keep in mind that while the branches do not consume the fruit, others do. We don’t grow fruit to please ourselves, but to help others. We should be the type of people who nourish others through our words and actions. Prov 10:21 says, “the Lips of the righteous feed many.”

There are several different kinds of spiritual fruit that are named in the Bible. Romans 1:13 says, “we bear fruit when we win others to Christ.” In John 4:35 it says, “we are a part of the harvest.” Romans 6:22 says, “We grow in holiness and obedience when we are bearing fruit.” Paul, in Romans 15:28 said that believers that are committed to bearing fruit have a dedicated life bringing of bring God glory. And we know that Gal 5:22 says, “we will bear the fruit of the Spirit which are Joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” Bearing fruit will always build up others around us and point them to Jesus.

What does yielding fruit not entail? That would be living in the flesh. Living in the flesh is living in our effort that produces dead results and cannot be reproduced. If it were Spirit produced fruit, then it will go on producing from one life to another.

In John 14:27, Jesus spoke about having God’s peace living within you. In verses 9-11, He talks about having love and joy in you. The first three fruits of the Spirit are love, joy, and peace. When we abide in Jesus, we will always produce His love, joy, and peace in our hearts.

To wrap up all that we have learned today, we can sum it up like this; We, as branches are to remain in the Vine, we are now entrusted with the dual roles of being faithfully obedient to God and to produce fruit so that others can eat from us.

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