Do you live with a gap between how you behave and what you believe. Many of us do to some degree, but the goal is to close that gap and make sure our ministry matches our message. In this podcast Charlie continues in Philippians where Paul is encouraging the believer to live up to the gospel that we've been given.  

In this podcast series, Charlie walks us through the book of Philippians. Today the focus is Philippians chapter 1 verses 1-8. We live in an age with "super-connectivity" where everyone is quickly and easily reached. But the problem that has arisen in the culture is we are actually more disconnected than ever. This causes a lot of isolation and loneliness which is a significant problem and only getting worse. In the attempt to not feel lonely people turn to drugs or fill their lives with things in order to fill that void of loneliness. As Charlie points out we are made for relationships; specifically with God and other people. God has a provision for real relationships; it's called fellowship. So listen as Charlie takes us through what true fellowship is about and the commonality that we have in the Christian life, Christ in me and Christ in you. We may be different but if we have Christ as the basis, we have a shared close relationship. As you'll see, this is the kind of relationship Paul had with the Philippians. 

Good things happen when we give. Sharing our finances can be a delicate subject to talk about, but the Apostle Paul wanted the Philippian Church to know the reality of his and their situations. When Paul first met them, he did not ask for financial support, but they were generous with him. Like the Philippians, though not rich, we can still give out of poverty. When we do, the recipients of our giving are blessed, God is blessed, and we are blessed. Not only are needs met, we have the promise of God to meet our own needs. Have you learned to both give and receive?

Is your goal to attain to full Christlikeness? It was for the Apostle Paul. When he describes his pursuit, we see a profile of a Christian determined to win the prize of a deeper intimacy with Christ.  Like Paul, we must be dissatisfied with our present condition, devoted to a single goal of pursuing Christ, directed in our advance towards Him, determined to persist, and disciplined in mind and body. Listen and see if you fit this profile and learn how you can.

How should we view the nation of Israel today in light of their past rebelliousness, present disobedience, and future salvation? Do they deserve the full unmitigated support of Christians? Charlie talks to Arnold about this and other subjects like the importance of dispensationalism when discussing Israel, understanding anti-Semitism, and the significance of the recent war with Hamas. Dr. Fructenbaum has a calm and measured response to these issues. We would do well to heed his words. He is founder and director of Ariel Ministries, which reaches out to Jews with the gospel of grace. See https://www.Ariel.org

When you hear Dr. Fruchtenbaum tell of his journey from Poland to Siberia, to Poland, to Germany, to the United States, you will see that it was truly an epic geographical shift that led him to a greater spiritual shift from Judaism to Christianity. This did not please his Hasidic parents so they kicked him out of the house. But God put Arnold on a path to a Bible education and eventually the founding of Ariel Ministries which shares the gospel and issues of Messianic importance with Jewish people. You can find out more about Dr. Fructenbaum and Ariel Ministries at https://www.Ariel.org.

There is a very common accusation against those who hold to free grace. If we are saved solely by grace through faith in Christ, why can't we as Christians live however we want? You'll often hear it said that this sort of salvation isn't genuine or that it's "fire" insurance. So, the real question is this; Is there such a thing as absolute freedom to do whatever you want to do, or is there something that governs our liberty?  Charlie addresses this very common accusation in Galatians 5:13-15. 

For further reading, see Gracenotes #35 Does Free Grace Teach License and Gracenotes #84 The Christian and the Law

In October when Charlie was in the Baltimore area, he talked with Pastor Thomas Schaller on his "The Grace Hour Show" podcast. They talked about the freedom found in Galatians and it's teaching about grace. This is a re-broadcast of that Grace Hour Show. Pastor Schaller oversees a local church, Maryland Bible College, and over 600 churches worldwide. He heads Greater Grace World Outreach which is committed to the gospel of God's free grace. You can find out more about GGWO at http://www.ggwo.org.

Many churches are dead or dying. They have a lot of activities and busyness, but are spiritually bankrupt. Even churches with great reputations and programs can be spiritually empty and not know it. The church at Sardis is an example of a church with a reputation but they were dead on the inside, useless in God's service. Still there were a few faithful that Jesus encourages the church to build upon. The reward for overcomers of not having one's name removed from the Book of Life is misunderstood by some. We will explore its meaning. We can learn how to stay alive, vibrant, and useful to the Lord.

We see a lot about Israel in the news today. That tiny nation is surrounded by huge enemies who are determined to exterminate them, but their Iron Dome is protecting them. Or is it more than that? Will Israel be victorious? What does the Bible show us about how God has dealt with the Jewish people in the past, what is He doing in the present, and does Israel have a future? Is there anything believers can learn from how God deals with Israel? God preserves Israel and God will preserve His people today. Hint: Grace makes the difference. After an overview of Israel's past, present, and future, Charlie shows analogies between their experience and the believer's experience. A key passage is Romans 8:35-39 which says no one and nothing can separate the believer in Christ from His love.