This podcast explores several of the compelling similarities between the original setting for why Hebrews was written in the 1st century and why the church needs to hear this same message today in the 21st century. The letter to the Hebrews is incredibly relevant as a letter to Christians today.

During the Christmas season we are reminded of a lot of angel stories that are now very familiar to us. But do you know the very first angel story? Do you know who this angel visited? In today's podcast we want to encourage our hearts with the  original angel story in Scripture. God sees and hear ordinary people like you and me. This is what this story is all about.

In today’s podcast we want to talk about the way God works through ordinary people like you and me by considering again the story of John the Baptist.  When we look at our world and start to feel like the darkness is deepening, when we wonder about the future of God’s people in our world, we need to remember the story of God at work long ago in the dark and difficult days that led up to the coming of Christ. God sent John the Baptist to prepare people for the coming of the Lord. Today God is sending the likes of you and me to again prepare people for the coming of the Lord in glory.

In today's podcast we want to linger over the thought that for the follower of Christ every day is to be Thanksgiving Day. It is God’s will in Christ Jesus for us to give thanks to God in all circumstances. But, if we are not careful, we will find ourselves getting sucked into the overwhelming anxiety, negativity, and pessimism of our age that breeds constant complaining. With God’s help we can resist this spirit of complaining. With God’s help we can let every day be Thanksgiving Day.  

In today’s podcast we want to challenge ourselves to stop taking everything in our life for granted—especially people and all that they do for us, and especially God and all that our God does for us. In Luke 17 there is an incident in the life of Jesus that underlines the importance of taking the time and making the effort to thank God for what the Lord has done for us.  Before we sit in judgment on the mistakes others made in this story, we need to ask ourselves where we are in this story. When is the last time you stopped whatever you were doing to say, "Thank you, Lord"? This is what this story is about.

In today’s podcast we want to be challenged by the story of two people who I dare say had every right to complain and gripe against the Lord, but they chose not to. Instead of grumbling, they prayed to God and sang hymns to the Lord. In spite of what they were going through, in spite of how bad things were, instead of giving into the impulse to wallow in self-pity or anger and frustration, they chose to hold onto the spirit of joyful thanksgiving to God. And if they could do this, so can you and I. 

In today's podcast we want to think about the importance of giving thanks to God in every circumstance. Instead of being stuck in criticizing and complaining, God wants us to live with joy and gratitude in our hearts. The joy of the Lord is our strength. The miserable spirit of constant complaining and criticism will be our downfall. There are many places in Scripture where we are reminded of this. Today we want to hear 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18.

In today’s episode we want to take a few minutes to think about what it means to be holy. A lot of us are intimidated by this word “holy.” We feel like it’s absolutely impossible to be holy. We are convinced that we will fail miserably.  We know ourselves too well. But I want to encourage you  to think differently about what it means to be holy by considering the Word of God in 1 John 4, where we are reminded both that God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. And that changes everything.

In today’s podcast we want to ponder the opening lines of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the ancient church in Corinth. This was a church chock-full of some pretty serious behavioral problems and significant misunderstandings of the Gospel of Jesus. Yet Paul opens this letter with these encouraging words of affirmation. "To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy. . ."

In today’s podcast we continue exploring this absolutely incredible thought that God is calling you and me to be holy as he is holy. God wants us to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. This is not a simple little task or goal. This is epic in every sense of the word. Our God is both calling and empowering us to change the way we live our lives. Now that we have come to know Jesus as Lord, we are to crucify the sinful desires and impulses of the flesh. Instead of letting these desires control us, we are to let the Holy Spirit of God guide us so that we bear the fruit of the Spirit in everything that we do.