It's the subject of a million songs, the plot of a thousand movies, the drama of every high school relationship. Everyone wants it, craves it, needs it. People look high and low for it. A crazy little thing called love.

We have been told that God loves us. Do you know what that means? In this episode we explore the scriptural basis of God's love for us.

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. "

Romans 5:8 - "But God shows His love for us in this, that even while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. "

1 John 3:16 - "By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers."

The paramount expression of God's love is Jesus hanging on the cross. How does that show love? Because we were under the death penalty from our sin with no hope of escape. We were on death row, and rightly so. We knew God's law, for it was written on our hearts, and we broke it anyway. We spit in God's face and told Him we knew better. But Jesus, because He is rich in mercy, paid the death penalty on the cross for our sins, and now anyone who places their faith in Jesus does not have to die but can live through Jesus forever. He did that because He loves you. He doesn't want you to die, to go to Hell, to be separated from God forever. He loves you and did everything He could to show you His love.

John 15:13 - "Greater love has no man than this, than someone lay down his life for his friends."

Not only did God show His love on the cross, He went above and beyond to bless you with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms (Ephesians 1:3).

Once we understand all the ways God has loved us, it is impossible to question His love and intention for our lives, and that makes us free to show others His love so that all people "may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:18-19

This podcast is meant to encourage you, comfort you in God's love, and spur you to speak the truth of God's love to all the people within your sphere.

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Juggling. Speed reading. Underwater basket weaving. What do all these have in common? They're all talents, of course! Well, I'm not sure about the last one, but you get the idea.

God has given each person incredible talents, and He wants us to use them. The talents I just mentioned are trivial compared to the spiritual gifts that God has promised to us, but every talent we have is supposed to be used to give glory to God and to build up the body of Christ.

"Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen." - Ephesians 3:20-21

This declaration was made by Paul after describing how he was made a minister to the Gentiles according to God's power, in order that God would be glorified in Christ and in the church. He talks about the special, spiritual gifts God gave him to accomplish this purpose. You have likewise been given talents by God to bring him Glory.

In this episode we are looking at the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30), and in it we see three men given gifts by God. One is given five talents (an ancient unit of money), one of them two, and one of them a single talent. These three men were to invest these talents in different business ventures so that when their master returned, he might say "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much." The first two were faithful with their talents and pleased their master. The third was unfaithful, and whined that the master had not given him enough to work with, but this was far from the truth, as a talent was worth twenty years worth of labor.

This is the meaning for us today: do not waste your talents. God will not be pleased if we are apathetic towards the gifts He generously gives us. You have special talents that God wants to use to build His kingdom, so this is your moment to stand up and accept the fact that you are talented by God and you are going to honor Him with your talents.

"For as in one body we have many members, and the members do not all have the same function, so we, though many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us, let us use them: if prophecy, in proportion to our faith; if service, in our serving; the one who teaches, in his teaching; the one who exhorts, in his exhortation; the one who contributes, in generosity; the one who leads, with zeal; the one who does acts of mercy, with cheerfulness." - Romans 12:4-8

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There is an idea that is growing very popular, the idea of self-talk. Speak positive affirmations over yourself, don't let any negativity into your space, find your worth within yourself. These things sound very good on the surface, but they have a shaky foundation. Without a solid basis of truth from which to say these things, you are at the mercy of your emotions, the words of others, and the wicked lies that come from the enemy.

But a Christian has a solid basis to make claims about himself because he has the unchanging word of God, which holds promises and truths that are perfectly applicable to our lives. One of the most powerful and challenging of these truths is that we do not have to feel fear. If we were perfectly sanctified, we would never, ever feel fear.

"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of self-control." - 2 Timothy 1:7

If we believe that we have God's spirit living within us, we have a fearless spirit. God has told us so many times not to fear. In big things, in small things, our God declares over and over again: "Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. " (Isaiah 41:10)

Let it be known that these are three lies that can cause fear in your life.

1. "God will not provide." That is a lie. "God will provide every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus." - Philippians 4:19

2. "God will not protect me." That is a lie. "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you." - Isaiah 43:2

3. "God has it out for me." That is a lie. "I will rejoice in doing them good, and I will plant them in this land in faithfulness, with all my heart and all my soul." - Jeremiah 32:41

If God has your best interest for your future, can protect you, and promises to provide for you, then you never have to feel fear. All you have to do is follow Him, love Him, and obey His commands.

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Peer pressure is something we all know from experience, but we do not often talk about the ways that it affects our lives. In this episode, we are going to look at both sides of peer pressure, the negative influence that it can have on us, as well as the positive.

Peer pressure is a social pressure we feel that tells us to become something we are not. That pressure can come from a friend or friends, spouse, coworker, classmate, or social media. Wherever there are relationships, there is bound to be peer pressure.

Most often, we think of peer pressure in a negative way, and that is a reasonable connection. There are more people to encourage us to live selfishly and do things that are not godly than there are who will tell us to run from our desires. Scripture warns us that people will try to entice us to evil, and we have been given strict instructions for what we are supposed to do when that happens.

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers. But his delight is in the law of the lord, and on his law he meditates day and night." - Psalm 1:1-2

"My son, if sinners entice you,
do not consent...my son, do not walk in the way with them;
hold back your foot from their paths," - Proverbs 1:10,15

"So flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. " - 2 Timothy 2:22

It is vital to run from the temptations of the wicked, not to entertain their plans. We must ground our minds in the word of God, allowing it to dwell in us richly. We must pursue righteousness, love and peace with those who also desire to be used by God.

In this way, we can activate positive peer pressure mechanisms in our lives. Through constant community with growing believers, we will always have a source of fresh inspiration and an outlet for our discouragements and failures, as well as our victories and testimonies. By surrounding ourselves with positive people and messages, it becomes easier and easier to resist temptation, and harder and harder to fall back into old, sinful habits.

If you want your spiritual life to be revitalized, start by taking charge of your immediate surroundings. Make the choice to follow Jesus in every decision and value, and then make the changes that reflect that decision. By the time you are finished, you will have become an inspiration to another believer, a fresh wind in their sail, a positive peer pressure in their life.

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In this episode, I answer the question of how we should treat those in the LGBTQ community. This was inspired by a comment from a listener who wanted to know how they should love their gay friend.

It is not a question that the Bible calls homosexuality a sin. Those who wish to deny it will have to jump through many hoops and contort many scriptures in order to come to the conclusion that it is anything but. If the Bible is not useful for revealing truth, and the literal parts should not be taken literally, each individual must define truth for themselves, and that is exactly what we see happening. There are as many "truths" about sexuality as their are people to create them. But for us who do see the Bible as the truth, we are left with the question, "how are we supposed to treat our friends who are participating in sin?"

The first step we have to take is to find out whether this person would consider themselves a Christian, a true disciple of Jesus. This will determine what advice we are supposed to take from the scripture. There are, however, three steps that we should take with those who are struggling with homosexuality, whether they consider themselves a Christian or not.

1. Consider how God sees them. When God looks at any person caught in sin, he sees a lost child. That child may be angry with the world, angry at themselves, angry at God, but they are probably scared and confused because these emotions are byproducts of sin. Better to pity and pursue them with truth than condemn and avoid them. God is the ultimate judge and hates sin more than any of us, but he does not leave people to flounder without help, and we should not either.

2. Pray for them. Prayer is the weapon that no one can stop. It cuts through all defenses and can penetrate any wall. The stubborn heart of a sinner is no match for the persistent prayers of a saint. If you have a friend who is battling the sin of homosexuality, you need to offer them the aid of your prayers. They ought to be many and filled with fervent desire to see a change in the other person.

3. Keep the conversation going. Make sure that they know you want the ultimate good for them. Let them know you love them, that you care about them. They may cut you out of their life if you don't approve of their homosexuality, but don't cut yourself out of theirs. I would suggest that you ask them questions about what they are feeling, what questions they have asked themselves, what prayers they have prayed. They are still a human being and desire to be known and loved, and God has placed you in their life to do just that.

If your friend happens to be part of their church and wants to follow God truly, it may be appropriate to confront them about their sin. This is always better to do with the help of a pastor. If you are a young person, it may be appropriate to talk to your youth pastor and have them talk to your friend with you. If you are an adult, seek the help of your senior pastor. Do not do anything that is going to completely destroy your relationship with the individual.

If they are stubborn and will not hear the truth, the pastor ought to put them out of the church temporarily and you are not to associate with them or even eat with them. This is a hard and explicit command from Paul as you wait for your brother/sister to return to the fold

Our Christian obligation is love for all people. We must do everything we can to see as many people in that community come to know Jesus as the savior, and it starts with a conversation.

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Sabbath was instituted by God on the Seventh day of creation when he rested from all of his works. God later gave it as a command to the Israelites that they also should rest on the Sabbath day in honor of God and his ability to provide for them. This is the Fourth Commandment: "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six day shall you labor, and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. " (Exodus 20:8-10a)

In the New testament, after the arrival of Jesus, we receive this massage from Paul. He says "Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. " (Colossians 2:16) Does this mean that we are no longer required to keep the Sabbath? The answer is sprinkled throughout the New Testament scriptures and can be thus difficult to apprehend, The answer is that we do not need to observe the Sabbath in the same way that it was laid out in the Fourth Commandment. How can this be? Let's look at Paul again.

Colossians 2:17 - "These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."

And Jesus speaks:Matthew 5:17 - “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.The Sabbath provided a temporary rest, one day a week. Now we find our rest in Jesus, whom we have access to 24/7.

If you want to take a dedicated Sabbath day, you are permitted to do so, but it is not a requirement of God any longer.

"One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord." (Romans 14:5-6)

"The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. " (22)I am making this episode so that others will see that TODAY is the day of rest, as David wrote in his Psalms.

"Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, as on the day at Massah in the wilderness," (Psalm 95:8)

"Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, again he appoints a certain day, 'Today,' saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted,

'Today, if you hear his voice,
do not harden your hearts.'

For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:6-10)

Our rest can be found daily in God because of Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of the Law. We do not have to wait for Sunday or Saturday to find our rest, we can find it here, now, in this present moment. When everything is going wrong, when you are full of stress and anxiety, you can find rest in Jesus Christ.

"The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul." (Psalm 23:1-3a)

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Let's set the scene: the faltering University of Michigan football team is up against their powerhouse nemesis Ohio St. in their annual rivalry game. Ohio State comes into the game favored to win by a landslide, both by sports analysts and football fans everywhere.

When the game is over, one team stands victorious, but it is not Ohio State.

Michigan wins the game 13-10 and celebrates in the middle of the field. As if the shame was not enough for Ohio State, Michigan raises the University of Michigan flag in the middle of Ohio Stadium as a taunt to the defeated team. A melee ensues, the police get involved, and both teams are given a hefty fine.

What do we learn from this story? That immaturity has consequences.

The world celebrates immaturity. From destructive TikTok trends like the "devious lick" challenge, to prank videos on YouTube reaching audiences of millions, the impressionable minds of a young generation are susceptible to the lure of quick popularity and fame, if only they will reject sound wisdom and mature behavior.

In this episode, we are going to look at 7 statements about maturity that will be helpful to you if you would like to live a productive, honorable, successful, and happy life.

1. Mature people understand actions and consequences

2. Mature people give respect to others, especially godly authorities

3. Mature people are fountains, not drains

4. Mature people exhibit honorable behavior

5. Mature people have an “I can” mentality

6. Mature people make their own decisions

7. Mature people are Christlike people

In scriptures, we are told that Jesus "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and with man." - Luke 2:52

If Jesus grew in wisdom, we certainly need to grow in wisdom! Maturity is a process, but you can take intentional steps to reaching maturity faster.

The Strengthened Hands Podcast is designed to be a helpful tool, putting practical, scriptural principles into your hands with which you can make decisions that will change your life. That is mature thinking, and just so happens to be point number 6.

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In this episode, we are exploring the idea that God wants to speak to you, and that he can speak to you in very real ways.

Through these questions that I cover, I hope and pray that it will become clear to you that talking to God is not only possible, but simple and necessary.

The questions are:

Does God want to speak to you?

How does God speak?

When does God speak?

How do we speak to God?

The simple answer to the first question is yes, God wants to speak to you. In fact, there is nothing that God would not give up in order to have a relationship with you, His beloved creation.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." - John 3:16

God sent his Son to be the sacrifice that atoned for sin, our wickedness, our lying, cheating, stealing, lusting, hatred, and idolatry. Jesus took the punishment we deserved, death on a cross, and extended us everlasting life when he proved he had power over the grave by his resurrection.

The second question has several answers. The Bible says that "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork." - Psalm 19:1

and

"Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world." - Hebrews 1:1-2

God speaks to us through the creation, a constant reminder of his presence in our lives. He also speaks through the testimony of his Son, Jesus Christ.

God also speaks directly to us in prayer through thoughts and impressions given to us by the Holy Spirit, as well as through the Bible, his Word.

God is constantly speaking to us, and hearing him simply depends on the level of our desire and diligence to listen for his voice.

"And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." - Hebrews 11:6

Lastly, we speak to God through prayer. When we pray, we are trusting him to change us for the better. He already knows everything within our hearts, prayer is simply a way of surrendering ourselves to him and allowing him to do with us what he wills. Luckily, he wants only what is best.

I hope and pray that this episode makes you hungry to hear God's voice, to repent of your sins, and to see Jesus as the one and only king of your life.

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