The Bible Speaks to You: Think, Pray, Love like Jesus

092 – Have you ever just wanted to be more like Jesus?

To be more like Jesus and truly follow him does not mean that we simply repeat his words and mimic his actions. 

We need to embrace Jesus's mindset.

This week's episode, which is Part 1 of "How to Be More Like Jesus," points out the need to:

• Understand Jesus better 
• Hear his voice
• Not use the human will and intellect or our egos in the process
• Not compare how you follow Jesus with how someone else does
• Quit using the mindset of the material world
• Embrace Jesus's mindset 
• Face and overcome the world's hatred of God

The only way to correct un-Jesus-like behavior is to eliminate un-Jesus-like thinking. 

That was one of the very first things Jesus asks us to do, is repent, which means to change our thinking. 

How do we get rid of un-Jesus-like thinking?

We pour in God’s love and truth into our hearts. This flushes out whatever thoughts and actions are not like Jesus.

It doesn’t happen in one fell swoop. It’s a daily discipline.

The best place to start with understanding Jesus and embracing his mindset is by deep, prayerful study of the Sermon on the Mount. And then putting the ideas in it into practice in your daily life.

The more you practice the Sermon on the Mount, the more you will be like Jesus.

To see all the Bible references in this week's episode, go to thebiblespeakstoyou.com/092.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

091 – Are you using your God-given talents?

We all have so many God-given talents and abilities. The question is: What are we doing with them? 

In this week's episode I talk about Jesus's parable of the talents and how it relates to us using what we have been given.

The parable of the talents:

• One man was given 5 talents
• One man was given 2 talents
• One man was given 1 talent
• One talent = 20 years worth of wages for a working man
• At $15/hour, one talent is $600,000

What would you do with $600,000?

Would you bury it in the ground? That's what the man in the parable did who got one talent.

Do you ever bury the talents God has given you in the ground? Do you ever neglect the abilities God has given you?

It's usually fear or a lack of self-worth that keeps us from using our God-given talents.

Using your God-given talents

Please...

Take a moment and take an honest inventory of all the talents and abilities God has given you. 

Make a commitment

Will you make a commitment to take at least one baby step today to use the abilities God  has given you? Then, tomorrow, take another step.

Every talent you have is a gift from God. What you do with that talent is your gift back to Him.

To see all the Bible references in this episode, check out the full show notes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/091

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

090 – True freedom is not just doing whatever you want.

Freedom is about being who God made you to be and doing what God made you to do without being influenced by the things that hold you in bondage to things that are harmful or ego-based.

Freedom is in relation to something else. We are either free from something or free to do and/or be something.

Freedom FROM something

There's the freedom that we feel when we are no longer in bondage to the past, to old habits, to negativity, a bad relationship, and so many other things that seem like a ball and chain around our ankles.

In this episode, I talk about some of the things we need to be free of:

• the past, not just the bad but sometimes even the good
• a bad relationship
• a dead end job
• negativity
• egotism
• self-depreciation
• worrying about all the terrible stuff going on in the world right now

These are just a few of the things we need to be freed from.

The only real freedom from these things comes from God. When you try to solve the problem on just a human level, it never actually solves the problem and often makes it worse.

Freedom To do and be something

When you are free from the hurts of the past, negativity (yours or someone else's), or anything that limits you,  you are then free to be and do what God has ordained for you.

You are free to be the real you, made in God's image, full of life and purpose. You are free to live in the present, to thrive, and go forward with your life.

Christ has set us free. We can let go of whatever tries to hold us to the past, to things that aren't in accord with God's will.

You can be free from the things that hold you hostage and free to be who God made you to be and do what God made you to do.

This freedom to be who God made you and His child and heir to the kingdom of God is your divine birthright.

In the spirit of everything Christ Jesus taught us, I say to you: Whatever you need freedom from, you have that freedom right now. Because Christ makes you free.

Accept this freedom. Live out from it. You are free.

Links
Finding Your Identity in Christ

Lots of Bible verses this week: See them all at thebiblespeakstoyou.com/090.

James Early is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster and conducts Bible workshops online and in person. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. Contact him here.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

089 – How can we dig deeper into the Bible?

Have you ever felt like your Bible study is sort of flat? The passage you're reading is just words and there's nothing new to get from it?

This week's episode will give you some ideas about how to get some fresh inspiration from your Bible study by taking a deep dive in a thoughtful and meaningful way.

Lectio divina

This week I have a conversation with Eric Nevins, who explores a Bible study method called lectio divina. Eric  graduated from Trinity with a degree in Bible Studies and also went to divinity school at Trinity. Eric is the creator of Christian Podcasters Association and the Halfway There Podcast.

This week Eric answers talks about the importance of reading a Bible passage more than once to get more out of it. In fact, he recommends reading the same verses eight days to reflect on, ask questions, and ponder all that's going on in the passage.

Here are some of the questions we explore together:

• Is Bible study of the head or the heart?
• Is it just an intellectual exercise or is to help us experience the presence of Christ in our lives?
• What is the role of curiosity when reading the Bible?
• Are we willing to ask God for help and healing?
• When we study the Bible how can we imbibe the spirit of Christ, feel the presence of the Holy Spirit so it’s not just a learning exercise but something we experience and can practice in our daily lives?
• How do we take these deeper lessons we learn from our study and apply them to our daily lives? 
• When do we have to change our beliefs?
• Why is it scary to change your beliefs?
• What to do if your in the Bible study doldrums?

Eric talks about the slow, meditative process of studying a Bible passage until the idea starts to show up and become part of your life.

Check out the show notes page to read the Bible references in today's episode: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/089.

Enjoy!

Please share with friend.

James Early

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

088 – Have you ever thought of yourself as a prophet of the Lord?

What does it mean to be a prophet? Do you have to predict the future and call down fire from heaven?

Basically, to be a prophet you need to:

• Hear God's voice and follow His directions
• Not promote your own personal opinions and perspectives
• Share God's message in the way He tells you to
• Use your spiritual eyes to see what's going on 
• Judge righteous judgment instead of judging by the outward appearance of things
• Be humble
• Be bold in your trust in and obedience to God
• Have a Jesus mindset

In this week's episode, It explore the story of how the prophet Elisha established peace between the kings of Syria and Israel. It's a pretty dramatic story. You can find it in  2 Kings 6:8-23.

Watch out for false prophets!

But there are also false prophets in the Bible, those people who told the people what they wanted to hear instead of what God was saying. Jesus calls them wolves in sheep's clothing who have the intent of destroying the sheep and being in power.

There are also false prophets today. They predict who is going to be elected president. And they predict the exact dates when Jesus will return as well as the end of the world. Even when these dates come and go, with their prophecies unfulfilled, they still proclaim their prowess as prophets and a lot of people believe them. Jesus told us not to believe these people.

Can anyone be a prophet?

Is it possible for everyone to be a prophet or is it just for a select few? 

Here’s how Moses answered that question, 

"Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!”  (Numbers 11:29  ESV)

I go into a lot more detail in this week's episode.

Never assume that you are not capable of being a prophet of the Lord 

Earnestly cherish your God-given ability to hear God’s voice, see what He reveals to you, and follow His guidance. Put yourself in His service, whatever it may be. It’s about humility. It’s about letting go of your personal opinions and perspectives and only doing and saying what God tells you to.

There are lots of Bible references this week. Check them out in the show notes at: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/088.

If you have any questions or comments about this topic, I'd love to hear from you. You can contact me here.

Have a great week. Please share this with a friend.

Until next week...

Blessings,
James

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

087-When someone accuses you of making a mistake, what is your first reaction?

All too often it is to justify our actions, make excuses, blame someone else, or run for cover.

The Bible is full of this kind of behavior. It started all the way back with Adam. Instead of taking responsibility for eating the forbidden fruit, he blamed Eve.

What if Adam had actually gone to God and repented for his sin before God came looking for him? Obviously, that didn't happen, but it gives us something to think about.

In this week's episode, I talk about 

• Our reluctance to repent and the solution
• Why we need to accept responsibility for our thoughts and actions
• The best way to repent
• What repentance really is
• God's forgiveness is always available for you

The important thing is to strive toward admitting your mistakes as soon as possible after you make them.  

Repentance and forgiveness go hand in hand.

To read all the Bible quotes in this week's episode, check out the show notes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/087.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

086 – Have you ever wondered what happened on the day of Pentecost?

What would it have been like to be in the room when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples?

What would it have been like to hear Peter preach to the crowd?

The Day of Pentecost is important for so many reasons.

First, the disciples were obedient to Jesus

He had told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the Holy Spirit. They were there 10 days. But they were faithful.

It was this obedience that set the stage for things to happen the way they did.

Second, the disciples were in unified

They were together, not just geographically, but spiritually in the same place as well.

They weren't debating theological points. They were united in their love for Jesus as the Son of God and rejoicing in his resurrection.

Third, they were baptized with the Holy Spirit

Not only were they inspired beyond measure, they started speaking in different languages. This was symbolic of the fact that the Gospel would be preached in every country around the world.

Fourth, Peter seized the opportunity

He preached to a crowd  and tell them about Jesus. About 3,000 people believed what Peter said and accepted Jesus as the Messiah.

Not bad for one sermon!

How does the Pentecost apply to you and me today?

How can we be more obedient to Jesus? You can't live in disobedience to Jesus and expect to experience the presence of the Holy Spirit.

How can we support unity in the body of Christ? Are you willing to set aside some of your theological opinions and appreciate other Christians who may disagree with you on somethings?

When you are moved and inspired by the Holy Spirit, God will also provide an opportunity to share this inspiration with others. Be like Peter and seize this opportunity.

I'd love to hear your thoughts about the Day of Pentecost and what it means to you.

To see the show-notes for this episode, go to thebiblespeakstoyou.com/086.

Thanks for listening. Please share with a friend.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

085– Why is your identity in Christ so important?

First, let me ask you: How do you see yourself? Usually we start with what we see in the mirror. How tall we are, how old, how much we weigh, what color of eyes, hair, and skin.  

But is that who you really are, the unique combination of all these material parts and conditions?  No! There's so much more to who you are.

How else do you see yourself? Do you identify your self by your nationality, your ethnic background and culture, where you were born and where you live now, where your parents and ancestors came from, where you went to school, your job and salary, etc.? 

And then, of course, we identify ourselves by our past, good or bad. We let the trauma and the drama of circumstances define us with certain emotions and feelings. We accept the labels the world puts on us and begin to identify with what others say about us.

We cling to all these ways of identifying ourselves because we think the condition of our body, our culture and heritage, the emotional events, failures, and achievements of our past, our bank account, our job, etc. define us.  

But they don’t define us. They are more like a story board of what has happened to us. But they are not our identity. Sometimes they hint at who we are but other times they’re more like a counterfeit of who we really are as God’s children.

As a kid, I was very conscious of my body, especially my very blond hair. I thought that was my identity.

But when I was about 16, I got serious about my faith and started reading the Bible. I started learning about the way God originally created me in His image and likeness, and how God saw me. This was a very different view from what I saw in the mirror and how I saw myself in my mind.

I found a lot of hope in something Paul wrote in one of his letters to the Corinthians: He’s talking about what happens when you accept Christ into your life. 

From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.  (2 Corinthian 5:16, 17  ESV)

You are a new creation

This is Paul's promise. Why then do we hold onto the things that are not who we are in Christ? We can let go of them. Christ washes them away. When we discover our identity in Christ, we realize our identity in the past is not who we really are. In Christ, we are so much more.

So, how do you see yourself? 

It’s really not the best question. We should ask how does God see you. Or better yet, ask God directly, “God, how do you see me?”

Have you ever been afraid to ask that question because you think God will only see all the mistakes you’ve made? We need to remember that God doesn’t count our trespasses against us. (2 Cor 5:19) Why do we hold onto them so fiercely.

How does God see you?

How does God see you? The way He originally made you. We get a glimpse of this by the way Jesus saw people like you. He looked at people with compassion. He said we are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. We have much value.

Discovering your identity does not happen in a moment. It’s a lifelong process of discovery and putting into practice what you discover.

Your identity in Christ is intact. It is complete and whole in the heart and the hands of God.

For all Bible quotes this week, check out the show notes at thebiblespeakstoyou.com/085

Blessings,
James

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

084 – Have you ever noticed in the Bible how quickly God's healing power can come?

A while back I read through the book of Mark. It seemed like every other verse had the word "immediately" in it. Everything happens so fast. There's a quickening pace in Mark you don't find in the other Gospel writers.

In this week's episode I focus mainly on the first chapter of Mark. where the immediacy of Jesus's mission bursts upon the scene with his baptism, temptation in the wilderness, and the beginning of his preaching and healing.

Here are a few of the examples:

When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, "immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.” (v. 10)  Jesus  heard a voice from heaven declare, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” (v.11) There was no delay in God’s response to this event.

The very next verse says, "The Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.” (v. 12) 

When Jesus calls Andrew and Peter to follow him, “immediately they left their nets and followed him.” (v. 18) They didn’t hesitate a moment to respond to Jesus. 

When Jesus saw James and John, “immediately he called them,” and they followed. (v. 20) Jesus didn’t waste time deliberating what to do. He knew instantly whom to ask and when to ask them.

Jesus goes to Capernaum “and immediately on the Sabbath he entered into the synagogue and was teaching.” (v. 21) He just went in and started. He waited for no man’s approval. He just did what God impelled him to do with no delay.

God's healing power for a sick man

While he’s there, a man with an unclean spirit taunts him, and Jesus doesn’t try to reason with the man or ignore him. He instantly rebukes, not the man, but the unclean spirit. He wastes not one second in wielding his Sword of Truth and the man is healed. (vv. 25, 26)

What was the result? “And at once his fame spread everywhere throughout all the surrounding region of Galilee.” (v. 28) And they didn’t even have social media!

God's healing power for everyone

That night, when the Sabbath was over, the whole town comes to the house bringing their sick folks. Jesus healed them right on the spot. He didn’t tell them to go home and pray or read the Scriptures. He healed them right there and then. (vv.32-34)

I give several more examples in this week's episode.

The immediacy of evil's attempts to destroy Christ

But the response from those who opposed Jesus could be just as immediate. 

• When Jesus healed a man the Pharisees immediately plotted to kill him.
• Jesus explained that the devil immediately tries to take away the word of God someone has just heard.
• When Jesus finished praying in Gethsemane, immediately Judas came to betray him.

How can we experience more of the immediacy of God's power to heal?

The key is having the same awareness that Jesus did, that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. When we are conscious of God’s presence and supremacy here on earth, as in heaven, regardless of what the outward appearances are, we can respond as Jesus did, because “we have the mind of Christ.” (1Corinthians 2:16)

The more we become aware of God’s immediacy, the more we’ll experience God’s presence in our lives and the more we will be inspired to take action when and how God directs us. 

Take a moment right now and drink in the immediacy of God’s love and presence and power to heal.

Thanks for listening. 

Blessings,
James Early

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

083-What is the Biblical model for hospitality?

How do you feel when someone invites you to their home? Maybe it's a party or an intimate dinner with just a few people. Or maybe it's just a one-on-one conversation where you really get to know someone and they get to know you.

Or maybe you're the one inviting someone else.

Either way, there's a wonderful feeling of including others and being included that makes us feel loved and appreciated.

This week I talk with Sue Donaldson, author and speaker, about hospitality in a deeper sense of not just inviting someone over for a chat or a meal, but ministering to someone in a way that helps them realize how much God loves them.

Sue shares some great examples of how she has taken lessons on hospitality from lots of different Bible characters, especially Jesus.

Hospitality in the Bible:

• Simon the Pharisee who invited Jesus for a meal but did not wash his feet, a special sign of hospitality
• Compare Simon with the woman who sneaked into his house during the meal and washed Jesus's feet with her tears, then anointed his feet with expensive ointment
•  Think of the men who carried their paralyzed friend to Jesus but had to climb on the roof and remove roof tiles to lower their friend to where Jesus was inside for Jesus to heal him. Jesus received their gesture of faith with gracious hospitality.
• Matthew, the tax collector, invited Jesus to his home for a meal. The Pharisees disapproved associating with sinners and people like Matthew. But Jesus always accepted the hospitality of those who were receptive to his message. He looked at their hearts, not their outward appearance.
• The Good Samaritan is a wonderful example of how to express hospitality, even to those who are different from you
• And of course there's the story of Mary and Martha. Martha was so busy worrying about the food, she missed an opportunity to sit at Jesus's feet and partake of his spiritual hospitality.
• So many more in this week's episode...

Lessons learned

There are so many lessons to learn from these and other stories in the Bible about how to minister to others' needs.

Sue shares some practical advice, from many years of experience, on how to reach out to, minster to, and include people in a hospitable and loving way, both in your home and elsewhere.

What if you can't have people in your home? Sue shares ways to express hospitality in every situation.

Higher purpose of hospitality

And what's the real reason to express hospitality? It all comes back to helping people know how much God loves them and that we are all welcome at His "table."

Sue says, “The more we look like Jesus, the better others can find him when we open our doors and add another chair to the table.”

That doesn't mean we put on sandals and wear a tunic. It means that the more our hearts are filled with the love Jesus had for all mankind, the more others will feel that love and experience Christ's love for themselves.

After listening to this week's episode, what are some ways you can express hospitality in some fresh ways that minister to the deeper spiritual needs of your guest? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

To review the Bible references in this week's episode, check out the show notes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/083.

Thanks for listening. Please share this with a friend.

Have a great week. 

Blessings,
James

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the show

If you enjoy the podcast, please rate and leave a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

__________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life. 

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast  (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)       
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here