The Implanted Word Podcast

As Pastor Bill continues his teaching series through the Gospel of John, he'll be encouraging you to spend quality time with the Lord while reading His Word. One of the saddest things in life is seeing someone who needs help or counsel, but they turn to the world for advice. Only Jesus and the power of His Word can bring abundant life and satisfaction to the soul! The world, the flesh, and the devil are all about temporary satisfaction and pleasure, not long-lasting eternal blessings.

Jesus spoke the truth all the time, regardless if it upset someone, and regardless if it brought great offense to them. The Lord knows how important the truth is, Jesus is the Way the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him. Conversely, the devil is the father of lies, and he's been lying from the very beginning. Today, Pastor Bill will be challenging you to receive even the most difficult truths in God's Word and to reject the lies that may seem to make life temporarily more convenient.

Sometimes, jigsaw puzzles are tricky. Most of the time it's easy to see when you have a piece in the right spot. But every once in a while, a piece seems to fit where it doesn't actually belong. It feels right at first, but the further you go in the puzzle, it becomes obvious that it's not going to work. Sometimes, we fit a piece of physical satisfaction into a space that only Jesus can fill. It might seem to be working for a while, but eventually, it breaks down. Today Pastor Bill reminds you that only Jesus truly satisfies.

You can't really appreciate a plate of freshly baked cookies without eating a few. You can acknowledge they are there. You can smell the aroma wafting through the air. You could lick one and get a small taste of it. But you won't really know that cookie until it gets in your belly and satisfies you. You won't know God until you partake of Him and let Him satisfy. Today Pastor Bill shows you that Jesus wants to satisfy. He wants to be the one to fulfill your needs and give you true purpose. But He can't until you partake.

As humans, we like to see the whole picture before we jump into anything. We want to see how something is going to work before we put our stamp of approval on it. We need to see a fleshed-out plan before we give any money to a project. But sometimes, God doesn't reveal everything to us all at once. We might not know how something works when Jesus asks us to put our trust in Him. Today Pastor Bill encourages you to let go of the “how”. Embrace the “why” of who Jesus is and know that you can trust Him.

The simplicity of the Gospel can catch us off guard. How can it be as simple as coming to Jesus and believing? Shouldn't we have to do more? Shouldn't we have to earn it? Or prove that we are worthy of it? No. As Pastor Bill explains today, God just wants your heart. He doesn't need your intellect or your charm and He's not hindered by your lack. It's a simple Gospel. But that doesn't mean it's easy. It doesn't mean your problems go away. But your problems will help shape you into the image of Jesus.

What are the things that you need to survive? Food, clothing, shelter? Security from harm? Affirmation from those you look up to? You can seek a physical source for all those needs, but it won't truly satisfy them. You don't stay full forever. Clothing breaks down, and the approval of others starts to lose its charm after a while. But when you look to Jesus to be the source of everything you need to survive, you can experience true satisfaction. As Pastor Bill teaches today, you won't need the things of this world.

Jesus drew large crowds during His ministry on Earth. Every town He went to was buzzing with anticipation and excitement. Everyone wanted to see what He would do next. But sometimes, in fact, most of the time, the crowds were there to see what they could get from Jesus. He fed them once, why not feed them every day? He healed once, why not heal every sick person? Today Pastor Bill encourages you to make sure your motivations are right when you come to Jesus. Why do you seek to follow Him?

God didn't make humans robots. He could've just programmed all of humanity to believe in Him. He could've forced Himself into every person's life and demanded their devotion. But He doesn't do that. He leaves the choice up to us. Pastor Bill shows us today that God is always ready to step in and help. When your boat is in a storm, He's ready to get in with you. But He won't force His way in. He won't demand that you let Him help you. He waits patiently for you to welcome Him willingly.

A seed can't grow on hard soil. It can't sink its roots down deep in order to produce fruit. First, the soil has to go through the painful process of being plowed and fertilized, and prepared. Only then can the seed grow properly. God's Word can't grow in your heart if it is hard. Sometimes, God has to put your heart through an uncomfortable process in order to soften it. That process is never fun, but as Pastor Bill assures you today, Jesus will walk with you through it. He softens your heart because He loves you.