How the Kingdom of God Works - Part 1 Revisited

This episode is about understanding the value of God’s word and how the kingdom of God works. Using the parable of the sower and the seeds, this lesson depicts and creates a picture of how the kingdom of heaven works, especially if we desire a fruitful Christian life. Natural laws are used as examples of spiritual truths and laws.  Without understanding of this parable, Jesus said, "How can we understand all other parables?" Mark 4:13.  This is an important and foundational lesson. 

We live in the Kingdom of God:
Colossians 1:13
For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,

Important verses to have as you listen:
Mark 4:1-9, 13-20,  John 6:63 

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Your hosts,
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Grace & Truth


And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ”
And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
John 1: 14-17

- John:1 we see that there is a both grace and truth. 

Grace:
Romans 5:1-2 (KJV)
1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: 2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

- Jesus came in grace and truth and although we have his grace by believing we also need to have his truth.  We can’t just do anything we want and depend on grace only. 
We have grace but it’s the truth that sets us free. 

Truth:
John 8:31-32 (KJV)
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; 32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

- We are transformed by Gods word, we do not remain the same. We are new creatures. This is where we need to have a balance between grace and truth.

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Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

My story about 9/11

This episode is about my experiences on and even before Sept. 11, 2001.  God spared my life on that day in NYC, and this is part of my story.  

Thank you for listening!  

John Strazza

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Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Awaken

1. Awaken to God’s redemptive plan.
2.  Stop walking in fear.
3. Know the season that you are in.
4.  See the spiritual, not the natural.

What to do right now?
Spend time in prayer and in the word.  This will open your eyes to the heavenly perspective that God has, and not just the worlds perspective.  Do this so you can be bold and at peace, in spite of the difficulty that is surrounding us, knowing that, "Greater is He that is in us, than he who is in the world."  1 John 4:4

Don’t fear - trust God that He has a purpose in these times and that He will perform it.

Thank you for joining us today!

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Celebrate our 100th Episode

You now have 100 episodes that you can listen to 24/7.  We are so grateful to God for helping us achieve this milestone.  

Please share these various series and episodes with your small groups, bible studies, and home churches.  

These 100 episodes are a rich resource available any time you need it.  

Thank you for listening! 

Support link below.   

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Understanding The Holy Spirit - Part 2

Please share this with a friend that needs to become better acquainted with the Holy Spirit in a gentle way. 

Verses to have on hand while listening:

Luke 4:16-19 (NKJV) - from Isaiah 61
16 So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up to read. 17 And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
18 “The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
19 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD.”

John 14:12 (NKJV)
Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.


Luke 11:10-13 (NKJV)
10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 11 If a son asks for bread from any father among you, will he give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent instead of a fish? 12 Or if he asks for an egg, will he offer him a scorpion? 13 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him!”

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

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Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Understanding The Holy Spirit

Please share this episode with a friend that could use a simple understanding of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Godhead. (Father, Son, Holy Spirit)

The Holy Spirit is our friend, comforter, councilor, teacher, advocate, helper, sent to us by the Father.   

Don’t be afraid of the Holy Spirit, he’s your friend.

John Chapter 14

John 14:15-17 (ESV)
Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.


John 14:23 (ESV)
Jesus and the Father are in us, make their home in us.  God with us.  
23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.


John 14:25-27 (ESV)
The Helper will come because Jesus was leaving to go to the Father. 
25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 
26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. 
27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

Thank you for listening, please share this with a friend or family member.  

Please consider donating to this program, use the link below.  Thank you!

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Hold Your Peace - Revisited

This is a revisit of a very relevant episode we did on January 23, 2021.  It was such a blessing to hear it again today, and so much of what we were saying back then is coming into full bloom now. So if it’s your first time hearing this one, or the second time, let it be a blessing to you today, and please do share it with a friend.  


Scriptures to have on hand while listening:

Psalm 46: 10-11 NLT
“Be still, and know that I am God!
I will be honored by every nation.
I will be honored throughout the world.”
The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us;
the God of Israel is our fortress.
Interlude

Psalm 46: 10-11 NASB
Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”
The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold.
Selah.

Jeremiah 29: 11-14 NLT

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the Lord. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Exodus 14:13 NLT

But Moses told the people, “Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm.”

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Great and Precious Promises - Part 3

2 Peter 1: 1-4

1. Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:
2. Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord,
3. as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue,
4. by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Verses about promises (there are thousands more, seek them out!)

Deuteronomy 28:1-13
Ephesians - Whole letter
Colossians - Whole letter

Psalms 103: 1-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza

Great and Precious Promises - Part 2

Scriptures to have on hand while listening:

2 Peter 1:3 (NASB)
3 seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.

2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)
3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence.

John 1:16 (NASB)
16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Colossians 2:9-10 (NKJV)
9 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

Please consider supporting this program with a donation.  See the link below.  
Thank you for listening.  

Support the show

To make a One Time donation use the Support the Show link above.

Please visit our website at: JohnAndLisa.faith

You can also check out our books, teaching articles, and browse through more than 130 podcast episodes.

Please subscribe to our podcast and leave a positive review which will give our episodes greater reach.

Thank you for being part of this podcast!

Your hosts,
John and Lisa Strazza