The Word to Wisdom

Have a happy Independence Day to all!  
Thank you for listening!!

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Setting the Captives Free

Verses to have while listening.    

Please keep all these scriptures close to your heart.  They are key verses about how great our salvation in Jesus is, and how this gospel sets us free.

Romans 1:16-17 (NKJV)
The Just Live by Faith
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”

What was that good news?

Isaiah 61:1-3 (NKJV) 
also seen in Luke 4:18 when Jesus read it in the temple.  

1 “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me,
Because the LORD has anointed Me
To preach good tidings to the poor; (afflicted)
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives,
And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

2 To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD,
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
3 To console those who mourn in Zion,
To give them beauty for ashes,
The oil of joy for mourning,
The garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness;
That they may be called trees of righteousness,
The planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.”

More good news of liberty.

Isaiah 53:4-5 (NASB)
4 Surely our griefs He Himself bore,
And our sorrows He carried;
Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken,
Smitten of God, and afflicted.
5 But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.

Verse 10
Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.

Declare it!
Psalms 118:17 (KJV)
17 I shall not die, but live,
and declare the works of the LORD.

Please listen again to this episode to get this in your heart.  

Thank you for listening and  please consider donating to this podcast.  Use the link just below.  

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith Righteousness - Part 4

Scriptures to have on hand while listening:

Romans 5:1
1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. through whom also we have obtained our introduction (access) by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult (rejoice) in hope of the glory of God.


2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)
21.  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.


Mark 4:26-28 (NIV)
The Parable of the Growing Seed
26 He also said, “This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man scatters seed on the ground. 27 Night and day, whether he sleeps or gets up, the seed sprouts and grows, though he does not know how. 28 All by itself the soil produces grain—first the stalk, then the head, then the full kernel in the head.


Ephesians 4:24 (KJV)
And that ye put on the new man, which after* God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
* after the manner of, after the measure of, likeness of


2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.


2 Peter 1:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ,
To those (meaning us believers) who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ:  (talking about Jesus)
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.
(All this was deposited in you when you were born again)

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith Righteousness Part 3

This episode focuses on grace and faith.

Good verses to have on hand while listening:

Romans 5:1
1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. through whom also we have obtained our introduction (access) by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult (rejoice) in hope of the glory of God.


John 1:14, 15-17 (NKJV)
14 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.
16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.


Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.     (This is God’s free gift of full salvation.)


Ephesians 2: 7-10 (NKJV)
7. that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.  
8. For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,  9. not of works, lest anyone should boast.  
10.  For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.


Romans 3:21, 24 (NKJV)
God’s Righteousness Through Faith
21  But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  
24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 


Titus 3:4-7 (KJV)
4  But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared,  (GRACE)
5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; 
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;  
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Thank you for listening, please share this message with a friend. 

And please give this podcast a positive rating on your podcast app, this will help grow our listening audience. 

Thank you and God bless you with His grace in abundance. 

John Strazza
The Word to Wisdom podcast 

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith Righteousness Part 2

Scriptures used in this episode.

Romans 5:1
1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Galatians 2:16
16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Galatians 3: 1-14 and 28 (NLT)
1. Oh, foolish Galatians! Who has cast an evil spell on you? For the meaning of Jesus Christ’s death was made as clear to you as if you had seen a picture of his death on the cross.
2. Let me ask you this one question: Did you receive the Holy Spirit by obeying the law of Moses? Of course not! You received the Spirit because you believed the message you heard about Christ.
3. How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?
4. Have you experienced so much for nothing? Surely it was not in vain, was it?
5. I ask you again, does God give you the Holy Spirit and work miracles among you because you obey the law? Of course not! It is because you believe the message you heard about Christ.
6. In the same way, “Abraham believed God, and God counted him as righteous because of his faith.”
         Genesis 15: 6 And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.
7. The real children of Abraham, then, are those who put their faith in God.
8. What’s more, the Scriptures looked forward to this time when God would make the Gentiles right in his sight because of their faith. God proclaimed this good news to Abraham long ago when he said, “All nations will be blessed through you.”
9. So all who put their faith in Christ share the same blessing Abraham received because of his faith.
10. But those who depend on the law to make them right with God are under his curse, for the Scriptures say, “Cursed is everyone who does not observe and obey all the commands that are written in God’s Book of the Law.”
11. So it is clear that no one can be made right with God by trying to keep the law. For the Scriptures say, “It is through faith that a righteous person has life.”
12. This way of faith is very different from the way of law, which says, “It is through obeying the law that a person has life.”
13. But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing.  For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”
14. Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.
…
28.  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ


Conclusion:
Romans 3: 20, 28

20. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith Righteousness continued

This is our short 3+ minute midweek episode.  It's to encourage you about an important topic - Faith Righteousness - which we are talking about in length in our regular podcast episodes right now.  

If you haven't heard the first part of this series, then please listen today... it's so important.  And I believe it will set many Christians free from constant condemnation and accusation from the enemy.  It may also help us re-evaluate some of our negative or inaccurate  opinions about our loving Father in heaven. 

Share this with a friend, and enjoy listening!  

John Strazza

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith Righteousness - Part 1

The foundation of faith righteousness is that we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, and not of ourselves, or our own doing.  It is the gift of God.
   
God is pleased with you as a son or daughter, and this is the grace in which we stand, all because of what Jesus did for us on the cross.  It is the gift of God. This is faith righteousness. 

Paul called it “The righteousness of faith” in Romans 4

Results of Justification
Romans 5:1-2
1. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,
2. through whom also we have obtained our introduction (access) by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult (rejoice) in hope of the glory of God.

Condemnation ended
Romans 8: 1-2
1. There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 
2. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

Romans 3:28.
28. Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Conclusion:
Philippians 3:9
9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

Galatians 2:16
16. Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Take 3 with John - Faith Righteousness

This short 3+ minute episode is an encouragement to remember that our right standing with God, our righteousness, comes as a gift from God through His son Jesus.  We could never earn a righteous standing before God, it had to be given by grace... and this truth and grace is where we stand today and forever. 

Romans 5:1-2
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

God’s Banquet Table
His word and His presence

Psalms 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;  My cup runs over.


The Parable of the Lost Son

Luke 15: (19-24)  
19 He said he would say …“Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’

Verses 20-24
“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’

“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

You can also browse through more than 135 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 

Faith that gets results Part 4
final episode of this series.

Faith and a Heavenly Perspective

Faith is connected to: praise, joy, rejoicing, singing, and gladness.
Faith is strengthened by joy. 
Faith looks ahead with praise.  

Verses to have on hand while listening:

Nehemiah 8: 9-10 (NKJV)
And Nehemiah, who was the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, “This day is holy to the Lord your God; do not mourn nor weep.” For all the people wept, when they heard the words of the Law.
10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the LORD is your strength.”


Matthew 6:10 (NASB)
10 ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.


Zephaniah 3:14-16 (NKJV)
14 Sing, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O Israel!
Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,
O daughter of Jerusalem!
15 The LORD has taken away your judgments,
He has cast out your enemy.
The King of Israel, the LORD, is in your midst;
You shall see disaster no more.
16 In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem:
“Do not fear;
Zion, let not your hands be weak.


Hebrews 12: 1-2
1. Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2. looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.


Hebrews 11: 32-40
32. And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33. who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34. quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35. Women received their dead raised to life again.  

Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36. Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38. of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39. And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40. God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

You can also browse through more than 135 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