YOU Podcast

I have a confession to make. I don’t like surprises. I deeply appreciate when things are predictable, and decisions are easy. But, of course, life is full of surprises and important, life-changing forks in the road. God requires us to take a leap every now and then.

In 2012, I was enjoying the comfort of a great church family, close friends, and a consistent, generous salary. Nevertheless, that was the year where I had to make a tough decision. Both of my parents, who lived 500 miles away, were going through the valley of dementia, and miraculously, I was offered a job opportunity that would allow me to move five miles away from my parents, but it came at a cost. I would only make about half my current salary. However, the prompting of the Holy Spirit could not be ignored.

I faced the two roads that Robert Frost wrote about, and I felt the pull of God to take the road less traveled.”

I faced the two roads that Robert Frost wrote about, and I felt the pull of God to take the road less traveled. I needed life-changing faith. We all face these decisions, don’t we? God calls us into unchartered territory, which sometimes requires a deep faith rather than the faith that longs for comfort and consistency.

As we prepare to enter another presidential election cycle, many people are likely thinking about safety and security concerns. Our nation grapples with how to keep its citizens safe in the face of many security threats. Cable news broadcasts feature debates about rising crime levels, addressing tensions between police departments and the communities they have sworn to protect, and the best ways to ensure national security. Added to the mix are presidential candidates, some of whom offer potential solutions, while others stoke fear among the population and seek to assign blame to those deemed insignificant or undesirable.

While we should look for ways to ensure safety for ourselves and others, we must place our trust in God. He alone is the source of our protection and safety.”

Some members of society choose to opt out of the partisan chaos entirely, becoming apathetic toward the political process. Through this, the question of where we can find safety remains. Those of us who are believers recognize that our ultimate hope and security lie not in our political institutions but reside in God alone. Whether chaos rages in society or in our individual lives, the Lord provides a constant, reassuring presence for us. While we should look for ways to ensure safety for ourselves and others, we must place our trust in God. He alone is the source of our protection and safety.

The song “Take Me To the Water” is often sung during baptism services at churches. This African American spiritual contains several stanzas highlighting new believers’ affirmations of faith as they begin their lives as part of the Christian community. Members of the community often recall their own baptisms and reaffirm their commitment to follow Christ. One stanza of the song declares that “none but the righteous shall see God.” Who are the righteous? What does it mean to be righteous? As new Christians identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ by being immersed in and raised out of the water, they are signaling that something has changed inside of them.

As new Christians identify with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ by being immersed in and raised out of the water, they are signaling that something has changed inside of them.”

The act of baptism itself does not cause the change, however. More than one preacher has said that without an internal change, a person can go in the water a dry sinner and come up a wet one! Thankfully, God does not wait for us to become righteous on our own, because we cannot. Instead, God, who alone is righteous, makes us righteous by grace. When we believe, the Lord begins the transformation in us that will be completed when we see Him.

As wonderful and cherished as our traditions are, they are far outweighed by the true meaning of this holiday. Most of us have heard (and said) that “Jesus is the reason for the season.” As traditions, styles, and customs change, one thing remains the same. The very old story of the birth or our Lord has been handed down through the centuries and has never gotten stale or out of date. Jesus’ reason for coming to earth, as had been foretold, was the salvation of humanity. This will always be a reason for celebration.

Jesus is the reason for the season.”

”Love, a word that comes and goes, but few people really know what it means to really love somebody.” These are words in Kirk Franklin’s aptly titled song, “Love.” The concept of love is often discussed, but is just as often misunderstood. Think about what you have heard people say they love, or what you have said yourself. We may love a favorite television show or movie, a special recipe, or a particular season of the year. We may also say that we love a certain person or group of people. Many times love is described in terms of a feeling of affection based on what a person or thing gives us, be it comfort or pleasure.

The Greek term for love, “agape”, is other-centered love and moves beyond thoughts and feelings to act in others’ best interests.”

While these views of love are important, the highest form of love, and the manner God expresses towards us is noted in its activity on behalf of others. This manner is referenced by the Greek term agape. This love is other-centered love and moves beyond thoughts and feelings to act in others’ best interests. It is likely this type of love that makes Kirk Franklin go on to say “I love you and you show me, Jesus, what it really means to love.”

As we worship the Lord, we demonstrate just how much God is worth to us. This demonstration should be part of our daily lives but is often most recognizable as part of worship services. Worship is about connecting our spirits with the Spirit of God. It envelopes all of our being. Many of us are most apt to focus our hearts and minds in worship as we hear music. Whether our favorite style involves anthems, hymns, traditional gospel music, or contemporary gospel, music can help us sense the presence of God. As some debate what is the most appropriate style of worship music, the fact remains that the best styles are the ones that allow us to recognize God’s position in our lives.

As we worship the Lord, we demonstrate just how much God is worth to us.”

Using music to connect with God is not new. We are privileged to have the psalms as part of our Bibles. The psalms contain many songs used by the Jewish people to prepare for and engage in worshiping God. Reflecting a number of themes including confidence in God’s continued protection and love for God’s word, the psalms may be most well-known for celebrating the majesty of God’s name. One such psalm is our session focus today.

Many of us remember watching the film adaptation of Roots at some point. In a famous scene, the character Kunta Kinte is repeatedly whipped as a slave driver seeks to force him to accept the name his enslaver has given him. Interestingly, both the enslaver and the enslaved understand the importance of one’s name. A similar attempt to use names to separate individuals from their heritage occurs in the Old Testament. Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are exiled from their homeland in Babylon and their names are changed (Dan. 1:1-7). While their Jewish names honor God, the Babylonian names of Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego are meant to honor Babylonian culture and religion.

As important as human names are, the name of God is even more so.”

As important as human names are, the name of God is even more so. God’s name provides us with insight into His concern for us and connection to us. The name God uses in speaking to Moses at the burning bush expresses just how awesome He is. Regardless of the power and position of those who are oppressing God’s people, the oppressors do not have the final word.

God’s name is important because it reminds us that God is ultimately in charge.

Many parents have seen small children fold their arms or even cry when they’re offered a gift they don’t like. We might see this behavior when a toddler receives a practical gift instead of a toy showcased on a TV commercial. Perhaps a school-age girl frowns when she receives hand-me-downs instead of an outfit, she saw on an influencer’s Instagram account.

When this happens, mothers and fathers often intervene by asking their children an age-old question accompanied by a familiar voice inflection and a stern glance: “What do you say?” These four words serve as a desperate prompting to produce grateful children who habitually respond to others’ kindness with thank-you’s.

When we were young children, we may have felt pressured into a lifestyle of thanksgiving. But as we matured, hopefully gratitude became our preferred response to others who willingly offered us genuine love, gracious service, or thoughtful gifts.

When we were young children, we may have felt pressured into a lifestyle of thanksgiving. But as we matured, hopefully gratitude became our preferred response to others who willingly offered us genuine love, gracious service, or thoughtful gifts. Since God is the ultimate gift-giver, He truly deserves our thanks.”

Since God is the ultimate gift-giver, He truly deserves our thanks. He showers us with numerous blessings. In Psalm 65, David elaborates. As we study this passage together, consider pondering all God has done for you. When you think about how far you’ve come as result of His grace and mercy, what do you say?

Elon Musk is quite famous for a number of reasons. Besides being one of the richest people in the world, he is the founder and owner of Tesla, Space X, Neuralink, and the Boring Company.

On May 9, 2022, a man engaged Elon Musk on Twitter, and in his tweet he wrote, “As a genius, haven’t you found out that there is a great creator of this world yet? If you did, make sure you confess this before your last heartbeat. Bless u.”

Musk replied to Mohammed, “Thank you for the blessing, but I’m OK with going to hell, if that is indeed my destination, since the vast majority of all humans ever born will be there.”

Wow, what a statement!

Thank you for the blessing, but I’m OK with going to hell, if that is indeed my destination, since the vast majority of all humans ever born will be there.”Elon Musk – TWITTER – May 9, 2022

While the topic of hell is an uncomfortable subject for many people, it is a reality. Musk obviously did not realize the implications of his comment. This is such an important topic, because hell is real, and we can let people know they don’t have to go there.

Many people think of heaven like a mountain. There can be many routes and paths for climbing a mountain, but no matter which path you take, you eventually make it to the top. That’s fine for climbing mountains, but heaven is not a mountain.

The belief that everyone ultimately goes to heaven is called Universalism, and it is a rather common belief these days. For instance, when was the last time you attended a funeral and heard someone say that the deceased would not be in heaven? No, what we mostly hear is, “We know that he is in a better place.”

The belief that everyone ultimately goes to heaven is called Universalism, and it is a rather common belief these days. For instance, when was the last time you attended a funeral and heard someone say that the deceased would not be in heaven? No, what we mostly hear is, ‘We know that he is in a better place.’”

As hard as it might be to face the truth, not all people will end up in heaven. Scripture tells us that more people will reject God and enter eternity separated from Him than those who will receive Him and go to heaven.