Youth First Podcast

There has been a misconception, misinterpretation, and a misunderstanding of what love is. Love is probably the most misinterpreted, misconstrued, misunderstood word in our language. It's deep, it's intricate, it's detailed, it's complex and at the same time it's simple. It's only four letters long but it has a deep meaning. We dare say, love is the most overused and the least understood word in the history of language. However, love is the theme of this life, it's the anthem of this life, it's a key part of our very existence, it's in our DNA and nothing will ever change that. Everyone has an inward desire to love and to be loved. People are so thirsty for a love they cannot find that they are settling for the counterfeit our world has to offer. Afraid of real love so they settle with the fake kind. Living off likes, follows, views and shares while starving for real love, enamored with, infatuated with the idea of love yet frustrated with the elusive pursuit of it. We’re in love with love and not the truth of it. But thank God that He is love, and we find it in Him because we are created FROM love, FOR love, WITH love and TO love.

Aren't you tired of being tired? That seems to be a common theme or phrase today. "I'm tired!" In our current hustle culture, our rise and grind mentality, we say foolish things like, "I'll sleep when I'm dead." Not realizing that not resting is killing us! We need to learn to take a break or we will break, we must learn to work at resting, because rest isn't to hinder us, it's to help us. It's a gift from God, it's for us, and the way the weary find rest is in Jesus. It's biblical, scriptural, spiritual and supernatural, it's a commandment and a blessing. We must remember to rest because busy isn't working! It's the PAUSE in your life that gives your life POWER!

Our value is revealed in the fact that God chose us. In the fact that He still chooses us. The Owner adds value to ordinary things. But just like sin has a cost, salvation has a cost. How so? Salvation is free for us, it didn't cost us anything, it doesn't cost you anything to be saved, but it cost God His Son. There is a price to being picked, there is a cost to being chosen, and the value of anything is determined by what someone is willing to pay... And you cost the blood of Jesus!

According to Scripture, if you are a believer in Jesus, you are no longer a sinner, but a citizen of heaven, a child of God, a son and a daughter, you are saved, sanctified, called, appointed, selected, set apart, holy, CHOSEN! And God in His goodness, grace and mercy... In His divine wisdom, the Almighty chooses the least likely to do the unlikely. God chose you!

If we're honest, we can all admit that believing is hard. Believing gets hard when options are few, but thank God He is too good to not believe. I mean it takes faith to be an atheist, it takes faith to believe in nothing... It's hard to believe. However, through God's Word and the life of Jesus the Holy Spirit wants to help us with our unbelief and disbelief. At times, even though it's hard to believe because it hard to see, we trust that God doesn't just want us to have ears to hear, but eyes to see what He is doing. The Bible even says, no eye has seen, ears have not heard, nor has it entered the heart of man what God has planned for you. We don't see to believe, we believe to see!

Saints are God's holy people set apart for God's special purpose, and the truth is very saint has a past... But thank God that every sinner has a future. That's why being a saint, being a follower of Jesus is so much more than being a fan. Why? Because God has more in store for your future if you will just follow Him.

We need the power, presence, presents and the Person of the Holy Spirit. We can't live a life of faith without the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit isn't just beneficial, He is essential. Without the Holy Spirit there wouldn't be faith. Without the Holy Spirit there wouldn't be the Bible. Without the Holy Spirit there wouldn't be a resurrection. If Jesus needed the Holy Spirit so do we!

As you'll hear in this message and throughout this series called Saints & Ain'ts we recognize that every SAINT has a past, but every SINNER has a future. We also acknowledge that religious people are known to throw stones, but God uses them to build His Church. the Bible is clear that we're not supposed to judge people because it doesn't help lead people to Jesus, but grace does. I think we all need to come to the honest conclusion that we all need grace. Unfortunately, many of us are good judges of other people's sin, and even better lawyers of our own. In this message we learn that our job isn't to judge, but to witness and testify.

"If it's in the Bible, you need it in your life." This is my biblical stance on every promise in God's Word because if God thought it was necessary to be mentioned in the Scriptures then it must be beneficial and vital for your life. We need to Be Filled with the power, presence and Person of God the Holy Spirit.