Zion Podcast

Has there ever been a time in your life when you've packed too much, too little, or the wrong things for a trip that you were taking? These situations usually caused more trouble than the rest that you received during that vacation. Just like packing, God wants us to be ready for the purpose that He has for us.  When we distract ourselves from the things of the world, we miss out on what God wants to do. In fulfilling our purpose, we're only gonna have room for the right things. If we choose otherwise, the idols we accumulate will ultimately separate us from God.  

In this week's episode, Pastor Josh Lester preaches in chapter seven of the book of Acts. At the end of this chapter, Stephen is so close to the Lord and so full of the Holy Spirit that when he looks up to heaven he sees the glory of God. If we want to be ready for the purpose that God has for us, it's time that we eliminate our idols and live a life surrendered to the glory of God. This is what allows us to be ready for anything that comes our way in life. Listen to this episode to find out more . . .

"Hope is to expect with confidence. It's an earnest expectation of good coming out of what appears to be a negative situation."- Benjamin J. Houpe

There are many things in this world that have given us temporary hope. Money, sports teams, our family, etc. Unfortunately, all of these things have led us to disappointment more than once. But today, God wants to reveal to you the one hope that never fails, never causes disappointment, and always has victory. This hope is Jesus.

In this week's episode, Pastor Benjamin J. Houpe brings a word to NOT LOSE HOPE! He tells us that putting our hope in anything but Jesus will disappoint us. Since we have the good news of Christ, we can be full of hope because: we are not lost, we have a destination, and we are not alone. Tune in to find out more about the hope of Christ.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 9:10). But what is the wisdom that the Bible talks about here in Proverbs? In chapter 8 of Proverbs, the Bible personifies wisdom as Jesus himself. Maybe the wisdom that we need for life isn't just "good advice" but it is actually something that is alive and walks with us every day. The reality is, that in order to have wisdom, we have to know Jesus.

In this week's episode,  Pastor Brandon teaches us in Acts 6 how seven men were selected to aid the Apostles in their ministry. The requirements for choosing these men were that they had to be full of the Spirit and wisdom.  In our own lives, we need to be full of the Spirit and wisdom to live the lives that God has called us to. Tune in to find out more about the wisdom of Jesus. . .   

Walk through this prayer of declaration with us to experience freedom and healing from the things that have been binding you for too long!! Feel free to speak these declarations out loud with us wherever you are as we pray together and renounce the enemy in Jesus name!! 

This week in the book of Acts, Pastor Brandon discusses Acts 5:12-16. In this passage, we learn that the major difference between the people who did not dare join the apostles in the Colonnade and the men and women who were added to their number and verse 14. The people that entered the Colonnade and were healed, knew the truth of who Jesus was and were saved.

As you listen to this week's episode, our prayer for you is that you would discover this reality for your life. We pray that as you're listening, you would be changed in such a way that as you go out into the world, people would notice. We know that the truth of Jesus Christ can change us in such a way that heals our mind, body, and spirit for eternity. That is the truth.  Keep listening to find out more about deliverance and the spiritual power that is within this truth of salvation. . .  

This Mother's Day, we honor our mothers and recognize that they have been the greatest blessing to our lives. At Zion, we take this opportunity to pour out a blessing onto them as a small token in return for the things they have done for us. Our mothers have not only brought us all the love and care that they bring, but they have also disciplined us into becoming the people we were made to be.

In this week's episode, Pastor Brandon Block expresses to us just how similar God disciplines us to become who we are supposed to be. In John 15 it says that God is the vine and we are the branches. God disciplines us because He cuts back the branches in our lives that aren't fruitful to allow new branches to grow. God wants us to flourish in the same way that our mothers have tended and cared for us. Keep listening to find out more. . .

In Acts Chapter 5, great fear seizes the early church as a couple dies before their eyes. Even though Ananias and Sapphira had given their land, just as Barnabas did, they died because they chose to hold back some money they received from the land and they lied to the apostles. In this passage, the apostles tell them that they have not only lied to human beings, but they have lied to God. From this passage, we learn that even in the act of being generous, God cares more about the heart of the giver.

In this week's episode, Pastor Brandon gives us instruction on how to live with a spirit of blessing rather than a spirit of poverty. He teaches us that it is actually through the power of God that we acquire wealth (Deuteronomy 8:18). We believe that through listening to this episode you will begin to see that God's desire is to pour blessing on you. Instead of living with a poverty mindset that is plagued by the devourer, God is calling us to live by the blessing that comes from God that gives us a heart of generosity. 

In Acts 4:23-31, Peter and John go back to their people and pray. This passage says that "After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly."  Through this prayer, God enables His servants to speak His word with great boldness, heal, and perform signs and wonders in the name of Jesus.

In this week's episode, Pastor Brandon prays this same prayer over us and teaches us that there is power when we pray. He makes it clear that when we pray without ceasing, the Lord teaches us to pray and pray more effectively.  Our challenge to you this week is that you would take 15 minutes of your day for seven days in prayer. Not just a prayer of requests, but together, let's pray for the Lord to teach us to pray in a new way that gives us the same power and boldness from the passage in this episode!

In the book of Acts, the disciples were ordinary, unschooled, and unlettered men. They were unqualified to teach and preach, especially to the rabbis in the Sanhedrin. The thing that most distinguished their teaching from others during this time, is that the people they were with could not deny that they had been with Jesus. Because the disciples had been with Jesus, they could speak with power and authority above the most educated religious leaders during their time.

In this week's episode, Pastor Brandon teaches us that God doesn't use the most educated, religious giants. He uses those who are humble, weak, and willing to spend time in His presence. He uses the ordinary. As you listen to this episode, our prayer is that you would begin to rely on the Spirit like Peter and John did in Acts when they faced the Sanhedrin. We pray that you would depend on the Holy Spirit everywhere you go so that our extraordinary God could use you in greater ways than what you could imagine.

We are expectant to see God do great things this year in this unique season of growth that we have never seen before. And as a people of Zion, we want to steward what God has given us through our giving as we are seeing more and more people collaborate with us to build the church. Tune in to hear Pastor Brandon's vision for the church and how you can give toward this exciting new prophecy spoken over us and what we can do next to impact our community at Excelsior Springs!