There are several places in Scripture were the conduct of a redeemed follower of Jesus is described.  This is not "old fashion religion" rather the result of a life impacted by the presence of the Holy Spirit within a person.  The change in behavior is not a will power issue, it's a supernatural regeneration issue.  

Life presents its trials to everyone.  Nobody lives without suffering at some level and this suffering can be confusing when it seems unfair.  But to the child of God, suffering is a process God uses to grow and refine us.  Therefore we can have peace in the suffering if we trust God in the process.  

Paul confronts a sorcerer on the Island of Cyprus and uses the power of the Holy Spirit to defend the Gospel and lead a high ranking Roman official to Jesus.  

As believers we can easily get distracted by life's monotony and become frustrated thinking of life as "the grind" where every day we simply grind away with no real purpose or end in sight.  But as children of God our lives are more than a mundane existence in a screwed up world.  Every day presents new opportunities to show this world the love of God and find blessings in those places God directs us to go.  So life can be turn from the grind to a blessing.   

In this episode two kings of Judah are compared.  King Asa and King Hezekiah, both described as doing was right during their reigns.  However, Asa didn't finish that well whereas Hezekiah did.  We, as believers, must strive to finish our race well because that's what Jesus expects from us.  And He will provide the necessary things to make that happen.  All we need to do is trust Him and obey continually.  

In our journey with Jesus, we can trust that He will do the work in our lives day by day.  He will show the child of God how much He can be trusted.  In the Scriptures we see the trustworthiness of God and how he provides for His people.  

God shows His mercy to Ahab, a very wicked king, which causes Ahab to repent and avoid the immediate judgment of God.  

 Deliverance from darkness is a part of every person's journey with Jesus.  In this interview we discuss what that looked like in the life of one man. 

The Scriptures teach us to respect those who are older and this is something our culture has lost sight of both in that we are not taught to respect older people when we are little, and old people who are degenerates make it hard to respect them.  But for believers we know what God wants from us and respecting our elders is one of them.  But the thing that we really miss is seeking the wisdom from these older people who have been through the grind.  We could learn a lot from them.  

Peter addresses several issues in this chapter including the marriage relationship and how spouses are to treat one another.  

The life of Peter is a good model for our understanding of what it takes to be a witness.  Peter's own confidence became a real stumbling block in his relationship with Jesus.  But through his journey, he found what it takes to be an effective witness for Jesus. 

Every child of God is a leader in something.  We are not empowered by the Holy Spirit to simply do nothing.  We act when He tells us to.  We go where He tells us to go and we do what He tells us to do.  But godly leadership and worldly leadership have differences and as believers, understanding we are leaders in His Kingdom here and now show prompt us to seek wisdom from Him to lead. 

Continuing through Peter's first letter and pursuing a deeper knowledge of God, chapter 2 addresses living our lives as "living stones" in the structure of the Kingdom of God reminding us that we are no longer people without spiritual direction so we must live in accordance with the will of God.  Submitting to the governing authorities is part of God's will for the child of God. 

Lust is something that effects a lot of people.  It's craving that which we know we should not have and it's consequences can be devastating.  We have an example of Eve and her bout with lust and the consequences but we also have a path toward victory for those who are serious about Jesus.  

My friend and brother in Christ and I discuss men's leadership roles in this life and more.  

1 Peter is a letter packed with valuable insight and instruction for the believer.  Its 5 chapters declare the glory of God through the lives of obedient believers and how they can achieve victory in this life through the power of Jesus.  

A shout out to all those listeners.  We are entering our 6th season at the Junkyard Outreach.  Thanks for listening!! 

As believers our lives now belong to God and we live to serve Him.  Or at least that's supposed to be what is happening.  And when we are living a life that is not real exciting  or eventful, are we taking the opportunity in that season to grow and prepare for what the Lord has next?  If you are in a slow season, then prepare for whatever the Lord has next.   

Many people in scripture experienced rejection including Jesus Himself.  Rejection is a reality in life but for many it can be crippling and really divert their lives into a pit.  But there is hope for the one who is rejected.  In Christ we will suffer many things in this world but the promise of Jesus is that He has conquered the world and we, who are serious about Him, will inherit eternal life.  And when that day comes, we will be able to look at our life and marvel at what God did through our suffering.  

If you have questioned your value in the Kingdom because you believe you don't have what it takes or you are too old and out of touch with many things, then realize that God's plan for your life doesn't depend upon your own understanding rather on His will.  And He will give you what you need to accomplish His purposes in your life.  

One question a believer may ask when they are just starting out on their journey with Jesus is "what do I do with all this?"  We may have a preconceived idea that following Jesus is a very complicated ordeal and the devil will certainly exploit the idea to veer us off our path.  But really what Jesus' requirements are may surprise us.  It's not that complicated rather just doing what we know is right.  All the theological stuff is not the answer.  It's simply to abide in Him and do what is right.  That's where we start.  Then as we grow the deeper things will be revealed.  

Being a disciple of Jesus is a commitment that requires total submission to Him.  When we are confronted with this, many skirt the issue by rationalizing their own opinions which doesn't work with Him.  So how can we have this kind of relationship with our Creator?  It's all wrapped up in being filled with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to guide us into all truth. 

We are created in the image of God and because of this our minds were designed to be captivated by our Lord.  Instead we become captivated by many other things in this life that compete with our relationship with the Lord.  So setting our minds on things above and allowing our spirit to become captivated by the Holy Spirit brings with it those promises in the Scriptures that abound for the believer. 

As believers we are expected to live by faith or as it says in 2 Cor 5:7  "for we walk by faith, not by sight."  But when life gets scary we can quickly become desperate for a solution and try to obtain that solution when all we need to do is wait and God will fix it.  

Many of us have had this experience routinely - we think we are doing good and then we do something that reveals our heart is not good.  We try to be good but to no avail it seems.  Trusting in Jesus and being open and honest with Him about our wretched hearts is the first step to victory.  

True riches in this life come from God and includes the knowledge and wisdom of Him.  Material riches can be a blessing but can also be a trap that drags us away from the will of God into our will.  But with Jesus at our helm, we can experience the true riches of God and not have a lot of baggage attached to them. 

Staying in the fight as a believer is a challenge especially when seasons in our lives drag on for years.  But the hope we have in eternity should spur us onto continue in the faith.  And when we are led by the Holy Spirit, even during those uneventful seasons, we can still see God's hand moving in our lives. 

Walking in the Spirit produces spiritual light which can be seen by others.  Jesus commands us to let that light shine so all can see.  This involves obedience and a life spent serving Him.  And by doing this there are promises from God for those who are faithful.  

As a believer we are called to sacrifice or do things without getting things in return.  This is a fundamental in the faith and is pertinent until we die.  When we learn to sacrifice we become more familiar with God's love which is sacrificial.  He gives us a lot of love but what does He ger in return?  Many times nothing or worse something negative.  This is how we learn to love - give and don't expect to get.  

Psalm 16 is a short psalm but provides a good checklist for us to evaluate our lives and see if we are living in a way that is pleasing to God.  The psalm ends with "at your right hand are pleasures forevermore."  The result of a life of obedience to God is eternal life where there will be pleasures forevermore.  

As a new believer begins to experience the presence of God in their lives and the new life which God brings into the heart of those who believe, the process of growth continues as we are now faced with challenges to the way we are currently living.  We read scripture and find out there are commands to love others as ourselves, avoid behavior offensive to God, and go where the Holy Spirit leads us.  We now have a choice.  Do I obey or not.  And obedience is often not easy.  But when we obey that growth continues as does the interaction with God in our lives so if we want to grow and we want that interaction with God then we need to, as Joshua said in: 

Jos 24:15  ......But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” 

Many places in the Scriptures we are given a choice and that choice begins with the word "if."  If we do this then God will do this.  For example - 1 John 1:9  "If" we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  When we come across one of these "if" verses we have an opportunity to evaluate our own relationship with Jesus and see whether or not we are pursuing His will. 

Paul ends his letter to the Galatian believers by encouraging them to keep up the fight and not fall into the hands of the false teachers that had already deceived many of them.  

Paul, continuing his letter to the churches in Galatia, now asks the believers "who hindered you from obeying the truth?"  Like the Galatians who were being deceived by false teaching bringing people under a religious legal system that was totally unnecessary, we too can fall victim to religious systems, traditions, dogmatic teachings and hinder our freedom in Jesus.  This brings us back into bondage of the world and the master of the world - Satan.  Paul clarifies certain behavior, like he did in his letter to the Ephesians and the first letter to the Corinthian believers, that is a disqualifier from the kingdom of God if we do not surrender that behavior to Jesus.  This is helpful in our lives to know what is expected of us but at the same time challenges our faith.  Do we really surrender all to Jesus?     

There are times in our lives as believers where we suffer.  This is nothing new and is actually a part of God's development plan for us.  But how we receive and accept the suffering can be either edifying, or builds us up, or we can withdraw and become bitter which sinks us in the opposite direction.  

When Jesus breathed on His disciples and said "receive the Holy Spirit" that moment was a turning point for the disciples as the Holy Spirit that was "with" them was now going to be in them.  When a person receives the Holy Spirit, it's a real even that initiates the indwelling of the Holy Spirit which is a foundational component of our salvation.  

A "religious" person may have all the right stuff on the outside but never achieve any victory in Jesus because they are not concerned with God's will in their life rather "checking the box."  But to the person who is seeking the will of God and is willing to trust in Him no matter what the circumstances, they will be the ones who will receive the forgiveness and cleansing of God.  

Repentance plays a critical role in our relationship with Jesus.  It's not a one time deal where we repent, receive Jesus then we live our lives perfectly until we die.  Rather it's a lifestyle rooted in obedience to the Holy Spirit where the battle we experience in our own flesh or natural mind rages and we have a choice to continue in repentance or return back to the flesh and be miserable as believers.  

The Apostle Paul continues his correction in this letter to the churches in Galatia now comparing the life of freedom in Christ verses the life in subjection to the Law of Moses to Ishmael and Isaac the sons of Abraham.  

How we approach the Lord declares our relationship with Him.  Are we doubting Him or demanding from Him?  Or are we seeking His will to be done over all else.  In this episode there are two men each with a different approach to Jesus and a different response from Jesus.  Both received what they were asking but it is very telling in their approach why Jesus responded differently to each one. 

Paul presents several questions, answers and arguments defending the sole sufficiency of Christ and it's superiority over the Law reminding those Gentile believers that the Law of Moses doesn't cleanse them nor does it give them spiritual power to draw close to God.  

In the process of growing in Christ, we are faced with another crossroad.  One way is to stay status quo and not get too excited about anything because people will think we are weird.  The other way is to get serious about Jesus and let Him radically change us into a child of God as He gives us the power to become His child.  

After God calls a person they either accept the call or refuse.  When a person accepts the call things change and it's time to get serious about Jesus then follow Him.  

Paul continues his letter to the churches in Galatia and in chapter 2 we see Paul rebuking Peter for separating himself from the Gentiles when certain Jewish brothers came to Antioch to pay the church a visit.  This demonstrates Paul's insistence that Jews and Gentiles are no longer separated rather they are all one in Christ. 

"Nobody comes to me unless the Father draws him."  That calling of God is something I believe every human experiences at some point in their lives if not multiple times.  It's the Father pulling us to Jesus so that we can be empowered by the Holy Spirit and have true communion with God.  Understanding that God is calling us can have a dramatic effect upon a person who is reluctant to come to God or go to church for whatever reason.  So understanding "the call" is huge. 

In chapter one of the letter to the churches in Galatia, Paul introduces himself and begins immediately to address the issue at hand.  That is the false teaching that was sweeping through their new churches drawing them into the Law of Moses instead of liberating them from legalism.  

Spiritual growth is an important part of every believer's life.  Child of God should never be content with "business as usual" in their walk with Jesus.  A life spent learning Christ is a life of spiritual abundance that prepares us for our eternal home.  In this series I will share my experience with Jesus and the steps throughout the years that He has compelled me to take and the results of those steps have been a closer walk with Him throughout time since the early 1990s.  

I want to share 9 steps, seasons, phases what every you want to call them that were built on the foundation of Christ and are still continuing to this day.  The first episode is a summary of all 9 and then the following will focus on one.  

The letter to the churches in that region called "Galatia" defends the freedom of Christ from legalism or unreasonable rules.  The Apostle Paul ministered to the cities in this region on his missionary journeys resulting in the Gospel taking root in several cities.  However teachers came in after Paul and persuaded the new believers to follow their way of teaching involving adhering to the law of Moses despite the fact there were many Gentiles among the believers.  Paul defends this freedom from Legalism in this letter.  

In our world of business and chaos we can become so distracted that our relationship with God goes on a shelf.  But in the chaos, we can trust Jesus and simply be still and know that He is God.  If we are able to do this it makes life much less chaotic as He is with us.   

Chapter 22 concludes the Revelation of Jesus Christ and in it we are warned that He is coming soon.  Living our lives being ready for the day when we meet Him should motivate every believer to stay faithful to Jesus and obey the Holy Spirit day by day ensuring our lives are used for the glory of His Kingdom.  

The life of a believer requires some things.  Salvation by grace through faith is the starting point but with that comes a cleansing when the Holy Spirit is invited into a person's life.  The process of cleansing is ongoing throughout the believer's life and brings us closer to Jesus as we distance ourself from our own iniquity.  

Ch.21 reveals the New Heavens and the New Earth foretold in the Old Testament.  Now we get a glimpse, in human terms, what it will be like.

Jesus was born in a manger in Bethlehem which is the focus of the Christmas holiday.  However, why he was born and the significance to the believer individually, is often times overlooked during the holiday.  That baby was born to die for the sins of the world so that those who believe in Him would not perish but have eternal life.  

The book of Revelation and its many interpretations often collide in Ch.20.  Jesus is said to bind Satan, establish the Long awaited Kingdom which lasts 1000 years, Satan is released at the conclusion of the 1000 years and there is a final rebellion on earth where all the wicked are slain and the transition is ready from this current reality into the New Heaven and New Earth.  

Revelation Ch.19 reveals the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in heaven prior to the return of Jesus to establish His kingdom.  The chapter also includes His return and the battle of Armaggedon.  

As children of God we are called to live free in Christ.  To a person who has never experienced the new birth and new life in Christ this probably will not register.  But to those who have we understand that we are free from those things that chained us as unbelievers.  So staying free is now the task for the believer and that can be a challenge but walking in the Spirit, pursuing God's will is the path to continual freedom.  

The Power of the Holy Spirit in a believer is the power of God within them.  This doesn't mean a person can conjure up power and use it at will rather it's the power that is always ready to move a believer toward and in the will of God.  This is how we function as children of God - with our Father's power.  

Revelation Ch.18 reveals the destruction of Babylon the Great also called the Great City and the Women who sits on the Beast.  The Great City is identified as Jerusalem in Ch.11 so it appears to me that Babylon the Great is Jerusalem under the reign of the Antichrist.  The city may become the center of the world economy when the Antichrist or "Beast" begins to exert political power over the nations including the world's trade.    

Chapter 17 introduces John to a women who sits on a beast.  The women, also known as the "great city," "the great prostitute" and "Babylon the Great" is a key player in the tribulation period.  I believe the "great city" being defined in Rev 11:8 as the city of Jerusalem, or the city where the Lord was crucified, is represented in all these other names and represents those in Jerusalem who are connected to the antichrist and benefit from his power during the first 3 1/2 years of the final 7 years of Daniel's 490 year prophecy.  

This new vision or new part of the overall vision shows the finality of the judgments of God up to the end of the Great Tribulation.  

Living in harmony with one another and God is a lofty task.  And the reason is that we can get stuck in our old nature and never experience the deliverance that comes from the Holy Spirit.  But with the Holy Spirit we can be transformed into children of light and that harmony increases.  Staying in that place where we are being renewed day by day is the key.  

Being thankful is a part of the believer's experience with God.  When our hearts are given over to Jesus and we are made new in Him, we have so much to look forward to in eternity and in this life as well.  He will empower us with a new life serving Him and doing things for the Kingdom which will reap big rewards in eternity and in many cases here as well. 

John's vision which started in ch.7:9 comes to an end here in ch.15:4 where the scene is heaven with the end of the Great Tribulation in view.  

John sees the 144,000 standing with Jesus on the earth.  The final message of salvation is given to the earth by angels and then Jesus gathers the nations for the judgement of the sheep and goats in Matt 25.  

King David had his ups and downs.  But his heart was yielded to God and through those times when life was very difficult for him, he soon learned that God was with him when his heart was right.   

As a child of God we are ministers of the Gospel.  That means we have a ministry and fulfilling that ministry is crucial to our eternal rewards.  Being faithful to that which God has given us and serving Jesus throughout our lives, until the end, in obedience to the Word and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us through this life will result in fulfilling our ministry in this life.  

Chapter 13 gives us a spapshot summary of the Antichrist and False Prophet's role in the Great Tribulation.  

Chapter 12 opens with a look at the history of Israel when Jesus was born and gives a heavenly perspective on the battle between Satan and Israel up into the tribulation period. 

Victory in Christ comes when we allow Him to lead us through this life.  What is hard about this is the things we are called to do and the manner in which to do them are often not something we want to do.  So we often rationalize ways to avoid God's will.  And that leads to spiritual desolation.  Whereas trusting in Him no matter what brings about God's will which is often something we cannot grasp on our own. 

In chapter 11 we are introduced to two witnesses who will become known worldwide for preaching Jesus.  The Beast, or Antichrist, will ultimately kill them although God has realistically completed their ministry so it's time to bring them home.  Following this revelation, John sees the 7th Trumpet and the effects of it.  This brings the tribulation period to a close as Jesus is seen as having set up His kingdom on earth.  

Reading through the Scriptures we see references to the righteous, the foolish and the wicked.  For each person there is a trajectory in life that lands in eternity.  Some think it's not subject to change as they were destined for the life they live.  But God can change things and bring a person out of darkness into the light if they are willing to receive Him.  

Chapter 20 is a short chapter where John is given a scroll to consume and instructed to continue to prophesy (speak forth the word of God).  We also see what is referred to a the 7 thunders.  We are not told what they are but we are told that the mystery of God would be revealed when the 7th Trumpet sounds. 

Chapter 9 introduces the reader to a horde of demonic creatures resembling locusts in the natural world.  These creatures torment those who are not sealed by God for 5 months giving those who willing an opportunity to turn to Jesus and repent. 

We see the title "sluggard" in the Scriptures referring to those who are not willing to work or really contribute at all.  And studying this we can see that God does not condone sluggishness rather expects people, especially those who claim Him as their God, to be diligent in their character and take care of business.  Poverty is one consequence of being "sluggish" although some in poverty are not sluggish rather they work but are stuck in poverty.  God doesn't condemn them as they are diligent in their lives.  And a sluggish person can have a sluggish relationship with God resulting in nothing but failure because they don't pursue God diligently.  

In chapter 8 we see the 7th seal loosed which appears to me to signify the end of the tribulation period as does the 7th Trumpet and the 7th Bowl judgement.  So the seals, trumpets and bowls all terminate at the end of the 7 years in my mind.  

The 7th and final seal looses and reveals the writing on the scroll but we are not told what that writing is.  However, what transpires after the scroll in now open appears to be what is contained in the scroll, that is the judgments of God from heaven declared one by one by the blowing of a trumpet for each of the judgments.  

The trumpet was used as a battle cry in the Old Testament among other things and that's what I see this as - God sounds the alarm and begins His attack and does so until the end of the tribulation period when the 7th Trumpet declares Jesus is now reigning on earth and the 7th Bowl declares "it is done."   

Revelation chapter 7:9 begins a new section of the overall vision of the book beginning with the phrase "after this."  This section continues into chapter 15:4.   In this episode we will see a multitude standing before the throne of God waiving palm branches who are identified as those who have come out of the great tribulation.  This appears to me to be John witnessing the entire population of believers who have died during the final 7 years of Daniel's 490 year prophecy and shows John those who will perish in the judgements he will see starting in chapter 8.  

Psalm 2 is short and deals with man's continued rebellion and God's authority over this world.  It also refers to the future when Jesus is set up as King in Jerusalem.  It's a psalm of warning to the wicked and hope for the faithful.  

In the Scriptures there are many references to the knowledge of God.  Reviewing these it becomes clear this is something we not only need to pursue but also possess if we want to know Jesus.  

Chapter 7 verses 1-8 are a small section of the Book of Revelation separated by the phrase "after this."  Again this to me seems to indicate that John is seeing different parts of the last 7 years of Daniel Ch.9's prophecy wrapping up the age of the rule of man before Messiah or Christ returns and sets up the long awaited kingdom.  In this section, we see God having 144,000 Jewish men sealed or marked as His own during this last 7 years.  No harm will come to them as God pours out His wrath on this world.  These will be witnesses for Jesus during the 7 years.  

In Chapter 6 Jesus opens 6 of 7 seals from a scroll that kick off a world wide war.  The 6th seal appears consistent with the 7 and final bowl judgment of Revelation chapter 16.  The seals and corresponding events represent the authority of Jesus to initiate the time in the Scriptures called by many names most notably the Great Tribulation.  

The ancient city of Philippi was a proud Roman colony in the days of the Apostle Paul.  He visits the city and he and Silas, his traveling companion, experience a crazy few days but those days allow a church to be born that Paul would later write a letter to - Philippians.  

Chapter 5 is a continuation of Chapter 4 where John is seeing the Throne Room of God preparing for the Great Tribulation Period which will kick off in Chapter 6. 

In our modern day world, with information available in real time, we can become overwhelmed with the negativity that seems to never end.  However, for the child of God there is a hope that is so much greater than than the drama of this life, that it is worth giving thanks to our King.  Staying focused on Jesus and being content with our lives, is key in living a life of thanksgiving which helps override the feeling of hopelessness we can fall into.  

Chapter 4 begins with the words "after this" and begins a new component of this vision from God.  John will see the events of the great tribulation all the way to the end where God establishes the New Heavens and the New Earth.  

Living our lives in obedience to Jesus should be evident.  Walking in the light is simply living day by day trusting Jesus and doing what we know He wants us to do.  That involves being in tune with the Holy Spirit and listening carefully for instruction for the day.  

A view among some is that the 7 churches in chapters 2 and 3 represent 7 successive eras of church history in the order the 7 churches are listed in these two chapters.  I think this is interesting and see the connection while others don't.  This is my summary of this view.  

In a age where people are seemingly free to do what the Scriptures has declared evil, we have the Holy Spirit to provide is the wisdom and more to be a light in this world and show those in darkness the goodness, grace and mercy of God.  Our life as a believer must be lived "walking in the Spirit" so we can discern and accomplish the will of God.  

Loadicea was a very wealthy and proud city.  And the Christians in that city appear to be the same.  This was the church where we find the word "lukewarm" describing their true character.  This was unacceptable to Jesus and He warns them that He would "spit them out of His mouth" if they continued down this road.  

Most don't realize that our city of Philadelphia comes from this ancient city in Turkey.  This church, like Smyrna, receives no rebuke rather only encouragement.  They too were in the midst of hate and apparently did according to what Jesus would have them do as His followers.   

The church in this city, at the time John wrote this, appeared alive.  But from Jesus' perspective the church was dead.  There is nothing good said about this church and there were only a few faithful among the congregation.  Their instruction was to remember what they had received and heard and then keep it.  Then repent.  

The church in the city of Thyatira has good things and bad things happening in the church.  Jesus points out those who are faithful and those who really need to stop and turn the other direction.  There is a promise of deliverance for the faithful and tribulation for the rest.  

Believer's new lives in Christ are not simply given to us by the Lord to sit idly by and while the battle for the souls of mankind rage in the spirit realm.  There is a purpose for each of us in God' plan to reveal His love to this world.  And when there are storms, we need to understand we are built for storms and our Captain goes before us and will lead us through.  

The city of Pergamos has been well documented in history and the believers in this city, during the time of John, experienced people in the church who had compromised their faith when they began to bring paganism into the church.   

The church in the city of Smyrna suffered severe persecution.  They were faithful and received no correction from Jesus rather they were called to be faithful until the death.  

As children of God we need to have the mind of Christ or in other words we need to think in a manner consistent with His will.  This is only truly possible when His Holy Spirit has the reigns of our lives.  And when we are loving one another we are doing His will.  But there are times when our liberty in Jesus can be a stumbling block to someone else's faith.  And we don't want that.  So being on guard so that we avoid hurting someone's relationship with the Lord is crucial in maintaining unity in the Spirit.  

The first church listed in chapter 2 is the church in the city of Ephesus.  This would be the church Timothy was involved with and John would return to after his exile.  Their church was solid but the love of God was shelved and they are called to repent.  

Kicking off the Book of Revelation, we see John and his interaction with the post-resurrected Jesus who gives John instruction to write this book and deliver it to 7 churches.   

Amaziah was a king in the southern kingdom.  He started his reign well but went sideways and ultimately ended up dying in disgrace and leaving the kingdom in shambles.  What happened to Amaziah happens to many people in the church, they get tired of doing good and instead go after forbidden fruit which often times takes them down.  However there are others who continue to live their lives following Jesus and finish their life pleasing the Lord.  And that's where we want to be. 

In this episode I share my personal journey into studying the book of Revelation and what brought me to the Pre-Tribulation view.  While I don't expect this to change everybody's conviction to mine, this is why I land where I land based on by understanding of Scripture and experiences which lead me there.  

Pre-Millennial, A-Millennial, Post-Millennial, Pre-Tribulation, Mid-Tribulation, Post-Tribulation.  If a student of the Bible is interested in the End Times events or Eschatology, these are terms that they must be familiar with.  Each one takes a different spin on the book of Revelation.  In this episode we explore these camps. 

The Book of Revelation is a very intriguing book to many and to those who wish to delve into a study of the book there are many things that are helpful to the student that, if learned ahead of time, they learn these things it will be easier to navigate through the book.  One of those issues is how the book has been interpreted over the centuries.  And there are four main ways the book has been interpreted all of which are different.  

There are several places in the Scriptures where God's goodness and love are proclaimed.  One such phrase is "Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!"  If we delve into this we find interesting circumstances surrounding these verses that remind of us God's goodness and love.  

King Jehoshaphat was a good king reigning over the southern kingdom of Judah.  But he allied himself with Ahab, the wicked king of the north, and that caused a lot of issues not only in Jehoshaphat's life but in his son's life as well.  But Jehoshaphat was rebuked and made things right and in this story we see a process of repentance and trusting in the Lord which brings about the victory in our lives.  

Wrapping up this series on conflict we look at ways to avoid conflict and also ways to enter into conflict when appropriate.  The big issue is being led by the Holy Spirit so we know we are on the right track. 

Dealing with people who are annoying but their behavior doesn't rise to the point where they have sinned against you can be frustrating and cause conflict.  But ensuring we are walking in the Spirit and living a life pleasing to God can be a tremendous help in dealing with difficult people. 

Jesus gives us instruction on conflict resolution within the family of God that is very effective but sadly is not often used when conflicts arise.  The result is the conflict doesn't get resolved and in some cases destroys relationships among God's family.  But following these step (being filled with the Holy Spirit) brings about reconciliation which is very important in the Church.  

My friend Robert has led a very interesting life with a lot of hardship experiences including being homeless as a kid, a broken marriage, nearly dying twice while serving in the military in Iraq.  But when he came to Jesus things changed and now he is in the process of moving his family out of state because God called him to do so.  And in this process he has seen the hand of God move in many ways preparing the way into a new chapter in his life.  

If we are walking in obedience and allowing the Lord to guide us, then the things we are instructed to do by the Holy Spirit will come to be and remind us of how God provides for us in all things.  Let Him lead.  

When we look at salvation from a biblical perspective, we see many things occur when a person receives Jesus and believes upon His name.  Forgiveness is one of those things we are granted when we come to Jesus.  And for many, who understand their need, being forgiven of their wickedness is absolutely liberating.  David mentions this in Psalm 32 when he suffered for his sin which tormented him but when he confessed he was liberated by forgiveness. 

The last chapter of this letter to the Ephesian believers, deals with more relationships and how believers are to behave also understanding our protection through spiritual warfare.  Paul then signs off this letter to a church very dear to him that would be a beacon of hope for many years.  

Many of us will admit we want to be blessed by God in our lives and will try to do things where God will bless us.  And in the Scriptures there are many verses throughout the entire Bible that give us instruction on how to be blessed by God.  I did a search for the words "blessed is"  going off Ps 1:1 blessed is the man.... searching for more verses that indicate a path to blessing and these some of these verses I want to share.  These do not include Jesus' famous sermon on the mount in Matthew's Gospel chapter 5 so there are more to read and apply as well.  

Chapter 5 of the letter to the Ephesians, brings with it a lot of practical instruction for the "saints," or believers, to live a victorious life avoiding a lot of land mines that destroy lives daily in our world.  Chapter 5 also addresses the roles of wives and husbands which when looked upon through the eyes of a person who wants to please God, makes sense.  But through the eyes of those outside of a relationship with Jesus, the "rules" are not popular.  Great chapter for instruction in our walk with Jesus.  

In this Episode I share a few things that over the years have proven very valuable for me and our family.  These things were sometimes difficult but God was always there leading us through them even when my heart was rebellious.  Looking back on these biblical principles and commands, God has given us a good life and we can see His handiwork that brought us to this place.  

As believers out priorities change upon entering into this experience with Jesus.  Our human nature needs to be set aside and replaced with a willingness to give it all to Jesus.  This is where the power of God is.  And pursuing Jesus and His will for our lives is what is referred to as seeking the Kingdom of God.  This Kingdom exists currently within the believers but will one day be established on earth with Jesus as the literal King of the planet.  So we seek Him and all that He has for us to fulfill our ministry.  We don't want to waste our lives away seeking our own kingdom rather His.  

Paul's letter to the believers in the city of Ephesus, is very instructive for the person sincerely desiring a closer relationship with Jesus.  In this chapter we find many concrete instructions for believers that if implemented draw us closer to our Lord.  

 Mi interpretación de la blasfemia contra el Espíritu Santo es un cargo para cualquiera que se haya resistido al esfuerzo de Dios por rescatarlo de su pecado, negándose a escuchar o ver la obra que Dios está haciendo por él para que sea perdonado. Me parece que esto será una acusación en el Juicio del Gran Trono Blanco, donde los presentes serán juzgados según sus obras. Si alguien ha hecho algo horrible hacia Dios o hacia los demás, siempre tiene la oportunidad de arrepentirse en esta vida. Pero en la eternidad, esa opción ya no es válida. 

The mystery of the church bringing into it's fold the non-Jews or "Gentiles" was likely something nobody saw coming.  But Jesus brings in those believers from outside the nation of Israel along with those faithful Jews of that day into what is called the "Church."  To many today, this is not that important but it was a very important shift that allows us to inherit eternal life.  

Fearing God brings about a lot of blessing in a believer's life and it's important to understand the fear of the Lord because without it, believers can be set adrift in their faith and not receive the blessings of God in their lives. 

Jesus not only created the way for man to be reconciled to God but also broke down the walls of separation among people so we can all be part of one family - the Church.  

Jesus was involved in many arguments with the leaders as He tried to teach the people the truths of God.  In John 8 Jesus is once again going toe to toe with leaders and teaches them and us valuable lessons which strengthen our relationship with God. 

The ancient city of Ephesus was home to a church started by the Holy Spirit using the Apostle Paul to teach the believers in this city the way to Jesus.  It is one of my favorite books in the Bible because it's packed with so many great truths that if the believer receives them, their lives are radically impacted by God.  

In the Old Testament there are many stories that teach us spiritual truth.  In 1 Samuel, there is a story of Israel's desperation leading repentance which serves as a great model for believers.  

God is in the midst of those who love Him.  If we desire to be close to Him, we need to understand He requires of us to love and trust Him.  When we do this we can experience that sweet fellowship and have confidence that we are truly a child of the King. 

Chapter 12 is the final chapter in the book of Daniel and explains what will happen at the end of the age.  3 1/2 years (1,260 days) after the abomination of desolation Jesus returns.  1,290 days Jesus' government is established on the earth.  1,335 days He judges the nations on earth and those found in the book of life are allowed to enter into His kingdom while those who are not will be destroyed and await the final judgement of Revelation 20.  

God commanded Joshua to meditate upon His word before Joshua set out to conquer the promised land.  Joshua's task was impossible and required him to completely trust in God and God's Law given to Moses.  The result of trusting in God and meditating on His word was victory in the impossible.  Same principle applies to believers today.  Trust Him and meditate upon His word.  

In our relationship with Jesus, our willingness to obey Him and follow wherever He leads us is critical if we want to see God's work being done in our life.  Those who have religion without a willing heart toward God, simply miss out on the glory of God being present in their lives.  Those who have a willing heart are those who please Him. 

Daniel chapter 11 deals with the Grecian Empire and the history of it related to Israel and the end of the chapter appears to refer to the coming world leader (Antichrist) and his exploits.  

I have discovered that a willing heart does a person a whole lot more good than a brain filled with theology.  Being willing to serve God with a heart that is grateful for Him and His grace and mercy allows us to experience more of Him and His goodness.  

 En el episodio cuento mi historia de cómo pude superar la dificultad que tenía al compartir mi fe en Jesús con los demás. 

As we begin season 5 at the Junkyard Outreach, I want to say thanks to all those listening and pray that God is impacting your life more each day.  Thank you for listening!  
Todd

We as believers are living a life where God is using us to demonstrate His love, grace forgiveness, etc.  And our role in this life is to obey Him and demonstrate to this world what the life of the believer looks like.  The things we do are referred to, in Scripture, as "fruit."  As a tree naturally bears fruit, because it's designed to, so too we also produce things in our lives consistent with godliness if we are truly abiding in Jesus.  

Reading the Scriptures brings us to places where we see God's commands for His people.  In the Old Testament Law of Moses, we find many "you shall" commands.  And this may come across as oppressive to someone who is not familiar with the love of God but upon closer examination we, as believers, can find something special in the "you shalls" in Scripture.  

Many promises in Scripture may seem to lofty to grasp but when we are still before God and obedient to His calling, these promises will begin to creep in.  We need to put in the work by being obedient to His calling and the prompting of the Holy Spirit, then we can see these promises more clearly. 

In the Bible the name Korah is synonymous with rebellion.  Korah was a cousin to Moses and Aaron and tried to overthrow them and assume the leadership of Moses and the newly created priesthood established by God for Aaron and his descendants only.  It's a tragic story that reflects many of our own rebellious desires against God and a careful study of the story reveals how human ambition and pride can easily destroy a family, community, church etc.  On the other hand, when we realize we are in God's will and things aren't going well with our leaders, we can trust that God is teaching us how to submit to Him by submitting to the leaders in a way that is pleasing to God.  

Daniel receives another vision 2 years after the vision in Ch.9.  The introduction to this vision is contained in Ch.10 and the vision itself is in Ch.11.  

"Be still and know that I am God" is a verse in Psalm 46.  In this psalm we see a picture of the believer's life and the things that can distract us from our relationship with Him and His command to us to simply be still reminds us that we are cared from by a great God.  

Daniel Ch.9 is an important chapter in the Scriptures due to it's prophetic declarations.  While not all agree on one "end times" scenario, this chapter lays out important details worth studying in the area of prophecy.   

Aaron was made to be the first priest in the nation Israel.  He had four sons who were also commissioned by God to be priests as was the linage of Aaron forever.  But Aaron and his sons had to learn some lessons about being a spokesperson for God and some of those lessons were very difficult and many of the same lessons can be difficult for us.  However, staying faithful to our King gives us the assurance He is with us in the midst of these hard lessons. 

 La ley natural del pecado en nuestras mentes es algo que podemos abordar con el poder del Espíritu Santo. Somos criaturas caídas y necesitamos la santidad para compensar nuestra propia oscuridad interior. Esa santidad viene del Espíritu Santo que habita en nosotros. 

In Psalm 31 David boasts of his security in the Lord and how God has always watched his back.  It's starts with the fear of the Lord, then learning to trust Him.

Daniel sees, in a vision, the second and third world empire battling it out.  He also sees a historical villain named Antiochus IV, who persecuted the Jews and defiled their temple.  This person is a forerunner to the coming world leader who will, in many ways, mimic him with persecution and hate for the Chosen People.  

Jesus speaks often about "the Kingdom."  Here we take a closer look at this kingdom from the point where it is physically established on Earth. 

Daniel receives a vision of the four world empires , paralleling King Nebuchadnezzar's dream in chapter 2.  Daniel gets more insight on how the final empire transitions to the Messianic Kingdom or the Kingdom of Christ. 

Rejoicing in moments when things are good is pretty simple.  But can we rejoice when things are not simple?  Yes we can because the hope we have can overcome the sorrow of this world. 

 La palabra "fruto" en el Nuevo Testamento a menudo se aplica a las acciones de una persona. Así como un árbol produce naturalmente frutos, así también una persona produce naturalmente cosas en su propia vida. Al observar la obra del Espíritu Santo en nuestras vidas, las cosas producidas por la presencia de Dios en nosotros deben ser evidentes para todos los que nos rodean. A esto se le conoce como el "fruto del Espíritu". 

Daniel is put to the test and passes at the risk of a violent death in a den of lions.  God is with him and rewards Daniel for his faithfulness.  

Jesus warned all believers to stay awake and pay attention to the kind of lives we live ensuring that we are ready at any moment to meet the Lord.  He also shares information about His return when He will set up His kingdom.  This is a topic that every believer needs to really focus on because what we do now has great influence upon our eternity. 

Perversion is turning away from what is right.  And when we examine our own hearts we can often see our own tendency to turn away from what’s right.  But remaining in Christ and under the conviction of the Holy Spirit can steer us back to truth and victory in Jesus. 

Babylon is conquered only after God sends the presiding king, Belshazzar, a haunting message which requires Daniel to interpret.  

King Nebuchadnezzar tells his story of surrendering to God Most High.  

In the Scriptures we see the heart mentioned many times and keeping our heart in a place that pleases the Lord requires faith, power from the Holy Spirit and instruction from the Word.  

 En las Escrituras vemos dos tipos de tristeza. Tristeza piadosa y tristeza mundana. Cada uno es diferente y tiene un efecto diferente en nuestro arrepentimiento. 

Believers can sometimes find themselves overwhelmed in their relationship with Jesus when things get complicated and the walls feel like they are closing in.  It can feel so complicated that we question if it's even worth it.  But the simplicity in Jesus is not overwhelming, nor is it a heavy burden.  What makes it overwhelming is our natural tendency to pile on a lot of stuff thinking it's what God wants but in reality it's not from God at all.  Getting back to the simplicity of Christ means we can dump a lot of junk and free up a cluttered spiritiual life.  

Daniel's three companions have their faith tested and win big.  

Daniel interprets a dream of the King of Babylon when none of the wise men could.  

In 1973, in Stockholm Sweden, bank robbers took several hostages in their failed robbery.  What emerged from that incident was an understanding that people can become sympathetic to those doing evil and actually support them in their evil.  This is referred to as Stockholm Syndrome.  In the spiritual world, this is nothing new as the Devil has convinced many to play ball in his court and go along with his rebellion resulting in many deceived people paying a horrible price for their ignorance.  But in Christ we are made aware of the Devil's schemes and given the Holy Spirit to combat the Devil's deception.  Sadly however, many victims of the Devil's deception sit in pews week after week living as spiritual hostages and don't even realize it.  In Christ we are liberated from the Devil's chains and set free from sin.  It no longer has power over us but if we are not careful is can still influence us as it sits crouching at our door continually.  

The book of Daniel is an interesting book in the Scriptures.  It's argued over, rejected, accepted and can easily become a difficult book to really grasp.  I am in the camp where I take the book of Daniel serious and consider it to be divine scripture as compared to others who believe the book is not divinely inspired.  Jesus has no issue with the book and quotes from it.  Also the nature of the book is apocalyptic meaning it speaks of things that pertain to the end times and compliments the New Testament book of Revelation so there is imagery, symbolism and strange things spoken of that have their camps of interpreters battling over whose interpretation is correct.  But the book can be a source of encouragement for the student of Scripture if the Holy Spirit is allowed to lead.  

In the Scriptures we clearly see two realities.  The physical and the spiritual.  The physical world and all the things we can observe compared to the spiritual world which is invisible.  In our natural mind we process what we know based on what we have experienced in our learning from birth until the present.  It's how we survive.  But the spirit, or the spiritual mind, is one that is governed by the Holy Spirit and is not dependent upon our own understanding rather our faith - trusting Jesus regardless of whether or not we can fully grasp the reason(s) why.  When our natural mind submits to the Spirit then we can know we are in our right mind. 

 En muchos episodios, he animado a los oyentes a ser llenos del Espíritu Santo continuamente. Esto significa que debemos creer y recibir a Jesús. Una vez que esto sucede, el Espíritu Santo está listo para guiarnos y usarnos para el Reino y para glorificar a Dios. La morada del Espíritu Santo es clave para nuestro trabajo para Jesús y nuestras recompensas eternas.

In this episode I share my own experience this Christmas and how it translated into a deep moment of worshiping the king.  

When we study the Christmas story we find there are many very interesting things about the story that many have never considered.  In this episode I summarize the story in chronological order and encourage listeners to tell the story this holiday season to whoever the opportunity presents itself. 

A blessed home is something I always wanted but couldn't seem to really achieve.  But then when Jesus revolutionized my life, we obtained it not by acting nice rather by obeying Him and His Word.  

 Jesús dijo que Él vino a darnos vida en abundancia. Pero cuando miramos la palabra vida cuidadosamente, no significa necesariamente una vida materialista, sino una vida espiritual. Y cuando Él es nuestro Rey, y nosotros le obedecemos, podemos comenzar a vivir una vida que es verdaderamente abundante ahora y en la eternidad. 

Many women cringe when they read God's word and discover they need to submit to their husbands.  But a look into the topic reveals a few things.  First a women who wants to please God will obey Him regardless of their feelings.  Second, when God commands us to to something it's for the best in His eyes and this should be enough to convince us it's the best for us.  But when we, as believers draw closer to Jesus, we realize something very critical in our relationship with Him.  We ALL have to submit to God first.  And when we do this the rest falls into place a lot easier.  

Paul ends his letter to the Roman believers with his final greetings.  

One of our responsibilities in our relationship with Jesus is that we are always striving to live with a renewed mind that happens when we are truly born from above or born again in Jesus.  Peter reminds us of this and if we really want to win this race of life we would do well to heed the Scriptures and push forward into a closer relationship with Jesus and pursue holiness.  

 Jesús dijo que Él vino a darnos vida en abundancia. Pero cuando miramos la palabra vida cuidadosamente, no significa necesariamente una vida materialista, sino una vida espiritual. Y cuando Él es nuestro Rey, y nosotros le obedecemos, podemos comenzar a vivir una vida que es verdaderamente abundante ahora y en la eternidad.

When Peter understood that he was going be executed for Jesus, he wrote his second letter imploring the believers to take their relationship with Jesus serious and grow strong in Him.  He instructs believers to pursue Jesus, adding things to their faith that would draw them closer to the Lord.   

Paul is wrapping up his letter to the Romans with a promise to see them at some point as he knew he was going to Rome, by revelation, to testify to the Emperor. 

Jacob starts out his adult life coercing his brother, Esau, out of his birthright.  He then, with the help of his mom, lies to his blind father and receives the blessing of the firstborn.  His parents send him away to get a wife from his relatives and not from the corrupt people among them in the land of Canaan.  In his journey God presents Himself to Jacob and tells him that He will be with Jacob and bring him back to the land of his father.  This is the beginning of Jacob's spiritual journey which will culminate with him lying on his deathbed in Egypt surrounded by his 12 sons whose descendants would become the nation Israel.  There are a lot of lessons he will learn that we would do well to learn by his example and not the hard way.   

Every believer should become familiar with Romans 14.  It's here that we are taught to be respectful toward other believers who don't share some of our convictions.  We focus on Jesus and His love for us and stay in fellowship with those believers who are focusing on Jesus and His love as well and let all the little things go.  

Submitting to the governing authorities as commanded by God is a very good witness.  Those who refuse to submit to authority and claim to be Christians are behaving contrary to God's commands and character.  

For the believer, victory is something we can achieve in many areas of our lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.  But to get to the victory dance, we need to yield to God and obey Him.  This can be difficult for many people for a number of reasons but when we come into that place of obedience, we can then find the victories God has for us.  

 Preparar nuestras mentes para la acción con anticipación ayuda a mantener nuestro carácter y testimonio donde debe estar. Esperar hasta la mitad de la batalla para prepararse deja a un soldado desprevenido y hace que la pelea sea aún más difícil. El Espíritu Santo renueva nuestras mentes y crea oportunidades de victoria a lo largo del día para el creyente. 

In the time of Jeremiah the prophet, there was another prophet who was living in Babylon after the Babylonians took Jews captive from Israel a few years earlier.  His name was Ezekiel.  God showed Ezekiel what the leaders in Jerusalem were actually doing in God's temple.  They were doing all kinds of evil in secret but in plain view before God and it resulted in their holy city being destroyed along with God's temple.  God sees all.  Even the things in our hearts and minds (Revelation 2:23).  We, as believers, can't serve God faithfully when our own spiritual house is secretly harboring our wickedness.  We need to clean house routinely to keep the wickedness out.   

In Roman's Ch. 12 Paul begins with a call to be renewed in the power of the Holy Spirit.  He then goes into what the power of the Holy Spirit looks like regarding the behavior believers are accountable for as the Holy Spirit gives certain gifts to certain people in accordance with God's will.  Then wrapping up the chapter Paul describes what a true child of God's behavior should look like and things we are expected to not only do but also be known for.  

Believers who want to walk in truth need to understand how evil works so that we can avoid being deceived.  The Holy Spirit will reveal evil for what it is if we are willing to yield to Him.  The result will be a very interesting look at the life we live and those who surround us.  

Humility is something most of us can use a lot more of.  It's important for the children of God to be humble but it's difficult for many of us.  But with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can experience humility and see the power it brings with it. 

Paul concludes his discussion about whether or not God has rejected the nation Israel.  

There a lot of hate in the world.  What is the believer's response to hate?  Here's my take. 

Paul will now challenge the unbelieving Jews according to their own Scriptures regarding Jesus in an effort to get through to them.  

 En nuestra relación con Jesús, la fe es esencial. La fe es simplemente confiar en alguien o en algo en lo que has encontrado razones para creer. La fe en Jesús es simplemente confiar en Él y cuando las cosas se ponen difíciles, no necesitamos tratar de desarrollar más fe, sino confiar en Él con la fe que tenemos. Si sentimos que necesitamos más fe, tenemos que preguntarnos a nosotros mismos: ¿realmente creo? Porque la fe es creer. Y la respuesta puede no ser la necesidad de más fe, sino preguntarse si realmente creo. Creer es la plataforma de lanzamiento de nuestra fe y sin ella, nuestra fe no despegará. 

In chapter 9 Paul is now coming to the defense of the Jews who were at this time being looked upon as a people whom God was finished with.  Now that God was moving through the church and the gospel was bringing a multitude to Him through the Holy Spirit's work in the lives of many, what further need was there for the Jews?  Paul declares the still relevant in God's plan.  

A life serving Jesus can lead us to difficult places where God wants to use us.  We can easily get discouraged because we can't see the positive results we want to see immediately.  But God's work behind the scenes is taking our labor and using it for His Kingdom which we can't yet see.  But sometimes we may only do a little and the results are eventually really good.  It's not because of us rather, God is bringing His work into view.  So we stay the course knowing we are doing the work of the ministry and when God wants to prosper it He will.  

In my opinion, Romans chapter 8 is one of the most important chapters in Scripture to really delve into and heed.  I often emphasis walking in the Spirit because the alternative, walking in the flesh, does nothing good for the believer, their eternity or the Kingdom of God.  We must live our lives obedient to the Spirit and battle the flesh moment by moment if we want to please God and be rewarded in eternity.  Romans 8 reveals a lot about this battle between the flesh and the Spirit. 

I believe there is a difference between God's judgment and His wrath.  His wrath means he takes action in punishing wickedness whereas His judgment is rendering a correct verdict concerning sin.  We see God withholding his wrath in many places after He has condemned wickedness but when He decides to execute His wrath, it's something very evident.  

To judge is something we often think of as a bad thing.  But realistically we judge things everyday to ensure we are doing the right thing.  God's judgment is often thought of as something bad but in reality God is always judging this world and it's people.  It's how He convicts us back to repentance.  As believers we can be thankful that God is always judging our behavior otherwise we would be lost in our own world of selfishness without any real call to repent.  

One thing unbelievers will say, on occasion, about Christians is that we are too "judgmental."  And in some cases this is absolutely true.  But followers of Jesus are to judge the things of this world discerning what is God's will and what is not.  But how we do this is the important part.  Being faithful to the Lord and continually filled with His Spirit is how we can judge effectively.  And we need to always judge ourselves first with the Scriptures as our standard not leaning on our own understanding.  This keeps us in sync with the will of God and can prevent us from blowing our witness.  

El engaño de Satanás ha cautivado y destruido a la gente desde el jardín. Conocer sus planes puede ayudarnos a vivir nuestra vida en victoria.

Most of us have lives where spending time with God competes with many other things.  However, the time we spend with God yields big dividends both now and in eternity.  Learning to set time aside and meditating on God's word and listening to the Holy Spirit, is our weapon against the flesh and the world's wickedness.  

The greatest battle believers fight is the sin within us.  Getting people to understand that the sin in us is something God can overcome in our lives by the power of the Holy Spirit seems to be a task that constantly needs to be reiterated.  Chapter 7 is basically the defeating power of our flesh and chapter 8 is the victory in Jesus.  So the two chapters go together forming a sobering look at each at the state of our lives without the power of the Holy Spirit and the victory that we can have if we are willing to surrender to Jesus.   

The book of Proverbs contains several short verses instructing the reader in wisdom while warning of the dangers of wickedness and/or foolishness.  Chapter 5 warns against adultery and the consequences which follow.  

The evil that plagues this world is something we cannot stop.  However, we can resist this evil and overcome it with good through the power of the Holy Spirit working in us.  The supernatural battle has been raging since the beginning and our enemies are often unseen so we need to be diligent in our relationship with the Lord so He can navigate us through this life to victory.  

The wisdom of the world is not the wisdom of God and as believers we need to be wise in how we live.  So pursuing God's wisdom become key in any believer's life who wants to please the Lord.  And this wisdom begins with the Fear of the Lord where we find God's pure wisdom. 

 Manoa es un hombre en el Antiguo Testamento del que la mayoría nunca ha oído hablar porque no lee el Antiguo Testamento. Él fue el padre de Sansón, quien era el juez rojo de la nación de Israel. Manoa y su esposa tienen interacción con Dios y sus respuestas reflejan un corazón obediente de servicio al Señor. 

My take on the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit is a charge laid upon anyone who has resisted God's effort to rescue them from their sin by refusing to listen or see the work God is doing for them so that they may be forgiven.  It appears to me this will be an indictment at the Great White Throne Judgment where those present will be judged according to what their works.  If a person has done something horrible toward God or others, they always have the opportunity to repent during this life.  But once in eternity that option is no longer valid.  

Being "baptized into Christ" brings the believer into that real relationship with Jesus.  Afterward "water baptism" is a declaration that the spiritual baptism has occurred and the new life has now begun.  

In the episode I tell my story of how I was able to overcome the difficulty I had with sharing my faith in Jesus with others.  

Continuing our study in the book of Romans we come to chapter 5 where our suffering serves as a process ending with the love of God being poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  Also sin abounds but grace abounds more.  

 Betel (Bet = Casa, El = Dios  {Casa de Dios}) fue el lugar donde Jacob se reunió con el Señor después de haber conspirado contra su padre Isaac, por instrucción de su madre, para robar la bendición de su hermano (Esaú) el primogénito. Dios se revela a Jacob y le da a Jacob un vistazo del plan en el que estaba a punto de embarcarse. Más tarde, Dios llama a Jacob de regreso a Betel para vivir allí, después de eso, sus hijos causan mucho dolor al atacar la ciudad de Siquem después de un incidente que involucró a la hija de Jacob y al príncipe de la ciudad. Para nosotros, esta historia nos recuerda que siempre debemos regresar al lugar donde nos conectamos con Dios y confiamos en Él. 

Romans ch. 4 shows us the important of faith and uses Abraham as the example.  

What are believer's responsibilities in politics?  Be a light. 

Continuing in the letter to the Romans, we now learn the entire world is guilty of sin before God.  But God has provided salvation through Jesus despite our guilt.  

In this episode I discuss one question - how do I study the Bible.  

Paul, after revealing the gentile's hearts toward obeying the Word, now comes to the point where he will challenge those Jews who relied on their own self righteousness to be right with God.  They appear to have had an attitude where they could practice sin yet condemned the gentiles for their sin.  

 Nuestras últimas palabras pueden revelar mucho acerca de nuestra verdadera fe. En este episodio, exploramos las últimas palabras de algunas personas notables y lo que revelaron sobre ellas. 

The natural law of sin in our minds is something we can address with the power of the Holy Spirit.  We are fallen creatures and need holiness to offset our own darkness within.  That holiness comes from the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  

The word "fruit" in the New Testament is often applied to the actions of a person.  As a tree naturally produces fruit so too a person naturally produces things in their own life.  Looking at the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, the things produced by God's presence in us should be evident to everyone around us.  This is referred to as the "fruit of the Spirit."  

Paul's letter to the believers in Rome is a classic theological gold mine for the believer.  Ch. 1 discusses the steps of rebellion mankind has continually taken and God's response to allow the consequences to enter in.  

In the Scriptures we see two types of sorrow.  Godly sorrow and worldly sorrow.  Each one is different and has a different effect upon our repentance.  

In many episodes I have encouraged listeners to be filled with the Holy Spirit continually.  This means we must believe and receive Jesus.  Once this happens, the Holy Spirit is ready to lead and use us for the Kingdom and to glorify God.  The indwelling of the Holy Spirit is key to our work for Jesus and our eternal rewards. 

Listeners, on occasion, email a question.  In this Q&A episode, I answer 6 questions. 
Dealing with kids who walk away from God.
Alienating your children when they rebel.
Talking to the dead.
The levels of heaven.
Gluttony.
Unanswered prayers. 

Jehoshaphat was one of the few kings in the southern kingdom who honored God.  He commissioned the teaching of the Word of God throughout the Kingdom which was something rarely done in these times.  He goes down as a righteous king who, despite some flaws, did a good job reigning as King of Judah.  

 Las madres siempre han sido cruciales para el éxito de la humanidad y para que se cumpla el plan de la voluntad de Dios en nuestro planeta rebelde. Las Escrituras tienen muchos ejemplos de madres en una variedad de circunstancias y cómo Dios reaccionó de acuerdo con los corazones de las madres. 

Jesus said He came to give us life abundantly.  But when we look at that word life carefully it doesn't necessarily mean a materialistic life rather a spiritual life.  And when He is our King, and we obey Him we can begin to live a life that is truly abundant now and on into eternity.  

Preparing our minds for action ahead of time helps keep our character and witness where it should be.  Waiting until the heat of the battle to prepare for battle leaves a soldier unprepared and makes the fight even more difficult.  The Holy Spirit in us renews our minds and creates opportunity for victory throughout the day for the believer.  

In our relationship with Jesus, faith is essential.  Faith is simply trusting in someone or something you have found reason to believe in.  Faith in Jesus is simply trusting Him and when things get difficult, we need not try to develop more faith rather trust in Him with the faith we have.  If we feel we need more faith we need to ask our self - do I really believe.  Because faith is believing.  And the answer may not be the need for more faith rather to challenge if I really believe.  Believing is the launching pad for our faith and without it, our faith will not get off the ground.  

If you feel comfortable with being very uncomfortable while serving Jesus, then pursue the gifts and ask the Lord to identify how He wants to use you.  You may get a clear answer but chances are you will rather get a clear opportunity to step out in faith.  And when this happens, listen to the Holy Spirit.  

When God moves through His people using the gifts of the Spirit, there are practical reasons for doing so.  He wants His people to glorify Him, know Him and Love Him.  We can do this by being obedient to His calling for our life and stepping out in faith when He wants to demonstrate His supernatural power to someone through us.  

The "gift of tongues" or the ability to supernaturally speak a legitimate language unknown to the speaker, is the main gift that discourages believers away from the subject.  But we have clear parameters in Scripture to help discern whether or not a person is using the gift appropriately. 

The love of God expressed in 1 Corinthians 13 is sandwiched between chapters 12 and 14 and reveal the central theme of the Spiritual Gifts - the love of God. 

Knowing about the gifts is very helpful when exploring the topic.  The Scriptures provide enough information to establish reasonable parameters governing the gifts.  

The Spiritual Gifts are a topic which causes division in the church.  In this series I want to share my experience with the gifts and encourage everyone to seek the Lord in this topic to be used for His glory. 

 Se prometen recompensas en el cielo a aquellos que fielmente siguen y obedecen a Jesús. Pero estas recompensas no se dan simplemente por ser amables, sino por obedecer a Jesús y Su palabra con un corazón para complacerlo. No queremos ver que todas nuestras buenas obras no agraden al Señor en ese día, así que debemos hacer las cosas de acuerdo a Su voluntad, no a la nuestra. 

Satan's deception has captivated and destroyed people since the garden.  Knowing about his schemes can help us live our lives in victory.  

The battle for porn involves the mind and the mind is renewed by the Holy Spirit when a person gets serious about Jesus.  It's not a work of will power, it's the supernatural power of God changing the way we think to be more consistent with the will of God.   Changing the way we think from wickedness to righteousness gives us victory and makes us profitable for the kingdom of God.  

Biblical counseling means teaching what the Bible says in context and without compromise.  Unfortunately many churches have gone away from this approach and have compromised.  But the Word of God gives us our direction and teaches us to live lives that are pleasing to God through obeying the word, staying in prayer, being in communion with God and being part of the family of God's community.   For those seeking counseling in the issue of pornography, understand God is holy and wants His people to be holy.  That requires action on our part - obey the Word.   

With any spiritual stronghold, our victory is in Jesus.  He is the one who delivers us.  He is the one who strengthens us through the power of the Holy Spirit.  Our job is to trust Him and when we do we can find that deliverance. 

Addressing the deeper issue with porn (our love of sin) we can find a path of deliverance in Jesus as we are commanded to put off the old, wickedness and put on the opposite.  We now, through the power of the Holy Spirit, put on Christ who becomes our deliverer.     

Pornography has been around forever in various forms from carved statues to our modern day videos.  It's a tool the devil uses to enslave people and it's very effective.  Understanding that pornography is perversion and people who partake in perversion are perverts sheds a little more light on why porn is so evil.  It turns good people into perverts.  For those who want to break their love relationship with porn the answer is the same for any wicked stronghold - Jesus.  

 En los días de Jesús, los judíos y los no judíos (gentiles) no tenían el hábito de asociarse unos con otros. Pero Jesús habló de "otro rebaño", refiriéndose a los gentiles que entrarían en la familia de Dios y Pedro sería el que iniciaría la inducción de los nuevos miembros a la familia. Cornelio también sería el gentil que Dios escogió para el plan. 

Manoah is a man in the Old Testament who most have never heard of because they don't read the Old Testament.  He was the father of Samson who was the rouge judge of the nation of Israel.  Manoah and his wife have interaction with God and their responses reflect and obedient heart of service to the Lord.  

 Jesús llama a sus seguidores a seguirlo, no solo a reconocerlo. ¿Qué significa esto para nosotros? Significa lo mismo que en el día cuando Él habló estas cosas a sus discípulos. Lo seguimos. Vamos a donde Él nos dice y hacemos lo que Él nos dice que hagamos. Aquí es donde se experimenta la vida en Cristo.

Bethel (Beth - House El - God or House of God) was the location Jacob met with the Lord after he had conspired against his father Isaac, at his mother's instruction, to steal his brother's (Esau) blessing of the first born.   God reveals Himself to Jacob and gives Jacob a glimpse of the plan he was about to embark upon.  Later God calls Jacob back to Bethel to dwell after Jacob returns to the land and his kids cause a lot of grief by attacking the city of Shechem after an incident involving Jacob's daughter and the prince of the city.  For us  this story reminds us to always return to the place where we connected with God and trusted in Him.   

 ¿Quién fue San Patricio y qué sabemos de él?  Fue, como se dice, "uno de los más grandes misioneros de todos los tiempos". Su vida fue una historia de Dios, llamando a una persona a salir de tiempos difíciles para convertirse en uno de los más grandes hombres de Dios de su tiempo. 

Our dying words can reveal a lot about our true faith.  In this episode we explore a few notable people's dying words and what it revealed about them.   

 Simón, también conocido como "Pedro", tiene una historia muy interesante tanto en los Evangelios como en el Libro de los Hechos. Es una persona de la que podemos aprender mucho en nuestra propia relación con Jesús, ya que Pedro batallo a veces, pero también venció en el poder del Espíritu Santo. 

Mothers have always been crucial to humanity’s success and the plan of God’s will to be accomplished on our rebellious planet. The Scriptures have many examples of mother in a variety of circumstances and how God reacted according to the hearts of the mothers. 

Rewards are promised in heaven to those who faithfully follow and obey Jesus.  But these rewards are not given for simply being nice rather for obeying Jesus and His word with a heart to please Him.  We don't want to see all our good works fail to please the Lord on that day so we must do things according to His will not our own.  

A life dedicated to serving Jesus is not just valuable during this life rather it's an investment into our eternal retirement where the dividends are eternal.  Focusing on our finish line with Jesus in our sights will help us not only finish the race but win the race and win big.  

 En el mundo encontramos principios en el liderazgo, los negocios, las finanzas, etc. que nos ayudan a tener éxito. Muchos de esos mismos principios se aplican a nuestra relación con Jesús y a nuestro papel en Su Iglesia. Sin embargo, aprender a tener éxito espiritualmente a menudo implica voltear algunos de esos principios. Por ejemplo, si quieres recibir, entonces da generosamente de manera que agrade al Señor. Si quieres ser el primero, ofrécete como voluntario para ser el último. Subir la escalera del éxito significa que descendemos a la humildad en lugar de ascender a la confianza en nosotros mismos. Ser diligente y no perezoso es fundamental en nuestra relación con Jesús. 

 La parábola de las Diez Vírgenes tiene un mensaje muy importante para cada creyente: prepárate. Estad siempre listos para encontrarnos con el Señor, dar un paso de fe o cualquier otra cosa que el Señor nos pida que hagamos. Si tenemos el hábito de descartar las instrucciones del Señor para nuestras vidas, entonces estamos en peligro de perdernos al Señor por completo. 

Every true child of God is filled with God's Spirit.  Having His Spirit in us will have an impact upon our behavior where we are now acting upon what the Holy Spirit is instructing us to do.  "Works" means actions.  And believers are compelled to act in a manner that glorifies God even when it's embarrassing, difficult, scary, awkward etc.  We know what we must do so we do it despite what our feelings are telling us.  This not only reveals to others our sincerity toward God but also gives us confidence in our relationship with God as we step our in faith.  

Travis and I discuss forgiveness in a marriage which is something that can mend many wounds and the lack of forgiveness can poison a marriage quickly. 

This series will be continuing in the near future when schedules align.  

Travis and I discuss communication which is a key issue in marriage and can be difficult to accomplish between spouses.  

Travis and I discuss the basics in marriage and our foundation in a marriage with Jesus in the center.  

Travis and I are beginning a series on marriage.  Travis has been involved in marriage ministry for several years and has a lot of insight not only from his own marriage but his own life's story as well.  In this episode we learn about Travis' upbringing and get an idea where he is coming from. 

 Dejar ir nuestra vieja naturaleza y abrazar la vida llevada por el Espíritu Santo puede ser un desafío, por decir lo menos. Pero eso es necesario como dijo Jesús: "El que encuentre su vida, la perderá, y el que pierda su vida por causa de mí, la encontrará". Esto significa que nosotros, como creyentes, ya no nos servimos a nosotros mismos, sino que estamos al servicio de nuestro Rey y nuestras propias agendas no tienen lugar en el Reino de Dios. 

Part of our responsibility as children of God is to learn as much as we can about Him during this life.  This is so we can know and serve Him better.  Being ignorant of God and His word makes us very vulnerable to the enemy's attacks which can devastate our relationship with our King.  

Hay quienes enseñan maldiciones generacionales. No encuentro que esto sea una verdad bíblica, sino que Jesús pagó por todos los pecados de la humanidad. Y un hijo no es maldecido por la maldad de sus padres. 

In response to speaking to many believers recently who seem to be struggling with their relationship with God I wanted to share some things I have found very helpful in my journey with Jesus to overcome those obstacles which hinder our relationship with Him and others making us ineffective in the Kingdom of our God.   

In Jesus' day, Jews and non-Jews (Gentiles) were not typically in the habit of associating with one another.  But Jesus spoke of "another flock" meaning the gentiles who would be coming into the family of God and Peter would the one who kicked off the new members' induction into the family.  Cornelius would be the gentile God chose for the plan as well.  

En nuestra relación con Jesús, podemos experimentar Su amor de muchas maneras. Pero ¿experimentamos la llenura de este amor en nuestros propios corazones? El amor de Dios es poder y este amor es derramado en nuestros corazones por el Espíritu Santo. Así que, si realmente queremos agradar a Dios, entonces debemos pedir este poder continuamente para que podamos amar (con el amor incondicional y sacrificial de Dios) a este mundo perdido.

 Hay una diferencia entre nuestra perspectiva y la de Dios.  Lo que consideramos una bendición puede no ser visto de esa manera por Dios.  Además, lo que no parece una bendición en nuestra vida, tal vez sea lo que Dios ve como verdaderamente bendecido. 

Jesus calls followers to follow Him not just acknowledge Him.  What does this mean for us?  It means the same thing it did back in the day when He spoke these things to His disciples.  We follow Him.  We go where He tells and do what He tells us to do.  This is where the life in Christ is experienced.  

We are beginning Season 4 at the Junkyard Outreach.  Thank you listeners who have faithfully listened, shared the light of Jesus and continue to be a light in this world.  
Todd

Who was St Patrick and what do we know about him?  He was, as one puts it, "one of the greatest missionaries of all time."  His life was a story of God calling a person out of hard times to become one of the greatest men of God of his time.  

Cuando una persona recibe un fuerte golpe en la cabeza, a menudo hay un momento de conmoción y miedo que puede durar un breve momento o un largo período de tiempo. Esta sensación puede hacer que una persona sea completamente incapaz de seguir adelante si no ha sido entrenada para superarse y seguir adelante. Nuestra vida espiritual es similar. Entrenar en rectitud no siempre consiste en estudiar las Escrituras o escuchar un sermón. A veces implica cosas difíciles que pueden fortalecernos o paralizarnos dependiendo de nuestra capacidad de superación.

Simon, also known as "Peter" has a very interesting story in the Gospels as well as in the Book of Acts.  He is a person we can learn a lot from in our own relationship with Jesus as Peter struggled at times but also conquered in the power of the Holy Spirit.  

In the world we find principles in leadership, business, finances etc. that help us to succeed.  Many of those same principles apply to our relationship with Jesus and our role in His Church.  However, learning to succeed spiritually often involves flipping some of those principles upside down.  For example if you want to receive then generously give in ways that please the Lord.  If you want to be first then volunteer to be last.  Climbing the ladder of success means we descend into humility rather than ascend into confidence in ourselves.  Being diligent and not sluggish is critical in our relationship with Jesus.
  

Como creyentes entendemos que nuestra existencia más grande está en la eternidad. Mientras estamos aquí, en este cuerpo y en esta vida, somos siervos de Dios que nos estamos preparando para nuestro hogar eterno. Ser útil para el Reino requiere que nuestros corazones y mentes estén sincronizados con la voluntad de Dios y ese es el desafío para los creyentes. Y hacer que nuestras vidas sean provechosas para el Reino requiere que estemos dispuestos a seguir a Jesús dondequiera que Él nos guíe.

The parable of the Ten Virgins has dire message for every believer - be ready.  Always be ready to meet the Lord, step out in faith or any other thing the Lord may require us to do.  If we are in the habit of dismissing the Lord's instructions for our lives, then we are in danger of missing the Lord all together.  

Letting go of our old life and embracing the life led by the Holy Spirit can be challenging to say the least.  But this is necessary as Jesus said:  "Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it."  This means we as believers no longer serve ourselves rather we are in the service of our King and our own agendas have no place in the Kingdom of God.  

David escribió muchos de los salmos que tenemos en las Escrituras. En el Salmo 145 David está ofreciendo alabanzas a Dios como Su Rey. Al leer este salmo, el lector recuerda que una vida dedicada a servir a Dios no es necesariamente fácil, pero vale la pena, ya que vemos la mano de Dios moviéndose a lo largo de nuestras vidas y nos vemos obligados a adorar a nuestro Rey como lo hizo David.

There are those who teach generational curses.  I don't find this a biblical truth rather Jesus paid for all the sin of mankind.  And a child is not cursed because of their parents wickedness. 

El sistema de sacrificios del Antiguo Testamento, en el que una persona traía un animal u otras ofrendas ante el Señor, fue reemplazado por la Cruz. Ya no se necesita un sacrificio para expiar el pecado, ya que el Hijo de Dios se hizo pecado por nosotros, para que pudiéramos llegar a ser la justicia de Dios. Pero eso no significa que no ofrezcamos sacrificios al Señor. El sacrificio más grande que podemos ofrecer al Señor es obedecerle. Esto le agrada a Él y aquí es donde tenemos comunión con Él.

In our relationship with Jesus, we can experience His love in many ways.  But do we experience the filling of this love in our own hearts?  God's love is power and this love is poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.  So if we truly want to please God, then we must ask for this power continually that we may love (with God's unconditional, sacrificial love) this lost world. 

Una lección que todo creyente debe aprender es que Dios es luz y en Él no hay oscuridad. Cuando jugamos con la oscuridad le estamos demostrando a Dios que no estamos tomando en serio nuestro perdón y esto reduce la luz de Dios en nuestras vidas. Así que ponerse lo nuevo y despojarse de lo viejo se convierte en algo que haces diariamente y no en algo que se hace una sola vez. Este es el camino hacia una vida victoriosa en Jesús.

There is a difference between our perspective and God's.  What we consider a blessing may not be looked upon that way by God.  Also what does not look like a blessing in our life maybe the thing that God sees as truly being blessed.  

When a person experiences getting hit hard in the head, there is often a moment of shock and fear that can last for a brief moment or a lengthy amount of time.  This sensation can render a person completely incapable of proceeding if they haven't been trained to overcome and move forward.  Our spiritual life is similar.  Training in righteousness is not always about studying the scriptures or listening to a sermon.  I sometimes involves hard things that can either strengthen us or cripple us depending on our ability to overcome.   

La mayoría de las personas familiarizadas con la historia de Jesús recuerdan que Pedro, uno de los apóstoles prominentes de Jesús, negó conocer a Jesús no una sino tres veces. Después de la resurrección, Jesús le preguntó a Pedro tres veces: "¿Me amas?". Es una hermosa historia de perdón y reconciliación. Si Jesús te preguntara hoy: "¿Me amas?" ¿Qué dirías?

As believers we understand that our greatest existence is in eternity.  While we are here, in this body and this life, we are servants of God who are preparing for our eternal home.  Being useful for the Kingdom requires our hearts and minds are in sync with God's will and that's the challenge for believers.  And making our lives profitable for the Kingdom require us to be willing to follow Jesus wherever He leads us.  

Cuando oramos, realmente estamos buscando la voluntad de Dios para una situación o para la nuestra. Y cuando un verdadero creyente ora, ¿estamos dispuestos a aceptar un "no" por respuesta? Sabemos que Dios nos escucha, así que si pedimos algo y no sucede, ¿somos lo suficientemente fuertes en nuestra fe para decir como lo hizo Jesús antes de que las autoridades se lo llevaran: "Sin embargo, no se haga mi voluntad, sino la tuya"? Escuchar a Dios es increíble, pero cuando escuchamos de Él y la respuesta o declaración es contraria a nuestra voluntad, podemos confiar en que la respuesta de Dios es la mejor y darnos cuenta de que hay un panorama mucho más amplio que rodea nuestras vidas.

David wrote many of the psalms we have in the Scriptures.   In psalm 145 David is offering God praise as His King.  Looking at this psalm reminds the reader that a life spent serving God is not necessarily easy but worth it as we see the hand of God moving throughout our lives and are compelled to worship our King like David did.  

  

Wrapping up this letter to the church in the city of Colosse, Paul gives final instructions to the church.    

One of the most instructive passages in the Scriptures, Colossians Ch. 3 gives insight into our responsibilities as followers of Jesus.  

The Old Testament Sacrificial system where a person brought an animal or other offerings before the Lord was superseded by the Cross.  There is no longer a sacrifice needed to atone for sin since the Son of God became sin for us that we could become the righteousness of God.  But that doesn't mean we still don't offer sacrifices to the Lord.  The biggest sacrifice we can offer to the Lord is obeying Him.  This is pleasing to Him and this is where we have fellowship with Him.  

In chapter 2 Paul addresses circumcision, baptism, false religion and more.  

During Paul's ministry he wrote letters to churches and individuals.  Each letter has it's purpose and provides something valuable not only to those it was addressed to but to all who read it as well.  And such is the case with letter to the church in the ancient city of Colosse.  This short 4-chapter letter is packed with insight for the believer to help understand Jesus better and grow in our faith.  Chapter 1 hits on key doctrinal issues regarding Jesus deity and more.  

Nuestra relación con el Señor puede ser evidente para aquellos que nos conocen al observar nuestro comportamiento externo, pero ¿qué es lo que realmente hay debajo en los lugares secretos de nuestro corazón y mente? Jesús dijo que escudriñaba el corazón y la mente, y esta verdad aleccionadora debería obligar a cada creyente a entregar esa oscuridad interior a nuestro Señor para que podamos caminar en la verdad, sin encubrir nuestro interior feo.

A lesson every believer must learn is that God is light and in Him there is no darkness.  When we play around with darkness we are demonstrating to God that we are not taking our forgiveness seriously and this reduces the light of God in our lives.  So putting on the new and putting off the old becomes an everyday thing not a one time deal.  This is the path to a victorious life in Jesus.  

La familia es crucial para la civilización y fue diseñada por Dios para ser así. Dios demuestra Su amor, gracia, misericordia, etc. a través de familias que confían en Él, mostrando a otros que no confían en Él que la familia es en realidad muy especial. La familia de Dios está compuesta por muchos miembros de todo el mundo y es una bendición ser parte de ella.

Most people familiar with the story of Jesus recall Peter, one of the prominent Apostles of Jesus, denied knowing Jesus not once but three times.  After the resurrection Jesus then asked Peter, three times, "Do you love me."  It's a beautiful story of forgiveness and reconciliation.  If Jesus asked you today - "do YOU love me?"  What would you say? 

Si queremos estar seguros de que somos hijos de Dios y que estamos eternamente seguros, entonces recibir a Jesús en nuestras vidas es el camino que debemos tomar. Cuando una persona recibe genuinamente a Jesús la diferencia es muy evidente más allá de cualquier experiencia emocional. Pero recibir a Jesús requiere una fe verdadera y bíblica de que sin ella es imposible agradar a Dios. La buena noticia es que no tenemos que ganarnos a Jesús, simplemente decimos sí a Su invitación y luego nos preparamos para que comience la aventura.

When we pray we are we really seeking God's will for a situation or our own.  And when a true believer prays are we willing to accept "no" for an answer?  We know God hears us so if we ask for something and it doesn't happen are we strong enough in our faith to say like Jesus did before he was taken away by the authorities, "Never-the-less, not My will but Your will be done?"  Hearing from God is awesome but when we hear from Him and the answer or statement is contrary to our will, we can trust that God's answer is the best and realize there is a much bigger picture surrounding our lives. 
 

Our relationship with the Lord may be evident to those who know us by observing our outward behavior, but what is really lying beneath in the secret places of our heart and mind?  Jesus said He searched the heart and mind and this sobering truth should compel every believer to surrender that darkness within to our Lord so that we may walk in truth not covering up our ugly inner being.  

En nuestra sociedad encontramos muchos grupos religiosos con diferentes enseñanzas y culturas. Algunos enseñan las Escrituras con precisión, mientras que otros son débiles en su enseñanza. Pero algunos enseñan cosas que contradicen totalmente la Biblia, lo que llamamos "falsa doctrina". Se nos ordena ser sabios y defender la verdad, por lo que, naturalmente, nos encontramos en desacuerdo con estos grupos llamados sectas. La forma en que compartimos la verdad con ellos es muy importante y si nos acercamos a ellos como enemigos y los tratamos como tales, probablemente arruinaremos nuestro testimonio y obstaculizaremos cualquier oportunidad que tengamos de compartir el conocimiento de las Escrituras con ellos.

Lo sepamos o no, tenemos influencia en esta vida. Tener una influencia positiva es la meta y eso es posible cuando simplemente confiamos en el Señor y le obedecemos. No es fácil, pero cuando somos fieles para ser un buen testigo de Jesús, esa influencia iluminará la oscuridad y dará a los que nos rodean un vistazo de la obra de Dios en nuestras vidas.

The family is crucial to civilization and designed by God to be this way.  God demonstrates His love, grace, mercy etc through families that trust Him showing others that don't trust Him that the family is actually very special.  God's family is made up of many members from all over the world and is a blessing to be a part of.  

La unidad entre los creyentes es una parte asombrosa de la familia de Dios, pero lamentablemente hay poca de ella.  Sin embargo, en nuestras vidas podemos ser un miembro unificador del cuerpo de Cristo apreciando a otros creyentes que también tienen una relación legítima con Jesús y haciendo el esfuerzo de salir de los círculos de nuestra iglesia y ser una luz en las vidas de los demás.

If we want to know, for sure, that we are a child of God who is eternally secure then receiving Jesus into our lives is the path we must take.   When a person genuinely receives Jesus the difference is very evident far beyond any emotional experience.  But receiving Jesus requires true, biblical faith that without such, it's impossible to please God.  The good news is we don't have to earn Jesus, we simply say yes to His invitation and then get ready for the adventure to begin. 

Los creyentes, así como todos los demás, experimentamos momentos difíciles en nuestras vidas. Dios permite estos tiempos y, a menudo, cuando el tiempo o la temporada están completos y las cosas van mejor, podemos ver un resultado positivo de esos días de dificultad. Dios nos fortalece usando muchas cosas y es similar al forjar y fabricar metal. Las cosas se calientan y parece que nos golpean, pero al final salimos más fuertes como resultado.

In our society we find many religious groups with different teaching and cultures.  Some teach the Scriptures accurately while others are weak in their teaching.  But some teach things that totally contradict the Bible what we refer to as "false doctrine."  We are commanded to be wise and stand for the truth so naturally we find ourselves at odds with these groups called cults.  How we share the truth with them is very important and if we approach them as enemies and treat them like such, we will likely blow our witness and hinder any chance we have to share are knowledge of the Scriptures with them.  

Whether we know it or not we have influence in this life.  Having a positive influence is the goal and that is possible when we simply trust the Lord and obey Him.  It's not easy but when we are faithful to be a good witness for Jesus, that influence will light up the darkness and give those around us a glimpse of the work of God in our lives. 

Al observar los recientes acontecimientos mundiales, podemos asustarnos, ya que es probable que estas cosas también ocurran en nuestro país. Pero Jesús habló de estas cosas con respecto a los últimos días y la condición de nuestro mundo, animándonos a esperarlo, pero no nos dejemos abrumar por el mal que acontece en el mundo. Es parte de las consecuencias de la humanidad por abandonar a Dios y nuestra esperanza no está aquí, sino en la eternidad con Jesús.

En nuestra relación con Jesús, Su voluntad a menudo no es consistente con la mía, dejándome con una decisión que tomar. Su voluntad o mi voluntad. ¿Cuál? Recordar que Dios es eterno y tiene una perspectiva eterna debería hacer que le demos el beneficio de la duda porque Él ve el futuro, nosotros no. Y muchas cosas que ocurren en nuestras vidas hoy, tendrán resultados en el futuro que no podemos ver ahora. Así que aprender a confiar en Dios y en Su voluntad no solo nos acerca a Él, sino que también nos da la confianza de que Su voluntad es la mejor, sin importar si la entiendo o no.

En nuestras vidas como creyentes, a veces podemos sentirnos débiles en espíritu, lo que hace que nuestra fe se sienta como si estuviera fallando. Pero Dios no nos deja, sino que está esperando nuestro clamor a Él para que pueda traernos de regreso a ese lugar de paz con Dios. Entonces nuestras fuerzas se renuevan, o se hacen nuevas otra vez.

Cada hijo de Dios es un ministro. Ministro significa siervo y como hijos de Dios que sirven a su Rey, ahora somos ministros del evangelio. A lo largo de los siglos, las iglesias han tomado el concepto de ministro y lo han atribuido a una persona que es un líder en la iglesia, pero eso no es el punto. La obra del ministerio ocurre fuera de los edificios de la iglesia más que dentro. Servir a Dios significa servir a las personas y eso es lo que hace un verdadero hijo de Dios cuando sigue la guía del Espíritu Santo.

Cuando una persona "adquiere religión" no significa que se convierta en un hijo de Dios. Convertirnos en hijos de Dios significa que respondemos al llamado de Jesús a recibir su Santo Espíritu y creer en Su nombre o confiar en Él. Responder a este llamado es lo que inicia el cambio de la oscuridad a la luz y comienza el proceso de convertirnos en la persona para la que fuimos creados.

Beginning November 6th, episodes 125-129 will be available in Spanish with additional episodes coming soon.  
Thank you!

Unity among believers is a such an amazing part of the family of God but sadly there is little of it.  However, in our lives we can be a unifying member of the body of Christ by appreciating other believers who also have a legitimate relationship with Jesus and making that effort to step outside our church circles and be a light in the lives of others.  

Believers as well as everyone else experience times of difficulty in our lives.  God allows these times and often when the time or season is complete and things are going better we can see a positive outcome of those days of difficulty.  God strengthens us using many things and it's similar in principle to forging and crafting metal.  Things heat up and we seem to get beat up but in the end we come out stronger as a result.  

There is no mandated day to attend a gathering of believers - period.  Traditionally we attend church on Sundays because that is what is seen in the NT.  The primarily Jewish church in the New Testament would have likely also attended Synagogue on the Sabbath since they were Jews but in Christ, especially for the non-Jews or "gentiles" there is no mandate or command to attend a gathering of believers (which is what church is) rather we are called to live our lives in obedience to Jesus every day of the week.  If we can get this right then there will likely be gatherings throughout the week continually where we meet with believers.  

The word Sabbath simply means "rest" and reading Ex 20 we could read it as "remember the day of rest and keep it holy."  Jesus fulfilled the Sabbath in that in Him we find our rest as He said in:  Mat 11:28  Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  So while the principle of the Sabbath is physical rest, and we still should find time to physically rest, the more important rest is that of our souls and ceasing from our own works to try and please God.  Rather, resting in Him gives us that freedom to simply trust in Him and find our true rest we so long for.   

The Israelites were commanded to keep the Sabbath and keep it holy.  What does that require?  In this episode we will look at what those requirements were and realize how much mankind has added to them which made the Sabbath more of a burden than a blessing.   

Looking at recent world events we can become frightened since these things are likely to occur in our country as well.  But Jesus spoke of these thing regarding the latter days and the condition of our world encouraging us to expect it but do not be overwhelmed by the evil that boils over in the world.  It's part of humanity's consequences for abandoning God and our hope is not here rather in eternity with Jesus. 

In our relationship with Jesus, His will is often not consistent with my will leaving me with a choice to make.  His will or my will.  Which one?  Remembering that God is eternal and has an eternal perspective should cause us to give Him the benefit of the doubt because He sees the future, we don't.  And many things that occur in our lives presently, will have results in the future which we can't see now.  So learning to trust God and His will not only brings us closer to Him but also gives us confidence that His will is the best no matter if I understand it or not.

Public School has been the topic of many discussions in these days as we have seen traditional education changing over the years.  Robb is a Dean of Students at a large High School and offers his insight as a believer in the public schools.  
 

In our lives as believers we may, at times, feel weak in spirit causing our faith to feel as if it's failing.  But God does not leave us stranded rather He is awaiting our cry to Him so He can bring us back to that place of peace with God.  Then our strength becomes renewed, or made new again.  

Every child of God is a minister.  Minister means servant and as children of God who serve their King, we are now ministers of the gospel.  Churches over the centuries have taken the concept of a minister and attributed it to a person who is a leader in the church but that's missing the point.  The work of the ministry occurs outside church buildings more-so than within.  Serving God means serving people and that's what a true child of God does when following the lead of the Holy Spirit.  

When a person "gets religion" that doesn't mean they become a child of God.  Becoming a child of God means we answer Jesus' call to receive His Holy Spirit and believe upon His name or trust Him.  Answering this call is what initiates the change from darkness to light and begins the process of becoming the person we are created to be.  

In all the negativity that inundates our world, especially the media's continual picture of gloom over our country, there is a beautiful hope we have in our God that when mediated upon can lift us out of our darkness and into the light.  

Perhaps one of the strangest teachings in the Scriptures, the rapture of the church or the "harpazo" is clearly taught and we need to understand what it is and what it means for humanity.   

In the Old  Testament there are hints of gentiles coming to faith but for the most part the Church was a mystery until Jesus said in Mat 16:18  "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."  The Church was melting pot of the Lord for whosoever would believe both Jew and Gentile.  However, the Church does not replace the nation of Israel in the plan of God for this world.  They have a role to play in the future when they, as a nation, will receive Jesus as their Messiah.   

In the Old Testament God promised Israel a new covenant between Himself and the nation after establishing the covenant with them at Mt Sinai.  This new covenant would be different in that God putting His spirit in them and more.  Jesus, declared this new covenant with his Apostles when he took the cup and declared it to be the new covenant in His blood.  Israel, as a nation, rejected the covenant but many did receive it and God indeed put His Spirit in them.  Afterwards the non-Jews or gentiles also partook of this new covenant.  However this new covenant with the Jews will be fulfilled at the conclusion of the great tribulation period. 

One very important piece to understanding the end time events is to understand God's purpose for the nation Israel and the future plans during the chaos of the "times of Jacob's trouble" referring to the great tribulation period.  

The end times is a hot topic now days and I want to share my thoughts and understanding on the subject.  

A great lesson we can learn from the Old Testament story of the Jew's history is how many times they did things contrary to God's law because it seemed right in their own eyes.  Leaning on our own understanding is a huge problem in the lives of believers today because we are not created to depend upon our own limited understand rather the leading of Holy Spirit.  The narrow gate and difficult way that Jesus said leads to life, often has moments where we need to do what we don't want to do.  But we understand God wants us to do it.  Learning to lean upon the Lord, putting our complete trust in Him, is difficult but the rewards are amazing.  

We will understand this a lot better in eternity but the only sufficient payment for eternal life is in the blood sacrifice of Jesus.  And for those who have entered into that New Covenant He spoke of, the expectation of obedience and being led by the Holy Spirit, should be in the forefront of our mind.  We were bought with a price and now we are not our own rather we are the property of Jesus.  

The battle in our spiritual lives involves our minds being renewed.  If we are walking in faith, filled with the Holy Spirit our minds take on a vital new role.  Putting on the mind of Christ and renewing our minds prepares us not only to be a good witness, but to discern the will of God.  Not having the mind of Christ or renewing our minds leaves us in the natural mind, relying upon our own understanding.  And that does us more spiritual harm than good. 

Thanks to all you listeners.  If you would like prayer send it to Contact@junkyardoutreach.com

When an unbeliever comes to faith in Jesus, through whatever circumstance, they change.  And along with those changes life now becomes a different experience where those things once thought to be good are now filtered through the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit.  And that new path can be challenging because it can be a lonely path at times and Jesus made it clear that difficulties await the child of God because of that new path.  But it is the path that leads to real life here and in eternity.  

The letter from the writer known as "Jude" is a short, 1 chapter, power packed letter addressing false teachers.  False teaching has been around since teaching began.  It's simply taking something taught and twisting it then passing the twisted version on to anyone who is willing to listen.  False teachers are not necessarily those with opposing views on non-essential doctrines, rather those who are actively teaching things in opposition to sound biblical teaching.  Many people have fallen victim to teachers who have not imparted the truth of God to them resulting in a stifled or non-existent relationship with Jesus and Jude is going to expose such teachers.  

When we give to bless God we can bless Him many ways other than giving money.  Time, skills etc are also ways that bless Him and others.  And those things given in faith will have an eternal reward as well.  

The word "tithe" means "a tenth."  I give my take on this issue and the difference between giving whatever a person determines in their own heart and a mandated 10%.  

I have discovered that biblical giving  can be a tool in our lives that God uses to do many really cool things including breaking the chains of selfishness in our own lives.  Giving is not a topic people usually want to hear because of what they may have experienced when a preacher compelled them to give when they didn't want to.  That's not Jesus, it's not biblical and it robs a person of something very cool.  

The Old Testament contains so much recorded violence that it is often unpleasant to read.  Understanding about the history of those days and learning more about the character of God may help us recognize a scary trait among many people that is a fascination with violence.  And the Lord is no stranger to violence as He Himself inflicts His wrath on occasion upon those who oppose Him.  Also He allows violence to afflict those who are seemingly innocent.  But what should our attitude as children of God be toward violence?  See it for what it is.  

When a person is expecting an upcoming event where they will be in the spot light, they prepare for that day so that they may not feel ashamed when the time comes.  A singer will rehearse, an athlete will train, a student will study.  All to ensure they are at their best for the event.  
With Jesus, the concept is the same.  We will be standing before Him, and this life is our time to prepare to meet our King.  So being ready to meet Him at any minute is not only is wise, but it creates in us a seriousness about following Him that brings about really cool things.  And then we can rest assured that if I am taken out suddenly, I am good to go.  

A common complaint against Christians is that we often are "judgmental" and condemning.  And it's interesting that most unbelievers know the verse in Matthew Ch. 7:1  "Judge not, that ye be not judged."  They even know it in the Old King James version.  But as believers we are to be judgemental not in condemning others rather continually evaluating ourselves and ensuring we are on the right track.  That is why it's so important to spend time in the Word daily and in prayer so that we don't find ourselves going of the rails again.  Always being mindful of our own tendencies to slip back into the flesh or our carnal selves, helps us to stay in the Spirit and pleasing to God. 

In the Old Testament, cities of refuge were established by God to protect people who were involved in the death of a person where there was no intent to harm that person - a place of refuge for those who were fleeing judgment of a really angry relative of the deceased.  Jesus is our place of refuge and that is the idea of a strong tower.  A place of protection for those who seek it.