The God we serve is a gift-giver. He loves to give gifts to His children, but not just any gifts. He always gives good gifts. He will never give you a gift you don’t need and can’t use.  In fact, he knows what we need better than we do.

Main Points:

1. In Several places in the New Testament, the Holy Spirit is called a gift.  To be filled with the presence and power of God is an incredible gift.  

2. I’ve seen people be hesitant and even afraid of the Holy Spirit. Let’s trust the character of our good Heavenly Father. He knows what we need and has wonderful gifts to give us, including the gift of the Holy Spirit.

3. The Spirit is given to empower believers to be a witness for Christ. The task of evangelism we are called to cannot be accomplished in our strength alone. We need a power greater than our own. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. 

Today’s Scripture Verses:

James 1:17 - “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.”

Acts 2:38 - “Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”

Acts 10:45 - “And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also.”

Joel 2:28-29 - “ I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days.”

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Divine healing is a gift of God’s grace for all.  Just as salvation comes to us by God’s grace, healing does as well. We do not deserve it and cannot earn it. In the NT people did not view healing as a right, but as an act of God’s grace. We are in no position to demand God to give us healing.

Main Points:

1. In the church today there is a lot of false teaching about healing.   What the Bible teaches us is that healing occurs according to the will of God.  There is no magic formula.  God is concerned about our needs.  We bring them to him.  We pray.  But God is the healer.

2. Admittedly, the sovereignty of God is difficult to understand. Why does He heal some and not heal others? I do not know. But this is not for me to figure out or question. My responsibility is to do what I have been instructed to do in Scripture.

3. Let’s remain confident in our belief that God has the power to heal the sick and that this blessing is offered to us.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

James 5:13-15 - “Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise. Is anyone among you sick? Let them call the elders of the church to pray over them and anoint them with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven.”

Isaiah 53:5 - “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; The chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes, we are healed.”

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Can I give you a word of encouragement? Your unsaved family members are on the mind of God. While He won’t force anyone to believe in Him, He is actively pursuing them through His Holy Spirit. In fact, scripture tells us this is the reason God has delayed the return of Christ.

Main Points:

1. First, let me encourage you to pray faithfully and consistently. Resist the temptation to give up. Don’t let the enemy convince you that your prayers don't matter or that God is not listening. He is listening, He cares, and prayer is powerful.

2. Second, pray that God will soften their hardened heart. Pray they will begin to have a spiritual hunger that would cause them to seek and search for God. 

3. Believe God will save them. The enemy of our souls will try to convince you that your unsaved family members will never be saved. We resist this temptation. Our faith is in a God who can save anyone. He loves your family. He sent His son Jesus to the cross to die as a sacrifice for their sins. Let’s believe that all things are possible through Jesus.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

2 Peter 3:9 - God is “patient, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Luke 19:10 - “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

1 Timothy 2:3-4 - “This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” 

2 Corinthians 4:4 - “In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

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Jealousy has been defined as “resenting God’s goodness in others’ lives and ignoring God’s goodness in my own life.  Jealousy is an enemy of our hearts because it causes a lack of contentment and gratitude toward God.

Main Points:

1. Jealousy can lead us to become angry, bitter, and unforgiving. It can lead us to gossip, lie, or be malicious. Jealousy can lead us to steal, commit adultery, and even murder. 

2. The cure for a heart struggling with jealousy is to resist the temptation to compare yourself with others.

3. Here is a great truth:  “I already have more than I deserve.”  So, why am I complaining and being jealous of others when God has given me more than I can ever possibly deserve?  

Today’s Scripture Verses:

James 3:16 – “For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing.”

Proverbs 23:17 - “Do not let your heart envy sinners, but always be zealous for the fear of the Lord.”  

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God invites us into this intimacy. He calls for us to be close to Him. This is what differentiates Christianity from any other religion in the world. God is not cold and distant. He welcomes closeness with himself. He calls and invites us to seek Him and pursue Him.

Main Points:

1. Can you hear His voice? In your loneliness, in your anxiety, in your frustration, and in your desperation, God is calling you to come to Him. I pray that you will respond like David and say, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

2. There are so many today who have lots of Bible knowledge. Maybe they were raised attending church. They know the Word of God and can quote many scriptures, but they are empty spiritually because they have no relationship with God.

3. God wants to be known. He makes himself available to us. He rewards our seeking with His presence. Your relationship with God can be rich and full. It can be powerful and inspiring; it just requires us to seek Him.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 27:8 - “When you said, ‘Seek My face,’ My heart said to You, “Your face, LORD, I will seek.”

James 4:8 - “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.”

Psalm 119:37 - “Turn my eyes away from worthless things.”

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As we read the Bible, it is very clear, Jesus is coming back. While many scoff and disbelieve, it doesn’t change the truth of what Jesus has said. We don’t know when He is coming, but we do know He is coming soon. 

Main Points:

1. We live in a world today that scoffs at the idea of Jesus returning. Their cynicism fulfills the prophecy scripture gave concerning the end times. 

2. I believe in the imminent return of Christ, meaning I believe Jesus could return at any time. Jesus could return today. He could return while you are listening to this episode. 

3. Don’t give up hope. Don’t let go of your belief in the promise of Christ’s return. He said he would come back, and he will. When is Jesus coming back? He is coming back soon.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Acts 1:10-11 tells the story. “They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Revelation 22:20-21 - “He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming soon.” “Amen, come, Lord Jesus.”

2 Peter 3:4 - “They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our ancestors died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.”

Matthew 24:44 - “So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”

2 Peter 3:9 - "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

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Often in Scripture, our relationship with God is described as a walk. Sometimes we’ll use the phrase “we are on a journey.” This idea goes back to the relationship Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:8 - “God, as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day.” 

Main Points:

1. When I preach funerals, I’ll often say, “The best gift you can give your family and friends is the assurance that you are in Heaven. Let your legacy be that you loved and served Jesus faithfully. Leave behind the powerful memory that you were someone who walked with God.

2. The Bible teaches us as believers to walk in love, walk in the light, walk in wisdom, and walk in the Spirit. These instructions remind us that the Christian life is not static. It’s not stationary. There is no place to stop. There is no plateau of spiritual growth. There is no place of arrival, where we can stop growing in our relationship with God. We must keep walking. 

3. So, today, let’s get out our walking shoes. Let’s spend time with Jesus. Let’s journey with Him. Let’s grow in our relationship with God. Today is a good day to grow spiritually.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Micah 6:8 - “walk humbly with your God.” 

2 Corinthians 6:16 - “As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

Genesis 5:24 - “Enoch walked faithfully with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.”

Hebrews 11:5 - “By faith Enoch was taken from this life, so that he did not experience death: “He could not be found, because God had taken him away.”For before he was taken, he was commended as one who pleased God.”

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Have you ever encountered someone who simply wouldn’t listen to wise advice? Or what about you? Have you ever refused to listen to words of wisdom?  The Bible calls this decision "foolish."

Main Points:

1. The Bible teaches us that a foolish person is the one who leaves God out. In fact, Psalm 14:1 - “The fool has said in his heart, there is no God.” According to the Scripture, the fool either doesn’t believe in God, or they don’t consider God and his ways. They leave God out. The fool doesn’t follow Godly wisdom or advice. The fool leaves God out of their planning and goes their own way.

2. Charles Stanley wrote, “Wisdom is the capacity to see things from God's perspective and respond according to scriptural principles.”

3. I believe that to gain wisdom, we must have humility. As long as we think we know better, we’ll neglect Godly wisdom, whether it comes from Scripture or a trusted friend. When we humble ourselves, we are declaring that God knows better. We are acknowledging our weaknesses and our limitations. We are trusting God to lead us to make the right decisions.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Proverbs 12:15 - “The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice.” 

Proverbs 28:26 - “Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.”

Proverbs 14:12  - “There is a way that seems right to a person, but its end is the way to death.”

1 Corinthians 3:19 - “The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.”

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Today, you and I will face things that will threaten our faith, especially our faith in God’s protection. You might be worried about your marriage, the decisions your children are making, the future of your career, the economy, or even your physical safety. You might be worried about your retirement account, the increase in crime in your neighborhood, or an upcoming medical test. There are so many things that threaten our faith in God’s protection.

Main Points:

1. First, remembering God’s past protection inspires us to believe God will protect us in the present and future. Remembering what God has already done inspires confidence in God’s future faithfulness. 

2. Second, David knows the power of verbalizing his faith. He worships out loud. In Psalm 27:6, David says, “I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the Lord.” By writing down this Psalm, he is declaring what he believes about God. In doing both of these things, he is encouraging his own soul in the Lord.

3. You and I can do this today. No matter what you are facing, put your faith in God and in His power to protect you. 

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 27:1-2 - “The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? When the wicked came against me To eat up my flesh, My enemies and foes, They stumbled and fell. Though an army may encamp against me, My heart shall not fear; Though war may rise against me, In this I will be confident.”

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The presence of God is an amazing thing. To think that God is with us is incredible. God is omnipresent. He is always with us. In fact, He promised to never leave us or forsake us. But if that is true, why don’t we experience more peace? The answer is that we are not always aware of God’s presence.

Main Points:

1. J. Oswald Sanders - “Peace is not the absence of trouble, but the presence of God.”

2. Most often, we are more aware of our fears, anxieties, problems, and struggles. These present difficulties occupy our thoughts and emotions. We can let them take over. But when we are consumed with fear, worry, and anxiety, we are less consumed with thoughts about God. So, the issue is not about God’s location. The issue is with our awareness of His presence.

3. So, let me ask you: How aware are you today of God’s presence? Are your thoughts focused on the Lord? Have you spent time with him today? Have you read His Word and allowed it to speak to your soul? Have you made time to worship and pray? Spending time with God is the most important thing you will do today. 

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

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Remember this: our hope in God isn't just a wish or a dream, but a sure confidence that what God says will happen. Every other hope will disappoint. Every other hope will come up short. God is the one who never fails, he never leaves us, and he never forsakes us.

Main Points:

1. Today, I ask you to let the Word of God penetrate the dark place in your soul. Let the light of God’s truth illuminate your situation. If you feel hopelessness, despair, discouragement, or depression, receive this Word from the Lord.

2. Just because you can’t see him, it doesn’t mean God is not at work in your life. Just because you don’t recognize it at the moment, it doesn’t mean there is no way out. Just because you don’t feel him, it doesn’t mean the Lord is not with you. 

3. Discouragement, despair, and hopelessness are not God’s will for your life. Let his truth fill your heart and mind. Meditate on His Word. Let God restore your hope.

Today’s Scripture Verses:

Psalm 34:17-19 - “The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help. He rescues them from all their troubles. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.”

Psalm 113:4-5 - “For the Lord is high above the nations; his glory is higher than the heavens. Who can be compared with the Lord our God, who is enthroned on high?”

Matthew 19:26 - “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

1 John 4:16 - “ We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.”

Psalm 25:3 - “No one who hopes in you will ever be put to shame”

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