Category Archives: Spiritual Development

Practical teachings from the Bible for every day living.

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Why Self-Image Is Super Important in All Things Spiritual [Podcast]

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 23

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Why Self-Image Is Super Important in All Things Spiritual [Podcast]

Self-image is a vital component for any child of God desiring to do His will. How do you acquire the proper image that God has of you? Psychological studies establish that a child has formed a relatively definite impression of himself by age five. The same studies reveal that self-image is not closely related to social position, family work background, education, or any combination. A young child sees himself from the reflections of those close to him, mainly his parents. How they react to his activities largely determines the self-image he builds 1. Having a wrong self-image can hinder God’s plan for your life. How can we identify and change a negative self-image?

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Why Kindness Is a Giant Fruit of the Spirit

[Tweet “When we run from the covenant, you will not prosper over the long haul because the nature of God’s covenant is provision.”]

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Why Jesus Enormous Freedom Idea Is Super Superior

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 22

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Why God's Enormous Freedom Idea Is Super Superior

We will talk today about freedom, what it is, and why freedom in Jesus is super superior. Freedom is a big issue for all inhabitants of planet earth, human, animal, vegetable, and mineral. For many years, at the University of Oklahoma, a project was underway to teach a fifteen-year-old female chimpanzee named Washoe to talk by combining sign language with simple recognition. This story intrigued me because two of my children attended the University of Oklahoma.

Since 1966, this chimpanzee has learned 140 signs. Finally, the project directors decided that Washoe was prepared to “conceptualize.” This meant that instead of merely imitating some human words, the chimp would express her thoughts. Now, understand that Washoe was a pampered animal in the university’s laboratory—well-fed, physically comfortable, safe from harm. She had security. And yet, when she was able to put words together on her own into a phrase, these were the first three—and she has repeated them repeatedly—”Let me out.” 1 Freedom is our focus today; why God’s idea of it is better than yours. All this, and more,  on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Deal with Thieves and Robbers Jesus Style

[Tweet “Jesus’ idea of freedom is super superior to man’s. Real freedom is found in service to others.”]

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Why God Believes in Church and Why You Need to Be There

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 21

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Why God Believes in Church and Why You Need to Be There

God believes in church. He believes in you being part of a local assembly. We all need to be involved in the church’s ministry because it is a ministry of people. When a church lives, it lives because the people are vital and active. When a church dies, it withers and dies not because the brick and mortar and carpet and pews get old and begin to crack and rip and crumble. A church withers and dies because the people wither and die. I think a vivid illustration of this comes from a true story of a young minister in Oklahoma who went to this little, though long-standing, church in hopes of really reviving the ministry of it. He had stars in his eyes and great hopes for the future. He thought he could turn it around. And he gave it his best effort and his best shot week after week, to no avail. Finally, he had one last idea, and it seemed to work. On Saturday, he announced in the local newspaper that the church had died, and on Sunday afternoon, there would be a funeral service at the church itself, and all who wished could attend. For the first time in his years there, the place was packed. In fact, people were standing outside on tiptoes looking through the window to see this most unusual funeral service for a church. To their shock, because most of them got there twenty or thirty minutes early to get a seat, there was a casket down the front. And it was smothered with flowers. He told the people as soon as the eulogy was finished, they could pass by and view the remains of the dearly beloved that they were putting to rest that day. They could hardly wait until he finished the eulogy. He slowly opened the casket, pushed the flowers aside, and people walked by, filed by, to look in and leave sheepishly, feeling guilty as they walked out the door because inside the casket, he had placed a large mirror. As they walked by, they saw the church that had died.1 Funerals for churches, that’s not the plan — that’s the target we are to shoot at. Why God Believes in Church and Why You Need to Be There, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Seven Witnesses to the Mission of Jesus

[Tweet “In Ephesians 4, we have 8 distinct reasons why God believes in church and why you need to be there.”]

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What Jesus Teaches about Who Is Locked Away in the Lower Regions

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 20

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What Jesus Teaches about Who Is Locked Away in the Lower Regions

In the book of Ephesians and several other places in the Bible, the Word of God alludes to the fact that there are prisons in the heart of the earth. Paul, speaking by the Spirit of God, calls these places the lower regions. Today’s question is just who exactly is in these lower regions? We can also follow up on that question by asking what are these lower regions in the first place? Everybody knows that hell is below. If a person dies without Jesus, that’s precisely where they go when they die. It’s a hard fact, but it’s an actual Bible fact — a scriptural reality. Some time ago, a traffic officer gave a citation to a woman in Brooklyn. And when the officer handed it through the window to her, she snapped it out of his hands and said, “You can go straight to hell!” So the officer took her to court. A few days later, they appeared before the judge, and he dismissed the officer’s complaint about the woman’s language because he said, and I quote, “It wasn’t a command, or a wish, but a statement of fact, for going to hell is a possibility.” Charles R. Swindoll, The Tale of the Tardy Oxcart and 1501 Other Stories (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, 2016), 266. What Jesus Teaches about Who Is Locked Away in the Lower Regions that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#047: What Happens to a Person When They Die? [Podcast]

[Tweet “We know that there is a paradise, and we know that Jesus went there because of what He told the thief on the cross.”]

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What is the Value of God’s Ministry Grace Gifts to Us?

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 19

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What is the Value of God's Ministry Grace Gifts to Us?

In this week’s episode, we will look at just one of God’s ministry grace gifts to us via the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. God’s gifts are nothing, and I mean nothing, like the gifts that men give to one another. How’s this story as an illustration of this fact? “It’s not the gift; it’s the thought behind it.” You’ve heard that before. Well, these two brothers put a lot of thought into the giving of a pair of pants that they gave back and forth to each other every Christmas. First, the pants were tied to a car wheel and run over snow and ice, then removed from the wheel, wrapped in a lovely box, and presented at Christmas time. When the other brother got them the following Christmas, he placed those same pants in a form where wet cement was poured and allowed to dry. They were presented that year along with a sledgehammer. So, the following year they were placed in the framing of a small tool shed, and the entire shed had to be ripped apart to get to the pants. The following year, the same old sorry, miserable pair of pants sat in the front seat of a demolished car, compressed into a flattened piece of metal. It took a tractor and crowbars to get to that same pair of pants. Again, it wasn’t the gift—it was the fun and joy in giving it.1 I am so glad Jesus didn’t put salvation in a demolished car or bury it in concrete where you would have to work to obtain it. No, Jesus’ gifts are free and clear and easy to access. What is the Value of God’s Grace Gifts to Us? — that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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The Value of Humility and Consecration in the Miracles of God

[Tweet “God’s gifts TO men is the gift OF men — special kind of men — anointed men — Holy Spirit empowered men.”]

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Why Holy Spirit Inspired Hope is the Anchor of the Soul

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 18

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Why Holy Spirit Inspired Hope is the Anchor of the Soul

Hope springs eternal; that’s what the writer says, but what does the Bible say about hope? Billy Graham was preaching in Germany one day when German Chancellor Konrad Adenauer invited him to his office: Coffee was served, but before my first sip, the Chancellor started in. “Young men, do you believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ?” “I most certainly do,” Billy Graham replied. “So, do I. If Jesus Christ has not risen from the dead, there is not one glimmer of hope for the human race. When I leave office, I will spend the rest of my life studying and writing about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s the most important event in human history.”1 So, the confident expectation of a future event generated via the resurrection of Jesus is one strong source of hope. Why Holy Spirit Inspired Hope is the Anchor of the Soul, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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The Role of the Spirit in the Life of A Believer

[Tweet “Hope reaches out past the ‘doing part of your life’ believing that what is on the horizon will take place.”]

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Why You Shouldn’t Let the Enemy Torment You about the Unpardonable Sin

Encore Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 17

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Why You Shouldn't Let the Enemy Torment You about the Unpardonable Sin

An aged minister thought that he had committed the Unpardonable Sin. At last, after much conflict, he submitted to what he mistakably considered was the will of God, for him to be lost. Then something within him whispered: “Suppose you are going to hell, with your disposition and habits, what would you do there?” The quick answer was, “I would set up a prayer-meeting,” and with those words, God’s revelation light dawned on his heart, and he saw how absurd he was. The fact that one fears that he has committed this sin is sure proof that he hasn’t.1 Why You Shouldn’t Let the Enemy Torment You about the Unpardonable Sin, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Cultivate God’s Presence in Your Life

[Tweet “You cannot commit the Unpardonable Sin by accident. It is a willful action.”]

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Why the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Matters

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 16

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There is a lot of conversation in the world today about the subject of unity. In some cases, the discussion is about the lack of it. Many seem to value it for its benefits; however, some have manipulated its benefits for personal gain. During World War II, Hitler commanded all religious groups to unite so that he could control them. Among the Brethren assemblies, half complied, and half refused. Those who went along with the order had a much easier time—those who did not face harsh persecution. In almost every family of those who resisted, someone died in a concentration camp. When the war was over, feelings of bitterness ran deep between the groups, and there was much tension. Finally, they decided that the situation had to be healed. Leaders from each group met at a quiet retreat. For several days, each person spent time in prayer, examining their own heart in the light of Christ’s commands. Then they came together. Francis Schaeffer, who told of the incident, asked a friend there, “What did you do then?” “We were just one,” he replied. As they confessed their hostility and bitterness to God and yielded to His control, the Holy Spirit created a spirit of unity among them. Love filled their hearts and dissolved their hatred. When love prevails among believers, especially in times of strong disagreement, it presents to the world an indisputable mark of a true follower of Jesus Christ. 1 Why the Unity of the Spirit in the Bond of Peace Matters that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Are You A Passionate Seeker of Jesus?

[Tweet “Gentleness, that giant fruit of the Spirit is at work, when there is real God-style unity.”]

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Do You Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? [Encore Podcast]

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 15

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Do You Believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?

One of my favorite shows from yesteryear was Get Smart. It was a show about a goofy secret agent. One of the popular catchphrases for the show was ‘would you believe.’ Maxwell Smart would say when he got caught by the bad guys, ‘would you believe.’ Here’s some of the dialogue. “I happen to know that at this very’ moment, eight Coast Guard cutters are converging on this boat. Would you believe seven? Six? How about two cops in a rowboat?” Or, At this very minute, 25 Control agents are converging on this building. Would you believe two squad cars and a motorcycle cop? How about a vicious street cleaner and a toothless police dog? Or, I once trained a girl to swim across the English Channel five times. Would you believe four times? Would you believe three times across the Mississippi? How about twice around the bathtub? Once around the bathtub? Or, in a short while, General Crawford and a hundred of his crack paratroopers will come crashing into this landing. Would you believe J. Edgar Hoover and I0 of his G-men? How about Tarzan and a couple of apes? Bomba, the Jungle Boy? Or, at this very moment, 100 highway patrolmen with Doberman pinschers are surrounding this entire area. Would you believe four deputies and a bloodhound? How about a Boy Scout with rabies? The question arises, ‘do you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus? Do you believe it just like the Bible says it, or do you believe a watered-down ‘Maxwell Smart’ version of the events surrounding Jesus’ death?

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Three Things Jesus Did that You Can Do

[Tweet “What death did to Jesus is nothing compared to what Jesus did to death.”]

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Why Applying the Word to Your Everyday Life Is Vital, Right, and True

Podcast: Light on Life Season Nine Episode Fourteen

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Why Applying the Word to Your Everyday Life Is Vital, Right, and True

In today’s podcast, we are focusing our sights on the vital nature of applying the Word of God to your everyday life. I ran across this superb illustration that references translating the Bible into real life. The illustration talked about how many Christian wives led their husbands to the Lord. The key is a woman willing to live what she believes in each case. A small group of men concluded their weekly Bible study on one occasion. At the time, they were sharing their thoughts about all the different translations.

The first man said, “I’ll stick with the good old King James Version. It has always been my favorite.” The next man said, “I can’t understand that old English. The New American Standard is my choice for translation.” The third man was a recent believer. “My favorite translation is my wife. Her life translated the gospel into a language I could understand.”

What a great testimony! Living out the Word in a way that bears the fruit of salvation! Leadership Ministries Worldwide, Practical Illustrations: 1 Peter, 2 Peter, 1 John, 2 John, 3 John, Jude (Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide, 2003), 87–88. Your goal, your aim, the target you need to shoot at is this: is your life the best translation of the Bible? We are over in Ephesians chapter four, and we are going to look at this thought as we focus on Why Applying the Word to Your Everyday Life Is Vital, Right, and True, all in this week’s Light on Life.

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#S2-001: Secrets to Hearing God: Are You Listening? [Podcast]

[Tweet “Because you have been blessed with every spiritual blessing, you should, therefore, walk a certain way.”]

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How to Get to Be the Strong Man God Wants You to Be

Podcast: Light on Life Season Nine Episode Thirteen

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How to Get to Be the Strong Man God Wants You to Be

When we think about what a strong man is, people have all kinds of images that pop into their heads. To them, a strong man may conjure up pictures of some bodybuilder with gargantuan steroid injected muscularity. Some have a picture of legendary tough guy-type actors. Others have a concept like this guy in the following story.

An old fellow had been in the north woods for weeks by himself, camping out. Each night at dusk, he built a campfire, boiled water for coffee, and took out his skillet to fry up some bacon for dinner. As he was sitting by the fire one night, the water boiling and the bacon sizzling, he heard a tremendous racket in the brush. The sound was like a roaring freight train, and as trees fell over and branches snapped, the biggest bear he’d ever seen lumbered into the clearing. A tough-looking hombre holding a seven-foot live rattlesnake in his hands was on the bear’s back. The man shouted and screamed as he brought the bear to a skidding halt, bit the head off of the rattlesnake, and flung it into the brush. Then he slid off the bear’s back, turned, and hit him between the eyes, knocking him unconscious.; The camper was speechless as this wild-eyed renegade walked over to the fire, tossed the boiling coffee down his throat, drank the hot grease from the skillet, and ate all of the bacon in one bite. As he wiped his hands with poison ivy and slapped the bear back to consciousness, he turned to the camper and said, “Partner, I’m sorry I can’t stay around and visit with you a while, but I’ve got to keep moving ‘cause a real bad dude is chasing me!” Galaxie Software, 10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Biblical Studies Press, 2002). This is a comical example of a strong man. But all that aside, how do you get to be a strong man of God, not physically, but spiritually? Answering that question is our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Reasons to Study Spiritual Manifestations

 

[Tweet “Do you think that a strong man or woman of God needs others praying for them? Absolutely yes!!”]

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Three Ways You Can Know That You Are Believing God

Encore Podcast: Light on Life Season Nine Episode Twelve

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Three Ways You Can Know That You Are Believing God

How can you know that you are believing God? What does it mean to have faith or to believe? How do you know if you really are believing God for healing or any other Bible promise? Jesus ministered healing to twenty-three individual cases. In the vast majority of these individual cases, you can see evidence of the person’s faith in connection with their healing.  You may have had those times where you thought you believed God, and nothing happened. You were believing God for some healing in your body, and you got no better fast. How do you know if you’ve connected? Everything is by faith. You know and expect by faith. If you want to connect with God, you have to speak in His domain. You have to speak His language. Otherwise, you won’t be heard. Heaven is a faith place. The domain of unbelief is not understood there. You will not connect with heaven’s power if you’re speaking in the wrong realm. So, how do you know if you really are trusting God? One way you can find out? Take the test. There are seven tests which you can apply, which we are going to go over. These are not all the tests there are. These are seven that I know about. In this podcast, we will talk about three of them. How do you know that you are trusting God? That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Why It’s Important to Flow in Faith’s Domain

[Tweet “You know you believe when no one can talk you out of it, even under pressure.”]