Why the Supreme Need Is that Jesus Followers Imitate God

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 43

Why the Supreme Need Is that Jesus Followers Imitate God

The Spirit of God instructs Jesus followers to imitate God. That should be nothing new. We’ve heard that all our lives with movements like WWJD — what would Jesus do? They say imitation is the best form of flattery. In an earthly sense, copying has its advantages and disadvantages. President Calvin Coolidge invited some people from his hometown to dinner at the White House. Since they did not know how to behave at such an occasion, they thought the best policy would be just to do what the President did so, they imitated him. The time came to serve coffee. The President poured his coffee into a saucer. As soon as the home folk saw it, they copied him; they did the same. The next step for the President was to pour some milk and add a little sugar to the coffee in the saucer. The home folks did the same. They thought for sure that the next step would be for the President to take the saucer with the coffee and begin sipping it. But the President didn’t do so. He leaned over, placed the saucer on the floor, and called the cat.1 So, sometimes copying others does not lead you to the place you desire. Being your own person and striving to be the best version of your unique self is best. But it’s a different story when we step over into the divine realm of things. Imitating God, doing what He would do, is a commanded expectation. Why the Supreme Need Is that Jesus Followers Mimick God — that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#S2-027: What It Means to Walk After the Spirit and Not the Flesh [Podcast]

[Tweet “When it comes to being compassionate, there is no better example than God the Father.”]

Why Hardheartedness is Not Part of the Abundant Life of Jesus

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 42

Why Hardness of Heart Is Not Part of the Abundant Life of God

Hardheartedness is what we are focusing on in today’s episode. You know that’s not part of the Abundant Life or the High Life that Jesus references. The Abundant Life is the will of God for your life. In a classic “Peanuts” comic strip, Charlie Brown goes to Lucy for psychiatric help. He says, “What can you do when you don’t fit in? What can you do when life seems to be passing you by?” Lucy leads Charlie away from her booth and says, “Follow me. I want to show you something. See the horizon over there? See how big this world is? See how much room there is for everybody? Have you ever seen any other worlds?” Charlie replies meekly, “No.” She continues, “As far as you know, this is the only world there is…Right?” Even more meekly, Charlie says, “Right.” Lucy pressed on, “There are no other worlds for you to live in…Right?” Charlie admits, “Right.” “You were born to live in this world…Right?” “Right,” says Charlie. Lucy then explodes, “Well, live in it then! Five cents, please.” While we may disagree with Lucy’s counseling technique, we recognize she is on to something. We need to make the most of our lives and really live.1 The point is well taken. If you choose to live the Christian life, then live the abundant life found only in Jesus. Why Hardheartedness Is Not Part of the Abundant Life of Jesus. We’re going to take a look at it on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Develop a Highly Effective Confidence in God

[Tweet “Per Paul, we must not keep living our past life, the life we used to live when we were estranged from God.”]

Why Bitterness Is Not Better in the Realm of the Emotions

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 41

Why Bitter Is Not Better in the Realm of the Emotions

In today’s podcast, we are finishing Ephesians chapter four, and with that comes a special admonition from the Apostle Paul via the Spirit of God – ‘Let all bitterness be put away from you.’ Regarding bitterness, author and church minister Ed Rowell writes the following. “When I was young, a neighboring family came down with a devastating illness. Several of the children died, and the rest suffered permanent brain damage. What investigators discovered was that the father had found a truckload of discarded seed corn and fed it to the family hogs. The corn (not intended for animal feed) had been treated with something so bugs wouldn’t eat it before it germinated. The hogs ate it, with no ill effects. But when the family hogs became the family breakfast, the family was poisoned. It seems that many substances—pesticides and heavy metals like lead and mercury—do not pass through the digestive system, but remain in the body, always. In tiny doses, the effects are minimal. But over time, the effects are horrible. That is what happens to many of us…. Every day we ingest minute amounts of conflict and disrespect. No big deal, we think. Just blow it off. But we don’t. Instead, it gets buried in our liver, and 20 years later, we go ballistic over some kid skateboarding in the parking lot and wonder, “Where did that come from?”1 We are talking about bitterness today, why it’s bad and what to do about it. Why Bitter Is Not Better in the Realm of Emotions, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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When Is It Right to Fight?

[Tweet “God has access to your spirit. He doesn’t need disasters to get His kid’s attention. That’s the devil’s work.”]

Why You Can Learn from Rabbis about Being a Doer of the Word

Encore Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 40

Why You Can Learn from Rabbis about Being a Doer of the Word

It is one thing to memorize certain verses in the Bible. It is another to be a doer of the Word you’ve remembered. There is a story of a missionary in Korea who had a visit from a native convert who lived a hundred miles away and who walked four days to reach the mission station. The pilgrim recited proudly, without a single mistake, the whole of the Sermon on the Mount. The missionary was delighted, but he felt that he ought to warn the man that memorizing was not enough—that it was necessary to practice the words and memorize them.

The Korean’s face lit up with happy smiles. “That is the way I learned it,” he said. “I tried to memorize it, but it wouldn’t stick. So, I hit upon this plan—I would memorize a verse, find a heathen neighbor of mine, and practice it on him. Then I found it would stick.” Scripture is the guideline for a believer’s life. Are you just reading the Bible, or are you doing it?1

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What Can A Rabbi Teach Us about Selling Out to God?

[Tweet “Who is truly pious? The person who studies the Word and who practices what he’s studied.”]

Why You Need to Know About How God Brings Correction to His Kids

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 39

Why You Need to Know About How God Brings Correction to His Kids

In this week’s episode, we are going to look at the subject of how God brings correction or disciplines His children. Just how does this work? Tony Evans chimes in about something which occurred in his past. He said, “Once, I got suspended from school in the eighth grade for fighting. Some boy messed with my fried chicken. They served fried chicken for lunch, and this boy took a piece of chicken off my plate. They had to call my father from his job. Now, my father worked by the hour, which meant he had to punch out to come to see why his son, the preacher’s kid, had gotten kicked out of school. He went to the school and came to the principal’s office, where I sat, waiting. I’ll never forget my father’s face as he listened to the story of how I came to get in trouble. I’ll also never forget my father’s response. He told the principal, “Sir, you will never, ever, ever have to worry about my son ever being suspended from school ever again.” As we walked out, he said, “Do you know how much this visit cost me? I am going to take the payment out on you.” Even though I was disciplined, he still fed me. Even though I was disciplined, he still clothed me. Even though I was disciplined, there was still a roof over my head. Even though I did something to irritate him, he was my daddy, and he was tenaciously committed to me.” 1 Now that’s a story that some of us may be able to relate to. The question we want to ask and know the answer to is ‘How does the Lord discipline His children?’ Why You Need to Know About How God Corrects His Kids that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#S2-048: Why It’s Important to Understand the Serious Power of the Soul [Podcast]

[Tweet “God has access to your spirit. He doesn’t need disasters to get His kid’s attention. That’s the devil’s work.”]

Why It’s Vital Not to Grieve the Spirit of God

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 38

Why It's Vital Not to Grieve the Spirit of God

To grieve the Holy Spirit is like letting corrosion build up on a battery so that the power of the battery cannot be accessed. In the life of a Christian, when the Holy Spirit is grieved, the charge and power available declines or is lost.1 Grieving the Holy Spirit. What is that? It’s obviously not good. But how bad is it? How can we avoid it in our everyday life? These questions and more are our focus in today’s podcast. Why It’s Vital Not to Grieve the Spirit of God all on this week’s Light on Life.

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#S4-034: Why You Can Absolutely Expect Powerful Healing Moves of God [Podcast]

[Tweet “Do not let corrupt communication come out of your mouth because if you do, you will grieve the Spirit of God.”

More of Putting on the New Man in Christ? What’s Your Next Move?

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 37

More of Putting on the New Man in Christ? What's Your Next Move?

In today’s podcast, we continue with the thought of ‘what’s our next move’ now that we have put on Christ. The thought speaks to the idea of priority. Everything you know is not on the same level. I once heard a godly minister say that one of the secrets to living successfully in God is to major on the major and minor on the minors. A life-threatening experience has a way of rearranging one’s priorities. That was true in the lives of former Texas Governor John Connally and his wife after he was wounded by the assassin who took the life of President John F. Kennedy in 1963. In an interview, Connally explained, “As far as Nellie and I are concerned, it inevitably brought into sharper focus what’s important in life. We try not to participate in things that are shallow or overall meaningless.”1

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#S4-034: Why You Can Absolutely Expect Powerful Healing Moves of God [Podcast]

[Tweet “With putting off the old man, and the putting on the new man comes this final decision. I will not lie.”

Putting on the New Man in Christ? What’s Your Next Move?

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 36

Putting on the New Man in Christ? What's Your Next Move?

If you read the New Testament, especially the epistles, you will run upon the phrase ‘putting on the new man in Christ. But what does it mean? How does that work? How does that change our lives? Well, those are all great questions. The well-known evangelist D.L. Moody has this to say along these lines. “A man got up in one of our meetings in New York some years ago, who had been pretty far down, but a wonderful change had occurred, and he said he hardly knew himself. He said the fact was, he was a new man in his old clothes. That was just it. Not a man in new clothes, but a new man in old clothes. I saw an advertisement that read like this: “If you want people to respect you, wear good clothes.” That is the world’s idea of getting the world’s respect. Why! A leper may wear good clothes, but he is still a leper. Mere profession doesn’t transform a man. It is the new nature spoken of in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” 1 Moody said a leper might put on new clothes, but he is still a leper. A sinner can put on church clothes, but he’s still a sinner. But if any man is in Christ, he has a new wardrobe. And, putting on His new clothes makes you a hypocrite no longer. Putting on the New Man in Christ? What’s Your Next Move? That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#005: Choosing to Be Decisive [Podcast]

[Tweet “What a mess it would be if the members of your physical body lie to one another.”

Why You Should Learn Christ and Understand It’s Not Jesus Last Name

Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 35

Why You Should Learn Christ and Understand It's Not Jesus Last Name

In chapter four of his letter, learning Christ is Paul’s warning to the church at Ephesus. Have you ever considered what it means to learn Christ? Well, for one, learning Christ is about learning His actions. One writer spoke to this in a dramatic and insightful piece. The writer is unknown, but his words are living. Listen to them now. He came from splendor to be born in poverty. He left the presence of angels for the company of me. He laid down a scepter in heaven to be laid in a manger and exchanged the worship of Archangels for the praise of lowly shepherds. He walked into the world with all the power of Almighty God at his bidding, but he was carried out a mutilated body lowered from a cross.

He rebuked the pious, but he comforted the sinner. He refused earthly Kingship, although he was still a King. He loved his mother yet gave her away at the Cross. He healed the broken-hearted, yet he died with a broken heart. He loved the fellowship of friends yet was cast out by his kinsmen. He rebuked both sage and seer, then blessed the little children. He held an executive meeting on the Mount of Transfiguration, then wept alone in the Garden of Gethsemane. He could walk on water but could not walk away from the tears in the eyes of the Widow from Nain. He could command the stars in their orbits, but he refused to change the circumstances of his own execution. His mission was a commitment to free all men, yet he was imprisoned on the testimony of one man. He delivered many from pain, but he was delivered to suffer agonizing pain. He dried the eyes of multitudes, but no one dried his eyes in Gethsemane. He carried the world’s burdens, but only one was brought forth to help him bear his Cross to Calvary. His execution was considered insignificant but became the controversy of the ages. His life was extinguished in a brief second of time but then ignited to lighten the world. His short span of thirty-three years on Earth should have passed unnoted was it possible, but no one life has ever had such an impact on the minds of men. His three and one-half years in the public eye were brief indeed, but his achievements are the greatest ever recorded. He has inspired more men, conquered more hearts, delivered more prisoners, and consoled more mourners than any figure in the history of man. He spoke of love but was murdered with hate. He shared all he had, then on the Cross, he shared paradise with a thief. He gave the World light, only to be driven into the cavern of Death. He gave mankind guidance, only to be guided to Golgotha. He pointed men to the Tree of Life; they nailed him to a tree on a hill called the Skull. He laid down a scepter in heaven, to be laid in a borrowed tomb. He walked out of heaven, pure, perfect, and beautiful. He returned beaten, mutilated, and nail-scarred. He fulfilled all that was written of him, yet man did not believe Him. His coming changed the course of nations; his return will be to judge the nations. His title was simple, as stated on the Cross, “Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews,” but to those who have ever known him, He is Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.1 This Jesus, who is called the Christ, is our focus today. Why You Should Learn Christ and Understand It’s Not Jesus Last Name, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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

[Tweet “You must be renewed in the spirit of your mind. Think young. Think in the new ways of God.”]

Why the Jesus Way Means Total Trust All the Time

Encore Podcast: Light on Life Season 9 Episode 34

Why the Jesus Way Means Total Trust All the Time

Robert Schuller relays this family story about the issue of total trust. In his words, he says, “One problem I remember was a time when our son Bob broke our trust and lied to his mother and me. He was still young, dating Linda, his wife-to-be, and was only allowed to see her on certain nights. Well, one night, he wanted to see her without permission and told us he was at his friend’s house. When we found out the truth, there was a real scene between us. He had violated our trust; it was like a crack in a fine cup that marred its appearance. In the confrontation, I smashed a fine English teacup on the floor and told Bob that restoring our trust would be like gluing that cup back together again.

He said, “I don’t know if I can do that.” And I said, “Well, that’s how hard it is to build confidence and trust again.” The outcome was that Bob spent weeks carefully gluing the pieces together until he finished. He learned a vital lesson. 1 There are lessons here in this story that help us understand what it means to follow Jesus. Believing and then abiding in Him means total trust all the time. Robert’s son violated parental trust, and it caused a momentary ‘crack’ in their relationship. Continuing in the words of your Father God builds an intact trust. Why the Jesus Way Means Total Trust Total Time is our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Is Suicide the Unpardonable Sin?

[Tweet “Real disciples continue, they persevere, they work the Word until the Word works.”]

Why God Despises Impurity and Why You Should as Well

Podcast: Light on Life Season Nine Episode Thirty-Three

Why God Despises Impurity and Why You Should as Well

Today we are looking at Paul’s last reference to the dark life in Ephesians four, greedy to practice impurity. The following illustration speaks to the idea of greed. One day a man called the church. He got the secretary and said, “I would like to speak to the head hog at the trough.” The secretary said, “What did you say?” The man gladly repeated himself, “I would like to speak with the head hog at the trough!” If you mean the pastor, it would be more appropriate if you would say, ‘I want to speak to the pastor.’” The man, a bit taken aback, said, “Well, I had $25,000 that I wanted to give to the church.” The secretary quickly replied, “Hold the line. I think the big pig is coming in right now.” Money changes people.1 Now, normally people would laugh when they hear a story like this, but laughing is not always the right response. There’s a sobering element to unrighteousness. And, while we may be laughing, the Father God may not be. We need to see things as He sees them. Why God Despises Impurity and Why You Should as Well, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Cut Through the Voices of Insecurity

[Tweet, “To walk with God you must agree with Him, that means love what He loves and hate what He hates.”]

More of Why Believing and Abiding in Jesus as Lord Is the Key to the Happy Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Nine Episode Thirty-Two

More of Why Believing and Abiding in Jesus as Lord Is the Key to the Happy Life

Believing and abiding in Jesus as Lord is what we are going to continue to look at today. In a previous podcast, entitled Why Believing and Abiding Is the Key to the Happy Life, we began to focus on what believing and abiding in Jesus as Lord means. We saw that to ‘believe’ means to entrust oneself to an entity in complete confidence, with the implication of total commitment to the one who is trusted. We understood that ‘abiding’ means to continue in a specific state, condition, or activity. And, that when you weave these concepts together, you produce total commitment – total time. That is that God wants you to trust Him all the way all the time for your entire life. In this podcast, we pick up where we left off last week as we continue to home in on what Jesus meant when He said, if you abide in me, you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. More of why believing and abiding is the key to a happy life. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How Meditating the Word Makes You Sharp in the Things of God [Encore]

[Tweet “Continuing in the Word – Abiding in Jesus – Total trust for total time – that’s the litmus test of effective discipleship.”]