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How To Find Your Ultimate Calling for Your Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Ten

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How To Find Your Ultimate Calling for Your Life

Everyone wants to know what their calling is in life. Why am I here? What’s the purpose for my life? Why am I wired the way I am. What’s God’s plan for my life? Some time ago in Schenectady, N. Y., before an audience which included many young engineers from General Electric, Donald Grey Barnhouse spoke of feeding upon Christ, pointing out that the physical action of today was the result of last week’s food, and that the spiritual action in any life is the result of previous feeding upon Christ. I said, “For example, a young man trained as an engineer, with bright prospect before him, hears the call of God to go out to Africa as a missionary, leaves his position, and faces the Dark Continent. He has been feeding on Christ.” I had not more than pronounced the benediction that a young man came up to me and asked, “Why did you say what you did about an engineer going to Africa?” I answered that, as I was preaching, the Holy Spirit had led me. And the young man replied, “I am an engineer and God is calling me to Africa, and I must leave my career and go there as a missionary.” It was a “word fitly spoken” which reached his particular case.1 You see most everyone wants to know. Some might hide from it because they’re concerned that God might send them to Africa. Well, you don’t have to worry about that. God is totally intelligent and the most able communicator who ever existed. If He wants you to go to Africa, He will surely get that information to you. We’re talking about God’s call on your life and how to find it. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How to Locate the Essential Will of God for Your Everyday Life

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How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Nine

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How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life

In this week’s podcast, the subject of guilt steps forward as we march through the first chapter of First Corinthians. Paul writes to this church informing them of a particular thing God will do for all Jesus’ followers. He will sustain them to the end, holding them guiltless on the day of Lord Jesus Christ. Now, as we get into today’s lesson, we will read these set of words again, but we will do it in context. So, here’s the question we’re going to look at today. If God holds us guiltless, why are so many feeling guilt? That this struggle with guilt exists is clear in the following illustration. Gayle Roper wrote an article in Discipleship Journal entitled “I Can’t Forgive Myself What You Need to Know If You Still Feel Guilty.” It’s a good article and you will find it in Discipleship Journal. In the article, Gayle gives the following stories: • Story number one: The note slid under my door and skittered across the floor of my room at the retreat center where I was the weekend speaker. “I had an abortion seven years ago,” it read. “I can’t forgive myself. Can you give me some hope?” • Story number two: A large gentleman wore a Jesus T-shirt and cap and carried a huge Bible, the very image of the eager Christian. “I look good on the outside,” he said. “But inside, there’s all this ugliness. I can’t forgive myself.” • Story number three: A young couple, picture-perfect Christian newlyweds, stared at the floor. “We may have been virgins technically when we married,” he said. “But only by the strictest definition.” “We feel so guilty about the fooling around as we did,” she added. “We can’t forgive ourselves.“1 People in the church house are struggling with guilt. The good news is the struggle is over. How to Live a Sustained and Guilt-Free Life, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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What It Means to Be Really Mature in God

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Eight

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What It Means to Be Really Mature in God

Today’s dive into the Book of First Corinthians brings us to the subject of maturity. What does it really mean to be mature in God? Sinclair Ferguson asked the same question. He states that our constant quest as Christians is to become mature. Whenever I think of the subject of maturity, Sinclair said, I recall a painful experience during my first couple of years as a young pastor. A visitor was addressing our young people. He was in his early twenties himself and had made his first discovery of Jesus while caught in one of the sub-cultures of the West Coast. After becoming a Jesus follower, he told us, he realized he lacked spiritual maturity. So, [these are his words now, this new born Jesus follower] — He decided to go to Bible school for a year, and [again these are his words] ‘when I got maturity’ I decided to go on overseas evangelism.

So, I am going to cut in here and comment on this before we get back to the rest of Sinclair’s story. This young Jesus follower thought he was mature after going to school for a year. Think about that as we go back to the rest of the story.

Sinclair said that the rest of this young man’s address displayed how little maturity of understanding he actually possessed. The thrust of his thinking [this young believer who went to Bible school for a year] was that if you were not absolutely certain that you were in the right place, you ought to be serving God overseas (as he was!).

Of course, spiritual maturity is not so easily obtained. It does not come with diplomas. Nor does it show itself by insistence that one’s own pattern of life must rule every believer’s life. [‘you know you’re only mature if you do things like I do them’ kind of mindset.]

What was even more painful about this whole story was to see the effect of this young man’s address on our young people. They were blown away with this guy – they thought he was the most mature super spiritual thing ever. It took a long time for some of them to recover. What’s the point here? None of these people really understood what spiritual maturity was all about.1 You know it’s no different today. There’s all kinds of thinking out there. People just don’t know. That’s why in today’s podcast, we’re talking about What It Means to Be Really Mature in God all on this week’s Light on Life.

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#007: Are You Tuned into God’s Heart? [Podcast]

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What You Need to Know about Knowing God

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Seven

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What You Need to Know about Knowing God

In today’s podcast, our subject matter in the book of First Corinthians takes us to the subject of knowing God. A.W. Tozer spoke out on this topic with the following thought. “The decline of the knowledge of the holy has brought on our troubles. A rediscovery of the majesty of God will go a long way toward curing them. It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate.”1 Is this a thought provoking quote to you? What about this citation from J. I. Packer? “How can we turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God? The rule for doing this is demanding, but simple. It is that we turn each truth that we learn about God into matter for meditation before God, leading to prayer and praise to God.”2 Tozer says there’s been a decline in the knowledge of God. Packer says that what’s needed to turn this trend around is turn our knowledge about God into knowledge of God. We are headed out in this direction today. What You Need to Know about Knowing God. That’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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#007: Are You Tuned into God’s Heart? [Podcast]

God is. Yesterday He is. Today He is. Tomorrow He is. God never changes. Share on X
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How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Six

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How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth

So, we have finished the books of First and Second Thessalonians and now we are switching to Paul’s two letters to the Corinthians. In upcoming podcasts, we are going to be talking about this first letter. We will do some Bible background on the book and focus on just how the gospel came to Corinth. Corinth was a major city in the eastern Peloponnese of Greece. It lay near the narrow isthmus that joined the Peloponnese to the mainland. The city lay at the foot of a mountain, Akrocorinth (elevation 1883 feet), which also served as a location for some of the cults of the city.1 The gospel of Jesus Christ changed this city. How did it do it? To answer that, we will take on the subject of ‘How to Impact an Immoral City: Lessons from Corinth’ all on this week’s Light on Life.

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What Divine Healing Is and What It Isn’t [Encore Podcast]

God expects those who have heard the Good News to act on the Good News. He expects that where the light of the gospel has brightly shined, that people do not put up black out curtains. Share on X
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Why You Can Overcome Weariness With God’s Amazing Grace

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Five

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Why You Can Overcome Weariness With God’s Amazing Grace

In today’s episode, we are talking about the subject of weariness. It’s not something that we normally talk about, but the Bible addresses it and since it does we should know how to combat it. There is an old story of a Jewish rabbi who consented to take a weary traveler into his house for a night’s rest. After they ate, the rabbi asked the gentleman, “How old are you?” “Almost a century old,” the old man replied. “Are you a religious man?” asked the rabbi. “No, I do not believe in God. The rabbi was infuriated. He opened the door and said, “I cannot keep an atheist in my house overnight.” The old man hobbled out into the cold darkness. Later the Lord spoke to the rabbi. “Why did you let him go?” The rabbi replied, “I turned him out because he was an atheist, and I cannot endure him overnight.” God replied, “Son, I have endured him for almost one hundred years. Don’t you think you could endure him for one night?” At times, our endurance is not what it should be. I think we could say that all of us are guilty of this at some point. We get weary and we throw up our hands. So, today, we set our focus on Why You Can Overcome Weariness With God’s Amazing Grace. All on this week’s Light on Life.

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Why It’s Never Wise to Not Obey God’s Will for Your Life

Some don’t attend church because of inferior copies of Jesus. Inferior copies are not our standard. Share on X
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Why God’s Thoughts On Discipline Are Superior To Yours

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Four

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Why God's Thoughts On Discipline Are Superior To Yours

In this week’s episode, the subject of divine discipline comes to the forefront. It’s called divine discipline, but it’s more like child rearing but from the spiritual side or from God’s point of view. ‘Discipleship’ involves ‘discipline.’ Discipline means correction. After all, God is your heavenly Father. Have you ever thought of Him not just as a supplier of your physical needs — you know, one you approach in Jesus’ Name asking for stuff? Do you or have you viewed Him as a parent who is looking out for your best interests, endeavoring to raise you into a place of maturity? You know that takes adjustment. That takes instruction. It may even take a bit of correction? You know, helping a child through their errors is part of a parent’s role. Which child that you know ever enjoys that part. ‘Oh yeah, I really love being in-time out.’ ‘Would you time me out again? — it really makes my day. No discipline is unpleasant but, after you experience it, you are way better off even though you may gripe about it. Even though you may not realize it. I know my son tells me to this day. Dad, now that I have children, I get it. I understand what you were trying to do. The alternative is to be left to yourself. To not have the Lord check you in your spirit, or try to restrain your actions, is a terrible place to be. No is a God Word. No is a good word. God is not afraid to discipline his children; but it is always out of love and for good purpose. But, how does He do this exactly? You know, it’s not the way some people think He does. Why God’s Thoughts On Discipline Are Superior To Yours, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Victory Over Yourself through Discipline

A good course of action if you've sinned is to repent immediately. Don’t play with sin — don’t cuddle with it — refuse to tolerate it. Share on X
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Why God’s Love and Direction Are a Match Made in Heaven

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Three

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Why God’s Love and Direction Are a Match Made in Heaven

God’s direction or His ability to guide us into His ways is the subject of today’s podcast as we move further in 2 Thessalonians chapter three. Now there are places in the Word of God where we have God’s direction, that is, places where He wants us to go. Then there are other passages where there is firm encouragement to ask for directions. Asking for direction is not always the easiest thing for someone. Men are famous for their ability to not ask for direction. Some say the source for this is genetic. That’s the reason it takes 500,000,000 male sperm to fertilize one female egg. None would bother to stop and ask directions.1 I laughed when I read that. It’s vital to ask for direction and since you know God is a prayer answering God, you know what the outcome must be. Spiritual life is not a shotgun affair. You understand how shot in a shot God works? Hitting the target doesn’t require high accuracy. Just pull the trigger and you are bound to hit something. God’s direction is way more precise. In the animated classic Alice in Wonderland, Alice wanders through a frustrating world of rabbits, singing flowers, and one curious-talking cat. Her visit with the cat begins as she continues down a mysterious dark trail and stops at a large tree. Signs adorn the tree in every direction: “Up,” “Down,” “Yonder,” “Back,” “This Way,” and “That Way.” Alice is confused. “Which way do I go?” Just then, Alice hears a melodious voice drifting down from the trees. She looks around and observes two ghostly eyes and a wide toothy grin floating amongst the branches of a magnificent tree. The grinning teeth inquire of Alice, “Lose something?” “N-n-no,” Alice stammers in reply. Suddenly, a pink striped cat emerges from the branches. “Oh, you’re a cat!, Alice says.” “A Cheshire cat,” he responds.“I just want to ask which way I ought to go,” asks Alice. “Well, that depends on where you want to get to,” says the cat. “Well, it really doesn’t matter,” answers Alice. “Then it really doesn’t matter which way you go,” says the enigmatic cat, just before vanishing into the woods again.” Now that’s the story, but ask yourself, what’s wrong with this advice? Well, what’s wrong with it is the reply of the Cheshire cat: ‘Direction depends on where you want to go.’2 Direction, God’s direction does not depend on where you want to go. What it depends on is where He wants you to go. God will give you clear direction for your everyday life. That fact should make you happy and that’s why our focus is Why God’s Love and Direction Are a Match Made in Heaven all on this week’s Light on Life.

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Conscience Scripture List

Asking for prayer and praying for others is all the Jesus’ way. Share on X
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Why You Need God’s Protection in a World Gone Nuts

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode Two

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Why You Need God’s Protection in a World Gone Nuts

The faithfulness of the Lord to protect and guard His kids from evil comes into view in today’s podcast. You need God’s protection! We know that God is faithful and reliable in these areas. The question and challenge here is ‘Are we allowing and depending on Him in this area?’ We should understand our part of the faithfulness equation. We are encouraged greatly along these lines. God’s Word speaks about being faithful to the Word, faithful in the small areas of our charge as well as being faithful when we are entrusted with more. All of this encouragement to faithfulness points to that day when we hope to hear the Lord say to us “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Man, I really want to hear those words.” I want to trust Him in all my ways. As the psalmist declared, ‘Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.’ In October 1993, police sharpshooters in Rochester, New York, surrounded a car. In the backseat of the car was a man with a rifle. The police attempted to negotiate with the man. No answer. The police watched and waited. No movement. Finally the police discovered the truth: The armed man in the backseat was a mannequin. When the authorities tracked down the owner of the car, he told them he keeps the mannequin in his car for protection. “You’ve got to do this,” he said. “With the car-jackings, it helps if it looks like you’ve got a passenger.” These are dangerous times. Whom do you rely on for protection? A mannequin or the Mighty One?1 Having faith in His faithfulness to protect is the thought today. Why You Need God’s Protection in a World Gone Nuts, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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How To Put On And Step Out With The Whole Armor Of God

You can experience His faithfulness. But, it all starts with the Word. Accept His Word and you will experience His manner and ways. Share on X
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Why Growing in Faith Brings Amazing Results

Podcast: Light on Life Season Eleven Episode One

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Why Growing in Faith Brings Amazing Results

In today’s season opening podcast, [Season 11] our topic of focus is faith, growing faith, faith in God, that is. In previous seasons, we have recorded several podcasts on this subject. Several podcasts are just a soccer ball drop in the ocean for such a vast subject. There is no way one can fully cover this just a few thirty-minute sessions. To fully cover a topic, you must fully know it and, I do not lay claim to this. But the good news here is that faith comes by hearing. And since it does, by hearing we can continually develop and go beyond where we are. So, we need to talk about faith constantly. The Bible talks about it in huge batches and we are following suit. Talking about what God talks a lot about keeps us in a safe place. If you’re interested in what we’ve already discussed on the matter, check the links below and see that all things are possible to them that believe. Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible, and receives the impossible 1 Abraham Lincoln understood this and chimed in by saying faith is to believe what we DO NOT SEE; and the reward of this [kind of] faith is to SEE what we believe.2 That’s good — you get to see the thing you are believing for manifest in the physical realm. So faith in God, makes visible the invisible. You’ve got to admit that’s pretty exciting? That’s why our focus today is Why Growing in Faith Brings Amazing Results all on this week’s Light on Life.

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The Enormous Need for Believing Jesus Is The I AM

when you vocalize the Word, faith comes by hearing it and things happen. Share on X
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Why Powerful Prayer to Advance the Gospel Is Right

Podcast: Light on Life Season Ten Episode Fifty-Two

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Why Powerful Prayer to Advance the Gospel Is Right

Powerful prayer is our season ending, year ending focus today. You know, this is the time of the year where people look forward to the dawning of a new year. With that, they become reflective. They become goal oriented because they realize that the currents of the past year led them to places that they were not happy being. Some of these new year type resolutions deal with course corrections. You know, making a clean, fresh start. The prospect of heading in a direction they knew they should have been going all along buoys them. It’s a hopeful, energizing time, this New Year’s piece. We should encourage it along. The Lord knows we need all the help that we can get. Now, you know how this New Year’s celebration works, right? On the last day of the year at the stroke of midnight in Times Square in New York City, multitudes cheer, horns sound, whistles blow, and people laugh and cry for joy. Amidst the celebration are the shouts of “Happy New Year!” This spectacle is repeated in succession in the various time zones from the Atlantic Seaboard to the far western reaches of Hawaii. We say, “A New Year has come!”

Now what?

Are all things right now that clock has struck 12 on December 31st with your freshly minted resolution in hand? Of course not, the stroke of the hour simply has marked the dawning of another day. Once the fireworks are spent and the confetti has fallen, you are left with your naked decision: “I’m going to read the Bible through in a year” You must ace this.

If you don’t fall back into the same old rut. No, years become new only if we make them so. Resolutions for new days, new beginnings, opportunities, and dreams are not to be made only in the moment’s excitement; but long after the glamor is gone these resolutions are to become the order of each day. This is the stuff of life.

What if you can’t think of a resolution of consideration? Might I suggest one?

As we move on to 2 Thessalonians 3:1–2, we come upon Paul’s request for prayer so that the gospel could quickly move forward. Do you think that might be a resolution worthy of consideration? Pray that the gospel would go forward quicker than ever before? Do you think this is a resolution you can carry forward into a new year and maybe beyond that? Why such a resolution — well first, you have Bible for it — that’s what Paul did. Second, you are a lover of God’s Word and you cherish it to such a degree that you want others to hear this good news. Third, you highly esteem the heavy price God paid that we might have it. Is there a chance that this year is the year where you lay aside selfish ambition and allow God’s will to become supreme? Is this the year you elevate the perpetuation of the gospel to its rightful place in your life? Well, those are good questions. So let’s home in on Why Powerful Prayer to Advance the Gospel Is Right — that’s our focus on this year end episode of Light on Life.

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Did You Know that A Good God Has A Good Plan For Your Life?

The gospel is foot-powered. Prayer propels this foot power to its optimum speed. Share on X
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Reasons Why People Fail to Receive From God

Podcast: Light on Life Season Ten Episode Fifty-One

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Reasons Why People Fail to Receive From God

In today’s podcast, we want to look at some reasons prayer is unanswered. Or, we could say it this way – why some fail to receive from God. William Wilberforce and some of his contemporaries started enormous social reforms in England. This group accomplished it by dedicating a significant amount of time to prayer and consistently devoting three hours to prayer each day. They organized Christians throughout the country to unite in special prayer before critical debates in Parliament. They knew and persistently proved the power of prayer. William Temple replied to his critics who regarded answered prayer as only coincidence, ‘When I pray, coincidences happen; when I don’t, they don’t. Our Lord’s disciples’ request is probably our most needed prayer: “Lord, teach us to pray.”1 So, that’s a terrific testimony to the power of God’s Word. You can receive answers to prayer. But, what’s the deal when you don’t receive an answer, when you pray and nothing happens? Reasons Why People Fail to Receive From God, 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

To consistently receive from God, you must consistently be fully persuaded concerning God’s Word. Share on X