How to Start a Power-Packed Effective Church: Lessons from Thessaloniki

Podcast: Light on Life Season Ten Episode Eighteen

How to Start a Power-Packed Effective Church: Lessons from Thessaloniki

How does one pioneer a power-packed effective church? That’s the question today. We are going to take a look at how the call of God and the zeal of the Lord upon the Apostle Paul turned into a power-packed Church in one of the ten most influential cities in the Roman Empire, the city of Thessaloniki. Now, one thing is certain from the following illustration — this is not how Paul did it. You know, about 350 years ago a shipload of travelers landed on the northeast coast of America. In the first year, this group of pioneers established a town site. The next year they elected a town government. In the third year, the town government planned to build a road five miles westward into the wilderness. In the fourth year, the people tried to impeach their town government because they thought it was a waste of public funds to build a road five miles westward into a wilderness. Who needed to go there anyway? Is that wild or what? Here were people who had the vision to travel three thousand miles across an ocean and overcome great hardships to get there. But, once they got there, in just a few years they were not able to see even five miles out of town. They had lost their pioneering vision1 F.B. Myer said, that the church that refuses to be a missionary church will become a missing church. the Apostle Paul didn’t get saved to sit — He got saved to be sent. The result of his obedience to go? The powerful church at Thessaloniki. How to Start a Power-Packed Effective Church: Lessons from Thessaloniki, that’s our focus on this week’s Light on Life.

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Why the Name of Jesus and Gifts of the Spirit Is All God’s Grace

Podcast: Light on Life Season 8 Episode 50

Why the Name of Jesus and Gifts of the Spirit Is All God's Grace

In today’s podcast, we take up the Name of Jesus and its connection to God’s grace and power. The medieval theologian John Duns Scotus was visiting Rome, and the Pope took him into the Vatican treasuries. Running his hands through the silver, the Pope said, “No longer does the church have to say, ‘Silver and gold have I none.’” The theologian replied, “That’s true, but also no longer can we say, ‘In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise and walk.’” 1 That’s an impactful and telling story that illustrates what happens when money becomes the focus of one’s life. We must cling to the Name of Jesus and hold it in high esteem in our lives. There is nothing like the Name of Jesus for restraining anger, assuaging the swellings of pride, healing the wound of envy, restraining the course of wantonness, quenching the flame of lust, moderating the thirst of covetousness, and putting to flight all lasciviousness. For when I name Jesus, I set before myself the image of the Man, meek and lowly, kind of heart, sober, chaste, merciful, peerless in purity and holiness, and at the same time, the Almighty God, who heals by His example, and strengthens us by His help.2 Having access to Jesus’ Name and the power invested in it is our focus on today’s Light On Life.

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#S4-039: How to Use the Name of Jesus to Live A Miracle Life [Podcast]

[Tweet, “The Name of Jesus, can and should permeate every aspect of your spiritual life.”]

What It Means to Yield to the Anointing of the One True God

Podcast: Light on Life Season 8 Episode 46

What It Means to Yield to the Anointing of the One True God

Have you ever noticed the words’ Holy Spirit’ and ‘power’ in the Bible? They are synonymous terms meaning when you have one; you have the other. When the Holy Spirit comes, there is power. How did Mary, the mother of Jesus, become pregnant by herself without following the ordinary course of nature? By a manifestation of the anointing. The virgin birth is a ‘power’ manifestation by the Holy Spirit. Let’s look further into this anointing and look at it at work in the life of Jesus.

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How Do You Respond to the Savior of the World?

[Tweet “The virgin birth is a manifestation of gifts of the Spirit, specifically, working of miracles and special faith.”]

#S3-050: Four Reasons Why You Have More Authority than the Enemy [Podcast]

The Kingdom of God Series

“Religion prepares man to leave earth; the Kingdom empowers man to dominate it”, so says, Myles Munroe. There are reasons why we can use God given authority in our everyday life. The Bible gives us four of them in the New Testament. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, every word is established (Deuteronomy 17:6, and Matthew 18:16). So, we can be absolutely positive of our position in Christ. That’s what we are talking about in this week’s Light On Life.

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[Tweet “Jesus wants to be totally convinced of your position and completely not intimidated by your adversary.”]

#S3-017: Why Is the Name of Jesus So Powerful? [Podcast]

How to Use the Name of Jesus to Live a Miracle Life

We have taken a look at the Name of Jesus already from several aspects in this series. Today, we are going to begin drilling down into Jesus one on one encounters with demons. It is yet one more reason why the Name of Jesus is so powerful in the realm of heaven and earth.

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[Tweet “The Hebrew word dominion is a verb. It’s an action word. It’s not a static state of being.”]

#S3-011: What’s the Value of a Good Name? [Podcast]

How to Use the Name of Jesus to Live a Miracle Life

The podcast this week starts the beginning of a new series on How to Use the Name of Jesus to Live a Miracle Life. We are going to be looking at the various aspects of the Name of Jesus which give it it’s extraordinary power. Today, we start out with understanding some of the Bible principles surrounding names.

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[Tweet “The early church used the Name of Jesus to heal the sick in every case.”]

#S2-043: How to Stop Satan from Pushing You Around [Podcast]

The Believers Authority in Christ

Multitudes of people in this world today are held hostage in their minds by the devil. They are incarcerated, locked up, and caged in their minds and emotions, held like slaves, prisoners, or detainees who are under arrest and live at the mercy of their conqueror. 1 But, this doesn’t have to be your legacy. You can live and walk free everyday of your life all the while side-stepping Satan’s minefield. There’s simply a bunch of stuff you can avoid in life. Tests and trials you can by-pass. Discomforting situations you can live free from if you learn how to stop Satan from pushing you around.

This is part two of the Series entitled, ‘The Believer’s Authority in Christ’. You can find Part One ‘How to Terrorize the Terrorist Encore [Podcast] here.

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How You Can Have a Revelation of God’s Power

In the book of Ephesians, Paul prays for the Ephesian believers. He writes in detail the exact words that he utters to God the Father for them. You can find these words starting in Ephesians 1:15-23 and in Ephesians 3:14-19. If Paul thought that these prayers were important to pray for the Ephesian church, do you think that you can pray the same prayers for yourself? Thank God, the answer to that is a resounding yes. God wants you to have a revelation of His power. I have prayed these prayers hundreds and hundreds of times over the course of my life. It has enriched my life and it will absolutely elevate yours. Let’s take a particular look at the prayer in chapter one.

#042: Why is The Throne of God Power Central? [Podcast]

“I have never met a person who took a test without wanting to know what to study. Nor have I met a soldier who was willing to go into battle without his gun. Also, I have never met a pilot who wanted to lose power while still in the air. But I have met Christians who were perfectly willing to live their lives without God’s power” 1. Living a Christian life without God’s power is as ludicrous as trying to drive a car without gas. Knowing about and seeing examples of spiritual power aids the believer in His walk. You can, then, have confidence in the strength of the Lord on your behalf.

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#035: Words Have Power [Podcast]

This podcast is a joint venture between my daughter Sophie West and I. We discuss her blog post Words Have Power . The notes below are hers.

I suppose it’s only fitting that I introduce myself to you, as that is what most people do upon meeting each other. I am the youngest born to my father Emery and my mother Sharon. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but you may call me Sophie West, and I’m a twenty something year old whose passion revolves around three things; My God, my family and words. These areas that I have centered my life on are seemingly typical responses to the age old question “What is important to you?” Well the first two are in any happenstance. Americans the world over have professed a deep and abiding love for God and family. But the two that I’m going to focus on are My God, and my words.

Listen to the Audio

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Why is The Throne of God Power Central?

“I have never met a person who took a test without wanting to know what to study. Nor have I met a soldier who was willing to go into battle without his gun. Also, I have never met a pilot who wanted to lose power while still in the air. But I have met Christians who were perfectly willing to live their lives without God’s power” 1. Living a Christian life without God’s power is as ludicrous as trying to drive a car without gas. Knowing about and seeing examples of spiritual power aids the believer in His walk. You can, then, have confidence in the strength of the Lord on your behalf.

Words Have Power

This is a guest post by my youngest daughter Sophie West. All parents think their kids shot the moon. I am no exception. In Sophie’s case though, I think she is part owner of that hunk of cheese in the sky. She is the delight of her Dad’s heart for sure. Those that know me understand I have a tendency to get a bit weepy when discussing my children. You can image what a mess I am in by having her as a guest on the blog today. So, pass the tissue please and read on.

I suppose it’s only fitting that I introduce myself to you, as that is what most people do upon meeting each other. I am the youngest born to my father Emery and my mother Sharon. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life, but you may call me Sophie West, and I’m a twenty something year old whose passion revolves around three things; My God, my family and words. These areas that I have centered my life on are seemingly typical responses to the age old question “What is important to you?” Well the first two are in any happenstance. Americans the world over have professed a deep and abiding love for God and family. But the two that I’m going to focus on are My God, and my words.