As we use our mouth to praise the Lord, we can also use it to condemn a friend. Just as God spoke the world into existence we can speak blessings or curses into people’s lives. In Luke 6:45 it states, “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”. So what is in our hearts? How could we tame our tongue according to the Spirit when it is filled with deadly poison?
Psalms 119:105 says, “Your word is lamp to my feet and light into my path”. Our feet lead us to the destination of our choosing, whether good or bad. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 13-14, the Bible talks about the path we chose to walk in our life and its consequences. Which path are you on right now? Do you know where your feet are leading you?
Our hands do so much for us. We can create beautiful things with extreme precision or destroy things in brute strength. In the Bible, we see numerous examples of how humanity uses their hands to be destructive and rebel against God. From the Tower of Babel to the golden calf, from Solomon’s temple to Abraham’s altar on Mount Moriah. We as followers of the Almighty can choose to edify or destroy through the work of our hands. We invite you to reflect upon yourself today and think what are you usi...
As Christians, one of our most important senses to keep healthy is our hearing. Romans 10:17, “faith comes from hearing, from hearing the word of God.” Yet it is one of the biggest things we neglect. From music and gossip to advice, we constantly choose what we listen to. Even as we sleep, our ears never stop hearing, we just ignore the sound, similarly we often choose not to hear our Father in heaven. Today we dare you to ask yourself if you have been ignoring the voice of God in your life in e...
It is often said that eyes are the windows to the soul. It is true. Matthew 6:22-24 says, “The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” The enemy often presents sin as enchanting temptation to our eyes. He presented Jesus with riches; the world right before his eyes. Yet Jesus recognized the lies and deceit and was able to resist. How do we protect, utilize, and strengt...
The Bible places communion with our brothers as one of our top priorities. The key to this communion with one another is Godly love. A love that surpasses all understanding and goes beyond church walls. We even have the responsibility to continue pouring out God’s love to those who have left the flock. We challenge you today to reflect on whether you have been a good brother or if you have been like Cain who said, “Am I my brother's Keeper?”
You say you believe but you lack faith. You say you trust Jesus but don’t obey. You seek a faith of convenience but not a relationship. You look for a way out of your problems instead of attempting to get to know who He really is. You believe you have faith just because you take up a seat in church, but even the Apostles Peter and Thomas, who saw Jesus’ miracles firsthand had no faith. Today we dare you to take a look at yourself and determine, are you a true believer or just another unbelieving...
We were dead in the works of our sin, but He found us and breathed life into our dry, dead bones. Rahab, a prostitute destined for a life of slavery could not see beyond her present situation. Ruth, born from a cursed lineage destined for destruction. Although their circumstances seemed inescapable, our redeemer paid the price for their freedom. This undeserving act of love is something we take for granted. Let’s challenge ourselves to see the true significance of our redemption.
As we walk with God, many of us tend to get used to going to church, praising, and hearing the word then going on with our lives. Our spiritual conditioning becomes stale and routine. We forget to challenge ourselves spiritually, to remind our hearts to look for God wholeheartedly; sometimes, fail to even exercise our spirits at home. Today we question, have we reached a lull in our spiritual growth? Is it time to seek more?
The single, most impactful event in history; so tragic, but yet so beautiful. Imagine a stranger knowing all your faults and still deciding to take the consequences for everything you’ve done. Hated, mocked, abandoned, repetitively tortured yet still willingly sacrificed himself out of pure love. Today we dig deep, into the act that we often take for granted.
As Christians, is persecution to be expected? In John 15:18, Jesus tells us “if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”. Jesus was hated and targeted throughout his life, even though he was destined to bring salvation to the world. Despite the pain and suffering he went through, Jesus still tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us in Matthew 5:44. In our times of persecution, will we be able to bless and pray for our accusers the way Jesus did ...
Jesus as a human but also the son of GOD walked on this earth, not only to speak the good news, but to show miracles that cause growth to our faith in Him. Miracles were not only to show the supernatural power of God but to teach us a spiritual lesson. In John 9:3, Jesus explains that the blind man was not blind because of his parents’ sin or his own sin but to show God’s power. Join us as we speak about the many miracles Jesus did on Earth and the teachings behind them.
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) As youth, much of what we do is regulated by our parents including when and for how long we go to church. Many youth today wish that they could serve God as freely as others serve yet there are different circumstances that prevent them from doing so. But we have news for you, you're not the only one. Jesus was limited to how much he could do as a youth a...
Throughout the letters of the apostles, we see them give GOD the glory, but what does that really mean? Through our lives we find it easy to glorify God in our hills, but in our valleys we easily forget to continue to do this. In these battles we must remember that Paul tells us in Romans 11:36, “of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.” How will we give God the glory he deserves in the times where we don’t have what we want?
“My body, my choice,” but is it really? Abortion is a hot topic issue that many Christians find themselves indecisive about. Especially when the bible is used to support it. Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by popular opinion, instead stand firm against the current.
The same power that allowed fire to descend from the heavens is the same power that lives within us. We become so used to hearing these historical events that they become like fairytales to us. Instead of hearing and reading about these stories, why don’t we ask God to equip us to be the main characters that He uses to show his glory.
The prince of darkness threatens to overtake us at every turn. He lures us with the promise of a good time and happiness. We forget that we have been commissioned to be the light of the world, to be separated from the darkened that threatens to consume us. Our loving Father sent his Spirit to guide us to live lives set apart and consecrated for him. So if you find yourself in a position where the night never seems to end, do not hesitate or doubt, the Holy Spirit will lead you to a life of devot...
Many youth avoid coming to church because they feel helpless in the face of sin. We feel like despite how many times we try, we always fall short, destined to fall in the same ruthless cycles. But there is hope, Acts 16:26 tells us of a moment of such deliverance, “suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Join us today while we take possession of the freedom the Holy Spi...
Isn’t it hypocritical that we as Christians claim to always be full of joy and blessings? When in fact, we may be going through a hard time? Coming into church we greet one another by saying we are blessed. Yet it’s highly unlikely that we are all happy. What people don’t understand is that when being filled with the Holy Spirit, joy is no longer a feeling but a spiritual state. In todays episode, we challenge you to change your perspective of joy.
“But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses.” Acts 1:8 ERV. As we can see, the Holy Spirit didn’t only come to console but also to give power to those who believe in Jesus. These are to bear witness to the power we gain through the Spirit of God.
Tribulations in our lives as Christians are expected; they overwhelm, tire, and bring a huge unavoidable sense of loneliness. Yet our hope is not lost, in 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us our God is a God of all comfort. God sends us His Spirit as a Helper to give us His strength in our weaknesses. But who is this God of comfort?
We come to church with the expectations of hearing the word of God and it changing our lives. However we don't come with the right heart to receive it. We allow the seed to grow in a hostile environment that doesn't give us the results we need. Or without realizing it our heart is a dead zone in which the word cannot thrive. What we need to do is change the conditions of our hearts to change the product of the word. What are you willing to do to cause the change you are looking for?
The Spirit cannot abide in a room of idols, much like it can not abide in us if there is something else seated on the throne of our hearts. As youth, we vow to put God first; but slowly, and sometimes without even realizing, we try to balance God with all the other enjoyments the world offers us. We say He is first but when it really comes down to it, God is nowhere in our hearts. Instead, we become a room full of worthless idols.
The magnitude of God’s love is so difficult for us to understand because as humans we are so disloyal. Yet his love remains steadfast even when our heart is attracted to things it shouldn't be. Once in His loving arms we “backslide” into the arms of sin. Sadly, we don’t even feel remorse for our infidelity. Nevertheless He still chooses us and crowns us as his beloved bride. To understand God’s love today we look into one of the premiere examples shown in the bible.
There is a verse that says when we ask God for something, he will answer. However, his answer might not be what we want it to be. What will our reaction be when God says no? Will we be angry, will we throw a tantrum or will we accept what God has answered?
We are expected to have the Holy Spirit, but sometimes our heart gets in the way and deceives us. Our hearts are so easily manipulated that we confuse overwhelming emotions with the Holy Spirit. When we are young it is difficult to realize that people are not crying from emotion, but because the spirit in us is being embraced by the presence of God. And sometimes in our ignorance we fake being in the spirit just so we won't feel left out. How do we stop living in emotion and start being led by t...
Although it might seem like church is full of acts that might be interpreted as rituals, such as taking the holy supper, being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit; none of these physical actions matter if there isn’t an internal change. A real encounter with the spirit causes growth in areas such as patience, love, joy, etc. Producing these spiritual fruits is the core of our walk in Christ.
Although it might seem like church is full of acts that might be interpreted as rituals, such as taking the holy supper, being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit; none of these physical actions matter if there isn’t an internal change. A real encounter with the spirit causes growth in areas such as patience, love, joy, etc. Producing these spiritual fruits is the core of our walk in Christ.
The blood of Jesus serves to transform, redeem, and purify us. It’s deeply ingrained as a part of our faith, however from the outside it can look like a very odd practice. But in reality, the simple act of taking the bread and wine is so rich in symbolism, meaning, and essentially marks a change in reality. It is so powerful, it affects body, soul, and spirit. The words tradition, custom, and ritual don’t encompass the true essence of this act.
An encounter with Christ leads to actions that from an outside view can look weird. It leads us to baptism in both water and the Holy Spirit. As an onlooker it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and maybe even a little hesitant to open yourself up to participating in these actions. These are more than just ritualistic acts, they are a way to connect with God on a whole new level. They allow us to experience him in new dimensions. Stay with us today while we demystify the baptism of water and the Holy Sp...
