Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good. (Ro. 12:21) For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. (Eph. 6:12-14)

The true ekklesia (church) of Jesus is ever-expanding! This is because God's Word cannot fail, and true believers have the courage to speak the word of God to a society held captive in demonic lies. May we be those believers! Man-made institutions come and go, but the church is not in decline.

What kind of communities should new believers look for? What kind of leaders should they seek?

Did you know that once you trust in Jesus Christ, you smell like Jesus to God?   2 Cor. 2:15: "For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ"

In the Gospels, we get four resurrection narratives.  At first glance, there seems to be some dissonance and even contradictions between these four accounts. Let’s dive in and see how beautifully the gospels harmonize to tell the most amazing event in all of history!

We tend to think of Palm Sunday as a joyous occasion for Jesus, but the Scripture tells us "when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it." Why? And what do we do with Jesus when He is not who we want or expect him to be?

The primary preoccupation of middle-class Americans is achievement. How does this affect our spiritual lives?

Everyone wants a blessed life. Here's what's required....

What is Jesus’ discipleship program, and how can we get in on it? What threat does “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” pose to Jesus’ program?

https://youtu.be/44jTz_1pRQU    

YouTube link: https://youtu.be/-f5noyJj_gM  

In the final episode of our "Hopeful Eschatology" series, I share a Biblical view of death and the afterlife. Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we look at what believers (who embrace the preterist view of Revelation) still joyfully anticipate is yet to come!

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we look at what believers (who embrace the preterist view of Revelation) still joyfully anticipate is yet to come!

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we look at the outcomes of the Book of Revelation.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we look at the storyline of the Book of Revelation.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we look at the main characters in the Book of Revelation.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind In this episode, we consider the intent of the author of Revelation.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind Let’s dive into understanding the brightness of our future under the reign of King Jesus! In this episode I will be presenting a brief overview of four main eschatological frameworks: 1. Historicism- This is the idea that the book of Revelation describes events unfolding on a historical timeline between the establishment of the church and the end of the world.  This was the belief held by the majority of the Protestant Reformers: Martin Luther, John Calvin and John Knox just to name a few.  Since current events are always changing, the historicists’ timeline also requires frequent updating.  Historicist Charles Wesley predicted the end of the world in 1794.  Later, his brother John Wesley adopted a new chronology that the millennial reign of Jesus would begin in 1836, after which then the devil would be unleashed for 1,000 years and then Christ’s final return would happen.  Many other (respectable) historicists have offered dates for the end of the world.  To list them might appear as ridicule (since they are in the past), but that is not my intent.  The historicist view is held by the Seventh Day Adventist denomination. 2. Futurism- This is the mainstream view of modern evangelicalism (think Left Behind).  This view interprets the book of Revelation as future events in a literal, global context.  In his 1585 commentary on Revelation, the Jesuit priest Francisco Ribera proposed the futurist view (in no small part to combat assertions by the Protestant Reformers that the Pope was the anti-Christ).  Ribera proposed concept of the Antichrist as a single individual who would appear in the future and (among other things) rebuild the temple in Jerusalem.  John Nelson Darby (founder of the “Exclusive Brethren”) popularized this view (along with dispensationalism) in the 1800s when his teachings were included in the Scofield Reference Bible which became very influential among American ministers.  If you grew up in an evangelical denomination or watched any Christian television this is probably the view you've heard with three main variations: pre-tribulation rapture, mid-tribulation rapture and post-tribulation rapture. 3. Preterism- This eschatological view interprets some or all prophecies of the Bible as events which have already happened.  This view was first systematically put forth by Jesuit Luis de Alcasar in 1614 (also in part as a response to the Protestant Reformers).  There are two camps: partial and full.  Partial preterists believe that the prophecies in Daniel, Matthew 24, and Revelation (with the exception of the last two or three chapters) have already been fulfilled in the first century AD.  Full preterists (of which there aren’t many) believe all Bible prophecy has been fulfilled.  (Full preterism is considered beyond the scope of orthodoxy by partial preterists.)  Some high profile preterists would include R.C. Sproul, N.T. Wright, Hank Hanegraaf and Kenneth Gentry.  The preterist view is held by the Presbyterian denomination.  4. Idealism- This is a nonliteral or allegorical approach that suggest all the imagery of Revelation is symbolic.  It is supposed Renaissance theologians initially offered this framework as an explanation for the “now and not yet” tension of the present state of the Kingdom of God.  This view has been adopted by some advocates of the “Social Gospel” as they see “the Beast” manifest in earthly injustices that the saints in the Kingdom of God must overcome.  This view does not take the prophecies as being fulfilled in a literal sense either historically or in the future (except among some adherents as to regard to the Second Coming and Final Judgement), but it is an allegory of good vs evil for all Christians in all eras. All of these views are within the scope of “orthodoxy” and affirm essential, core tenants of Christianity: the physical return of Jesus to the earth, the resurrection of the dead, final judgement and His eternal reign.  However, they disagree over what certain Scriptures mean and the details of these realities.  My goal in studying eschatology is not to indoctrinate others on a certain system of interpretation or make them agree with me, but to help us appreciate several orthodox views that exist within the Body of Christ and to consider with the guidance of the Holy Spirit you believe.  You are powerful to choose your own view! At the end of the day, the study of end times can bring us all to one conclusion: Jesus is coming again and when He returns we want to be ready.   My intention is to lay out some big theological ideas (eschatology, the end of the world, the Kingdom of God) and then discuss some practical applications: i.e., “So what?”  In this episode we do a very "high altitude" overviews of these four views as we prepare to dive into the book of Revelation.

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind Let’s dive into understanding the brightness of our future under the reign of King Jesus!

Hopeful: feeling or inspiring optimism about a future event Eschatology: the part of theology concerned with death, judgment, and the final destiny of the soul and of humankind Let’s dive into understanding the brightness of our future under the reign of King Jesus!

If we’re not under the Law why did Jesus tell us not to relax “these commandments?” What did He mean when he said, "until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven"? In this episode, we dive into this important question!

What kingdom enriches you? Fills You? Brings you joy?

We are hard wired for joy! Ps. 16:11 says: "You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore." This is not a coincidence, but the homing beacon that should pull us back to God. CS Lewis wrote, "nearly all that we call human history . . . [is] the long terrible story of man trying to find something other than God which will make him happy." Dive headlong into God and discover the joy your heart yearns for!

The overflowing love and goodness of God is the fundamental reason why the universe exists. Richard Sibbes writes that God “delights to spread his beams and his influence in inferior things, to make all things fruitful. Such a goodness is in God as is in a fountain, or in the breast that loves to ease itself of milk.”1 Every disciple of Jesus Christ carries this spiritual DNA within them. As we are born of the Spirit and grow into mature sons, our desires begin to align with the Lord’s: “I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”2 To be joined to Lord is to participate in the divine community and allow the desire he has to fill the creation with his goodness consume us! 

"What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us" (A.W. Tozer). “To worship God rather than idols of our own making, we must allow God to break apart the idols we create, through the Spirit's relentless and intimate work within our lives” (Miroslov Volf). We must gaze upon the true icon of God and let Him inform and transform us. Who is God? What is He like? Let's allow Jesus to dismantle the instincts we've inherited from Adam and be overwhelmed by God's goodness!

Christianity without Christ is evil. Our efforts to live the Christian life independently are also evil.

How is capitalism shaping our theology? The marketplace is a great arbiter for determining the best vacuum cleaner or cell phone. How about truth? What happens when the most truthful ideas aren't profitable? What happens when the most profitable ideas aren't truthful?

Sometimes it's harder to be faithful with little than with much....

"Saints are never giants  Who hoped to do God favors. They are only souls Whose needs took root In shallow dust, Becoming redwoods grown From dandelion spores." Calvin Miller

Jesus famously says: "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” When we are burdened by our failures, God, in His kindness, is drawing us to Himself.

Imagine if you had always kept God's law perfectly. Imagine the confidence and joy that Jesus has in the Father's presence. Imagine being blameless!

My soul clings to the dust; give me life according to your word! (Ps. 119:25)

We can identify the root of our thoughts when we look at the fruit they are producing in our lives.

“Western culture is, largely unbeknown to itself, a culture of rejection” (Dallas Willard). Rejection can be a profoundly painful and devastating experience. How can we harness our experiences of rejection to launch us into God’s purpose for our lives?

Merry Christmas, friend! When God gets what He wants the earth rejoices! What does God want for Christmas?

"Jesus came to demonstrate what God’s Kingdom is like and to make a way for us to enter into it. You see, what keeps us from entering into His Kingdom is our current life (Lk. 14:26-27). The life we inherited from our parents cannot inherit God’s Kingdom (1 Cor. 15:50). (This is why Jesus said to enter the kingdom of God you must be born again (Jn. 3:3-5).) "When we give our old life to Jesus and receive His new life, then we can have access to His Kingdom (Col. 1:12; 3:12) and we get to live under His reign! Jesus becomes our life, our King, our Savior, our Lord! We were far from God, but Jesus brings us near (Eph. 2:13). We were in sin, but Jesus makes us righteous (2 Cor. 5:21). We were darkness, but Jesus makes us light (Eph. 5:8). We were under the domain of the devil, but Jesus brings us in the Kingdom of God (Ac. 26:18). We were dead, but Jesus makes us alive (Eph. 2:5). We were separated from God, but Jesus unites us with God (Col. 1:21; 1 Cor. 6:17). The all-wise, all-good, all-loving Creator of the universe can be Your King! You can leave the dominion of Satan! You can be free from the dominion of sin!

Would that we knew the goodness of King Jesus and the joy of Him ruling our hearts; surely then we would do all that we could to be completely surrendered to His reign. 

Spiritually blinded eyes cannot fathom the glory of the Lord's light. The world cannot imagine the sweetness that is devotion to King Jesus, so they distort how wonderful it is. We must protect our hearts from these lies.

Some how we get it in our minds that God is hard to please.  This is a lie.  The best remedy for a lie is the truth!

God has blessed us with physical and spiritual senses so that we can be a touch point between these two realms (1 Cor. 6:19)!

An important part of maturing into the likeness of Jesus and living as a son in God's Kingdom is destroying the works of the devil.  In this episode we talk about this aspect of kingdom living.

Learning how to experience, enjoy and express the reign of God!

What was the message of Jesus' first followers?  How should their message and their methods inform how we do evangelism 2,000 years later?

How did Peter change the presentation of the Gospel to suit audiences of different cultural backgrounds?

Philip the Evangelist is an inspiration to all believers.  What was the message he proclaimed?

In this episode we continue to observe how the first followers of Jesus preached the Gospel.  Stephen's speech is the longest recorded in the Book of Acts.  What can we learn from his message for how we share the Gospel today?

How did the first followers of Jesus share the Gospel?  What was the message they proclaimed?

Our mindset can prevent us from receiving our inheritance!  How much is our mindset influenced by our former slave master and how much does "free" fish really cost?

Honor is a key that opens countless doors in God's kingdom.

We have this treasure in earthen vessels... Let's open the treasure box and enjoy all that God has deposited in us!   You can find me on Instagram: d6createworship  

When our appetite for the things of God is weak, what do we do?  How can we fix our hearts when our "delighter" is broken?

What does God esteem?  How does He measure success?

Your words can carry the power of God to bring about His righteousness on the earth!

[H]e upholds the universe by the word of his power. (Heb. 1:3)

What are the implications of our identity as Abba's children?   This is the audio from a zoom call with some of the young people of XICF (xicf.org).  

Fruit is a sign of life!  In creation and in the Kingdom we see the generosity of God: life grows and multiplies!  This fruitfulness is an important part of our life in the Lord.

Not everything that calls itself a church is a church and not everything that calls itself Israel is Israel.

As he was saying these things, many believed in him. So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”Jesus answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.” (John 8:30-38)

God's dominion of love expands through His beloved sons!

"The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” "a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth."  

As we renew our minds, we get a new wardrobe!  

video available here:https://youtu.be/NDRhZ0N8Dx0 Risen! (in G) intro: G         G The Passover Lamb was slain for the nations       Em7 For all tribes and tongues He purchased salvation  C                                 G             D Now it is finished and now it’s begun!  C                                                Em               D           G/B     D His Kingdom is coming and His kingdom has come! chorus:                         G Risen!  He is risen!                         C/G      G Risen!  He is risen! G/B  C                                    C    D-Em-C The grave is defeated and death is undone G/B  C                         C  D Em  D/F# The battle is over the victory won!         F         C       Em  D  G The Son of God is Risen! (in C)         C With You we have died and with You we have risen      Am7 And all of our sins are completely forgiven       F                                          C                     G    The way is now open through what You have done    F                                       Am               G        C/G     G The old man is buried And new life has come! chorus 2:                         C Risen!  You are risen!                           F/C      C Risen!  You are risen! C/E  F                                          G-Am-G The grave is defeated and death is undone C/E  F                         G Am  G/B The battle is over the victory won!                          C Risen!  You are risen!                         F/C      C Risen!  You are risen! C/E  F                                          G-Am-G And we who believe in Him shall never die C/E  F                                           G Am  G/B For we have been raised with the Author of Life        Bb        F       Am  G  C The Son of God is Risen!

If I were going to leave my children with one final exhortation, this would be it.

"[O]nly in harmony with the realm of the Spirit can we truly experience abundantly all that we are suppose to be and to do in this earthly domain" (The Spiritual World by Peter Tan).

Our five physical senses only perceive a portion of reality.  There is a spiritual realm that is a higher reality and governs the physical reality.  As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, it is important that we understand that invisible reality and mature in our administration of it as royal sons of God.

A listener asks, "How to crucify the flesh, practically speaking?"  Here we go....

Pride causes us to miss God.  Could there be anything more frightening or more tragic than that?

". . . he was despised, and we esteemed him not."

It's always a bummer when a high-profile Christian leader has a moral failure.  In this episode I share some thoughts that might help us process disappointment with spiritual leaders.

What a blessing to know and walk in the will of God!

So Good intro: A2-A-A2-A-A2-E-Esus-E-Esus-E) A                             E Maker of everything You have shown You great love A                                        E And made Yourself nothing so that You could be with us v2:  The Almighty on a cross, tortured by men Your almighty love for us that calls us Your friends   chorus:            A    E You have been so good                        A    E You have been so good                       A     E You have been so good                B Good to me   v3: How can I repay You Lord, for Your kindness to me I lift the cup of salvation up for the whole world to see   chorus   bridge: C#m                 A              E                      B You gave Your Son so that I could know mercy       C#m           A                 E               B The wrath due me was laid on Jesus Christ     C#m         A                E          B  I tremble before You for I am unworthy C#m         A                    B                      A    Am God Your goodness has saved my life   chorus tag: You are good to me, Lord Jesus You are good to me

Should our sin cause us to run from God or run to God? This is the audio from the XICF Youth Group (Manthanos//Kairos) call on 1/1/2021.  The Scripture reading is a bit noisy because one of our members was unmuted on a bus in Hong Kong 😉... but it quiets down after the first couple of minutes.

In this episode I share an essay written by my brother and friend Rev. Dr. Jason Carter: https://www.revdrjasoncarter.com/blog/2020/9/25/messianic-character-of-contemporary-american-politics-the-rise-of-politics-as-religion

As you plan for a new year I would encourage you ask this question: "What is written in heaven's books about me for 2021?"   in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Ps. 139)

The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him. (Ro. 8:16-17) This is a teaching that was shared via video with Xiamen International Christian Fellowship on the last Sunday of 2020.  Video link: https://youtu.be/yXS_Dk6RuRE  

The year in review.  This year was incredible on so many levels.  In this episode I share a little bit of how our story unfolded in 2020.

In this episode I share some original Christmas songs.  Wishing you a Merry Christmas!  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZwMQ4A6UCM Glory Near Bethlehem  Watching by night Out in the field they saw a sight That changed the world And changed their lives Anointed One Had now arrived Angel’s declared Man’s jubilee: “To you is born In the city   A Savior who Is Christ the Lord”  Humanity At last restored   pc: Salvation is here And God has drawn near!   c1: Glory to God in the highest His goodness shines brightest In the radiance of Jesus Peace to all who find His favor Who receive the Savior And enter what He came to bring us   c2: Hear the angels as they’re singing Good news of great joy they’re bringing Glory in the highest peace on earth Hear God’s laughter filling heaven Knowing that His strongest weapon Is delivered in a baby’s birth    v2: Into the dark The light broke in Divinity  Now robed in skin   Incarnate love Wrapped up in cloth Savior of all Laid in a trough   A great light has shone The Way is made known!     Third Generation Shepherd   I like my father and his father before him Grazed my herds out near Bethlehem My grandfather often spoke of a night When he said he saw angels that changed his life   He said In darkness I saw light I saw angels split the sky To let us know the Messiah had comes God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him My grandfather would smile and close his eyes And remember the night that he saw the Christ His whole life about Jehovah he knew But that night he realized Jehovah knew Him too He said In darkness I saw light I saw angels split the sky To let us know the Messiah had come God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him Some said he was crazy Some still believed It didn’t matter to him  He knew what he’d seen He said In darkness I saw light I saw angels split the sky To let us know the Messiah had come God loved us so that He didn’t want us to miss Him 这就是圣诞节 全能的神 刚出生 客店里没有地方 伟大的上帝 放在马巢里 创造者成为小baby 圣诞节最大的礼物 神的儿子耶稣基督 神爱世人将祂的 儿子慈给他们 这就是圣诞节 天使唱 主的荣光 四面照着那些看守羊 大喜的信息 是关于万民 基督在大卫的城里 在至高之处 荣耀归于 上帝给我们一位救主 荣耀归于神 和在地上 平安归于所喜悦的人

Wholehearted surrender born out of complete trust in God's goodness is the beautiful path God invites us to walk in order to experience the fullness of life He wants to give us. Dallas Willard writes: "Nondiscipleship costs abiding peace, a life penetrated throughout by love, faith that sees everything in the light of God’s overriding governance for good, hopefulness that stands firm in the most discouraging of circumstances, power to do what is right in and withstand the forces of evil.  In short, it costs exactly that abundance of life that Jesus said he came to bring."

I celebrate my 100th podcast episode by reading an essay I wrote in 2013, summarizing the discoveries that brought about my “second experience of grace” and laid the foundation for a renaissance of experiencing God’s immeasurable, inexpressible, incredible goodness.

When we orient our lives around moment-to-moment communion with God we obliterate any secular-sacred dichotomy and become agents of divine bliss wherever we may be.

This recording is from a sermon delivered via video to Xiamen International Christian Fellowship  (XICF).  (Video available here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb1_zDdplSU&t=2s)   I was assigned to preach Ephesians 4:1-5:20.  (I don’t think they thought I would preach the whole thing!). What a rich passage!

Have you ever wished you could send a message to God and get a response via text or email? How does God invite us to engage with Him?

This is the audio from an XICF Manthanos//Kairos (Youth Group) call.  Our topic: No Fear of Bad News! Ps. 112:7: He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD.

In this episode I share a couple of songs.  Hope it is a blessing! v: C#m7-D#7-E(maj7)-F#7 c1: E-B-F#-C#    E-B-F#-C# c2: A-B-C# These bones may go Down into the dust But one day Your voice Will wake them up I will not back down from the hope I’ve found I will hold fast ’til the end When the clouds give way On the Judgement Day and the Lord comes back again & You raise me up…. I will behold You in righteousness When I awake I’ll be Content with Your likeness Dan. 12:2 Ps. 17:15

I've heard this verse quoted all my life, but since moving to TX, I hear it much more.  But what is this verse talking about?  Who is it for?  Is it for the church today?

Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them. (Ps. 139:16) In this episode we take a moment to reflect on the implications of being made by God.  

Local churches are God's vehicle for the renewal of all things!  We get to participate in the administration of the Messiah's ever expanding kingdom (Is. 9:6-7)!  In this episode we look at “A Salad to Change the World” as I share about the three “let us’s” (lettuces!) of Hebrews 10.  This is the audio from a video sermon recorded for Xiamen International Christian Fellowship in August 2020 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UzFGMv1lckg).  (Apologies for the lackluster audio quality!)

There's nothing new under the sun and bad ideas don't improve with time.  Some thoughts from Proverbs 22:28: "Do not move the ancient landmark                that your fathers have set."

To always get what we pray for we should ask for what Jesus wants!  Yet there are times when we don't know if our desires are in line with His.  In this episode I share how we can present the desires of our heart to the Lord; enjoying the dynamic relationship He has made available to us.

This sermon was originally delivered at Xiamen International Christian Fellowship on October 11, 2019. What is the Bible?  Why is it so central to our lives as Christians?  What about the Kingdom and the Church?  How do we understand these "small" topics?  I offered some thoughts to our congregation in Xiamen to prepare us for the next chapter of our communal life as our senior pastor prepared to move away. 

We may never arrive at a perfect understanding of God's sovereignty and human liberty, but how we think about these concepts will affect our participation as God's covenant partners in prayer. "[T]he divine sovereignty and the freedom of the human will [are] as two sides of a roof which come together at a ridgepole above the clouds" (Archibald Alexander).

Prophecy can bring life, direction and power to our prayers. . . 

Prayers straight from the NT! Col. 1:9-14 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God. May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 4:2-4 Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. 3 At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison— 4 that I may make it clear, which is how I ought to speak. Eph. 1:15-23 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. Eph. 3:14-21 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. II Cor. 4:1-6 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God. And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus 'sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Rom 10:1 Brothers, my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. Ro. 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen. Romans 15:5-7 May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you, for the glory of God. Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. 1 Cor. 1:4-9 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Ph. 1:9-11 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God 1 Thes. 3:10-13 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God, as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith? Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints. 1 Thes. 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. 2 Thes. 1:11-12 To this end [God being glorified in His saints and the destruction of those who do not obey the Gospel] we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Thes. 3:1-5 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith. But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one. And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.
 Acts 4:29-30 And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus. Hebrews 13:20-21 Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Mat. 6:7-13 “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.“ Luke 11:2-4 “When you pray, say: “Father, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come. Give us each day our daily bread, and forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.” Mat 9:37-38 Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest. Rev. 22:17, 20 The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming soon.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Jesus said things like: "And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith,” "Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours," and "Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son."  How can we move into an experience of His words?

Who doesn't want to live like a king?  I say, go for it!  And yes, God wants you to too!

In this episode I talk about the justice of holiness.

Our world is full of pain and suffering.  Why would God lay upon us the additional burden of "rejoicing always"?  

youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO5F4O5YiH0

There’s no shortage of offensive song lyrics in the world and heretical song lyrics in the church!  In this episode we listen to an example for which I am personally culpable. 

In this episode I look at the distinctions of wisdom, understanding and knowledge.     "for wisdom is better than jewels, and all that you may desire cannot compare with her." (Pr. 8:11)   "test everything; hold fast what is good." (I Thes. 5:21)

Have you ever felt like God was punishing you for something you did?  I have another question for you. . . keep listening. :)

We’re just one idea away from changing the world.   Covid19 is erasing the past decade of progress in the fight against extreme poverty (measured in several tiers: people living on $1.90/day, $3.20/day and $5.50/day).   Church, this is our moment!  Crises are our speciality.  The answers are in the Kingdom of God—how is God leading us to manifest His goodness to the world?  

Support urban slums in the majority world affected by covid19 here: https://newhorizonsfoundation.com/index.php?option=com_crowdfunding&view=details&id=302   "What is your only comfort in life and death?   That I am not my own, but belong—body and soul, in life and in death—to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ."   "If your intellect is freed from all hope in things visible, this is a sign that sin has died in you. If your intellect is freed, the breach between it and God is eliminated. If your intellect is freed from all its enemies and attains the Sabbath rest, it lives in another age, a new age in which it contemplates things new and undecaying."   "Set your minds on things that are above. . . ."   "So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. . . ."

Why does the God of the Old Testament seem so different from Jesus in the New Testament?  In this episode we contrast Shavuot and Pentecost to try and shed some light on this question.

In this episode I share some things I’ve learned about the vocation of an artist from Dr. W. David O. Taylor. Learn more about Dr. Taylor’s work here:  https://www.fuller.edu/faculty/david-taylor/  http://artspastor.blogspot.com/

Happy Fourth of July!  In this episode I share briefly my thoughts on current events in America and what they mean for kingdom citizens.

Let God encourage you through Bob Ross and Romans 8!

When you think of the "gospel" what do you think of?  What did Jesus proclaim as the "gospel"?  What did His first followers proclaim?

What did Jesus have in mind when He used the word "church"?  What did His first followers have in mind?  What 

In this episode I have a discussion with Pastor Gabe Orea and Perry Ackon about racism/ethnocentrism. This is the audio from the June 7, 2020 Zoom service for Xiamen International Christian Fellowship (a multi-ethnic, multi-denominational church in Xiamen, China).   We address several pressings issues as we talk through these four questions: 1.  Why should racism be discussed in a church setting?  2. What is racism?  3. Have you experienced racism and how did it occur?  4. What can the church do to prevent and overcome racism?

Hi friends!  Long time no podcast.  In this episode I share a new song.

This is a message I shared with Xiamen International Christian Fellowship on April 19, 2020 (the audio is rough because it was taken directly from the Zoom conference call). What is our eternal hope and what does it have to do with the daily monotony of life?

Please help those living in high density, low income urban slums: DONATE NOW Why do I spend time writing songs and recording podcast that no one will ever hear?  I share the answer and a song in this podcast.  

Lamenting is not despair; neither is it complaining.  Lamenting is a priceless practice to help us move faithfully through hard times.  How can we incorporate this practice into our contemporary lives?

At the end of 2019, I was invited to share with a group of students "what the Lord was saying for 2020."   These are some additional thoughts on what it means (and what it doesn't mean) to participate in Christ's sufferings.

At the end of 2019, I was invited to share with a group of students "what the Lord was saying for 2020."   This is part of the teaching from that evening.

As much as Adam's sin brought pain, suffering, brokenness, a curse and death into the world, MUCH MORE does the work of Jesus bring healing, wholeness, blessing and life!!! What does the "much more" of Jesus' reign look like in our every day lives?  What does it mean to be "saved by his life"?  What is our salvation and how can we receive God's provision to enjoy Him to the fullest today? Romans 5; John 17:3; 1 Tim. 2:15; Ga. 2:20; Col. 3:3; Ro. 6:8; 7:4