Join us as we wrap up our Genesis Part 1 study exploring God's mercy and judgment through the flood and the tower of Babel. As well as the growing faith of Abraham as he steps out but struggles to fully trust the Lord. So much to unpack and to enrich our lives as we grow in Christ.
In our second of three episodes overviewing Genesis 1-12 today we focus in on chapters 3-6. The effects of sin and the depravity of man is in stark contrast compared to the grace of God and those who choose Him instead of following the masses of humanity. What hope this gives as we navigate the dark days of our own time!
Flying high and going deep we take things back to the beginning in our first overview podcast for our Turn Aside Genesis study. There is so much to glean from these first few chapters of Genesis!
Saying funny names, learning to pray, and being surrounded by beloved family in Christ. There's a lot to unpack in these final verses of this beautiful book!
What kind of Jacket do you wear? In Colossians we are told to "above all put on Love". So, as we don our fancy jackets of love and head off to church, let us look forward to singing to one another the truths of God that we might grow more and more like Jesus.
Time to take action! The active verbs as we enter the second half of Colossians give us a lot to set our minds on. We hope you can find a few things to put on and off as a result of todays exhortation! (And the empowerment in Christ to do it!)
So. Many. Metaphors. The Bible uses so many pictures of things to help bring out spiritual truth. Today we'll be exploring circumcision, baptism, the body, and so many truths that are creatively nestled into these metaphors.
There are many deep heavenly concepts to be explored in Colossians, so go grab your knitting needles and come nerd out with us on God's Word!
The gospel is meant to impact us every day, the fullness of Him who is the image of the invisible God intersecting our lives in the midst of both our sufferings, and the daily mundane. But He doesn't want us to cling to the guardrails of "rules" but learn to drive in the center of the lane with our affections drawn ever deeper upon Him.
Today we kick off our study on Colossians, and the big question you must ask yourself is "Are you living as a bucket or a hose?" We must shorten the distance in our response to turn to Christ so that we can live in the constant replenishment of His Grace and Peace. Knowing that Hope both clarifies and purifies we can persevere through hardship with Joy because of what He supplies us with.
Do you hear Him call? He calls us to the Eremos, to come to a quiet place, to find rest for our souls, to learn from Him; In silence and solitude, in Sabbath and rest, to battle for the life He calls us to live, in grace and peace that is only found in Him.
As we finish our study through the book of Deuteronomy we are reminded by Moses and the Israelites to "embrace the journey" and to remember that the destination is not the Promised Land but "being with Jesus". *Note: it was implied on the podcast that they may have read the law every year at Feast of Tabs, but the Scripture says it was every 7 years at the year of release that they were to do this reading.
Some nuggets from today: "What you love transforms what you do", "It's the hard that reveals His good", "Choose to remember". As we survey the blessings and curses from these chapters we are challenged to "Choose life" and live it to the fullest in Christ!
As we finish our journey through the Law we take a few more listener questions, discuss topics like Worship, Sex, Marriage, and God's overall value of life. God's Word truly touches and affects every area of our lives, the more we let Him in the better!
God is in the details... In this lesson we look at a smattering of miscellaneous laws that cover everything from principles of giving and partiality to the details of how to/how not to harvest your crops or care for birds. If God's eye is on the sparrow, you can be sure He cares about the details of your life. Our God is a relational God!
The Bible says that? Today we address some listener questions about obscure laws and practices, and in the process we are forced to deal with our own idols as a society and as individuals. What unclean things are you consuming these days? If we don't take sin seriously, sin will seriously take us.
Have you ever woken up with a stiff neck? If so, be careful as your sponge may just be squeezed that day. Turn your stubbornness over to the Lord and make sure there are no "Off limit areas" of your life to Him. Consider where your attention lies, as it conveys the currency of your love. What is your battle plan? To Plan for Battle!
Testing, testing, 1, 2, 3... how do we pass a test? Humility provides a great path to walk, but we must be careful to not forsake our daily manna in pursuit of tantalizing spiritual junk food. Keep it fresh. Keep it daily. Have an attitude of gratitude as you think of your self less rather than less of yourself. Jesus is better (mic drop).
What trophies of God's grace are in your Rearview Mirror? Looking back at them can help you deal with the fear of what lies ahead. But don't be overwhelmed by the fact that "you have giants", God will help you have full and total victory, though it may come "little by little".
The biblical teaching on Annihilation is one that has stumbled many who have come across it and not been ready to grapple with it in the context of the whole of Scripture. This teaching, given by one of the lay teachers in the women's study, is extremely helpful to see Scriptures like these in the broader context of God's Word and His Character. The transcript is also available in the Notes below.