FBC Independence Podcast fbcindep

A few weeks ago, my wife and I got into our car and pulled out of the driveway, going down the hill.  I looked over at Tammy, and, as she looked at her phone, she commented, “Siri, find (the address we were given for an event).  Siri said something in her pleasant, annoying, computer-generated voice and gave us directions in a timely fashion for the next hour or so.  On our way, I got confused in one of the new Round-a-bouts in K.C., and Siri, without insulting me at all, re-directed us immediately.  Even though we had to go through an unfamiliar area to get back ‘on track,’ Siri got us to our destination just a few minutes later than planned. Going home, we did the same thing, and, again, after missing a turn, Siri re-directed us, getting us home without any trouble at all.
 
I love that woman! (Siri, that is – even though I love my wife, too).  We, like you, have repeated this process dozens of times in the past few years, and “Siri” has allowed us to go all over the place without even thinking about it.  Amazing!
 
Don’t you wish we had something like Siri to guide us in the course of our lives? You know, to give us direction in difficult decisions, guide us when we get lost or make mistakes, and ultimately get us where we want to go and live as we want to live?  
 
We do!  We who claim Jesus as our Savior and place our faith in his leadership in our lives live with the privilege of guidance from God himself!  The direction God gives does not come from any computer-generated personality, though. The ways of faith come as we allow the living God to speak and guide us as we read His Word, follow the leadership of the Holy Spirit, and learn from others in The Church.  There are many passages that speak of how God provides us a ‘way’ to live.  One such passage is Hebrews 13. Here is a short passage:  “Let love of the brethren continue.  Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers. . . Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the  marriage bed be undefiled. . .; and, finally, “Let your character be free from the love of money.”  
 
In one passage, we are taught that God guides us in many situations:
Love people all the time, no matter what.
Be kind and hospitable to all you encounter, especially those from another land.
Make sure you keep your money and possessions in their proper place in your life.
 
Without too much effort, you can clearly see God’s ways for you!  To live this way is more than God just teaching us a sense of obedience to him; instead, our obedience becomes a way that God can use to bless us!
            
Here is a simple example of how living according to the way of Jesus can allow God to bless you:  A person has a good job and makes a solid wage.  Great!  Suppose he handles that salary according to the ways of Jesus. In that case, he will save a portion, give away a portion, provide for his and his family’s needs, and even have enough to help others.  If he avoids debt, his dollars will go further, and if he can control his spending and live within his means, his ‘nest egg’ can grow and lead to greater security.  In this example, God’s blessings aren’t a result of God doing something special – God’s blessings are simply the natural result of living according to God’s ways!  Suppose the same individual disobeys God by carelessly spending too much on a vehicle or vacation. In that case, God cannot bless those actions.  The man will have financial problems and struggle in that area of his life.  Blessings come to one who lives according to the ways of God!
            
Let me encourage you to follow Jesus and live according to God’s ways.  Your life will become more stable, and God’s blessings will come your way.
 
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If you go to a “DIY” section of any bookstore or Library, you will find a fascinating and entertaining series of books, the titles all beginning with a very similar title:  Computing for Dummies, How to Fix Everything for Dummies, Woodworking for Dummies, etc. There are over 30 books in this top-rated series!  In fact, the DIY section in most bookstores is often very large – we in our culture have a very strong desire to do things ourselves without hiring someone else to complete a task or fix something broken.
  
Wouldn’t it be great if we could fix everything in our lives by reading the proper “DIY” book?  Unfortunately, many things in our lives may be broken but cannot be addressed by a Do-It-Yourself book.  Physical problems that may require surgery, dental work, etc. And, of course, a broken life.  Many of us struggle with parts of our lives for years, and these problems resist self-help.  We need help!
 
I am currently preaching a series of messages dealing with ways to answer the question, “Why Should you Follow Jesus?”  One of the reasons might be stated:  God loves us and wants to Save us.”
 
That’s right – One of the best reasons to follow Jesus is how God loves us!  We are familiar with one of the more familiar passages in John 3:  “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.  For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through Him.”  John 3:16-17
 
The reason that following Jesus is such a good choice in one’s life is because Jesus is the way to know the God who loves us!  By our choices and lifestyles, we are all separated from God.  We may pray and receive no help.  We might try to ‘straighten ourselves out’ but cannot stick to it.  And we might be unable to keep our family together, no matter how hard we try.  The God who loves us can help us with those things, and we gain access to His mercy and power through following Jesus as Savior.  Here’s another passage from Romans 5 that might help us understand:  “But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.” (vv.8-9)  
 
When you receive Christ as Savior and follow him with your life, God begins to work in your life!  If you let him in, He can change your heart, wash away the guilt you may feel, and even start to change your life as you practice his teachings, found in the Bible.  The changes God may bring about will make your life better and enable you to experience what the Bible calls the “blessings” of God. 
 
This offer of new life is for all people, for all time.  God loves everyone and wants to bless everyone through His Son, Jesus.  Let me encourage you to follow Him today!
 
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Thank you for watching. We will see you next week.

Our nation is currently in a political ‘battle’ to choose a new President. Although some enjoy this experience, most of us rather dread the whole process: One candidate criticizes the other, political parties and followers line up with ‘their’ candidate, and we are forced to endure a seemingly endless number of political speeches, TV commercials, and even cleverly-written bumper stickers. Worst of all, in my opinion, is the continuous pleading of the candidates, each saying essentially the same thing:  “Vote for me,”“Join me,” and, finally, “Follow me.”
 
Of course, we all understand and accept this—we know that people must ‘follow’ others in this life—be they a family member, boss, or even political leader. We function better when we learn that we must all look to others for guidance and leadership! This goes for every area of life, even that of religious faith.
 
This week, we begin a series of messages dealing with that very issue—the idea that we must learn to follow someone to have a healthy and productive life of faith. The series is entitled “Reasons We Follow Jesus.” For the first week, we focus on the fact that one would do well to follow Jesus because “He is the only God there is.”
 
Here is a passage where the Apostle Paul makes the case that Jesus is The One God: “And He is the image of the invisible God, the first-born of all creation. For by Him, all things were created, visible and invisible in the heavens and on the earth, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities – all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17
 
Paul makes the case here that Jesus was present at the beginning of time and was the ‘creative agent’ that God used to bring about all that exists. God’s power, at work in and through Jesus, formed the raw materials that make up all things, created the laws of physics that order all things in this universe, and then fashioned the raw materials in life and every living thing. 
           
Doesn’t it make sense that if we seek a ‘greater power’ than us, we will worship The One that created us? Why would we look to anyone else for guidance, strength, and comfort?
           
Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when I say that we should follow Jesus because He is the only God there is:
 
Jesus, God the Son, was “in the beginning” before all things. No one else ‘created’ Jesus. He is the fullness of Deity. 
 
Because Jesus created us physically, spiritually, and emotionally and designed us to live in relationships with others, He is uniquely qualified to understand and help us. No one else can know us like Jesus!
 
Finally, Jesus is eternal God, without beginning and end. He is without equal and will exist forever: He will always be there for us!
 
We follow Jesus because He is The One God. Join us in this faith!
 
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 
 
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 
 
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.
 
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Rev Kev is on vacation this week, so Pastor Dave is filling in. He shares a message about how Christians can Live In the World, Not Of It.
 
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 
 
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 
 
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.
 
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Following Jesus is easy and clear—until it isn't! What I mean by that is when someone first receives Jesus as Savior, the issue is usually very simple: "Do you want to be forgiven of your sins and commit to following Jesus?" The answer is usually, "Yes, I do." However, at some point, when the new convert begins to struggle against the sin that is their life, or they struggle with biblical teachings that challenge them, they begin to realize just how 'extreme' this Christian faith can become!
 
The 'extreme' nature of the faith occurs in at least two areas of life. First, the beliefs that lead to salvation are quite extreme. We believe that our salvation is based on the truths of the Gospel: God came in the flesh as the infant Jesus and lived a sinless life. When he was about 33 years old, though, he was crucified by the Roman government, buried, and then came back to life after three days in the grave. This was God's way of offering us cleansing from our sins and a chance at a better life now, as well as an eternal life with Him after our life on this earth is over. This is an extreme set of beliefs!
 
The other area where the faith becomes extreme is how we live our daily lives. God calls us to not only learn some of the spiritual beliefs of the faith but also expects us to live our lives based upon those beliefs! The self-control of our emotions and passions and offering love and forgiveness to others are to be valued by those who follow Jesus. He also calls us to give up part of our lives to serve others in the name of Jesus, help those in need, and proclaim the message of Jesus to anyone who will listen.
 
This is an extreme faith! It is much more than just "listen and learn." It is also "practice and do!" When we live as God calls us to live, our lives are better. God blesses us, and we can even become a blessing to those around us.
 
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these podcasts with your friends and family. 
 
We also need your financial contributions to make our Ministries a possibility. You can contribute online at https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/. 
 
If you would like to stay up to date on all things FBC, download our App by clicking here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or by Liking our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/.
 
Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Several years ago, my wife and I bumped into an old college friend; he was a great guy, and we both liked him very much. He went by a nickname that fit his character, and I could never remember calling him by his proper name. He seemed ok with that, so I had no reason to question the practice. When we ran into this old friend, he was with his young wife, whom we had never met. I walked up to him and called him by the nickname I had always used, and the situation immediately became very awkward. He ignored me entirely and turned to walk away, and his wife, who heard me call out to him, didn’t seem to recognize the name I had used for her husband!  
 
My wife and I were a little hurt, but then we talked about it. My wife, who tends to ‘read’ social situations better than I do, finally concluded that he had likely never liked the nickname and now, as an adult, did not want it to be used. Rather than confronting me, though, he just chose to walk away!
 
Sometimes, people are known for something and given a name, even though it may no longer ‘fit,’ or they simply don’t like it anymore!
 
There is a story in the Bible about a man who was nicknamed for one of his actions. If he were alive today, he would be repelled by the nickname he was given. The story is recorded in the Gospel of John, chapter 20.
 
Jesus called out the disciples from everyday life, and one of them was Thomas. This man was strong and outspoken, but he sometimes tended to be stubborn.
 
All in all, though, Jesus thought he would make a good disciple. A couple of times, he blurted out something foolish or ‘over the top,’ but nothing that really amounted to anything. And then, just three days after Thomas and the other disciples watched Jesus die on the cross and heard the story of his burial in a tomb by a wealthy man named Joseph, something unimaginable happened. The disciples had gathered together to grieve the loss of their Rabbi, and all of them were there except for Thomas. At some point in their time together, Jesus appeared to them! He had risen from the dead, as he had predicted, and they were amazed and excited and relieved to see Jesus alive. It was a wonderful time for them all!
 
The next time the disciples gathered, Thomas was there. They told him the good news, and he couldn’t believe it! He was so adamant in his disbelief that he proclaimed, in front of his friends, that unless he could see the wounds on Jesus’ hands, put his fingers in those wounds, and the cut on his stomach, he would not believe! Eight days later, the disciples gathered again, and Jesus appeared to them all. He gave them a greeting common in that day, and then, without wasting any time, turned to Thomas and said, “Reach here your finger, and see My hands, and reach here your hand, and put it into My side; and be not unbelieving, but believing.” (v.27)  Thomas was stunned! He looked around and then examined Jesus’ wounds. Without saying anything else, he blurted out, “My Lord and My God!” (v.28). Jesus chastised him a bit, explaining that those who believed without seeing him were blessed. The issue was never addressed in the Bible again. Forever after, in church history, Thomas was given the nickname “Doubting Thomas.”
 
It was insulting and unfair, to be sure, but the name has ‘stuck’ on this disciple for over 2000 years!
 
Unfortunately, he has never received the credit he deserved for his life of faithful service because of that one ‘failure of faith.’
 
“Doubting Thomas” continued to follow Jesus faithfully and ended up in India, where he led hundreds to faith and established many churches up and down the coast in that heavily populated nation. 
No one who knew him and served with him would ever have called him by the nickname he still uses today in the Western Church! He is remembered as a strong, passionate, and dynamic minister of the Gospel. 
 
“Doubting Thomas” simply no longer existed!
 
God works