FBC Independence Podcast fbcindep

I grew up in a typical Baptist church in the Midwest, and I remember well when I first heard of the Holy Spirit.  It seemed that no one really understood who or what the Holy Spirit was!  Particularly challenging was the public anger aimed at those who often spoke of the Holy Spirit and began to practice and manifest the " signs of the spirit," such as speaking in tongues and all things "charismatic."  Churches split over these issues, and I was confused and a little bit suspicious of those who said 'too much' of The Holy Spirit!
 
When we consider the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life, we often encounter a wide range of responses, from clarity to utter confusion.  This is a lamentable situation, as the Holy Spirit is not just a peripheral aspect of our faith, but an integral part. A comprehensive understanding and application of the Christian faith is impossible without a firm grasp of the Holy Spirit's work in this life and the life to come.
 
There are many passages and teachings about the Holy Spirit in the Bible.  Here is a couple that can give us insight about this 'Spirit of God: "You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world."  "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith."  I John 4:4, 5:4
 
In these two verses, John addresses a situation in which false prophets lead others away from true faith in Jesus.  These 'false teachers' have the spirit of "the antichrist," which is evil and works against the Gospel.  He teaches those early Christians that the Holy Spirit in them was more powerful than the spirit of the antichrist, and they had already beaten down that evil spirit because of God's power in the Holy Spirit!  There was no reason to fear the teachings of those false prophets or even the spirit of the antichrist because the Spirit of God had already won the war! 
           
John makes  another point in Chapter 5: The victory that overcomes the world is "our faith."  Our faith in Jesus, our faith in the crucifixion, the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead, and our faith that has led us to live with the Holy Spirit within us; that is the victory that overcomes the world of evil!  Our performance of personal abilities will not determine victory over evil; our faith in the life-giving message of Jesus, at work through the Holy Spirit – will bring the victory that overcomes the world!
 
The Holy Spirit  is not a mystery, though there may be misunderstandings and misuses of the 'gifts of the Spirit.'  However, for true believers, it is clear that any manifestation of God's power in a situation is a direct result of the Holy Spirit's movement.  This is yet another compelling reason to follow Jesus:  God is actively working through his spirit.  By following Him in faith and serving the Kingdom of God, we align ourselves with this divine movement.
 
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God Can Give us a sense of belonging.


 


The best way to support our Ministry is by sharing these videos 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/


 


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talk about what had made a positive difference in their grief process.  They were church members, practicing Christians, and began to experience peace when they prayed.  Nothing of the situation changed, of course, but their prayers seemed to help.  Too, the prayers of their friends began to make a dramatic impact.  They said they really couldn’t explain it, but they could “feel” when others were praying for them!  Many in their church visited and sat with them for months, talking and praying and sometimes just sitting with them silently.  The couple said these times of Christian fellowship were what got them through the darkest hours – they could feel God’s love in those moments, and He began to work in their hearts to calm them, give them peace, and heal their wounds.
           
The interview was given three years after it had all happened, and the couple, now older and wiser, was able to smile and laugh and enjoy life once again. They still grieved the loss of their son, of course—that will never go away! However, their pain no longer dominated their lives; they had been able to move on, rebuild their lives, and experience joy once again.
           
What a tragedy!  And, even more importantly, what a powerful testament to the power of God’s love at work in people’s lives.  This is what God does – He helps us, He heals us, and, ultimately, He loves us through the hard times of our lives.  God works through His Spirit, which lives within us, and He works through The Church: Christian friends and a loving, caring body of people to help us.
           
God loves us all and is there for us, even when we cannot feel Him at work.  When we cry out to Him, He is there, doing what only He can do.
 
If you or someone you know is struggling with something, let me encourage you to trust God and pray to Him. He may not change the situation, but He will work in your life and change your heart—this is what God does!
 
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/
 
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Thank you for listening. We will see you next week.

Some time ago, I was walking in a large crowd of people during a local street fair when I encountered a young Latino family. The crown was large and a little loud, and the young mama held her children close. She was calming one, holding another, and keeping up a pleasant chatter with the family, a big smile on her face the whole time. I could not understand what she was saying, as I don’t understand the Spanish language; at the same time, though, I could tell what she was saying to her family: “Calm down, I’m right here beside you;” “Don’t cry, Mama’s got you;” and, finally, I imagined, “Here, hold my hand, and we’ll all stay together.” It was a very sweet picture of a young, loving mother nurturing and protecting her family, letting them know she loved them and that they would be ok as long as they were together.
 
I have often thought of that young family, especially when I encounter a very different family situation when I am out in public! Not all families are loving and sweet, of course. Some parents allow the emotions and stresses of the moment to cause them to lash out in anger at their children, sometimes speaking hurtful words to their young ones. 
 
Those young mothers started the same, as innocent babies in their mama’s loving arms. And yet, this life on earth changes and distorts us and seems destined to keep us from our best! 
 
The Apostle wrote a letter to a young pastor named Titus and encouraged the young preacher to remind those in his church to remember that they were not always Christians, living a righteous life. Evidently, the Christians, who had grown in the faith and whose lives had improved, had become critical of their neighbors who were still living under the reign of sin in their lives. Paul reminded their pastor to challenge them all by saying, “Remind them to be obedient. . . uncontentious, showing every consideration for all men, for we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.” (3:2-4) He went on to say that Jesus “saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done. . . but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit. . . .” (3:5)
 
Do you see what Paul was saying? He challenged the Christians to be gracious and kind to sinners because they were just like them before they Jesus saved them! The Christians were in no position to criticize sinners because the only reason they were different was because Jesus had changed them!
 
This is just one of the great messages of the Gospel – God loves us, even in our sin! And, when we turn from our sin and follow Jesus, He will forgive us, ‘clean us up,’ and help us to live better lives. Our faithfulness defines us, not our sin; because of our faith in Jesus, we have another chance at life!
 
Jesus can help us after we fall. If you are aware of your sin, which is holding you down in life, let me encourage you to pray to Jesus. Ask him for mercy and forgiveness, and turn your life over to him. He will cleanse your heart, begin the process of rebuilding your life, and shower your life with blessings. This is the wonder of the Gospel!
 
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Thank you for watching. We will see you next week.

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!
 
You can best support our Ministry by sharing these videos 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 watching. We will see you next week.