salvation
Don’t forget!
Don’t forget to visit, like, share, and follow God’s Word is Life on Facebook! https://m.facebook.com/pastorhoot/?tsid=0.8345818494675541&source=result
I post much more encouragement, memes, and information to that page than the website.
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Rejoice Always
There are a lot of places in Scripture where it specifically says, ‘this is the will of God”, although it is certainly implied in most places. And, definitely is in the commandments…
Yet, here is one where it’s absolutely clear. It was our kids memory and handwriting verse at school Monday and Tuesday. Originally, until I said something, they looked at three verses and saw them as separate.
I had they take a closer look then zoom back out again. Guys, it’s all one sentence, one thought, one instruction.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV
https://bible.com/bible/59/1th.5.16-18.ESV
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The Prayers of the Savior
This is part four in our series, Jesus, Who? In our first message, Jesus According to Jesus, Jesus told us his identity and purpose. We then listened as he taught The Sermon on the Mount. And, we walked with his closest friends during their Conversations in the Garden.
Today, we are going to be parked in John 17. The Prayers of the Savior. These are Jesus’s prayers for his Church (that’s us) and his apostles right before he is handed over to the Jewish leaders for trial.
They are our Lord’s final words of prayer before his death, burial, and resurrection. This is also the longest prayer of Jesus we have recorded. We have been flying through Jesus words and teaching at about 30,000 feet. Today, we are going to kneel in the Garden with Jesus and listen closely to his prayer. I believe it’s worth taking a close look.
Thanks again to my son, Robbie, for video editing…the camera worked right this week!
Audio is available here…
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The Sermon on the Mount
Matthew 5-7, the Sermon on the Mount, is one of the longest single passages of Jesus’s actual words and teaching. Today’s sermon is a fly-by at 30,000 feet and highlights just some of what Jesus taught his disciples early in his ministry before he was rejected by Israel.
While a single sermon can hardly do it justice, when volumes have been written about this passage. We’re aiming for an overview of how his followers should interact with God and the world around us according to Jesus.
For those watching the video, I apologize, the camera cutoff after 29 minutes. Fortunately, my son, Robbie, is getting better with video editing. The beginning and end are different than the full audio, but you still get the message.
Audio has the full sermon.
Side note for my followers… Would posting a transcript of the sermon be better for some of you, or stick with audio and video?
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New Messages Coming in March
Long awaited…!
We will be starting a new message series in March.
I have been commissioned to preach every Sunday in March at Boiling Springs Church of God in Decatur, IL. Stop by 10:45 if you’re available, or stay tuned to godswordislife.com for audio and video of the messages.
May God bless you all!
Pastor Joe
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Back in the Saddle Again
Friends,
Life can be so crazy and overwhelming sometimes, we know the secret of contentment comes from God alone through His Son, Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, the Holy and Appointed One of God. Philippians 4:13 reveals that secret, “I”, Paul says, “can do all things through Him (Jesus) who gives me strength.”
I am praying for strength right now, going through the holidays, working both my full-time job, part-time substitute teaching, both volunteer ministry and occasional pulpit supply preaching plus of course, famil; in the meantime, neglecting to post and write.
I apologize once again for my negligence.
Getting back on the ball, so please like, share, follow, recommend on Facebook and godswordislife.com
God’s Word is Life and we can have peace and contentment through Him who gives us strength!
Thanks!
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Chaos, confusion, control, conflict, and peace!
2020 has been a year unlike any other for those of us alive today. Seems like an understatement, right?
I have spoken to people in their 90s who say the same… The world is in chaos, economies are collapsing, businesses are closing, there are peaceful protests, armed conflicts, destructive riots, shootings, bombings, a global pandemic, and fear mongering.
Government officials at all levels are trying to exercise control over individuals in ways our forefathers revolted against…and just wait until the American people have to pay back, through higher taxes, all the money our government has borrowed in order to pay out all those stimulus packages.
Borders have been closed, travel has been halted, states and cities are quarantining people who travel to and from hot spots, even when their spot is hotter than the ones they are so worried about…hello, Chicago??? In the meantime, here in the good old U S of A, you’ll get COVID at church, at school, a small business, a fitness center, or a restuarant; but not at a protest rally, Walmart, Menards (where I work), or a political rally. Go figure!
It all makes us wonder…is God still alive? Does God even care? Can we have peace, when the world has gone crazy?
YES, YES, and YES!!! The answers are YES!
YES, God is still alive! YES, God does still care! YES, we can have peace!
Jesus may have died on the cross and remained in the grave for 3 days two thousand years ago, but He was resurrected and He is still alive today at the Right Hand of the Father. He is still intervening on our behalf moment by moment. The Father is still offering forgiveness for all our imperfections through our faith in His Perfect Son. His Son is still bestowing Holy Spirit upon us believers to be our Indwelling Comforter and Teacher. The Church is still on Earth and in heaven to act as Christ’s Body and Bride. However, we need unity now, more than ever!
Only God can heal this world, only Jesus can unify our divided spirit, only Holy Spirit will convict us and call us to turn from our selfish desires and grow the Fruit of the Spirit within us. Do you want love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control to abound in the world? Let His Fruit grow in you, plant His Fruit in others, nurture His Fruit and watch it grow around the world!
In spite of the insanity in our world today, we can have peace… So, may the peace of God rest upon you. May the blessings of God live in you. And, may the love of God abound all around you.
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You Cannot Serve Both God and Theology
Excellent and balanced article. Knowing God better and loving him more. So often, knowledge gets stuck in our heads but never travels to our hearts.
I have known people that could quote chapter and verse, talk about relationship, prayer, and grace; and yet miss the heart of God… Then, others who couldn’t even quote John 3:16, yet had a more profound faith and understanding of mercy, grace, forgiveness and love, than one with a PhD in Theology.
God promised to write his Word on our hearts, not just on the pages we can read.
https://churchleaders.com/pastors/pastor-articles/247944-cannot-serve-god-theology.html
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Promises
As I have been reading through the Bible again this year, and teaching in our home church’s children’s ministry; today it hit once again,
Punishment and blessing, everything God promises comes true! He is faithful to keep his Word!!!
I am reading through Leviticus and today, we studied Obadiah… All the blessings and punishments God promised Israel in Leviticus, played out later in the story of Scripture.
God said it, and he kept his Word a thousand years later… he has made promises of both blessings and punishments for us today as well. We can choose to obey and be forgiven and blessed for eternity, or choose to deny him and be punished for eternity. The consequences of both are clear.
On this day, which will you choose? God will always keep his promises.
