In2Freedom: November 2018

Wednesday, November 28, 2018

Home Church Video ~ Jesus’ Disciples Learn to Pray ~ Part 1

When Jesus taught his disciples to pray,[1] he gave them a way of thinking about prayer that could be woven into anything we would ever face. This allows us to seek the specific expression of the will of God even in situations the Bible never talked about because they were not known to first century disciples.

Join our home church as we explore Jesus’ introductory instruction, “Pray then like this.”[2] His teaching on prayer will guide us through anything we are facing.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

[1] See Matthew 6:9-13

[2] Matthew 6:9

Tuesday, November 20, 2018

In2freedom Vlog ~ Prayer: An Audience of One

I’m working on praying my way through the Disciples’ prayer of Matthew 6:9-13,[1] and the last couple of days the introductory statement to this section has captured my attention.

1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.” (Matthew 6)

Here is a six-minute Vlog post sharing a bit of my encouragement from these words of our Savior, hoping that it will encourage you as well.

[1] Often referred to as “the Lord’s Prayer”, but it was really his blueprint for his disciples’ praying.

Monday, November 12, 2018

In2freedom Vlog ~ Peacekeeper vs Peacemaker

Some church conflicts could be avoided if we clarified words and meanings so we all understood which ones were according to sound doctrine[1] and which were contrary to God’s word.

Such is the case with the terms Peacekeeper and Peacemaker. One is biblical, the other is not.

I want to clarify that, just because a contemporary issue or situation is described with words that are not found in Scripture does not necessarily mean that what someone teaches about those things is unbiblical.

For example, some terms we don’t find in the Bible include eating disorders, drug addictions, dissociative disorders like PTSD, or hormonal influences like PMS.

However, in the same way as Jesus applied sound doctrine to circumstances and life experiences that were not found in the Bible of his day,[2] the church can apply the truth of God’s word to contemporary experiences so that we are living by every word that comes from the mouth of God now even as Jesus’ disciples did then.[3]

In this five-minute Vlog post we consider what it means to be a peacekeeper in contrast to a peacemaker, and how to join God in the only one that accords with the sound doctrine of his word.

Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV ® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.)

[1] Titus 2:1

[2] Remember that the Scriptures available at the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry were those we now refer to as the Old Testament. It should encourage us greatly that he helped people with all kinds of things that were not directly described in those Scriptures, and yet everything Jesus did to help those people were described in God’s word, albeit with a lot of applications that baffled even the most learned of his contemporaries.

[3] Matthew 4:4

Thursday, November 1, 2018

In2freedom Vlog ~ A Father’s Love For the Forsaken Child

We may not have much say over how we are treated by our families, but God has a lot to say about what we can experience with him when our families discard us.

During Jesus’ ministry he warned that those who follow him may experience rejection, disowning, and even violence from family members. We know that in our day some who come to faith in Jesus from various religious backgrounds lose their families, and even face death threats and attempts on their lives from family members.

By my teen years, I was well aware that there would be a family-cost to following Jesus. I just couldn’t escape who Jesus is, and what he has done for me, and what it will mean to face him one day, and so I was graciously compelled to learn how to follow Jesus while always asking God how to honor him in family relationships.

I know that we can’t choose the story we are given by others, but we can grow a testimony of trusting God no matter what anyone else has done, or threatens to do.

With that in mind, there is a testimony in God’s word of someone dealing with broken family relationships in a way that honors God as our loving adoptive Father. I have my own story of how God has become a Father to me in a long journey through family hurts and heartaches, and I would like to share hope and encouragement for anyone still on the journey.

This Vlog sharing is to encourage anyone whose family relationships have left them feeling all alone to get to the know the heavenly Father who would love to be with us always.

In2Freedom

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