kj52's Podcast

audio portion answering ?'s off the ask kj52 board... 

rawr.... broken radiators!

READ: John 8:48-59

FIREuSTARTER

THINK: What is God like? It seems like a lot of people would like to know. But can humans really understand what God is like? People through the centuries have struggled with that question? But the fact is, God has not made it difficult to get a good glimpse of what He’s like and even to relate to Him on a personal level. As you may have considered in your study over the last few days, God has revealed himself clearly through the Person of Jesus Christ, His Son. Jesus is God in the flesh, who came to earth in human form to endure our trials, to fulfill God’s plans, and ultimately to provide the way for us to have an eternal relationship with Him. If you want to know what God is like, look to Jesus through God’s Word and prayer, surrender yourself to His purposes and follow Him.

RESPOND: What does Jesus mean when He says that “if anyone keeps my word he will never see death”? (See 10:28 note.) How can you “keep” God’s Word? How does God’s Word provide life? What is the significance of Je- sus’ statement that “before Abraham was born, I am”? (See 8:58 note.) What does this statement indicate about the nature and character of Jesus? What other characteristics and attributes does Jesus possess as God? In what ways do these traits affect you? How do they provide comfort? How do they inspire faith? How do they help you stay devoted to Jesus?

PRAY: Thank Jesus for His life-giving Word and ask Him to give you insight so you can understand and obey His Word. Praise Him as the all-powerful and eternal Son of God.

ACT: Take some extra time now and throughout the day to worship God for His many matchless character traits. Read the article on The Attributes of God, p. 786, and praise Him for the specific traits mentioned. As you go through the day, notice the evidence of His attributes, such as His power and creativity displayed in creation and His patience when you don’t respond as you should right away. Make this an ongoing practice.

4 topic freestyle live from my kitchen.. Twitter: (ellisisbankable w/ Facebook) , facebook: (chris defrancisi w/ bananas, Nathan mikesell w/ Cleveland cavs) Myspace: (William w/ Carrie underwood)

READ: John 8:31-47

THINK: “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Most people in our society are familiar with that expression in one form or another. It’s one of the countless well-known phrases lifted from the pages of the Bible—though most people haven’t a clue what it really means. These are Jesus’ words, and He’s not just talking about philosophical truth, the idea of truth or freedom from ignorance. He’s talking about the ultimate truth revealed in God’s Word and embodied in the Person of Jesus himself. He is the truth that people must know in order to truly be free.

RESPOND: According to verse 31, what must you do to demonstrate that you are a true follower of Jesus? How can you know the truth? What kind of truth is Jesus talking about? (See 8:32 note.) How does the truth set people free? What are some things the Bible reveals about truth as it relates to Jesus and His message? (See 8:32 note.) Why didn’t many people recognize their need for the freedom Jesus spoke about (v. 33)? How are they like people today? In what ways does sin enslave people? (See 8:34 and 8:36 notes.) How can a person find freedom from sin? Why were the people who argued with Jesus so mistaken in their notion that they were children of God? How are they like many people today? How can we know if a person is truly a child of God? (See 8:42 note.) What’s the evidence that a person truly loves Jesus? Who does Jesus say that a person belongs to if he or she refuses to accept the truth about Jesus (v. 44)? What do we know about the devil from this passage? (See 8:44 note.) In what way does this challenge you regarding your attitude toward any form of deceit? What does a person do if he or she truly belongs to God (v. 47)?

PRAY: Ask Jesus for the discipline to live by the teaching in God’s Word. Thank Him for the freedom that comes from following Him. Pray that you’ll always demonstrate love for Him by obeying His Word and refusing to take part in deceit.

ACT: If you’ve not lived up to the truth of something God has specifically shown you in His Word, take immedi- ate action to put His truth into practice. If you’ve lied or been deceitful in any way toward another person or situation, ask God to forgive you. Then make things right with any others who are involved by telling the truth.

Video podcast running down my last week w/ a bunch of video highlights.... some announcements and a teaser about a big announcement tommorrow!  Check it out... 

Audio portion of the kj52 monday podcast while i answered ?'s and banged a bunch of pots and pans around in the background... 

READ: John 8:12-30

FIREuSTARTER

THINK: A lot of people talk about God, claiming to believe in Him. Many say they pray. Some even give God credit for their abilities and accomplishments—even if those accomplishments compromise Biblical principles. Yet, for all of the talk about “God,” Jesus’ name seldom comes up in the same context. So where do they get their perception of God? If you get it from the Bible, it’s tough to miss the fact that we can’t relate to the Father apart from Jesus. As God’s only Son, Jesus is the One who reflects and reveals what His Father is like. In fact, Jesus is himself God, with all the author- ity and attributes of His Father. You can’t take Jesus out of the God equation without arriving at the wrong answer.

RESPOND: What does Jesus mean when He says, “I am the light of the world,” and that those who follow Him will never walk in darkness? (See 8:12 note.) Since Jesus already stated that His Father has entrusted all judgment to Him (cf. John 5:22), what did He mean when He said, “I pass judgment on no one”? (See 8:15 note.) What does Jesus imply by saying, “If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (v. 19)? In what ways does it challenge and inspire you when Jesus says, “If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (v. 24)? What can you take personally from the fact that Jesus said, “I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me” (v. 28)? Even though Jesus is God and equal with His Father, why did He have to depend completely on the Father? In what way does this challenge you? In what way does verse 29 present both comfort and challenge?

PRAY: Thank Jesus for providing spiritual light in your life. Pray that you remain dependent on God for guidance regarding what to say and do so you can influence others to accept and depend on Christ.

ACT: Practice going through the day with your spiritual eyes and ears open, looking for God’s direction and listening for His voice. Go with a sense of being in constant communication with God, praying silently when necessary and audibly when possible. But keep in mind that the most vital part of communicating with God is listening and responding to His guidance. Say and do whatever you sense God telling you to do.

READ: John 7:25—8:11

THINK: How dependent are you on God? You may feel that you trust Him and you rely on Him when you face significant difficulties. But in your everyday life do you typically carry on as if you can make it without Him? Consider how completely Jesus depended on His Father for strength, guidance and encouragement. Are you following Jesus’ example so that God fulfills His purposes and impacts the world through your life?

RESPOND: Who is Jesus continually referring to as the One who sent Him (cf. 5:36-37; 6:38; 7:28, 33)? Why was Jesus so dependent on His Father? If Jesus—God in human form—needed to rely completely on His Father for strength and guidance, what does that mean for you? What was Jesus’ view of Scripture—God’s written Word—including both Old and New Testaments? (See 7:38 first note.) What did Jesus mean that “streams of living water will flow from within” those who truly believe in Him? (See 7:38 second note.) In what way was Jesus to be glorified, and how does that affect you? (See 7:39 note.) Why do very religious or very educated people often misunderstand or reject Jesus (cf. vv. 47-48)? What was the religious leaders’ motive in bringing the adulterous woman to Jesus? (See 8:7 note.) How did Jesus’ response deflect their deception? Did Jesus’ excuse or overlook the woman’s sin? Why or why not? What did Jesus’ response reveal about God’s character? What did Jesus offer the woman, and how does that relate to you? What do Jesus’ instructions to the woman—”Go now and leave your life of sin”—mean for all followers of Christ?

PRAY: Give God the Father thanks for sending Jesus to give His life for you and show you the way to true life. Thank Jesus for forgiving you and for giving you wisdom and strength to continually overcome sin as you rely on Him.

ACT: Be kind and encourage someone who is typically isolated or rejected by others because of their reputation, social status or lifestyle. Don’t condone bad behavior or let it influence you negatively. But let the person know, by your words and actions, that someone cares about them and is not out to judge them prematurely. If you get into a conversation, don’t hesitate to let the person know in some way that you are a follower of Jesus.

What an absolute week of awesomesauce....