The Gist Podcast

Psalm 55:23…..But you, O God, will bring down the wicked into the pit of corruption; bloodthirsty and deceitful men will not live out half their days. But as for me, I trust in you. Trusting in the lord is a sure path to victory. However, when we find ourselves in a time of crisis our minds can work overtime to look for exit strategies devised from our own understanding. We pull on the unsanctified resources from our past and begin to desperately dream up schemes that we think may help us. In reality, we are merely leading ourselves into an even bigger mess. When we deviate from the Lord’s plan for our lives we end up in a dead-end cul-de-sac of destruction. The further into our own plans we go, we move closer towards unrighteousness and corruption. Stop! Get back onto the path of righteousness that Jesus prepared in advance for us to walk in. Trust completely in Him and watch how He orchestrates your disaster into triumph and your crisis into blessings. Lord Jesus, thank you for having the best plan for our lives. Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Hates Religion’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

1 John 1:5……This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. God is Light and Jesus Christ is the Light of the World. He has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. In Him there is no shadow of turning. His light is always at its zenith, always at its peak. There is no darkness in His light; nothing hidden, nothing obscured. With God, anything that would lurk in the darkness or hide in the shadows, is exposed. The darkness flees from Him. In love, His light exposes what is hidden, sometimes even from ourselves. As we bring it into His light it is dealt with and removed. In the light of His presence we are refined and purified. We are absorbed into His light becoming as He is. Lord Jesus, thank you from bringing me into your marvellous light. Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie in the Light’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Matthew 10: 28…… Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. Some people say that hell does not exist. Some even say that tough and challenging times on earth are our hell. Both of these comments are wrong. Hell is a very real place. In fact, in the bible, Jesus talks more about hell that He does about heaven! Hell is reserved for people who have rejected God’s salvation plan through Jesus Christ. They will spend eternity there. However, right up until the moment we take our last breath, we can ask Jesus to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, and He will. Gambling, that we can wait to the last minute before receiving Jesus into our hearts is not a wise thing to do. We do not know when out time on earth will be over and death is a master of surprise. Lord Jesus, please save those who are perishing. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Plunges Into Darkness’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

2 Corinthians 2:16….To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. Not everyone will be happy when we share the Good News of Jesus Christ with them. To some it will speak of death and to others, life. Those who reject Jesus and His salvation plan will be eternally separated from God. The misconception that death is a long sleep is not true. Death without God is a long, slow, agonising, torture forever. However, those who die with Jesus Christ in their heart will continue to live in God’s presence forever. They will not spend any time away from Jesus because as soon as their body dies, their spirit and soul will immediately be with Him. What do you smell right now? Is it life or death? Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us into everlasting life with you? Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie and the Smell’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Joshua 1:9…..Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. These words, spoken to Moses’ successor Joshua, are also spoken into our lives too. They are not only words to encourage, they are commands. Be strong! Be courageous! Do not be afraid! Do not be discouraged! They are followed by a promise; for I, the Lord of all, your God, will be with you wherever you go! Hallelujah!! Let this sink in…. No matter where we are, no matter what is going on in and around our lives, our God, Jesus Christ, is the Lord over all our circumstances and situations. He is the Lord. When we believe this without question, we will be strong and courageous and we will not be afraid or discouraged. Let’s not be bullied by our circumstances. Through what Jesus Christ has done for us at Calvary we have the victory in every area of our lives. Lord Jesus, you have made us winners. Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Feels Vulnerable’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Actions Speak Louder than Words 1 John 3:18….Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. Love is both a noun and a verb. We do what it says. Platitudes will never be a substitute for passion. Even if we understand what love means, it will always be ‘better felt than telt’, as we say in Scotland. However, love is not a masquerade nor is it a charade. Yet, multitudes of people have been horribly deceived by smooth-talking suitors. Sadly, many who sought true love have been short-changed by amorous advances and a fleeting fling. People in love will go to great lengths to express their love……For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16). Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, willingly lay down His life because He loved us. How far would you go to demonstrate your love for another? Lord Jesus, thank you loving us even before we knew you. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie’s Edge’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Connecting with Jesus Song of Solomon 1:4……Take me away with you—let us hurry! Let the king bring me into his chambers. Song of Solomon speaks of intimacy and heart-throbbing passion. The Bride, the Beloved is speaking to her Lover, the King or, in other words, the Christian church is speaking to Christ Jesus. Are you in love with Jesus? Is Jesus the lover of your soul? Do you long to be locked-in with Jesus in the Most Holy Place, in the inner sanctum of the Holy of Holies? Song of Solomon, the bible’s racy love poem, describes the passion between two lovers. Are you a beloved disciple? Do you long to get as close to Jesus as possible? Do you long to connect with Him? Lord Jesus, thank you for waiting for us to connect with you. Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Looks for a Connection’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Eternity Daniel 12:2…..Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. This scripture speaks of a resurrection of the dead that takes place after the Rapture; i.e. the gathering of Christian believers with Jesus in the clouds. Read in conjunction with Revelation 20 we learn that this second resurrection of the dead takes place at the end of Jesus’ reign of 1,000 years on earth after His Second Coming. Those whose name is written in the Book of Life will rise to everlasting life with Jesus but those who have rejected Jesus will be raised to everlasting shame and contempt. They will be separated from God forever. Mankind was created to be eternal. Death is a temporary state. Where we spend eternity is determined by the choices we make before we die. Where are you going? Lord Jesus, thank you for calling us to be with you forever. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Comes Out of Hibernation’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

What are You Hoping for? Job 11:18….You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. What are you hoping for? Do you look for it with confidence? If you do, you have faith. Faith comes when God speaks to us. Did God speak to you to believe in what you are hoping for? If not, your hope is no more than wishful thinking! Can you see, through the eyes of faith, the materialisation of the thing you hope for? Are you sure it will happen as God has said? Can you rest assured that God’s promises are ‘yes’ and ‘amen’? Do you believe that? Believe and do not doubt, God will give you what you hope for. Thank you Jesus, those who hope in you are never disappointed. Amen. To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Finds Hope’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

The Lord Will Satisfy You Isaiah 58:11….The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail. No matter how much of a predicament we find ourselves in, the Lord will guide us out of it and he will give us all that we need to be satisfied. He will strengthen our bodies and cause us to be fruitful. When we get hot under the collar and stress wants us to blow a gasket…. When we feel burned-out and exhausted, the Lord turns up like a cool stream to refresh us and to bless us. He will never fail us. Take a breath, hold it….now exhale slowly. The Lord is here and everything is going to be alright. Mmmmm, thank you Jesus. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Gets Cooked’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Free as a Bird Psalm 124:6-8……Praise be to the LORD, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped. Our help is in the name of the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. We can rest-assured that any trap, any snare that the enemy lays for us has been broken by the power of the finished work of Jesus Christ. In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Maker of heaven and earth, every conniving scheme, every plot to harm us, has been destroyed. By our faith in Christ Jesus and in the power of His name, we have escaped the devil’s clutches. We are free to fly, like the birds of the air, high above every temptation, every snare and every potential danger that comes our way. Thank you Jesus, you have set us free. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie on the Run’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Do Not Be Alarmed Matthew 24:6a……You will hear of wars and rumours of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. The context of this verse is set as a response from Jesus to his disciples’ question; ….what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? There has never been in history when there have been so many wars and rumours of wars. Yet, Jesus tells His disciples, and us, not to be alarmed. As Christians, we can trust completely in God. Jesus, our Lord and Saviour, is with us always. Any fears we may have are dispelled by our faith in God who loves us. Therefore, we are not alarmed. Looking around us at the awful state of the world, it would be easy to allow what we see to overwhelm us. However, world affairs are not our Lord, Jesus Christ is, and He has overcome the world. Thank you Jesus, You bring us peace in every situation. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie’s Reality Check’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Genealogy Matthew 1:1-17…… Thus there were fourteen generations in all from Abraham to David, fourteen from David to the exile to Babylon, and fourteen from the exile to the Messiah. It may seem boring to go through long lists of names that mean little or nothing to us, but those names are important. In this case they show us the lineage of Jesus Christ. Currently, there is a growing curiosity in people wanting to know their family history, their ancestry. How interesting it is to discover where we have come from and perhaps unearth a few surprises in the process! However, when we come to Jesus and we are born again, our family roots take on a completely new direction. We are adopted into the family of God. We become sons and co-heirs with Christ. We are new creations and our lives are hidden with Christ in God. Our blood-line starts at Calvary’s cross. Oh yes, we still honour our natural parents and, in love, we reach out to our family and friends but we are no longer conformed to the pattern of this world. Rather, we are being transformed by the power of God. Lord Jesus, thank you for being our Saviour and our Brother. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie meets His Past’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Daniel 3:27……They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. On the orders of King Nebuchadnezzar, Daniel’s three friends, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego were thrown into the furnace because they would not bow to images of his foreign gods. They proclaimed that their God, Jehovah, would deliver them. Nebuchadnezzar said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods”. He ordered them to be released and promoted them saying, “Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God”. Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego in the province of Babylon. It is good to know that if we honour our God and do not bow to idols, He will protect us no matter what the circumstances. Not only will he protect us but there will be no taint of worldly things upon us. When we lay down our lives for Jesus Christ, He delivers us from evil and cleans away the stench of the world we came from. Not only are we set free but his favour is upon us and He will promote us to positions of influence where He places us. Lord Jesus, thank you for saving and promoting us. Amen To find out more about this bible passage, follow this link to ‘McKenzie and the Mrecedes’: http://www.getthegist.net

Isaiah 52:7……How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Mountains can be inhospitable, hostile places where people are few and far between. Therefore, when a visitor comes with good news, it is a most welcome sight. The feet that carry the messenger are beautiful! When the Lord Jesus Christ came over the Mount of Olives, it was to proclaim good news in Jerusalem. The religious leaders were offended and nailed His beautiful feet to a cross on Calvary’s hill. Death couldn’t hold Him and, after His resurrection, He ascended back to heaven from the Mount of Olives. When He returns it will be to the Mount of Olives that will split in two when His beautiful feet alight there. As we climb the mountain of apathy and apostasy it is to bring good news to those who are perishing. We tread in the footsteps of missionaries and martyrs who have gone before us and we do it in the name of Christ Jesus who has made our feet beautiful. Lord Jesus, help us to walk in your footsteps. Amen To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie Gets High’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Get Ready Malachi 4:5-6 says …. “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” After Malachi, the Old Testament prophet, said these words, there were four hundred years of prophetic silence. The next occasion when we hear God speak publicly to His people it is from the mouth of John the Baptist in the Gospels. He was preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. John came in the spirit and power of Elijah, just as Malachi had said. His ministry was to prepare the way for Jesus Christ’s first coming and to get the people ready to receive Him as the Messiah. However, we learn from the end of Malachi 4, and indeed the end of the Old Testament, that this prophecy also relates to the end of the age, that great and dreadful day of the LORD. It, therefore, applies to both the first and second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a message of revival in these last days. The message of John the Baptist, like Elijah, was to call the people back to God. That message is, sadly, just as relevant today as it was in the days of Elijah and John. Thank you, Lord Jesus, for sending messengers to get us ready for your return. Amen. To read this scripture in context, follow this link to 'McKenzie is Amazed': http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Every Eye Will See Revelation 1:7a….. “Look, he is coming with the clouds,” and “every eye will see him…” Jesus Christ is coming back again. When He does, He will return in the clouds. Every Christian, both dead and alive, will be ‘caught up together to meet the Lord in the air’ (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) and ‘every eye will see Him’. With modern technology it will be possible for every eye to see, at the same time, the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. However, although the event will, no doubt, be televised, God does not need TV to make the world see Him. His Second Coming will be such an awesome event that no-one will miss it wherever they are. Lord Jesus, come soon. Amen To read this passage in context, follow this link to ‘McKenzie and the Digital Age’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

God Answers Prayers Acts 12:5-12……. So Peter was kept in prison, but the church was earnestly praying to God for him. The night before Herod was to bring him to trial, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries stood guard at the entrance. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. “Quick, get up!” he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists. Then the angel said to him, “Put on your clothes and sandals.” And Peter did so. “Wrap your cloak around you and follow me,” the angel told him. Peter followed him out of the prison, but he had no idea that what the angel was doing was really happening; he thought he was seeing a vision. They passed the first and second guards and came to the iron gate leading to the city. It opened for them by itself, and they went through it. When they had walked the length of one street, suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, “Now I know without a doubt that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from Herod’s clutches and from everything the Jewish people were hoping would happen.” When this had dawned on him, he went to the house of Mary the mother of John, also called Mark, where many people had gathered and were praying. What an amazing passage of scripture. What an awesome answer to prayer. Peter is so caught-up in the supernatural of these unfolding events that, at first, he thinks he is in a vision. An Angel turns up in his prison cell, wakens him and helps him to walk out of his incarceration. They pass the guards, who see neither Peter nor the Angel and go out of the unlocked main gate, through the streets and into the prayer meeting where they were praying for the very thing that happened before they finished praying. Imagine the euphoric jubilation that filled the room just as angelic light had flooded Peter’s cell only moments earlier. Our God hears our prayers and He responds. Hallelujah! To read this scripture in context please go to ‘McKenzie is Spared’: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Matthew 26:52……“Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” The full portion of scripture, with this verse included, reads as follows: (Matthew 26:51-52)…. With that, one of Jesus’ companions reached for his sword, drew it out and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Put your sword back in its place,” Jesus said to him, “for all who draw the sword will die by the sword.” The setting is the arrest of Jesus and it takes place just before his crucifixion. John’s gospel reveals that it was the disciple Peter who cut off the servant’s ear. Jesus heals the servant and his ear is restored. Peter was prepared to fight to save Jesus but Jesus clearly says that this was not the best way in this situation. Jesus knew that He had come to lay down His life for the salvation of many and, therefore, His crucifixion was inevitable. Jesus did enter into a battle on the cross. It was one of spiritual warfare. He fought against all that Satan could throw at Him and He triumphed over him by the cross. He conquered sin and death for us. Violence leads to violence but the way of Jesus ultimately leads to lasting joy and peace. 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 says…… For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us how to fight. Amen To read this scripture in context, follow this link: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html

Luke 5:4…..When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into deep water, and let down the nets for a catch.” After a hard night’s fruitless fishing, tired and weary, Simon and his crew returned home. Jesus, to make a space between Himself and the swelling crowd, climbed into Simon’s boat. When He had finished, Jesus asked Simon to go back out to deeper water to fish again. The catch was so huge that their nets began to break. Even after sharing the fish with their partners, the weight of the fish caused their boats to begin to sink. Simon, recognising the power of Jesus, bowed before him in repentance. Jesus told him that from now on he would fish for people. This graphic story clearly illustrates that obedience to Jesus, regardless of our feelings or our circumstances, will generate miracles for the glory of God. Lord Jesus, thank you for abundance. Amen. For the complementary McKenzie story, please follow this link: http://www.thewaycm.com/mckenzie.html