faithfulness of god

 Can we trust God's Word?  How do we know that God will fulfill the things that He says are yet to come?  In this message you'll discover how the birth of Jesus Christ shows us the supernatural nature of God's Word and how we can trust Him for our future. 

Taken from: Isaiah 9:1-7

Imagine your life was being recorded for others to witness.  How would you live?  Paul reminds the Corinthians that the people of Israel were recorded in history for the church to learn.  When they were faced with temptation, how did they handle it?  How can we learn from them about what to do, and what NOT to do when we are taken by temptation?
TAKEN FROM: https://www.dodgevilleffc.com/sermons/taken-by-temptation/

Discover the power of personal branding on LinkedIn as we share the microphone with Mildred Talabi, a visibility powerhouse and branding coach. Raised in the bustling streets of London with roots in Nigeria, Mildred brings an intriguing blend of cultures, experiences, and wisdom to the table. From her ambitious dreams of building a media empire to now helping individuals shine brightly on LinkedIn, her journey is a testament to the unexpected turns our inner vocations can lead us to.

The conversation takes an empowering turn as we tackle the elephant in the room - visibility challenges on LinkedIn, especially for women. You'll hear Mildred's passionate insights on  how to overcome imposter syndrome and insecurities, and her proven strategies to confidently make your mark on LinkedIn. And perhaps you'll find a piece of your own story in my personal journey, from the gut-wrenching shock of a brain tumor diagnosis to the challenging road to recovery, reminding us all that we all harbor our own battles behind the scenes.

As we wind down, we delve into the strength cultivated in adversity. Listen as Mildred shares her inspiring story of facing a life-threatening brain tumor, and how her faith, which is also inscribed on her skin in the form of a tattoo, provided her much-needed comfort and strength.
You'll find food for thought in our discussion on the power of scripture and the healing strength of faith in overcoming life's adversities.
Listen, learn, and let us walk with you on this enlightening journey.

Be sure to subscribe, review, and share our podcast - together, let's inspire more people!

Connect with Mildred:

Website:  http://www.mildredtalabi.com
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Jesus – The Imprint of the Father

In the past, God spoke through prophets to the fathers of the people of Israel, but now in these last times from the birth of Jesus onward, He has spoken to us through His Son. Matthew 5:17 tells us that Jesus fulfilled the Law and the prophets (that is, all the prophecies of the Old Testament), and Luke 16:16 tells us that the Law and the prophets continued until John.

So, we will have to re-evaluate the so-called references to the end times that we find in the books of the prophets like Ezekiel and Daniel because they cannot be referring to the end times since they were all fulfilled in Jesus. The prophets spoke to the people of Israel about Jesus and His first coming, not about the end times and the second coming of Jesus.

Jesus is the last revelation, and the Law, the prophets, and all the Old Testament must be interpreted through the lens of Jesus because He is the imprint of the Father’s person. The Law and all the apparent severity of God in the Old Testament must be seen within the nature of the person of Jesus. Jesus fulfilled all the Law and yet His message was one of “extravagant” love and restoration. For example, when He was confronted by the Pharisees with the woman caught in adultery, according to the Law she had to be stoned to death, but Jesus, because of His love, found a way to save her from death without breaking the Law. Then Adam and Eve could have been left to die eternally after eating from the forbidden tree because that’s just what God said would happen. But God, because of His infinite love, found a way (although it was a very costly way) to save mankind from eternal death without breaking His own Word. Moreover, the fact that little children were drawn to Jesus and loved to be in His presence speaks volumes about the kind of person Jesus was, Who represented the very nature of the Father Himself. Children intuitively sense when a person is full of love toward them.

When did Jesus usually get angry or upset during His life? Only when He came in contact with the Pharisees and Sadducees, those who preached a God harsh with sin, those who always preached sin and sanctification. This does not mean that Jesus downplayed the seriousness of sin and the need for sanctification, but He simply prioritized love for the person and their restoration instead of punishment.

When we want to discuss something more delicate with a person (especially correction), don’t we prefer to talk face to face rather than in writing? Why? Because we want that person to feel from our voice the attitude with which we say those words, the emotions emanating, etc. In writing, the person can interpret what I said according to their state of mind at the time and through analogies with other, usually negative, experiences they had in the past. In writing, the person reading may have all sorts of unfounded suspicions, doubts, or preconceptions. In the same way, God first sent the Law in writing to His chosen people. Through it, the people of Israel developed in their minds and hearts an image of God as a harsh and strict God in relation to humankind. But then God sent His Son, Jesus, to correct the distorted view people had of God because of the Law of Moses. But most people have never corrected it or find it very difficult to do so.

Usually, we as humans are quick to forget the good things that happen to us and what God has done and is doing for us. When the people of Israel were in the wilderness, they used to quickly forget all that God had done for them when they were dealing with God’s discipline. We also tend to focus on God’s curses in Deuteronomy chapter 28 for example, but we don’t see God’s blessing in the same chapter. We get fixated on God’s so-called harshness and lose sight of His goodness and love. Have you ever thought that maybe God had no right to step in and remove the curses? From the way He loves people that He gave absolutely everything for them, I believe that if He could, He would have never included any curse on man. He was not the One who cursed, but automatically if the people did not choose life, they came out from under His protection.

The natural human tendency is always towards Law, harshness,  and asceticism because of man’s need to do something to be righteous. There is an almost irresistible attraction to self-righteousness. But we will never be in the wrong if we “exaggerate” in the direction of love, acceptance, and restoration when it comes to people as persons and not necessarily to their way of living which can be more or less divine.

Many Christians seem to fear too much grace. They feel that if they give people too much grace, they will live in sin even more. But it is exactly the opposite. Most Christians don’t realize how hard it really is to live in super-grace, or hyper-grace, if I may say so. You just need to seriously try to see if and how long you can maintain a mental attitude in which you always see yourself loved by God and as being His favorite even when you sin? You won’t be able to because of the conscience that God has put in us to warn us when we are wrong, but which no longer tells us that our sins have already been erased. The conscience and the devil are part of a very loyal and faithful accusing police force, always on duty, especially when you are preparing to do a ministry for God.

A sin repeated for years will not soften your conscience until you feel nothing. If by any chance your conscience no longer feels anything, the devil will take care to fill the void and continue with accusations and condemnation because you are a child of God. We feel good when we are legalistic as if we are taking God’s side, and we think that He will perhaps be more merciful to us and our weaknesses if we preach sin and repentance loudly to others.

Jesus is the radiance of the Father’s glory (the pinnacle of the Father’s nature) and the imprint of His person. The word “imprint” comes from the Greek charakter which means engraving or carving tool, imprint or print. Everything Jesus said after His baptism in the Jordan was EXACTLY what God the Father meant. Can we say the same about the Old Testament prophets who were not even born again? Not. Perhaps Samuel came the closest to Jesus because none of his words, the Bible says, fell to the ground, but were fulfilled. But Samuel was not exactly God, the Father. Similarly, the prophet Elijah came very close, but then we see him complaining and lament...

When we look back at 2022, we stand in awe of everything God did in and through our church! It's clear that God's hand was actively involved in restoring and reestablishing our church, which is why we're starting this new year by celebrating all that took place in the previous year.

But at the same time, we know that God isn't finished! Nor are we supposed to stay put. It’s time for us to write the next iteration of our church’s story! Meta 3.0 is about unlocking what’s next for our church and releasing it in our world.

All Christians have been instructed to do good for other people. Poor
Christians, middle-income Christians, rich Christians. Every Christian, every follower of Jesus is supposed to “do good." But in his comments specifically made to affluent people, he’s saying: Do even more good.

Can you imagine what would happen in our communities in our country if every Christian took this piece of advice from Paul and Jesus and acted on it? It would literally change the world. And it would change us. The entire reputation of the Christian faith in this country would be changed.

As Joni Eareckson Tada celebrates her 73rd birthday, she invites you to join her in sharing the Good News of Jesus with people struggling with disability!
Give in Joni's Honor

Looking for more encouragement?  Follow Joni on Facebook and subscribe to her daily devotional. Listen to all of Joni's 4-minute and 1-minute programs at  joniradio.org!

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Get involved at joniandfriends.org or on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Although you may be enduring a fiery trial today, you can walk through that trial! There is no need to try to solve it in order to get back on the path forward – it is the path forward, to the heart of Jesus. Remember that Jesus is with you in the midst of every trial, walking alongside you.

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Joni’s 73rd birthday is coming up and you can join her in celebrating God’s faithfulness!
Celebrate with Joni

Looking for more encouragement?  Follow Joni on Facebook and subscribe to her daily devotional. 
Listen to all of Joni's 4-minute and 1-minute programs at  joniradio.org!

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Get involved at joniandfriends.org or on TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

joniradio.org

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Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible.

Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org.

Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

You may not be sitting in the belly of the whale, but it might feel like it. We have all found ourselves in situations that seem dark and hopeless. My guest, Pat Hail, Jr. and I are talking about those dark moments paralleled with the story of Jonah. Yep, that  story about a man who gets eaten by a fish and vomited back out. However, there is a lesson to be learned about the presence of God during times of struggle or during your own big fish moments. We chat about God’s faithfulness during hard times, how he is already preparing the way for us in those struggles, and how we can find joy and gratitude in our own hearts.

Show Notes

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