Celtic Preacher

Jesus did not teach, Do not judge; he taught, Do not judge rashly. In other words, Jesus didn't say, "Never judge," which is impossible in this world; since we make judgments daily. Jesus taught us to be cautious about decisions, wait, and not make premature judgments because there's a strong possibility we will be wrong. The text is, The Parable of the Weeds, from Matthew 13 Pod 183

It's a struggle; the apostle Paul would admit, as well as all the other followers of Jesus, down throughout the ages. I want to live one way, and my mind insists on taking me in another direction. Is there any hope for me? Absolutely, the apostle Paul teaches. Once you see the problem, you are halfway there. The text is Romans 7. Pod 181 

We don't need to be taught personal preference. Our wants, desires, and perceived needs are hard-wired into us, so receiving guidance from God isn't always straightforward. We might tell ourselves we'd like some input from God, but when our plans fall apart, we are disappointed. What if our plans were meant to fall apart? Sometimes God bypasses our personal preferences to show us a better way. Text- Acts 11 Peter changes his mind. Pod 180

Our guard of self-protection is often lowered during times of great need and vulnerability. What we call "weakness" is often the doorway God uses to bring us deep healing. The healing and transformation can often come without warning and during the most unlikely circumstances. Text Acts 16 Paul's unexpected healing. Pod 179

You have plans; you think it's a great idea, yet you are blocked. You can't move forward after all your time and energy. Has it all been a waste of time? "Absolutely not," Paul, Lydia, Silas, and the early followers of Jesus would say, "it's a roadblock. God is stopping you from taking the wrong direction. So don't get downhearted." Acts 16:6-15  Pod 178

It's not unusual for the same challenge to resurface repeatedly. You think you've learned your lesson, conquered your fear, or forgiven someone, and sooner or later, the same issue shows its face, and you feel like you are back a square one. Yes, scripture teaches this is common. Rather than use all your energy to keep resisting the problem, how about using the "problem" as another stepping stone on the journey toward healing and transformation some things won't change, but you will. 
2 Corinthians  12 Paul's thorny problem. Pod 177

Information is reasonable and necessary when we start off learning about God. Still, before too long, we can become very good at gathering information without putting much of it into practice. Growth, inner change, and transformation occur when our behavior changes; we need to access the Holy Spirit for any lasting change; otherwise, we keep doing the same things repeatedly. The Spirit is like the bridge between our head knowledge and our actual everyday living. Text Acts 2. Pentecost Pod 176

When life is unsettled, and we are waiting for things to change, most of us would not say we are living in joy. The whole experience of joy is often elusive. We manage, cope, and produce, but joy is something else. The first students of Jesus were marked by joy, which leads me to believe their focus was not on their present circumstances. Life lessons from the first followers of The Way. Pod 175 Text Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:44-53 Ascension. 

 

Place, purpose, and belonging are basic needs of every person. Everyone wants to know their place; why am I here? How should I spend my life? Everyone wants to know their purpose and, of equal importance, have a sense of belonging. If anyone one of these needs is missing, we feel unsettled and out of sorts. In his letter to his congregation, Peter wants them (and us) to know God has all these needs covered. You have to look in the right place. Text 1 Peter 2 Pod 174

Why is it so hard for us to know what to do? Jesus said you can receive direction and wisdom from God, but listening takes practice. God leads only one Way, and once you know the Way, it gets far easier to recognize what is not God’s leading.  Text is John 10 1-10 Pod 173