G‘day! 🌟 Welcome to Partakers Christian Podcasts! Tune in for Bible Teaching, Bible Readings, Worship, Prayer, and Church History. Our mission on Podbean is to enable and encourage you on your faith journey. Come listen, interact, and be inspired!
Episodes
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Tuesday Nov 30, 2021
Partakers Christmas Thought
30 November 2021
Church Worship - O Antiphons
In the podcast today we continue celebrating Advent and Christmas with some ancient Christian worship! These seven O antiphons each address Jesus Christ using a Messianic title drawn from Old Testament prophecy. Read backwards, the initials of each title in Latin form the words “Ero Cras” or "Tomorrow I shall be (with you)" – looking forward to the return of Jesus Christ.
The seven antiphons are:
- Sapientia – Wisdom (Isaiah 11:1-3; Isaiah 28:29)
- Adonai - Holy Lord (Exodus 3:1-4; Isaiah 11:3b; Isaiah 33:22)
- Radix Jesse - Root of Jesse (Jeremiah 23:5-6; Micah 5:1; Revelation 22:16-17)
- Clavis David - Key of David (Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 22:21-22)
- Oriens - Morning Star (Isaiah 9:2; Zechariah 6:12-13; Malachi 4:2; Luke 1:8-10; John 8:12; Hebrews 1:3)
- Rex Gentium - King of the Nations (Genesis 2:7; Isaiah 2:4; Isaiah 9:7; Isaiah 28:16; Haggai 2:8-9; Ephesians 2:14-16)
- Emmanuel – God with us (Isaiah 7:13-14; Matthew 1:23; John 3:16; Acts 4:11-12)
Come listen and interact with an attitude of worship and prayer, and make them an act of your worship of Jesus today!
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Friday Nov 26, 2021
Friday Nov 26, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
26 November 2021
Rachel’s Story
14 After Jacob had stayed with him for a whole month, 15 Laban said to him, ‘Just because you are a relative of mine, should you work for me for nothing? Tell me what your wages should be.’
16 Now Laban had two daughters; the name of the elder one was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. 17 Leah had weak eyes, but Rachel had a lovely figure and was beautiful. 18 Jacob was in love with Rachel and said, ‘I’ll work for you seven years in return for your younger daughter Rachel.’
19 Laban said, ‘It’s better that I give her to you than to some other man. Stay here with me.’ 20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
21 Then Jacob said to Laban, ‘Give me my wife. My time is completed, and I want to make love to her.’
22 So Laban brought together all the people of the place and gave a feast. 23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her. 24 And Laban gave his servant Zilpah to his daughter as her attendant.
25 When morning came, there was Leah! So Jacob said to Laban, ‘What is this you have done to me? I served you for Rachel, didn’t I? Why have you deceived me?’
26 Laban replied, ‘It is not our custom here to give the younger daughter in marriage before the elder one. 27 Finish this daughter’s bridal week; then we will give you the younger one also, in return for another seven years of work.’
28 And Jacob did so. He finished the week with Leah, and then Laban gave him his daughter Rachel to be his wife. 29 Laban gave his servant Bilhah to his daughter Rachel as her attendant. 30 Jacob made love to Rachel also, and his love for Rachel was greater than his love for Leah. And he worked for Laban another seven years.
(Genesis 29:14-30)
The story of Rachel is like that of a soap opera! Rachel had a fairly complicated family structure. Rachel's sister Rebekah was Jacob's mother. Rebekah trained Jacob to scheme in order to gain his father's blessing and promised him that she would take the results of the deceitful act upon herself. Rachel became Jacob's wife, but only after Laban had tricked him into marrying Leah, the older daughter first. We can wonder if Rachel encouraged Jacob in his trickery, or if she was influenced by him to think first of herself at the expense of others. Whether his mother and/or his wife influenced Jacob, or indeed if he influenced them, both Rebekah and Rachel serve as examples of the outcome of sinful deceit and discontent.
In the podcast today we will look briefly at the story of Rachel and discover together more about her and how she overcame many things against her. We delve into her story and see three things that epitomise why she is part of salvation history in the leadup to the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about Rachel, a woman of faith, and what we can learn from her as we live as a Christian in the 21st century.
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Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Thursday Nov 25, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
25 November 2021
Thanks to God for Ruth
16 But Ruth replied, ‘Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if even death separates you and me.’ 18 When Naomi realised that Ruth was determined to go with her, she stopped urging her. (Ruth 1:16-18)
The book of Ruth is a cameo story of love, devotion and redemption set in the black days of the Judges. It tells the story of a pagan woman giving up everything to cling to the people of Israel and to God Himself and it shows her faithfulness when the nation was faithless.
Today we are going to learn about Ruth and her obedience. Indeed elsewhere in Scripture it says that obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22). The story of Ruth celebrates the gentle beauty of love and loyalty between individuals, and it shows the positive power of obedience to God for both personal fulfilment and wider blessing. By committing herself to Naomi, as well as to Naomi's God, Ruth found satisfaction in service. Instead of losing her identity by her voluntary and complete submission, Ruth's place in Israel and history is confirmed.
In the podcast today we will look briefly at four aspects of the obedience of Ruth, that we living as Christians today would be wise to copy as we seek to follow this God with obedient lives that are worthy of Him.. Please do listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about this aspect of living as a Christian in the 21st century.
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You can now purchase our book about being a Christian by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Sunday Nov 07, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
7 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 7
Concluding Reflections
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “I am the LORD your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
30 Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practised before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.”’ (Leviticus 18:1-5, 30)1 The Lord said to Moses, 2 ‘Speak to the entire assembly of Israel and say to them: “Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy.
37 ‘“Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the Lord.”’ (Leviticus 19:1, 37)
In the last podcast, we looked at two ways Christians can be show they are obedient and faithful to God as evidence of their love of God: to carry their cross daily and to tell others about Jesus. We started these reflections in Leviticus 18-19 by looking at the ancient people of Israel, who were not to be like the surrounding nations in areas of life such as food & diet, immigration, sex and social etiquette . Ancient Israel was to administer justice fairly and make sure the poor were helped and nobody was in need. We saw that God is holy and that ancient Israel were to be holy through joyful obedience to God. That was the command from God: "Be holy as I am holy. You are to do as I would do."
We went on to see that the Church today, individually and collectively, are to do similarly. Particularly loving other people. All other people. Including other Christians. Not a plastic love but a real love. A love such as that which God shows the world – deep seated, open, honest and sacrificial.
Today we look at how we Christians can go out with joy and wonder, to love others radically and practically. Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Saturday Nov 06, 2021
Saturday Nov 06, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
6 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 6
Reflect God – Love Practically (2)
16 ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Mark 10:16-20)
18 Then Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ (Matthew 28:18-20)
In the last podcast, we looked at ancient Israel having to be obedient and faithful to God as evidence of their love of God. We left with a question “How can we love God faithfully and obediently?” Today we look at just two ways in which we as Christians can show our love of God?
Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Friday Nov 05, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
5 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 5
Reflect God – Love Practically (1)
16 ‘I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. 17 Be on your guard; you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. 18 On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19 But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20 for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. (Mark 10:16-20)
We left the last podcast with a question “How can we reflect and practise this love?” Firstly, love is faithful. In our journey through Leviticus, Israel was to be faithful to God. We have seen the ancient Israelites being given a new identity, which would have seen them stand out amongst the nations. So too with us today, as we have also gained a new identity when we chose to become a Christian.
Together we explore questions such as: How can we as Christians overcome difficulties and opposition? How can we remain faithful to God in making decisions? How is faithfulness to Jesus Christ observed? What does whole life worship entail? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Thursday Nov 04, 2021
Thursday Nov 04, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
4 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 4
Reflect God – Love God and love your neighbour
18 ‘“Do not seek revenge or bear a grudge against anyone among your people, but love your neighbour as yourself. I am the LORD.
32 ‘“Stand up in the presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the LORD. 33 ‘“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not ill-treat them. 34 The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the LORD your God. 35 ‘“Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. 36 Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin.] I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. 37 ‘“Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD.”’ (Leviticus 19:18, 32-37)
28 One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, ‘Of all the commandments, which is the most important?’ 29 ‘The most important one,’ answered Jesus, ‘is this: “Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” 31 The second is this: “Love your neighbour as yourself.” There is no commandment greater than these.’ (Mark 12:28-31)
We left the last podcast with a question. How is personal holiness shown? Today that is what we investigate together. Leviticus 19, starts off with instructions about taking care of the poor. God was going to provide for the poor. How? The farmers were to leave some of the crop or vineyard unharvested and it was to be a symbolic act of worship, a thanksgiving and a visible sign of trusting in God to supply. It was a generous holiness in action. This whole section is summed up in Leviticus 19:18, “love your neighbour as yourself”. Neighbour being any other person, not just the person who lived next door.
Together we explore questions such as: What did it mean for ancient Israel for them to love their neighbour? Why were they love their neighbour as themselves? Who were ancient Israel’s neighbours? What makes a good neighbour? What does this mean for Christians today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Wednesday Nov 03, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
3 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 3
Reflect God – Be holy
44 I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy. Do not make yourselves unclean by any creature that moves along the ground. 45 I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. (Leviticus 11:44-45)
31 ‘Keep my commands and follow them. I am the LORD. 32 Do not profane my holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the LORD, who made you holy 33 and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the LORD.’ (Leviticus 22:31-32)
G’day! In our last podcast we looked at God and discovered that while God is Almighty, that God is also personal, that God is a God of love and that God is Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit Indeed, the whole work of salvation is an act of love from a personal loving God, who is Trinity: God the Father ‘calls’; God the Son ‘redeems; and the Holy Spirit ‘seals’ people as God’s children (Ephesians 1:13-14). WOW!
Today we continue in Leviticus 18-19 by looking at Israel and how they were to respond to their God and reflect God to the surrounding nations. As commanded by God, Israel were to reflect God. “I am Holy”, declares God, “You must also be holy as I am.” In other words: “This is what I would do. So be obedient to me and you must do as I would do.” Israel were to reflect God’s holiness in a practical, down-to-earth, ‘get your hands dirty’ manner.
Together we explore questions such as: What were the main characteristics we can see of the relationship between God and Israel? How were the laws to be obeyed? What was worship to be for Israel? What does this mean for Christians today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Tuesday Nov 02, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
2 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 2
Who Is God?
23 Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks. 24 God is spirit, and his worshippers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.’ (John 4:23-24)
13 And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession – to the praise of his glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14)
G’day! Throughout the book of Leviticus, God has said “Be holy, for I am holy”. But what is holiness? As we have glimpsed in recent podcasts, holiness is what separates God from all His creation, including humanity. Why? For God alone is holy and full of glory. Remember what Aaron had to do when entering the holy of holies on the day of Atonement? He had to create a wall of smoky incense, so that he wouldn’t glimpse God’s glory and holiness and be struck down dead, like his sons Nadab and Abihu. Holiness is in fact the sum of all God’s attributes. God is holiness and holiness is God.
Today we start looking at who God is from Leviticus 18-19! Together we explore questions such as: What kind of God is this? What are some of God’s attributes? How are those attributes seen in Leviticus applicable and relevant to Christians today? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about God and following Him.
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You can now purchase our book on Leviticus by clicking or tapping on this link here which will take you to Amazon!
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Monday Nov 01, 2021
Partakers Bible Thought
1 November 2021
Joy Gets Its Hands Dirty Part 1
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 ‘Speak to the Israelites and say to them: “I am the LORD your God. 3 You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in the land of Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. 4 You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the LORD your God. 5 Keep my decrees and laws, for the person who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.
30 Keep my requirements and do not follow any of the detestable customs that were practised before you came and do not defile yourselves with them. I am the LORD your God.”’ (Leviticus 18:1-5, 30)
G’day! We looked recently at Leviticus 9 & 10 and saw a scene of great joy and jubilation, as well as a scene of great judgement. Then, more recently we looked together at Leviticus 16 & 17, and that great annual event in the calendar of Ancient Israel, known as the Day of Atonement and what it signified for ancient Israel. We looked at how these ancient writings applied to us today and concluding that it is because of Jesus Christ alone, every human can choose to be ‘at one’ with God and have eternal life.
Today we start looking into Leviticus 18 & 19. Here is where the rubber hits the road. Leviticus now moves on to the matter of wholeness of life and personal holiness. God gives to His people, Israel, some laws of how they were to live. Laws for such things as: food & diet, foreign nationals, justice, the poor, sex, social etiquette and tattoos. Together we explore questions such as: Why was Israel given these laws? What areas of life did these laws cover? What did Jesus Christ have to say about them? Listen or download the mp3 podcast to find out more about Jesus Christ and following Him.
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