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
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Monday Feb 03, 2020
Think Spot – 3 February 2020
Now abides faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity (love). 1 Corinthians 13:13.
Paul's statement that love is greater than faith and hope is intended as an expression of the permanence, or eternal duration of love. Faith, being limited as to time in comparison with love, ranks beneath it for the reason of this temporary duration. With the same right I might say that the kingdom of Christ is greater upon earth than was Christ.
Thereby I do not mean that the Church in itself is better and of highef rank than Christ, but merely that, it covers a greater part of the earth than he compassed; for he was here but three years, and those he spent in a limited sphere, whereas his kingdom has been from the beginning and is coextensive with the earth. In this sense, love is longer and broader than either faith or hope. Faith deals with God merely in the heart and in this life, whereas the relations of love both to God and the whole world are eternal.
Nevertheless, as Christ is immeasurably better and higher and more precious than the Christian Church, although we behold him moving within smaller limits and as a mere individual, so is faith better, higher and more precious than love, though its duration is limited and it has God alone for its object.
Paul's purpose in thus extolling love is to deal a blow to false teachers and to bring to naught their boasts about faith and other gifts when love is lacking. He means to say: If ye possess not love (charity), which abides forever, all else of which you boast being perishable, ye will perish with it. While the Word of God and spiritual gifts are eternal, yet the external office and proclamation of the Word, and likewise the employment of gifts in their variety, shall have an end, and thus your glory and pride shall become as ashes.
So then faith justifies through the Word and produces love. But while both Word and faith shall pass away, righteousness and love, which they effect, abide forever; just as a building erected by the aid of scaffolding remains after the scaffolding has been removed. Love gives and blesses the neighbor, as a result of faith, and it shall never be done away.
(An excerpt taken from "Devotional Readings From Luther's Works For Every Day Of The Year" By Rev. John Sander, L.H.D.) in the Public Domain.
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Friday Jan 31, 2020
Friday Jan 31, 2020
Partakers Friday Prayers!
We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!
A prayer of Thomas Aquinas (13th century)
O Almighty and all-knowing God,
Who is without beginning or end!
Who is the giver, preserver, and rewarder of all virtue!
Grant me to stand firm on the solid foundation of faith,
be protected by the invincible shield of hope,
and be adorned by the nuptial garment of charity.
Grant me by justice to obey you,
by prudence to resist the crafts of the Devil,
by temperance to hold to moderation,
by fortitude to bear adversity with patience.
Grant that the goods I have I may share liberally
with those who have not,
and the goods which I do not have I may seek with
humility from those who have.
Grant that I may truly recognise the guilt of the evil I have done,
and bear with equanimity the punishments I have deserved;
that I may never lust after the goods of my neighbour,
but always give thanks to you for all your good gifts.
Plant in me, O Lord, all thy virtues,
that in divine matters I might be devout,
in human affairs wise,
and in the proper needs of the flesh onerous to no one.
And grant that I may never rush to do things hastily,
nor balk to do things demanding,
so that I neither yearn for things too soon,
nor desert things before they are finished.
Amen
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Thursday Jan 30, 2020
Thursday Jan 30, 2020
PulpTheology Book
"Glimpses Into Acts: A Book of Action"
G’day! The PulpTheology book this week is:
“Glimpses Into Acts: A Book of Action”.
Luke wrote the book of Acts, so it is volume 2 of his history of the life of Jesus and the early Church. He records Jesus' return to be with the Father and the coming of the Holy Spirit to guide the Church and believers. The book of Acts is the record of the transition from when a nation was the people of God, to the age of the new people of God to whom all people of all nations and all time were, and are, welcome, the Church of Jesus' followers. The book of Acts includes the beginning, scattering, adjusting, expansion, and edification of the Church. Acts presents the development of the one body of Christ consisting of both believing Jews and Gentiles.
Jesus' resurrection from the dead was the catalyst for the mission of the church, which began with the disciples and has continued throughout history. Indeed, the growth and spread of the church, is evidence of the historical fact of Jesus' physical resurrection, or rising from the dead. However, Jesus has now ascended back to God.
What happened next? How did this small group of followers respond? Come inside for a glimpse into the Books of Acts - a book of action, dynamism and vitality!
Come on in! “Glimpses Into Acts: A Book of Action”. Available on Amazon and PulpTheology in Kindle or Paperback.
"Glimpses Into Acts: A Book of Action" available on Amazon in paperback with ISBN: 978-1515119227
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Monday Jan 27, 2020
Monday Jan 27, 2020
Think Spot – 27 January 2020
The third day there was a marriage in Carta in Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. John 2: 1-2.
It is indeed a high honor paid to married life for Christ himself to attend this marriage, together with his mother and his disciples. His mother is present as the one arranging the wedding, the parties married being apparently her poor relatives or neighbors, and she being compelled to act as the bride's mother ; so, of course, it was nothing more than a wedding, and in no way a display.
The second honor is his giving good wine for the humble marriage by means of a great miracle, making himself the bride's chief cup-bearer; it may be too that he had no money or jewel to give as a wedding present. He never did such honor to the life or doings of the Pharisees; for by this miracle he confirms marriage as the work and institution of God. No matter how common or how lowly it appears in the eyes of men, God none the less acknowledges his own work and loves it.
Since then marriage has the foundation and consolation that it is instituted by God and that God loves it, and that Christ himself so honors and comforts it, every one ought to prize and esteem it; the heart ought to be glad that it is surely the state which God loves, and cheerfully endure every burden in it, even though the burdens be ten times heavier than they are. For this reason there is so much care and unpleasantness in married life to the outward man, because everything that is God's word and work, if it is to be blessed at all, must be distasteful, bitter and burdensome to the outward man.
Marriage is a state that cultivates and exercises faith in God and love to our neighbor by means of manifold cares, labors, unpleasantness, crosses and all kinds of adversities that are to follow everything that is God's word and work. Christ also shows that he is not displeased with a marriage feast, nor with the things which belong to a wedding, such as adornments, cheerfulness, eating and drinking, according to the usage and custom of the country. God is not concerned about such external things, if it be in moderation, and faith and love reign.
(An excerpt taken from "Devotional Readings From Luther's Works For Every Day Of The Year" By Rev. John Sander, L.H.D.) in the Public Domain.
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Friday Jan 24, 2020
Friday Jan 24, 2020
Partakers Friday Prayers!
24th January 2020
We pray together and when Christians pray together, including across the internet and from different times, different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity!
O eternal Father of lights
from whom all good and perfect gifts come,
you who from whom we receive
the spiritual light and all good and perfect gifts,
and for the sake of Jesus Christ,
your beloved child,
master of heaven and earth,
who glorifies your will
and before whom all of us will one day appear to be judged,
and in whose name we must be saved,
for there is only one grace,
that of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and none other.
May the name of Christ be praised, now and forever.
Amen.
(A prayer of Mennon Simons)
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Thursday Jan 23, 2020
Thursday Jan 23, 2020
PulpTheology Book
"40 Days of Color: Coloring-In Devotional studies"
G’day! The PulpTheology book this week is:
“40 Days of Color: Coloring-In Devotional studies for adults (and maybe the kids too!)”.
This book will help you to interact with the Bible, your mind and your coloring skills! A devotional life is important for Christians. A time each day spent learning more about God and developing their relationship with Him. Most of the ways for the doing that are word-based. However an increasing number of people learn and engage more easily with the use of images. This is where this book can help you if that is you. Coloring-in for adults is a fun, relaxing way to engage your innate creativity with your devotional life.
Whether just starting a daily devotional life or you want a different way to refresh your daily time with God. Come inside with Alphy the WOWChurch Cat to see how these daily coloring-in devotionals can stimulate your imagination and develop your relationship with God! It is great for adults but also fabulous for family devotions, spending quality time having fun in this simple way while thinking about God. Over the 40 Days of Color, we cover Jesus' I AM statements, the Lord's Prayer, the Spiritual Armor and the Fruit of the Spirit.
Here are what a couple of reviews said:
1. I was looking for something to help me relax after a busy day at work. This book is ideal as I find the colouring in very therapeutic. And the suggestion of bible passages to read with space to write out what god says to you while you are colouring is very helpful.
2. 40 Days of Color is a great resource. It is fun and engaging. My 3 year old and I both learn from the devotion part and the coloring is a great way to spend some focused time in prayer. 40 Days of Color is good for individuals, couples or families.
Come on in! “40 Days of Color: Coloring-In Devotional studies for adults (and maybe the kids too!)”. Available on Amazon and PulpTheology.
"40 Days of Color: Coloring-In Devotional studies" available on Amazon in paperback with ISBN: 978-1514329214
You can purchase this book at Amazon USA on this link:
You can purchase this book at Amazon UK on this link:
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Monday Jan 20, 2020
Monday Jan 20, 2020
Think Spot – 20 January 2020
Hatred stirs up strife; but love covers all sins. Proverbs 10:12.
Where hatred and enmity dwell in the heart, they must inevitably stir up strife and bring misfortune. Animosity cannot restrain itself. It either bursts out in pernicious language, clandestinely uttered against the object of enmity, or it openly demeans itself in a manner indicating its ill will. Hence follow revelling, cursing, quarrelling and fighting, and, when wholly unrestrained, cruelty and murder. Hatred has but one desire, namely, that everyone be an enemy to his neighbour and speak the worst about him, and if he hears aught in his neighbour's favour, he puts upon it the very worst construction with the result that the other is embittered and in turn comes to hate, curse and revile. Thus the fire burns until only discord and mischief can obtain.
On the other hand love is virtue pure and precious. It neither utters, nor thinks any evil of its neighbour. It rather covers sin; not one sin, nor two, but a "multitude of sins." Love has no desire to reflect itself in a neighbour's sins and maliciously rejoice in them. It conducts itself as having neither seen, nor heard them. If they cannot be overlooked, it readily forgives, and as far as possible mends matters. Where nothing else can be done, it endures the sins of a neighbour without stirring up strife and making a bad matter worse. Where people dwell together there will be mutual transgressions; it cannot be otherwise. No one will always do what is pleasing to others, and each is liable to commit open wrong. Since men must live together in their respective stations of life, he who would live peaceably must so control himself as to be able to bear with others, to overlook their imperfections, to cover their transgressions and thus avert further resulting evil.
Now if you would live as a Christian and enjoy peace in the world, you must make every effort to restrain your anger and not to give way to revenge. You must suppress these passions, subduing your hatred by love, and be able to overlook and bear, even though you have to suffer great pain and injustice. So doing you will develop a noble character fitted to accomplish much good through patience and humility, to allay and abolish enmity and strife, and thereby to reform and convert others.
(An excerpt taken from "Devotional Readings From Luther's Works For Every Day Of The Year" By Rev. John Sander, L.H.D.) in the Public Domain.
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Friday Jan 17, 2020
Friday Jan 17, 2020
Partakers Friday Prayers!
17 January 2020
We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together!
Lord, deprive me not of Your heavenly and eternal blessings.
Lord, deliver me from everlasting torments.
Lord, if I have sinned in word or deed, in mind or spirit, forgive me.
Lord, deliver me from all distress, ignorance, forgetfulness, laziness and stony hardness of heart.
Lord, deliver me from all temptations and spiritual abandonment.
Lord, enlighten my heart which has been darkened by evil desire.
Lord, being human, I sin; but You, being God, have mercy on me.
Lord, take heed of the weakness of my soul,
and help me with Your grace that Your holy name may be glorified in me.
Lord Jesus Christ,
inscribe the name of Your servant in the book of life,
granting me a blessed end.
Lord my God, I have done nothing good;
yet by Your compassion help me to make a new beginning.
Lord, refresh my heart with the dew of Your grace.
Lord, God of heaven and earth, remember me,
who am sinful, wretched, evil and impure, in Your kingdom,
according to Your steadfast love.
Lord, receive me in repentance and do not forsake me.
Lord, put me not to the test.
Lord, grant me good thoughts.
Lord, grant me tears of repentance,
remembrance of death and contrition.
Lord, grant me sincere confession of my thought.
Lord, grant me humility, deliverance from my own will and obedience.
Lord, grant me patience, forbearance and meekness.
Lord, implant in me Your holy fear, the source of all blessings.
Lord, enable me to love You with all my soul,
my mind and my heart; and my neighbour as myself.
Lord, protect me from evil people and demons,
from impure passions and all unseemly things.
Lord, as you commanded;
Lord, as You know all things;
Lord as You desire I desire Your goodness;
let Your will be done in me. Lord, l
et Your will, not mine,
for You are blessed forever.
Amen.
A prayer of John Chrysostom
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Thursday Jan 16, 2020
Thursday Jan 16, 2020
PulpTheology Book
"The Surprise of Grace - Exploring Romans 5"
G’day! The PulpTheology book this week is “The Surprise of Grace” with Alphy the WOWChurch Cat.
Have you ever been surprised by Grace? Grace is not only amazing, but it is also surprising! Alphy the WOWChurch Cat investigates Romans 5:1-11 and discovers what it means for the Christian to be living under the grace of God. In the book of Romans, the apostle Paul is logically stating his case about God and humanity. In Romans 1-3, Paul highlights humanity’s separation from God. What can be done about that? The answer to that comes in Romans 4! Paul declares that God has provided the very means for people to be justified – that is, for the person to be declared right before Him!
Paul’s argument is that people can be in a dynamic relationship with God, no longer separated from God, and it is by faith alone in God that is the key to having been justified by God. It is by faith in God alone, through God’s grace alone as to how people can be justified before God and be able to stand in His presence which is Paul’s argument. Being justified means the removal of guilt and the penalty of sin from the person while at the same time being declared right by God. How is that done? We will come to that shortly!
People choose to be in this relationship with God. They can avail themselves of it as many have done or simply ignore it as many people do. God does not force but He does compel. Love never forces but it does compel, urge and encourage! You have taken up that offer and now you are in a relationship with God? WOW! Awesome! Excellent! ! Good! So what? That is where Paul is with his argument in this letter to the Romans.
Now in Romans 5, Paul gives 8 different glimpses from different angles about the Christian living under and within grace – God’s unmerited favour to undeserving sinners. Paul here is creating a fabulous stained glass sphere depicting life for the Christian believer who is now under grace and has Jesus as their master and Lord. Come on in and see what Paul has to say about these blessings or consequences for those who have taken up God’s free offer of being justified by faith through God’s grace alone? Let’s investigate Romans 5:1-11 together.
Whether you have not started the Christian journey yet, you are just starting your journey as a Christian, or have been a Christian for a while, you can either learn afresh or be reminded about the Wonderful Surprise of Grace. Come on in!
"The Surprise of Grace" available on Amazon in paperback or Kindle with ISBN: 978-1793020857
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Monday Jan 13, 2020
Monday Jan 13, 2020
Think Spot – 13 January 2020
Joseph and his mother marvelled at those things which Were spoken of him. Luke 2:33.
What are the marvellous things spoken of him ? They are the things of which Simeon had spoken immediately before, when in the temple he took the child Jesus upon his arms, saying: "Lord, now let your servant depart in peace, according to your word ; for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel." They marvelled that this aged and holy man stood there before them in the temple, took the child in his arms and spoke of him so exultingly, calling him the light of the world, a Saviour of all nations, a glory of all the people of Israel.
It must indeed excite wonder that such things were proclaimed openly by Simeon in that public and sacred place with reference to that poor and insignificant child, whose mother was so humble and lowly and whose father Joseph was not wealthy. How could such a child be considered the Saviour of all men, the light of the Gentiles, and the glory and honour of all Israel? At present, after we have had so many proofs of Christ's greatness, these words no longer seem so wonderful; but then, when nothing as yet was known of Jesus, they were indeed marvellous. Joseph and Mary believed them nevertheless, and on that very account they marvelled. If they had not believed them, the words of Simeon would have appeared insignificant to them and not at all wonderful.
If Joseph and Mary had judged according to the outward appearances, they would have considered Christ no more than any other poor child. But they disregard the outward appearance and cling to the words of Simeon with a firm faith, therefore they marvel at his speech. Thus we must also disregard all the senses when contemplating the works of God, and only cling to his words, that our eyes and our senses may not offend us. The fact that they marvelled at the words of Simeon is also to teach us that the Word of God is never preached in vain. The Word of God must produce results, even if there are only a few who believe it. There are always some who receive it with joy and admiration.
(An excerpt taken from "Devotional Readings From Luther's Works For Every Day Of The Year" By Rev. John Sander, L.H.D.) in the Public Domain.
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