Partakers Christian Podcasts

Pulp Theology 29

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

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Think Spot 20 January 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 Prayers 17 January 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!

In The Name of The Father , Son, and Holy Spirit,
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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Pulp Theology 28

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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Think Spot 13 January 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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Friday Prayers 10 January 2020

Partakers Friday Prayers 

10th 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!  

Order of Service

Opening Prayer

A prayer of Anselm

A prayer for the persecuted Church

Silence for your own prayers & praise

Sung Benediction

 

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Christmas 2019 30. Why I Am A Christian

Christmas 2019 30. Why I am a Christian!

The Apostle John, writing in 1 John 5:9-12 - "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life."

Why Is It So?

A testimony is an assertion offering first-hand authentication of a fact. For the Christian Disciple, classically it is generally expressed as how they became a Christian Disciple.

But I think it is more than just how, and should expressly include why you are a Christian Disciple. I wonder what is your testimony about how you became a Christian Disciple? When was the last time you thanked our God for your testimony? Have you even thought about your testimony of how you became a Christian Disciple?

I am sure you have all heard kids in the supermarket yelling out "Why?" to their parents. We all have, I am sure, questions we want to know the answer to. Why? The question I am often asked is "You are a Christian. Why is it so?"

My father, was and remained throughout his life a convinced agnostic and in the few conversations we had about religion and Christianity, he could never understand why it was, that I could not just admit that I would never know if God existed or not, far less a God who was personally interested in me. My reply as ever, was that the very question "Why is it so?" needed to be answered, in order for me to be satisfied.

Why I am a Christian?

Now I could say that at the age of 12, we moved to a town on the coast of Australia, and was invited along to a local youth group and several weeks later, gave my life to Christ and became a Christian. Of course that is partly true. I can't even claim to be a Christian because I was raised in a Christian country. Australia was and is probably the second most secular country on this planet. Sure Australia has its moral base grounded in historic Christianity, but for the latter part of its history, Australia has been thoroughly secular and non-religious. Even if I had been raised in a country such as England, with Christian parents, that would also, only be partly true and I could have rejected Christianity as many people do. The reason that I am a Christian is not because I chased God, but rather He chased me. Unknown to me at the time, God was chasing me and following my every path with the urgency of a lover after the beloved.

God had been pursuing me

This piece of poetic Scripture speaks about the love that God has for his people, and the energy He puts in to calling his people to Himself. He is always reaching out, for all to return to His arms. As for me, it wasn't until I was a 12 year old that I heard that I needed to accept Jesus as my Lord and Saviour. Before that I didn't know I had to do anything with this Jesus. Jesus was only a curse word for me at the time. That or was just someone or something that the RE teachers bored me with at school.

We are primarily Christians, not because we come to church services or just happened to have been born in a supposedly Christian country. We are primarily Christians, because God first chased and harried us into His arms. We are Christians, if you are one, because God first loved you. And as a tremendous lover, He beckons and calls people all the time to respond to His call, and back to Him. How does He chase us with His love?

God chases each person differently, just as each Christian testimony is different. Take for instance the Apostle Paul in Acts 8 & 9. God chased him through Paul's mind and his religious upbringing and education. Paul had known about God from his childhood. Paul was a righteous Pharisee who saw persecuting these ‘Christians' as his religious duty, so that he may somehow find favour with God. As Paul was gloating over the death of the martyr Stephen, God was pursuing Him, probably raising doubts in Paul's mind as to why Stephen would say at the point of death "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit and forgive them for what they do" (Acts 7:54-60). Surely doubts must have been raised in Paul's mind as he approved of this death (Acts 8v1).

Paul was also wrestling with his conscience. Externally he was a righteous man, a Pharisee of Pharisees. Yet when he internally examined himself and his heart, he found himself failing regarding covetousness, which is the last of the Ten Commandments. Then finally, Jesus himself makes a sudden and dramatic appearance before Paul and confronts him directly, "Why are you kicking against me? Why are you rejecting my advances?" (Acts 9) Paul's conversion to Christianity is often described as being sudden. But the only thing sudden about his conversion was this climatic appearance of Jesus.

Just as that was true of Paul, it is true of me, just as it is true of all those who profess to call themselves a Christian Disciple. I am a Christian Disciple not because of anything I have done, but rather because He first chased me, and because He first loved me. Jesus himself said "I came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10).

If you are a Christian today, it is not because of anything you have done. It is because of the events at Christmas and Easter that you are a Christian, when God entered this world as a human baby and took all the necessary steps so that all people could have the choice to be His people or not. In my more smug moments I used to congratulate myself for being a Christian. How proud I was that I, was a Christian and that God was a jolly lucky God that I had decided to follow Him. It was during one of my less self-deluded moments, that I examined myself and I found God pricking my conscience and correcting me, and I read the New Testament "For the Son of Man came, not to be served but to give His life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45).

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Christmas 2019 29. Jesus’ relationship with the Christian

Christmas 2019

29. Jesus’ Relationship With The Christian

So you have just become a Christian, been a Christian for a while, or are just interested in what this relationship with Jesus business is all about. I am sure you are aware that what you believe, affects what you do. Children behave like children, because that is what they are. Adults behave like adults, because that is who they are. So by remembering who we are as Christians, then we should also therefore behave like followers of Jesus Christ.

a. You died with Jesus. Jesus not only died for you, but you have died with him. The reason for this is that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross also broke sin’s power over you. You are in Christ and one with Christ. Baptism, is a strong act of identification of this because it symbolizes your death with Jesus.

b. You are raised with Jesus. It is an exciting fact that you are raised with him and you rule with him, seated at the right hand of the Father because of your strong identification with him. Isn’t that amazing! It is a WOW of being a Christian! Because Jesus rose from the dead, which is an historical fact, his followers are raised with Him!

c. You live with Jesus. If you are a Christian, Jesus is to be your life and your eternal life is Jesus Christ. You are to be dead to sin, yet alive to Christ. (Those last 3 points are all found in Romans 6:1–14.)

d. You are hidden with Jesus. You belong to Jesus Christ and you no longer belong to this world! That is not to say you are to neglect your earthly duties and responsibilities, but your motives and strengths are to come from Him, and him alone.

e. You will be glorified with Jesus. When Jesus Christ comes again, you will see him face to face, and he will take you home to eternal glory. When Christ is revealed in glory, you too will be revealed in glory. One day the full extent of this glory will be revealed! (The last 2 points are both found in Colossians 3:1-4).

What does all of this mean? It means that you are to stop being disobedient to God, which means to stop sinning in activity and in attitude. If you remember who you are in Jesus Christ, this will help you be an overcomer of sin and temptation!

That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to as we finalise our Christmas series 2019, where I reveal why I am a Christian.

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Christmas 2019 28. Being assured you are a Christian

Christmas 2019

28. How To Be Assured You Are A Christian

Now that you are a Christian, (if you are one), there may well be times when you doubt if you are God’s child. For no clear reason you don’t feel saved. But being a Christian is not to be based on emotional feelings but rather the clear and authoritative promise of God. God the Father has promised you salvation and given you his Spirit. He has promised to accept everybody who trusts in Jesus. God keeps his promises and he can be trusted.

This means you have the right to enter Heaven one day, and that he will work out all things for your good here on earth as you live a life worthy of one who is his child.

Jesus, the Son of God, promised you a life of abundance here on earth and a future in eternity! This is called ‘eternal life’ and it is a life of quality not only for your future home in heaven, but for your present home on earth. Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father in heaven where he continually prays for us. We may indeed struggle here on earth but our future is secure. Our present life is in him and therefore of a quite different quality.
As you became a follower of Jesus, a Christian Disciple, God started living within you! You became a part of the universal church of Jesus Christ. This means that your faith and belief are now firmly anchored in a God of mercy and love! This is despite sometimes not feeling particularly spiritual or special.

When you became a follower of Jesus, a Christian (if you are one) you experienced the deep joy of a quiet inner confidence that only comes from the Spirit. Paul experienced this when he found Himself in prison (Philippians 4) and he was able to draw on the help of his fellow believers. We can do that too in our own circumstances!

Perhaps the greatest testimony of you having become a Christian, a child of the living God, is seeing how your life has changed! You didn’t need to change a thing to become a Christian except the direction in which you were heading. Look back and see how you have changed and been transformed! This is the greatest evidence that you have, of being an assured Christian Disciple.

If you want to become a Christian, the podcast yesterday, reveals how you can do just that and become a member of God’s family!!

That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.

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Christmas 2019 27. Becoming a Christian

Christmas 2019 27. How Do You Become A Christian?

If you want to turn to God there is no need for delay. God is ready and willing to take you as his own right now. You only have to ask him to forgive you and to give you help on the journey ahead which he will do by giving you the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is a nurturing and personal partnership between God and yourself.

The act of deciding to change course in mid-life, is what is called conversion. You may also know it as being born again, or deciding to be a Christian. When you place your faith in Jesus, becoming utterly dependent upon Him, you turn to God. That means that you have changed your intentions in the way you are going to live in future.

However once you have made that decision, you leave behind your spiritual isolation and rebellion against him. As you live each day, becoming more involved with Jesus day by day, you will discover you are changing. You will find yourself doing things that please Jesus and developing your relationship with him. How is that relations developed

Until you enter into a personal relationship with God, sin (all that which alienates you from God), controls your rebellion against him. This sin is seen in your attitudes and your activities. God asks you to accept his management and guidance of your life. When you do that, God’s point of view and his strength become your point of view and your source of strength. You turn your mind, will and heart to him for all you do.

If you want to become a Christian there are three simple steps to take:

• Admit that you have done wrong against God and his ways and turn away from those attitudes.
  
• Believe and trust in Jesus as your Saviour from the consequences of the anger of God towards you and your tendency to sin. Call on Him, receive, trust, obey and worship Him, recognizing him for who he is and what he has done.
  
• Accept the Holy Spirit of God into your life as the major motivating force for what you do. Once sin has been confessed, Jesus is believed in and trusted as Saviour and the Holy Spirit has entered your life, then you are a Christian.
  

All these things happen together instantly as you turn to God, being ready to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus! More about this in Part 7 tomorrow.

That is all for today! Come back tomorrow to see more in our Christmas series 2019, looking at Jesus Christ, the promised one of God.

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