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Praise Thursday

Believing what we say…Part 2

New Year’s resolutions… we talked about these last week…people making ‘changes’ for the new year.  But what does it really mean?  To RESOLVE to do something different in 2019.

Today we’re discussing some ideas for us to consider if we call ourselves Christians; people “of and for Christ.”  What are some things we could resolve to do differently in 2019 as believers?  Author and producer Phil Cooke offered some suggestions in an article this week where he challenged readers to do things that show we actually believe the Bible.  Last week we shared:

READ THE BIBLE
TAKE PRAYER SERIOUSLY
BE THE CHURCH INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO CHURCH
BE MORE MINDFUL OF SOCIAL MEDIA

This week, here are four more:

SERVING OTHER PEOPLE: many people want to complain or gripe about how Christ is not “known” in the culture anymore.  Here’s a quote from Pastor John Piper, “Christ will be known in the culture when we begin treating people better than they deserve.” Knox County alone has so many great ways for you to get connected to serving others.  Your church probably does, too.  Think about practical ways to serve with nothing more than your hands and feet.

TAKING BOLD CHANCES: Phil Cooke shares that it’s rare that we hear of a standout leader in science, politics, business, or even entertainment who is a believer.  Maybe our influence is disappearing because we’re not raising up remarkable people in those fields.  What are we doing in the Christian community to find, mentor and raise up those types of leaders?

UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF LIVING A MORAL LIFE: Rather than criticizing immorality in the outside culture, we lead by starting on the inside, becoming examples ourselves of what a moral life could accomplish.  The fall of Christian leaders does damage to our witness.  Losing our moral authority diminishes our chance to influence others…and the culture at large.

INVESTING OUR LIVES IN JESUS: we talked about living a moral life earlier, but that starts with investing in Jesus first.  In other words, not being so concerned about our status, title or position, but being concerned about investing in Christ first, and then letting him take care of the rest.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Doing what we say we believe

New Year’s resolutions… we hear about them all this week.  But what does it really mean?  To RESOLVE to do something different in 2019.

Today we’re discussing some ideas for us to consider if we call ourselves Christians; people “of and for Christ.”  What are some things we could resolve to do differently in 2019 as believers?  Author and producer Phil Cooke offered some suggestions in an article this week where he challenged readers to do things that show we actually believe the Bible.  Here are a few:

READ THE BIBLE: Research from the Center for Bible Engagement shows that engaging the Bible four or more times a week actually causes visible behavioral changes.  But it also showed that only about 19% of church-going Christians read the Word daily and 40% said they read the Bible, “once a month, rarely, or never.”

The survey is revealing, and you can find it here: https://backtothebible.org/research

TAKE PRAYER SERIOUSLY: The research shows that only 63% of Christians say that prayer is essential.  So think about what that means…more than a third of us think it’s not?  Even when we attend church?

1 John 5:14: “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 

God delights in answering prayers that align with his will. But how do we know what God’s will is? The most reliable way to know is by reading his Word. As we seek God through Bible reading and prayer, we get to know his heart and gain wisdom and spiritual insight. This gives us a greater understanding of how to pray according to his will, and a greater chance of having our prayers answered.

Why would we not do this?

The next one…

BE THE CHURCH INSTEAD OF JUST GOING TO CHURCH: this means we get connected to church not just for what we can get out of it, but for what we can give back to it.  Being a vital and supportive member of a local congregation.  This also offers chances for us to serve. Hebrews 10:25 reminds us to “not neglect our meeting together, but encourage one another.”

Here’s one you may not have thought of…

BE MORE MINDFUL OF SOCIAL MEDIA: what does this mean?  It means that we take it seriously.  How we consume it and how we contribute to it.  Don’t be the critical and judgmental one.  Sometimes we also pass on information without verifying its truth or authenticity.  Try not to undermine the work of the gospel with the way you are using your social networks.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Todd

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Praise Thursday – a time for Celebration!

This study today we’re sharing from Saddleback Church Pastor Rick Warren offers us three major purposes for Christmas:

  • A time for celebration
  • A time for salvation
  • A time for reconciliation

Today we’ll focus on Christmas being a time for CELEBRATION…

Remember that Christmas was God’s idea…he planned that it would happen, he planned when and where it would happen…and WHY it would happen.

We celebrate the message of good news.  The good tidings of great joy. What are they? There are three parts to it:

1 – The good news that God LOVES us

God is telling us through the arrival of Jesus that He loves us…and that His love is not based on what we do, but who he is.

Romans 8:38-39

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[b] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

2 – The good news that God is WITH us

God isn’t absent or distant – he’s with us through the Holy Spirit.  We may not feel His presence, but He’s here whether we feel it or not.

Psalm 139: 7-10

7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.

Hebrews 13:5

5 Don’t love money; be satisfied with what you have. For God has said,

“I will never fail you.
I will never abandon you.”[a]

God doesn’t like loneliness. You don’t have to face anything by yourself.  You can, but you don’t have to!  You don’t have to be anxious about tomorrow, because Christ’s presence gives us hope.

3 – The good news that God is FOR us

Guilt is what separates us from God.  But the Bible reminds us that God didn’t come to condemn the world, but to save it.

John 3:17

17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.

Romans 8:31

If God is for us, who can be against us?

If we are followers of Christ, it is not our role to condemn the world either!  If we want to be more like Jesus, we’re here to point people to Him. Reach out a hand of compassion and show them who Jesus is.

He came to save us, not to scare us – that was how the angel greeted the shepherds.  There are 365 ‘fear not’s’ in the Bible – one for every day of the year.

Christmas is also a time for SALVATION and Christmas is a time for RECONCILIATION

Jesus came to erase the misconceptions about God – he was sent to show us what God is really like!  Christmas tells us that we matter to God.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Lilly

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Praise Thursday: Week 3

Today Joe and I dove back into our devotional, Fearless: overcoming the stronghold of fear. Fear is something almost all of us will battle during our lifetime, trying to paralyze you from truly living life. This devotional will lead you through five choices that will strengthen you and help you be victorious over fear.

Today’s choice is: Choose love over hate

Psychologists say that the base of all emotions is either love or fear. The brain also dictates that it cannot hold two contradictory thoughts simultaneously and that the most robust thought pattern wins. In your battle against fear, one of the greatest weapons at your disposal is love. You are loved—more than you know. Once you realize how very loved you are, you can garner the strength to fight this spirit of fear. God gives us a spirit of love and not one of fear.

Learn to live—loved. A loving heart is a loved heart. You cannot say you love others yet hate yourself—or them. Fear would have you traverse the complex road of unforgiveness and hate. These two concepts bind you further in chains. A forgiving heart is a forgiven heart and in that, there is no place for hate. Fear will lie to you and keep you captive, whereas love guides you into freedom. Love is the way of the kingdom of God.

My daughter and I prayed, shortly after the armed robbery, to forgive the men who attacked us, and we had to do it numerous times. God’s love quiets our anxious or fearful hearts. His love enables us to forgive and bless. It’s not easy, but that is the narrow road of the Kingdom of God.

When fear knocks at your door with its accomplices, unforgiveness, and hate, then respond in the opposite spirit and let love lead.  

How can you embrace the love of God so that you can be set free from the chains of fear?

The verses we reflected on today:

  • Luke 10:27 – “ He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[a]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.”
  • 1 John 4:18 – ” There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
  • Zephaniah 3:17 – ” The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love, he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.” 

Our prayer:

“Lord, help me remember that you give me a spirit of love and not one of fear and that when I understand just the smallest bit how much you love me,  I have the greatest weapon against fear. Fear doesn’t have a chance against Your great love, and we praise you for that. Help me to not get caught in the chains of this world, in the chains of unforgiveness and hate. Nudge my heart when I head down the road of unforgiveness and hate and remind me that a forgiving heart is a forgiven heart; and in that, there is no place for hate. Give me the courage to lay my fears and hurts at your feet and to forgive as you have forgiven me.  Amen” 

You will never guess what game we played 😉 The WNZR Christmas Gift exchange! Congratulations to Charla for Utica and Casey from Apply Valley who were caller number nines! If you want to know more about this, click HERE. 

Thank you for checking out our blog!

-Hannah and Joe

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Prayers for Everyday Needs

Today, we continue sharing devotionals from the book Let’s Pray: Talking to God with the Words of the Bible, by Dr. James Banks, who serves as a pastor at Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina and is a regular writer for Our Daily Bread.

In this short book, we are reminded that the prayers of the Bible are an amazing gift from God and they have so much to teach us.

This is what Alex and Stephen Kendrick talk about in their book The Battle Plan for Prayer in the chapter called ‘Praying the Word.’ In the prayers of scripture, we find words that can help carry our thoughts and emotions to God. He invites us closer to him through the prayers of the Bible.

This week, we’re sharing prayers from the Word for everyday needs.

Dr. Banks reminds us that sometimes we run into heaven’s throne room with our list of needs.  Yes, Hebrews 4 encourages us to come boldly to the throne of grace, but sometimes we can be TOO bold!

As the angels surround the throne, hiding their faces in worship at the awesome wonder of God, we burst in without knocking, like an impatient child, making all of our wants and wishes known!

But still, even as we do this, we meet a Father who welcomes us in grace…and we can approach without fear, because He knows our daily needs and cares about them.  As we mature in our prayer life, we eventually find that our heart also matures, and starts to beat in rhythm with His heart!

Prayers about everyday needs help us gain perspective.  They are not only about things necessary in life, but also our need for a growing relationship with our heavenly father.  God wants us to seek HIM first (Matthew 6:33), then bring our everyday needs to Him with faith and expectation.

Our prayers from the word today start with Psalm 139, which helps us know that God is with us wherever we go. Psalm 139: 7-12 reminds us that we can never escape from his spirit and we can never escape from his presence:
7 Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
8 If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
10 even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
12 even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

Today we’re also going to share some prayer starters. These are verses from The Book of Psalms that can help us start our prayers.

The first is, “please keep my needs in your thoughts,” inspired by Psalm 44:17…
But as for me, I am poor and needy;
may the Lord think of me.
You are my help and my deliverer;
you are my God, do not delay.

The second prayer starter is from Psalm 65: you forgive my sins and bring me joy…

3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,
you forgave[a] our transgressions.
4 Blessed are those you choose
and bring near to live in your courts!
We are filled with the good things of your house,
of your holy temple.

Thanks for listening!
– Hannah and Lilly

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Praise Thursday!

Today we checked in with Joe again live from the Fredericktown Tomato Show and talked about what went down.

If you would like to know how to win a prize from WNZR at the Fredericktown Tomato Show click HERE for more information!

If you would like to see the full schedule and more for the 42nd Fredericktown Tomato Show click HERE.

Praise Thurday lets pray

 

We also started where we left off last week with Praise Thursday in “Let’s Pray’ By James Banks! Here a little bit of what we talked about! We prayed these verses –

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,
3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.
4 Even though I walk
    through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever. 

and

Psalm 68: 7-10

7 When you, God, went out before your people,
when you marched through the wilderness,[d]
8 the earth shook, the heavens poured down rain,
before God, the One of Sinai,
before God, the God of Israel.
9 You gave abundant showers, O God;
you refreshed your weary inheritance.
10 Your people settled in it,
and from your bounty, God, you provided for the poor.

 

Thank you for your support of the Afternoon Drive!

Hannah Radke

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Praise Thursday

Lilly and I started a new section of the devotional by James Banks called “Let’s Pray”.

Today we prefaced for the prayers we are going to share next time about everyday prayers.

Here what we said:
Sometimes we rush into heavens throne room with a list. Though God’s word encourages us to “come boldly unto the throne of our gracious God”, there are moments when I wonder if I’m a little too bold. When my mind is filled with the things of this earth, I can only imagine what it looks like in heaven…
Imagine the father, seated on the throne and ruling in glory, “high and exalted.’ Around his throne, our seraphs, Hiding their faces and in worship before the awesome wonder of the ancient of days.  And like a child bursting in without knocking, here I come, making all of my wants and wishes known.
Rough as that picture is, there still a grace-filled beauty to it. I am a child, a child of the father saved by faith in his crucified son. I can come boldly and entirely without fear because God is “Abba, father “. He knows my daily needs and cares deeply about them. It’s not priority he’s concerned about but it’s the condition of my heart. And the more my heart matures, the more it will be in rhythm with his own. God wants us to grow and “mature’ in our understanding of what it means to have a relationship with him.
Andrew Murray explains, the little boy may ask of the father only what it needs for itself; and yet it soon learn is to say, “give it some for my sister too.’ But the grown-up  Son, who only gives for the father’s interest and takes charge of the fathers business, asks more largely and gets all of that is asked.
Prayers about everyday needs, help us maintain perspective. They are not only about things necessary for life on earth – they’re also about our deepest need:  A growing relationship with our father in heaven. Jesus makes this priority for our living and asking very clear: “seek the kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” God wants us to bring our every day needs to him with faith and expectation so that we will live in loving dependence on him and you know the blessing of being caught up in his purposes. He is the “author of life”,  and we exist for him and because of him. And his kindness, he wants to bless us and drop us near with love that gives life to our souls. There is no blessing greater than God.
Click HERE if you want to know more about The WNZR Sonfest Sync It Contest!!
Thank you for listening!
Hannah Radke
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Prayers of confession and humility

Today, we continue sharing devotionals from the book Let’s Pray: Talking to God with the Words of the Bible, by Dr. James Banks, who serves as a pastor at Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina and is a regular writer for Our Daily Bread.

In this short book, we are reminded that the prayers of the Bible are an amazing gift from God and they have so much to teach us.

This is what Alex and Stephen Kendrick talk about in their book The Battle Plan for Prayer in the chapter called ‘Praying the Word.’ In the prayers of scripture, we find words that can help carry our thoughts and emotions to God. He invites us closer to him through the prayers of the Bible.

This week, we continue to share prayers from the Word to confess sin and to humble ourselves.

Dr. Banks writes that of all of Jesus’ names and titles, the one that he likes best is the one that the Pharisees gave him: Friend of Sinners. It may have been one of Jesus’ favorites too, because in Luke 19:10 he said he “came to seek and save those who are lost.” Friend of Sinners best captures the reason He came. Why is that? Because a true friend will love you even when you don’t deserve it and will look for you when you’ve lost your way. Jesus does all of that and more. John 15:13 reminds us that there is “no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

All of us like friendship, but we need to remember that friendship is a two-way street. So as we think of Jesus as our friend, we need to ask ourselves – what kind of friend am I to Jesus? If I’m someone’s friend I’m going to care about our relationship. I’ll be mindful of things that could be hurtful or cause distance between us. Nothing causes Jesus more pain than sin. Remembering how much my sins cost Jesus helps me be a better friend to him. So the Bible’s prayers of confession and humbling ourselves before God also remind us to be a better friend.

Today we’re addressing what we do when we are faced with overwhelming guilt.  One verse that we can pray is Psalm 38…

1 Lord, do not rebuke me in your anger
    or discipline me in your wrath.
2 Your arrows have pierced me,
    and your hand has come down on me.
3 Because of your wrath there is no health in my body;
    there is no soundness in my bones because of my sin.
4 My guilt has overwhelmed me
    like a burden too heavy to bear.

5 My wounds fester and are loathsome
    because of my sinful folly.
6 I am bowed down and brought very low;
    all day long I go about mourning.
7 My back is filled with searing pain;
    there is no health in my body.
8 I am feeble and utterly crushed;
    I groan in anguish of heart.

18 I confess my iniquity;
    I am troubled by my sin.

Then follow with Psalm 119, verses 169-176:

169 May my cry come before you, Lord;
    give me understanding according to your word.
170 May my supplication come before you;
    deliver me according to your promise.
171 May my lips overflow with praise,
    for you teach me your decrees.
172 May my tongue sing of your word,
    for all your commands are righteous.
173 May your hand be ready to help me,
    for I have chosen your precepts.
174 I long for your salvation, Lord,
    and your law gives me delight.
175 Let me live that I may praise you,
    and may your laws sustain me.
176 I have strayed like a lost sheep.
    Seek your servant,
    for I have not forgotten your commands.

Thanks for listening!
– Todd and Joe

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Prayers of confession

Today, guest hosts Eddie and Cierra continued sharing devotionals from the book Let’s Pray: Talking to God with the Words of the Bible, by Dr. James Banks, who serves as a pastor at Peace Church in Durham, North Carolina and is a regular writer for Our Daily Bread.

In this short book, we are reminded that the prayers of the Bible are an amazing gift from God and they have so much to teach us.

This is what Alex and Stephen Kendrick talk about in their book The Battle Plan for Prayer in the chapter called ‘Praying the Word.’ In the prayers of scripture, we find words that can help carry our thoughts and emotions to God. He invites us closer to him through the prayers of the Bible.

This week, we’re continuing to share prayers from the word to confess sin and to humble ourselves.

Dr. Banks writes that of all of Jesus’ names and titles, the one that he likes best is the one that the Pharisees gave him: Friend of Sinners. It may have been one of Jesus’ favorites too, because in Luke 19:10 he said he “came to seek and save those who are lost.” The title Friend of Sinners captures the reason he came better than any other title. Why is that? Because a true friend will love you even when you don’t deserve it and will look for you when you’ve lost your way. Jesus does all of that and more. John 15:13 reminds us that there is “no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

All of us like friendship, but we need to remember that friendship is a two-way street. So as we think of Jesus as our friend, we need to ask ourselves – what kind of friend am I to Jesus? If I’m someone’s friend I’m going to care about our relationship. I’ll be mindful of things that could be hurtful or cause distance between us. Nothing causes Jesus more pain than sin. Remembering how much my sins cost Jesus helps me be a better friend to him. So the Bible’s prayers of confession and humbling ourselves before God also remind us to be a better friend.

There is a lot of honesty in these prayers. 2 Samuel 7:20 says, “You know what your servant is really like.” Psalm 19:12 says, “how can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults.”

There’s a real humility in these prayers and a description of what sin does to us. In Psalm 31:10 it says, “sin has drained my strength…I am wasting away from within.” Psalm 40 says, “My sins pile up so high I can’t see my way out.”

All of these prayers clearly show God’s holiness, plus a humble admission that his judgment of sin is justified and the discipline he gives is deserved…

But you also find JOY.

Psalm 32 verses 1 through 2 says, “Oh what joy for those whose disobedience is forgiven; whose sin is put out of sight. Yes, what joy for those whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt; whose lives are lived in complete honesty.”

Psalm 66 reminds us, “If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.” So these prayers are teaching us the best way to pray and mark the path that leads to our Savior’s heart. God has left us these prayers in the word to show us the way back to him.

The Bible reminds us that God knows us completely…yet he still loves us. Our final verse today is 2 Samuel 7:20-22, which says, “What more can I say to you? You know what your servant is really like, sovereign Lord. Because of your promise and according to your will, you have done all these great things and have made them known to your servant.  How great you are, O, Sovereign Lord!  There is no one like you.  We have never even heard of another God like you!”

Thanks for listening!
– Joe, Lilly and Todd

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