Video Sermons by Archbishop Foley Beach

What Price Are You Willing to Pay, Personally, so that Others May Know the Good News of Jesus – the Gospel?

What Price Are You Willing to Pay, Personally, so that Others May Know the Good News of Jesus – the Gospel?

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Are You Willing to Speak Up and Share Publicly Your Relationship with Jesus? (Resurrection Anglican Church; Woodstock, GA)

To what extent are you willing to share with others your relationship with Jesus? What price are you willing to pay, personally, so that others may know the good news of Jesus – the Gospel? What are you willing to go through to advance the Kingdom of God? In Ephesians 3:1-2, the Apostle Paul summarizes the price that he joyfully accepts to carry the news of the Gospel to the Nations: “For this reason I, Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentile -- assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God's grace that was given to me for you.".

In Acts 26:19, Paul gives his public testimony, in his hearing before King Agrippa; and told the King and everyone in attendance that he, Paul, felt privileged to testify, to the Nations, about his conversion and his relationship with Jesus: “Therefore, O King Agrippa, I was not disobedient to the heavenly vision, but declared first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all the region of Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.".

Paul was in prison facing a trial by the despotic Emperor of Rome, Nero. However, you may never have to go to prison or face death to communicate the Gospel; but you will face both physical and emotional discomfort as you become a visible follower of Jesus. While articulating the Gospel to others is important, the most effective way to communicate the Gospel is not by what you say but how you live – walk the talk and let others see Jesus in you.

The world, the country, your friends, and your family have so many issues and hurts for which Jesus and His Gospel are the answer; but we keep this good news a secret by our unwillingness to live a visible life walking the talk of the Gospel and sharing the Gospel. Do you have the faith and courage and are you willing to share the Gospel? If you do, then pray for God’s guidance to you for His will and role for you.

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT. If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ephesians 3:1-21; Acts 9:15; Acts 26:12-23; Psalms 130:1-8.

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

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This Second Sunday of Advent, We See God’s Disappointment with His People of Israel Not Taking His Word to the Nations; Therefore, God Sent Jesus “from the lineage of David”

This Second Sunday of Advent, We See God’s Disappointment with His People of Israel Not Taking His Word to the Nations; Therefore, God Sent Jesus “from the lineage of David”

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Advent Sermons from Isaiah – Part 2: The Stump of Jesse and the Root of the Lord

Today’s Message: The central theme, that begins today’s teaching, is God’s call of Isaiah, in Isaiah 6, in a context in which God is very disappointed in the people of Israel. The teachings today will focus on the prophecies of Isaiah that point to the coming of Jesus.

In Isaiah 11:1, Isaiah prophesied that “There shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch from his roots shall bear fruit.”. The “stump of Jesse” refers to Jesse’s son, King David. Therefore, Isaiah’s prophecy indicates that the Savior will come from the lineage of David. However, by the time of Isaiah, most of David’s assembly of the tribes of Israel had been cut down – hence, a “stump”, a remnant; but the prophecy says that “a shoot from the stump of Jesse” will “come forth”. Jesus is the “shoot”.

In Isaiah 11:2, Isaiah prophesied: “And the Spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD.”. When David was first anointed, by Samuel, to be King, the Spirit of the Lord came upon David; therefore, Isaiah is prophesying that the Messiah will be enveloped with God’s Spirit in His life on earth and in His ministry. In Luke, Jesus, as the Messiah, claims this “Spirit of the Lord”; but, as His followers, the “Spirit of the Lord” has been passed to us on the Day of Pentecost.

Remember, Advent is the period in which we wait, anticipate, and prepare for Jesus’ return.

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM A CHILD OF GOD. Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His Name, He gave the right to become children of God-- children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God. (John 1:12f).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Isaiah 6:1-13; Isaiah 11:1-2; Isaiah 4:2-5; Isaiah 11:10-12; Matthew 3:1-12; Isaiah 61:1-10; Luke 4:16-30.

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In Advent, Pray for “amendment of life” in which God Gives Us Time in Our Lives and America’s Life to Return to Him Before He Comes Again in Judgment

In Advent, Pray for “amendment of life” in which God Gives Us Time in Our Lives and America’s Life to Return to Him Before He Comes Again in Judgment

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Advent Sermons from Isaiah – Part 1: The Coming Judge and the Mountain of the Lord

Advent is not just the period in which we celebrate Jesus’ first Earthly arrival at Christmas, it is the period in which we wait, anticipate, prepare for Jesus’ second Earthly arrival which is yet to come.

Jesus, in Matthew 24:38-44 tells us: “For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day when Noah entered the ark, and they were unaware until the flood came and swept them all away, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one left. Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”. This Sermon begins the series: “Advent Sermons from Isaiah”.

Jesus is coming again, on a date unknown to us, to judge us. Therefore, let us pray for an “amendment of life”, for ourselves and our country, so God gives us the time, in our remaining Earthly Lives and our country’s life to, as Isaiah says  in Isaiah2:5 -- “walk in the light of the Lord”. Also, in this period of Advent, let us pray that God gives us time return to return to Him so that He can return to us before it is our time to face the “five judgments”!

Most of what we know about Jesus in the New Testament is from prophecies in the Old Testament; and these prophecies were fulfilled by the Advent of Jesus in the New Testament. However, some of these Old Testament prophecies are yet to be fulfilled. So, from Paul in 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, when are “the last days”? In one sense, since we are in the age of the Messiah, we are now in the “last days”; but in another sense, we are waiting for the return of Jesus, and we don’t know when He will return to begin the “last days”. In Isaiah 2:1-5, Isaiah records his second prophecy regarding “the last days”. Isaiah posits the “mountain of the house of the Lord”, which is the place in Jerusalem where the Jewish temples have been. On this “mountain” now is the Muslim’s “Dome of the Rock”. From this passage, we learn that the Messiah would not only teach the law of God when He returns; but, also, He would come to judge. This scripture from Isaiah is the theme for the season of Advent – the Messiah will come back again to judge “the living and the dead”.

The Bible speaks about five judgments: 1) judgment of the believers’ sins; 2) the judgment of the believers’ self-life; 3) the judgment of the believers’ deeds; 4) the judgment of the nations; and 5) the judgment of the wicked (i.e. unbelievers). In Isaiah 2, Isaiah is speaking about “the judgment of the nations”. Isaiah 2:5 provides an exhortation that is appropriate for our Christmas: “O house of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the LORD.”.

Remember, Advent is the period in which we wait, anticipate, and prepare for Jesus’ return.

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):Matthew 24:38-44; Isaiah 2:1-5; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

 A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

On Thanksgiving Day this Week, We Gave Thanks for Our Many Blessings, and Yet We Nullify Our Thanks with Diminishing Ten Commandment Respect

On Thanksgiving Day this Week, We Gave Thanks for Our Many Blessings, and Yet We Nullify Our Thanks with Diminishing Ten Commandment Respect

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

We must have a Spiritual Awakening to return America to God, and what better time to begin America’s Spiritual Awakening than this Day of Thanksgiving during this period of fear and uncertainty?

Today, we are in a period of fear and uncertainty along with the diminishment of the Ten Commandments and America’s founding principles. To this end, will you "Stand in the Gap”, on behalf of God and your country, to participate in and lead a Great Awakening and Spiritual Renewal in America?

On July 4, 1776, the signers of the Declaration of Independence began a revolution which led to the formation of the United States of America. This American Revolution was rooted in the belief that all people are subject to the rule of God, even the King; and leaders are NOT above the law. Also, everyone is endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Many people have tried to deny that America's founders created a country which wove together the concept of self-governance with Christian principles. Now, it appears the focus, of many political and church leaders, is to eliminate ideas, laws, policies, and objects that relate America to Christianity, the Bible, or anything that smacks of God. Today, unfortunately, this focus away from God and our founding principles is succeeding.

Today, through our actions, laws, and cultural revisions of our founding Christian principles, we have told God,  whom we no longer fear, that we do not want Him around. Therefore, we must consider what God said He would do and what He has done in the past when people have turned away from Him, as told in Psalms 2:1-2,5,10-12: “Why do the nations rage and the peoples plot in vain? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD and against his Anointed . . . Then he will speak to them in his wrath, and terrify them in his fury, saying . . .  Now therefore, O kings, be wise; be warned, O rulers of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish in the way, for his wrath is quickly kindled. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.". In the past, as indicated in Psalms 2, God has withdrawn His presence, including His protection and divine wisdom, when people have turned away from Him. God’s presence has guided America for so many years, and the withdrawal of God’s presence in America would leave us to reap the consequences of our focus away from Him.

Also, consider what the Lord said, in Ezekiel 22:30-31: "And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. Therefore, I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads, declares the Lord God.”.

However, in Zechariah 1:3 and in many other promises throughout the Bible, God says to his people in the past and to us today: “Therefore say to them, Thus declares the LORD of hosts: ‘Return to me’, says the LORD of hosts, ‘and I will return to you’, says the LORD of hosts.". Will you "Stand in the Gap”, on behalf of your country, to participate in and lead a Great Awakening and Spiritual Renewal in America by returning America to God?

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Past Failures. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Grace. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Ezekiel 22:30-31; Psalms 2:1-12; Zechariah 1:3; Daniel 4:31b-32; Matthew 22:19-21; Isaiah 29:8-24; Psalms 127:1-5.

THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “We Need to Create a Culture of Grace and Kindness in Our Country Today Which Gives Others the Benefit of the Doubt and Visibly Values Other People", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

We Need to Create a Culture of Grace and Kindness in Our Country Today Which Gives Others the Benefit of the Doubt and Visibly Values Other People

We Need to Create a Culture of Grace and Kindness in Our Country Today Which Gives Others the Benefit of the Doubt and Visibly Values Other People

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

We need to create a Culture of Grace and Kindness in our families, our churches, our work, and in our country. What is a Culture of Grace and Kindness? This Culture of Grace and Kindness involves: 1) an atmosphere or environment in which there is no griping or complaining – no putting people down; 2) giving others the benefit of the doubt; 3) visibly valuing other people; and 4) being filled with the fruit of the Holy Spirit.

A Culture of Grace and Kindness flows from: 1) keeping Jesus Lord – as Jesus instructed us in Mark 12:29-30: “Jesus answered, ‘The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”; 2) loving your neighbor as yourself – as Jesus instructed us in Mark 12:31: “’The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.’”. 3) practicing the “Golden Rule” – “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”; and 4) “having the attitude of the Canaanite Woman” – in Matthew 15:25-28, she exhibited humility without pride: “But she came and knelt before him, saying, ’Lord, help me.’ And he answered, ‘It is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs.’ She said, ‘Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table.’ Then Jesus answered her, ‘O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.’ And her daughter was healed instantly."

Too often in our families, work, and church, we forget, in the way we treat others, that we to are sinners and not perfect. Therefore, we exhibit a culture without grace and kindness. Without a Culture of Grace and Kindness, we miss many blessings from God. In Matthew 15:25-28, the “Canaanite Woman” received the blessing, in her faith and humility, from Jesus when “her daughter was healed instantly”.

Additionally, some are unhappy in their “Christian walk”.  Those, who are unhappy in their Christian walk, have forgotten that what Jesus wants from them is for them to “love Him”.

The Lord, in ; Revelation 2:4, was telling the Church in Ephesus three things will enable us to get back to our love of Jesus: 1) remember – remember how we loved God when we first started walking with the Lord; 2) repent and return to the Lord – ask God to fill you with a sense of longing for Him; and 3) repeat the things we performed when our faith was on fire for God. Do not get away from doing those things that provided a direct link for you to have a personal relationship with God and made you, in your eyes and the eyes of others, a Follower of Jesus.

Are you communicating, in your works, actions, words, and deeds inherent in a Christian Culture of Grace and Kindness? If not, why not?

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Today, I affirm that, because I am in Jesus Christ, I press on toward His goal for me . (Philippians 3:12f)). “I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.”. (Philippians 4:14).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Galatians 5:22; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 6:31; Matthew 15:21-28; Ephesians 4:29-32; Colossians 3:12-17; Revelation 2: 1-7.

THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Today, With All the “Clutter” in Our lives from Information Noise and the Uncertainties Surrounding Us, Listening for God’s Voice is Critical", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

In these Difficult Times, Take Heart! Christianity Is On the Move to All Nations: “you will be my witnesses . . . to the end of the earth”

SPECIAL DEVOTIONAL VIDEO

 

In these Difficult Times, Take Heart! Christianity Is On the Move to All Nations: “you will be my witnesses . . . to the end of the earth”

MESSAGE SUMMARY:
Many of our church buildings are closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic, and we are learning to live with increasing uncertainty. Therefore, we pray that this devotional video, of the Nicaean Creed being spoken by Anglicans from around the World and global Anglicans meeting at the Jerusalem Temple Wall, is a helpful encouragement to you in these difficult times.

From this video, we see that Christianity is on the move to all nations and “to the end of the earth”. Please join A Word From The Lord as we follow Jesus’ Great Commission of “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations . . .” and Jesus’ instructions to His Disciples and us at His Ascension: “. . . and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”.

As Jesus told His Disciples, in Acts 1:8-9a: “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up . . .”.

Also, we are promised again  in Acts 2:21: "And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.".

Nicaean Creed

We believe in one God,

the Father, the Almighty,

maker of heaven and earth,

of all that is, visible and invisible.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only-begotten Son of God,

eternally begotten of the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one Being with the Father;

through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven,

was incarnate from the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary,

and was made man.

For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures;

he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,

who proceeds from the Father [and the Son],

who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified,

who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.

We acknowledge one Baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

We look for the resurrection of the dead,

    and the life of the world to come. Amen

You can visit our Website at awftl.org or awordfromthelord.org, and we pray that you experience A Word From The Lord.

NOTE: The first segment of included video is the Nicene Creed being recited by many members of the Gafcon Anglican family from around the world, beginning with Archbishop Foley Beach. Additionally, the video’s second segment is a gathering of Global Anglicans at the Jerusalem Temple Wall.

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Loneliness. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Presence. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Acts 1:8-9; Acts 2:17; Acts 2:21.

THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Today, With All the “Clutter” in Our lives from Information Noise and the Uncertainties Surrounding Us, Listening for God’s Voice is Critical", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

God Wants Us to Live In His “Hope” and His Word, through Bible Scripture, which Gives us so Much “Hope”

God Wants Us to Live In His “Hope” and His Word, through Bible Scripture, which Gives us so Much “Hope”

 

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Special Feature -- God Answers Our Prayers If We Ask:

God stands ready to answer our prayers, but He only answers after we ask, as we are Told in James 4:2: “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask.". God’s answers our prayers with “Yes”; “No” or “Wait”. God’s answer to our prayer, irrespective of His answer, very well may not be at the speed which our technology-driven culture of impatience has as a driving attribute. However, God is Sovereign in everything, including His answers to our prayers. God answers prayer in His time.

Today’s Message – God Gives Us “Hope” In His Unchanging Promises In His Word:

In Psalms 42:5-6a, 43:5, we are told that, in all circumstances, God is our “Hope”: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God .". Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”.

These issues of today, that drive our uncertainties and fears, have impacted America profoundly, including Followers of Jesus. However, as Followers of Jesus, we know that none of these issues are taking God by surprise. Yet, so many of us are discouraged, downcast, depressed, and fearful. Too many of us have lost “Hope”. Proverbs 13:12 tells us: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick,".  Without “Hope”, we are like ships sailing without a harbor. God wants us to have “Hope” in our everchanging world! “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life. Here are some of the things we can say about “God’s Hope” for us through His: 1) promise of Eternal Life; 2) abiding presence with us; 3) answering of our prayers; and 4) His unchanging promises in His Word.

God has given us His Word, which contains hundreds of God’s promises, and His promises are filled with “Hope”. We can be assured that the Bible, with God’s promises, is God’s Word based on 2 Timothy 3:16: “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.”. Bible Scripture, God’s Word, is powerful when we put it into action in our lives, as we are told in Romans 8:24-25: “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.". Therefore, the Bible’s Scriptures give us “Hope” because they provide us with God’s promises like God’s promise of Eternal Life. We are told, in Romans 8:38-39, that nothing can separate us from God’s Word and, therefore, can separate us from God’s promises of “Hope”: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

The Bible provides many promises from God for our “Hope”; but, ultimately, God promises, in  Philippians 4:13, give us the strength for all that is necessary to achieve our “Hope” in Him: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.". In 1 Peter 1:3-5, the Apostle Peter tells us that God has given us “Hope” through being reborn in a new life as a Follower of Jesus: “. . .  he{God} has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”.

In the times in which we live today, God wants the Followers of Jesus to Have all the “Hope” that He provides. Also, God provides His Peace and Love that solidify our “Hope” in Him:  “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me”? Hope in God”!

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: Because of who I am in Jesus Christ, I will not be driven by Past Failures. Rather, I will abide in the Lord’s Grace. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Matthew 6:8; James 4:2; Psalms 42:5; Proverbs 13:12; Psalm 43:5; Proverbs 10:28; Proverbs 23:18; John 3:16-17; Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 7:7; Proverbs 3:5-6; Joshua 1:8-9; 2 Timothy 3:16; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:24-25; Romans 8:26; Romans 8:28; Romans 8:35; Romans 8:38-39; John 1:9; Luke 11:5; James 1:5; 2 Peter 3:9; 1 Timothy 2:4; Philippians 4:13; Philippians 4:19; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Jerimiah 29:11; Lamentations 3:31; Psalms 33:18; Psalms 62:5; Psalms 71:5,14; Psalms 119;47;

WEBSITE LINK:  www.AWordFromTheLord.org/

THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “We Have “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt, and Feelings of “Hopelessness” Through God’s Abiding Presence With Us and In Us", at our Website: https://awtlser.podbean.com/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope””:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope”

We All Need “Hope” in Today’s World of Fear, Doubt in Our Faith, and Feelings of “Hopelessness”; and God Is this “Hope”

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Special Feature – Our Peace and the World’s Peace: There are five different ways that “Peace” is used in the Bible: 1) attribute of God; 2) a fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) state of mind – condition of one’s heart; 4) absence of conflict – between peoples or countries; and 5) and a “right relationship with God” through Jesus.

Jesus does always bring His Followers a personal “Peace” through our Salvation, by God’s Grace, as God’s “Peace that passes all understanding”. However, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring “Peace” to and in the world. The world has tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke’s Gospel, we need to pay attention to God’s signs in the world. If we are serious about being a Follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His sermon, to many thousands starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise and rejects Jesus and His Gospel.

Today’s Message – We Are All in Need of “Hope” Today, and God Is our “Hope”: In Psalms 42:5-6a, we are told that, in all circumstances, God is our “Hope”: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” Today, followers of Jesus live in a time of both turmoil and uncertainty with issues like Covid-19, cultural dissonance, and civil discourse providing an overarching context that can lead us to fear, doubt in our faith, and feelings of “hopelessness”.

God is our “Hope” in this ever changing and threatening world. “Hope” is the anticipation of a good future; “Hope” is having faith and believing that God is working out His purposes in the World and in my life. God, Himself, as He has revealed Himself in Jesus and by trusting in His promises as revealed to us in the Bible are the basis of our “Hope”. Here are some of the things we can say about “God’s Hope” for us through His: 1) promise of Eternal Life; 2) abiding presence with us; 3) answering of our prayers; and 4) unchanging promises.

Initially, our focus is on “God’s Hope” that He has given us for “Eternal Life”. We are all going to die, but God’s Grace and promise to the Followers of Jesus for “Eternal Life” places an entirely different perspective on dying, as Jesus tells us in John 5:24-25: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.". God not only has given us “Eternal Life”, through His Grace to the followers of Jesus; but God wants us to know and have “Hope” in the certain knowledge of our “Eternal Life”.

In addition to the Gospel’s messages of “Hope” directly from Jesus, Romans provides more assurances of our basis for “Hope from God”, as in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”. Also, Paul’s expression of “God’s Hope” is profoundly expressed in Romans 8:38-39: “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.". In Philippians 1:21-24, Paul again expresses his “Hope” in an earthly life lived in Christ for service to the Kingdom of God but also his “Hope” in his death for his “Eternal Life” with Jesus: “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.”.

God wants us to have “Hope” in Him through His assurance of our “Eternal Life” – His “Hope” for us.

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FORGIVEN. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Luke 12:49-56; John 16:33; Psalms 42:5-6a; John 3:16-17; John 5:24-25; John 11:25; John 17:3; John 20:30-31; 1 John 5:13; Romans 6:23; Romans 8:1; Romans 8:38-39; Philippians 1:21-24; 1 Peter 3:15; Romans 15:13.

WEBSITE LINK:  www.AWordFromTheLord.org/

WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

Watch the World Today Through the Lens of Jesus’ Teachings; “I came to cast fire on the earth . . . {and} division”

Watch the World Today Through the Lens of Jesus’ Teachings; “I came to cast fire on the earth . . . {and} division”

 

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Introduction:  Jesus does always bring His Followers a personal “Peace” through our Salvation, by God’s Grace, as God’s “Peace that passes all understanding”. However, Jesus tells us that His ways are not always our ways; and Jesus does not always bring “Peace” to and in the world. The world has tribulation; but Jesus has overcome the world. However, Jesus tells us, in Luke 12:49-56, that He, also, brings “division”. Today, like in the time period of Luke’s Gospel, we need to pay attention to God’s signs in the world.

Today’s Message:  If we are serious about being a Follower of Jesus today, we need to listen to Jesus in Luke 12:49-56. Jesus begins His Simon, to many thousands starting in Luke 12:49, with His “fire of persecution”: “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled! In this passage, “fire” does not mean the Holy Spirit; “fire” means the “fire of persecution” – which is “when the Gospel is preached without compromise”. This “fire” is the hostility that occurs when the world hears the Gospel preached without compromise and rejects Jesus and His Gospel.

Jesus continues, in Luke 12:50, with: “I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished!”. Jesus uses “baptism” to refer to His immersion in death and His separation from the Father on the cross, but death would not hold Him. Continuing with Luke 12:51, Jesus tells us: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.”. How does this statement of “division” rather than “Peace” reconcile to Jesus’ other statements regarding His bringing “Peace” into the world? This apparent contradiction, regarding Jesus and His “Peace”, can be addressed by considering the five ways the word “Peace” is used in the Bible [as presented in the audio teaching]: 1) an attribute of God; 2) fruit of the Holy Spirit: 3) a state of mind; 4) absence of conflict; and 5) being in right relationship with God through Jesus. Therefore, when Jesus, in Luke 12:51, says that: “Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.”, Jesus is referring to the Bible’s use of “Peace” regarding an “absence of conflict”. Jesus is telling His followers that He, the Gospel, and they [His Disciples} have come to disrupt and confront the world. However, Jesus wants to have “Peace” in the other four contexts of “Peace”.

In Jesus, we do have “Peace”; but when we do stand with and for Jesus, “division” and conflict are created. In this passage from Luke, Jesus wants His followers to know that following Him will have a cost in terms of conflict and worldly tribulation. Many in and of the world will not tolerate our communication of the Gospel. Jesus is not saying that “division” is good or bad. Rather, Jesus, in John 17:22-23, expresses His desire, to the Father, for His followers to all be one with Him and the Father. However, Jesus is warning us that “division” is inevitable because we are human and sinners.

Jesus ends His message to those assembled, in Luke 12:54-56, with: “He also said to the crowds, ‘When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?’". In this passage, Jesus was pointing toward His purpose on earth and the cross; but no one understood His message at the time period of His teaching in Luke – they could not read God’s signs. Do we see and follow God’s signs, or do we miss them and become party to creating “divisions”? Are we listening for God’s Word in our lives and in the life of the world – are we watching the world today in the context of Jesus and His teachings?

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION:  Today, I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM RIGHTEOUS IN GOD’S EYES. God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV):  Luke 12:49-56; Luke 3:21; John 14:27; Judges 6:24; Romans 15:33; Philippians 4:9; Romans 16:20; Ephesians 2:13; John 16:36; John 17:22-23. 

WEBSITE LINK:  www.AWordFromTheLord.org/

 WEBSITE LINK TO DR. BEACH’S SERMON VIDEO – “As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You”:  www.AWFTL.org/watch

DONATE TO AWFTL: https://mygiving.secure.force.com/GXDonateNow?id=a0Ui000000DglsqEAB

As a Christian, You Are Equipped for God’s Purpose; Be Courageous and Let Others See Jesus In You for God Is With You

MESSAGE SUMMARY:

Be Strong & Courageous (Commencement -- Reformed Episcopal Seminary; Oreland, PA)

We have been equipped, as God told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 29:11-12, for God’s purposes in our lives: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you.". In Joshua 1:9, God commands us to be strong and courageous because He is with us. Also, God gave Joshua truths that would confirm God’s support in His command of Joshua: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”.

Often the Lord has called or commanded us to do something in His service, but tough decisions for us arise for us when we are not fully committed to obey God; and we fall into disobedience. When we obey God’s commands, He steps into lives with support for us to achieve His command. Also, God instructed Joshua, in Joshua 1:6, to be “strong and courageous”: “Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them.". We must be “strong and courageous” to do the will of God when we are called. Additionally, God commanded Joshua to be committed to the Word of God.

Courage is acting and speaking even though you are afraid. If you follow God’s call and seek His will to live and act in His Word, there is no reason to be overcome by fear because “your God is with you wherever you go”. You get strong by exercising the “muscles” of your faith and commitment to God’s will and His word – often pushing your “commitment to God” beyond levels you thought possible. Spiritual strength comes from having God with you and in you.

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION: I affirm that because of what God has done for me in His Son, Jesus, I AM FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT.  If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! (Luke 11:13).

SCRIPTURE REFERENCE (ESV): Jeremiah 29:11-12; Joshua 1:9; Joshua 1:6; Joshua 1:7; James 1:22; Hebrews 10:23; Joshua 1:8: 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Matthew 28:16-20. Ephesians 6:10-12.

THIS SUNDAY’S AUDIO SERMON: You can listen to Archbishop Beach’s Current Sunday Sermon: “Jesus Will Call You; If You Have Reservations or Constraints To Following Jesus, He Is Not Lord of Your Life!": at our Website: www.AWFTL.org/listen/.

A WORD FROM THE LORD WEBSITE: www.AWFTL.org.

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