Bright Podcasts

Once a year Australian families come together to celebrate and honour our Mum’s. Motherhood can be challenging at times and the last century has seen the world deal with its fair share. While Mum’s lead their families through uncertainty, it can be easy to feel like circumstances are out of our control. Truth is, we don’t need to be in control, rather we need to know and put our trust in the One who is, Jesus. When we put our faith, trust and hope in Jesus, we can have peace in uncertainty. For some, living up to the standards and expectations of others can feel overwhelming but that’s not how God wants us to live. He created each of us for our own purpose and we need to be comfortable in who we are. When we ask, God can give us the grace we require for every season.

What we believe about God directly influences the way we live. People agree that Jesus is our saviour and he loves us, but let's not forget that he is also Lord of all creation. If you really know Jesus, then you’ll naturally have a healthy reverence for him. Reverence leads to greater faith and peace in our lives since it comes from an understanding of God’s power and dominion. People who revere God naturally don’t fear man, since the fear of man is a product of not having a proper picture of who Jesus is. Reverence isn’t a negative thing, it’s a great thing birthed from an encounter. When you encounter Jesus as sovereign Lord, it will change your life. Since reverence produces obedience which leads to radical transformation.

What rules your mind runs your life, so you have to be careful what you read and listen to. Your mind can develop a mental structure that the bible refers to as a ‘stronghold’ and this will govern how you live. We need to manage the tension between information and obsession. You need to Take back the truth of what you believe and learn when to hand over control to God. The devil cannot take your mental health, you hand it over to him when you act on what he says. Be intentional about reading the bible, declaring its truth, praying and praising God -this will renew your mind.

Open Doors is an incredible organisation who help people follow Jesus all over the world, no matter the cost. They distribute bibles, train pastors, leaders and offer practical support. What might not be surprising is how the persecuted church is helping western nations understand the cost of following Jesus. They are truly inspirational. Listen to Gabriel as he speaks about the cost of following Jesus, taking a posture of praise and staying faithful. You will be encouraged and challenged.

So often we think it’s the end of the road, but God continually shows us that he can make a way against impossible odds. Every time something looks dead in our lives, we need to remember that God can raise it up. If we predict how God will work, we may miss what he’s doing in the moment. We need to trust God no matter what we go through.

Everyone makes mistakes, but those mistakes can be costly. It doesn’t just affect religious people, it affects everyone. Don’t wait until the end of your life to fix this, we never really know when the end is. When Jesus was on earth, he was calm in the bleakest of circumstances, this is because he controlled the narrative. Because of this, he is bring joy and peace into any situation. He wants to take your story, and give you a new beginning.

This week Ps Matt shares on the importance of having a strong foundation if you are going to stand during times of pressure and uncertainty. So what comprises a strong foundation? The voices we listen to, what we put confidence in, and our willingness to let go, all influence the strength of our foundation. We explore these ideas and the key to building a strong standing platform for life in this weeks encouraging message.

This week Ps Ruth encourages us to live united as God has created us to live. No one is designed to live life alone, we are designed for community. Paul expresses the importance of God’s people being of one mind and living a life worthy of the Gospel. We explore what this looks like for us as the Church; particularly in this season.

This week Ps Ben looks at how the seasons we go through develop us. The Apostle Paul was encouraging the church in Philippi to keep preaching the gospel despite the persecution they might face. We all go through trials, but our peace doesn’t come from avoiding them, rather that God is with us when we face them. Often our trials become our testimonies if we keep going and see what God does with them.

Christ is the supreme example of loving and faithful service to God, and mature Christians can also serve as role models in this regard.

Ben Fagerland

Taiyo Konda

Taiyo Konda

Matt Wynne

Ben Fagerland

Ben Fagerland