Faith Church Kansas - Audio Podcast

Contrast in photography is the visual ratio of different tones in an image. This difference is what creates the textures, highlights, shadows, colors and clarity in a photograph. Similarly, when we choose to put on Christ, He becomes the contrast to the darkness around us, helping others see Him with detail and clarity.

The Remix. This series has been a collection of conversations meant to help us learn what God really said about certain subjects like suffering, greed, happiness, & the ways God works. Our goal is to acknowledge that sometimes what we say, doesn’t quite match what God said. God’s Word is the one we want to believe the most.

God Works in Mysterious Ways. One of the definitions of the word “Mystery” is “a person or thing whose identity or nature is puzzling or unknown.” Many people feel this is a good description for God. We even say that “God works in mysterious ways” especially when tragedy strikes. But what does God say about Himself? What if God never said that?

God Wants You Happy. Cue Pherrell’s hit song, “Happy.” If we are willing to be honest, the idea of “God wants you happy” normally means whatever makes me happy must be right. Whatever makes me unhappy must be wrong. But that is faulty theology. So does God want me to be happy? Let’s look at it!

Money is the Root of All Evil. Money is amoral; it's not good, nor is it bad. It's all about the person who handles the money. When we allow money to have the wrong priority in our lives, managing our heart's posture with money improperly, we then find ourselves in all sorts of trouble. What we grip tightly with our hands, creates a death-grip on our hearts.

Ever heard the phrase, ‘God never gives you more than you can handle’? It’s a nice cliche and fits well in a tweet, But the problem is that God never said that. When we face trials and temptations, we often feel like we are in over our heads and we cannot handle it. What do we do when we are in that place? Let’s look at what God did say, and find some truth to handle these challenges.

Unchurched. Jesus was known as a “friend of sinners.” Jesus didn’t come to make insiders of faith more comfortable, but rather He commissions us to go invite the outsiders to experience His life. We are the message and our we get to help others, far away from God, find God. We want to create a church everyone can belong before they believe.

I cannot tell you how many times I've heard people say, "I love Jesus; I just don't like the church or Christians." There is something special about the local church - it's not perfect, but the church is a partnership. Jesus said that the world would know we belong to Him, not from our social work nor our gospel evangelism around the world, but because of our love for each other. And when it comes to loving our neighbor, that includes other followers of Jesus.

Difficult People. Ever have to work or go to school with people that were difficult? Anytime we forget how we want to be treated or struggle with comparison, we can easily see people as difficult to be around. Jesus teaches us how to honor others, even the difficult ones.

Generations. James Baldwin once said, “Kids are not always good at listening to their elders, but they have never failed to imitate them.” God designed the family, in such a way, they would have a built-in guide to a deep relationship with Him. Sometimes that can feel overwhelming for adults, but Jesus is our pattern. Like any picture puzzle, it’s best to start with the corners.

Capital “C” Church. It takes different churches to reach different types of people. Other churches in our community are not our competition, they are our comrades! We serve the same God, who sent His same Son, Jesus to save us all from the same problem, sin. We can accomplish more together than competing against each other.

Nations. The command of Jesus to “go into all the world” was truly commissioning for us all. As disciples of Jesus, we want to be a good neighbor and love people of other​ nations, and ethnic groups. We all have a call to pray and partner together as we live out God’s love.

Forward Momentum. When we truly embrace the love God has for us, we begin to trust Him, and, as our relationship with Him grows, we develop a great love for Him as well. What we once saw as duty has now become devotion. It is our delight to know Him and follow His commands. Worship is a natural response when we fall in love with Jesus. It is also an act of warfare against satan and demonic forces! As we venture forward in our relationship with God, He is inviting us to trust Him, to go deeper, to experience the fullness of His presence.

Crack Pots. Every person is at a different place in his or her walk with Christ. No two stories are the same, and no one starts out as silver or gold; it is a process. He is the One who prepares us, refines us, and makes us honorable. You are not defined or limited by your past. He says in His Word that He makes all things brand new (2 Corinthians 5:17), and He wants to help you become a vessel of honor.

Inside Secrets. Imagine if someone offered you a special gift that would guarantee you direction, prosperity, and success. A gift that would give you the ability to rise above any circumstance and stand against any enemy. A gift that would keep you from sin, destruction, and despair. Wouldn’t you be eager to receive this gift? Well, you can! Through the gift of the Bible, we have access to all of that power. If we read God’s Word and apply it to our lives, we will see Him fulfill the promises contained in its pages.

Gauges + Garnishes. The words we speak are a spiritual gauge, showing how much of our soul we have surrendered to God. If we have allowed our minds to be renewed by the Word, our conversation can’t help but reflect what we have learned. If, on the other hand, we are hesitant to release our old habits and beliefs, our words will betray us and reveal our true spiritual condition. If our souls are not in submission to God and we haven’t surrendered everything to Him, our tongues will be the first to sell us out.

Wee Little Man. Getting past your past may be the biggest obstacle you face. Every time you seem to be making progress, that old movie reel of the sinful things you have done begins to play in your mind. Peace and freedom slip away as your past rises up to remind you of your failure. We must be seeing our sin as God does - forgiven.

Bee Stings & Stacking Stones. Because we live in a fallen world, we face the realities of hurt and offense. Harboring unforgiveness is like drinking poison and expecting another person to die; it does much greater harm to us than the person we refuse to forgive. An Offense is the bait that the enemy uses to lure us into bondage, and it causes us to create walls. Walls may keep out the bad stuff, but they also keep out the good. We think that it is up to us to protect our hearts, but the truth is, God never meant for this to be our responsibility; it is His.

Control Zones. The word surrender brings to mind many pictures, perhaps a white flag waving atop a surrounded military fort or a troop of outnumbered soldiers with their hands raised. We typically associate surrender with defeat. However, when it comes to life with Christ, the act of giving up control to Him is actually the beginning of our freedom.

The condition of your heart is revealed by outward symptoms (giving in to temptation, depression, anger, lust, etc.). When these symptoms are present, there is a deeper issue, and it is associated with the heart. There are four blockages of the heart: selfishness, bitterness, rejection, and evil thoughts. In order to remove the blockage of selfishness, we must actively surrender our lives to God. Bitterness occurs and blocks our hearts when we hold on to a hurt caused by another person, and we must live a life of forgiveness to remove the blockage. A seed of rejection planted in our lives may also cause a blockage, and we can reverse this curse of rejection by discovering and receiving God’s acceptance of us through the power of His Word.