Reviving The Fire

People often ask "Does God heal today?"Of course I believe He does!The question most have is this: "How does God heal, when He decides to heal us?" This is really a great question.This question is perhaps the oldest question in the history of mankind. Even in the ancient book of JOB - we see a famous story of one great man's struggle to trust the Lord during a long period of sickness and loss.People say "Job lost everything!"Well, no he didn't. He didn't lose his faith in God. And thankfully for Job, he didn't lose his wife, or his life.But at times, his sickness was so severe, that he wished he would have died. Have you ever been so depressed about your struggles, that you hoped for a final death just to put an and to suffering?Needless suffering it would seem?And then to add insult to injury - Job had to put up with the cruel, judgmental comments from his best "friends" who had forgotten what it was like to be in a hard time of life. This episode isn't just about Job, its really about Jesus and how he heals, and James who gives us a great "recipe" for instant healing.It would seem so. But ah, there is another aspect of God's ways that sometimes comes into play here.We all want this life to be great.But think about it. Is THIS PRESENT LIFE all there is? if so, we could understand the panic and striving to get over all pain suffering and sickness.Job asked God "why" many times. But soon, Job began to realize that it isn't THIS LIFE that is really all that important... but the NEXT LIFE - ETERNAL LIFE IN HEAVEN!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

The latest film called "Cessationist" is really another amping up of the current theological debate going on between Christians, or those who may not even be Christians but have decided to join the fight against those have refused to cease the use of their spiritual gifts as Christians.Perhaps you haven't been following this whole conflict, but you still want to hear more!This episode is for you!In this podcast I share both the Scriptural basis for which Cessationist's make their arguments and my rebuttal as well as personal experiences with the Holy Spirit.I actually pray in toungues on a weekly basis. But usually I do not sense the HS leading me to do so in public ministry. I have strongly gifts in other areas.Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

No matter what church, Christian group or organization - every leadership board makes mistakes here and there.But we want to make sure any leadership board we serve on or serve under does things from a Biblical point of view.Recently the trials and tribulations at the IHOP (International House of Prayer) Ministry in Kansas City, Kansas have exploded into the mainstream media. Founder and former lead pastor Mike Bickle faces numerous charges after admitting to improper relationships with several "Jane Does" Some of the claims included lies, manipulation and other kinds of covering up. The board of Directors fired him this past Spring, and then began receiving notices of lawsuits totaling multiple millions of dollars. The church board also is dealing with scandalous reports of denial and failure to acknowledge the incidents with the Jane Does that came forward.So what exactly went wrong with the ministry board at IHOP?Why dod they look the other way for decades? Why did they have such a hard time keeping Mike Bickle accountable? Why did Mike Bickle continue to mistreat women under him at IHOP?These are the questions we will look at together in this week's podcast!JeffThanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Lately people have been asking me questions about the Bible. I used to have so many questions myself. And still to this day, I need to go to the Bible daily for my own spiritual health.The Christian life is filled with twists and turns. At times, confusion and doubt can come upon us like a dark fog - we get disoriented, if not completely flipped upside down.But nothing to fear IF we have the map! And we DO!The Word of God is our map, and our daily standard by which we judge every thought, every idea, every desire.If you aren't sure why the Bible is so wonderful...Here are Five AMAZING things about The Bible!Enjoy this episode!Start reading your Bible daily. Get a Bible app online or a cheatsheet for reading the entire Bible in one year!You will not be sorry!JeffThanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Matthew 5-7 talks about the best sermon ever preached.Of course, the preacher was Jesus Himself!The sermon was titled "Sermon on the Mount."As we get ready to celebrate Independence Day, I encourage each of us to also discover true Freedom on the inside - where the deepest part of each of us dwells within our souls.America has more Independence than any nation or generation is history! But simultaneously we are fastly becoming a very very bound, addicted, strongheld nation! Our freedom is seemingly being lost twice as fast as we seek it!That's the power of sin at work. I know you and I were brought up to understand that sin was like - really bad stuff like murder, and abuse, and being a theif. But Jesus taught us that all humans have a condition that we inherited from Adam and Eve - a condition that gave us mortality, shame and death - and God allowed mankind to walk in this destructive way. Knowing that the only way out was ultimately through His Son - eventually when the time was perfect - the time of mankind brought the time of Jesus Christ.Watch any Episode of THE CHOSEN to understand this time more clearly.But for today, we are going to look at three ways we can go from Independent and bound, to totally dependent on Christ - and FREE!!!!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

People often ask "What is repentance anyway?"Or "What does the Bible say about repentance?"Great question.Maybe this is one of the most important questions in life. We have to learn how to repent if we hope to have everlasting life with Jesus in heaven. If your not sure you even want that, well maybe this episode isn't for you. Then again, maybe it is, but you just need to get this foundational truth into your mind and soul so you can think about it.Today we take a look at a famous parable called "The Prodigal Son" or "The Lost Son." Its about a fictional character who is the Father of two sons - a younger son, and an older son. The older son always did the right thing, but not always for the right reasons. The younger son starts out doing something terrible - he requests that his father give him his inheritance now, and let him leave to go and enjoy a life of sinning.What can a loving father do?The youn son was old enough to be on his own. So the father let him do what he wished.Great story and very much shows us the true heart of God as our Father in heaven. He loves us and very much waits for us to "come back home." What's great about this story is the heart change that hppened to the young Prodigal. He quickly realized life was so much better doing things his father's way.So the young son returns. The son was broken, contrite, sorry, sorrowful and everything one hoped for in a "repentant person." CHECK IT OUT TODAY and then sign up for the Break Through 24 Repentance Conference May 7-9 2024.https://reviveequip.org/break-through-24/If it's passed the date, you can still get replays and free PDF prayer tools!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Good Friday is probably the saddest day of the Christian calendar year for most Christians. It is sad for obvious reasons. And yet it is also the most necessary. He died on a Roman Cross for you and me so that we might not perish eternally, but have everlasting life.The night Jesus was crucified, two thieves were crucified with Him. These 2 thieves had a very enlightening conversation. It was the last conversation Jesus had with any human being before he died. Not much is mentioned in the Gospels about this conversation. But Luke takes sometime to tell the story of how one of the thieves seemingly has an epiphany while they are mocking Jesus. And now this thief begins to rebuke the other thief! The repentant thief then says to Jesus "Please, remember me when you come into your Kingdom." He had a change of heart; an apparent conversion. I used to think this was a shallow "confession. "But after further investigation of Luke 23 verses 39-43, I no longer see it like this.Take a ride with me to the very place where Jesus and these two thieves meet their untimely deaths together, and where two of the three enter the courts of Paradise that very same day!It may be FridayBut Easter Sunday is comin'!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

We have all been through experiences where we felt shame or embarrassment.Maybe you were embarrassed of your parents when you were in school, or of yourself. I relate to that.I share a very funny story to begin this episode where I worked at an ice cream stand with my best friend in high school, and after a few days of just getting bored of the same ole thing of scooping ice cream for 6 hours in hot sun - we made a decision to have some fun at the expense of really, everyone else... that was also fairly unwise! WARNING: laughs are very likely! You have to listen to this true story!There was a "win" in the crazy experience at the ice cream stand - I finally, at long last, stopped being ashamed of myself! I had enough of "perfect people" seeing the imperfections in me - and I did something that ironically was a victory.What kind of victory could that be?It was a victory in not being ashamed, when shame was not the proper view. Two idiots in a ice cream stand making fun of themselves and others? Yes that was more appropriately the takeaway.At the end of the day, we have to make a decision - are we going to live our lives always making sure others see us a certain way? If so, we may find it hard to live unashamed for Christ.I am not saying we should go make fools of ourselves in public! Please don't do that! But something harmless that maybe releases the real you in public where you proudly be who God has made you to be - that is where our focus should be.Romans 1:16 says: "I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ!" This is where being ashamed comes into play when it comes to our faith. Make sure if you follow Jesus, make sure not to ever be ashamed of His Gospel!If you are not a Christian, well of course this doesn't apply to you. But I pray that you would become one! And then I pray that you would be unashamed of the Gospel!If someone comes up to you and asks you if you are ashamed of the Gospel, just say this:"Nope! Not ashamed!" Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

It seems like every restaurant, cafe, small business asks you and I to give them a great review on facebook, Yelp or Google.You can even rate your local church and help others decide if it is doing a good job, or not so good.Well here's the thing: wether we give our church a good rating or bad rating on Google Reviews... the Bible says our church will also be given a HEAVENLY RATING!In the book of Revelation 1-3, John wrote down the words of Jesus Himself to the 7 churches in Asia minor. Jesus gave a rating to each church. Only 1 had a 5 Star rating. How do you think your current church would do if Jesus came and gave you a Heavenly Rating? I sure hope it would be a good one.But we need to be honest with ourselves and with the Lord. Did you know that you don't actually have to wait until Judgment Day to find out your rating from God's POV? That's right! He gave us His WORD so that we could rate ourselves now according to it and then, adjust and correct everything that is messed up.The bottom line for churches is this: Are we producing a final product that strongly resembles what Jesus commanded us to build when he gave His GREAT COMMISSION in Matthew 28:18-20!Listen to PART 1 or this 2 Part Series right NOW!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

This episode is about the accuracy of the New Testament, and in particular, the book of Acts. There is quite a bit of disagreement right now online and off as to whether the book of Acts was even a legitimate historical account to begin with.You will find many who reject both books written by Luke - The Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts, because they are deemed to be full of inaccuracies and made up locations, people, et. So I thought this would be a perfect time for you and I to dig into the truth and discover together what the REAL HISTORICAL EXPERTS have to say about Luke and Acts!I can't wait for this one! You are gonna be shocked and awed as we take a look at CLASS ACT Luke and his outstanding 2-piece work of magnificent quality and accuracy.Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Hey Y'all! Check out last Friday's podcast episode:"BORN AGAIN EDEN"Did you ever think it would be possible for people to live forever someday?Well it may seem like we are getting there slowly. But in all honesty, men and women still have a hard time reaching 100 years old. Did you know the first man and woman (Adam & Eve) lived to be 1,000 years old?Don't be impressed. This was a gigantic reduction from the original intent of the Creator. You see, all people were designed originally to last forever and never age!In Genesis chapter 3, we see how the enemy of our souls used a serpent to tempt Eve into sin.And we know the rest of the story from there.Check out this episode for the "plot twist of all plot twists" as we discuss the fact that Jesus Christ came to earth as a man and was sacrificed for your sin and my sin!Why? So that through Jesus - all people could have a 2nd chance - to LIVE FOREVER!Now unfortunately, Jesus can't make your physical body live forever. But He can come inside your heart and renew you on the inside. The Bible teaches us that we ARE SPIRITS, we HAVE SOULS and we LIVE in BODIES.What can you do when your body dies? God will give you a new one IF you take His plan for your eternal salvation.Listen to hear exactly how you and I can receive that!To listen to this Podcast Episode, CLICK LINK BELOW https://reviveequip.org/reviving-the-fire/Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Want the secret to all your life's problems in one word? Of course you do!It may sound trite, but at the end of the day, God wants to be our helper and deliverer in each and every struggle we face.That being said, there is only one way to position ourselves so that we do experience victory and triumph in our struggles - we must surrender.Surrender sounds strange at first.  We are used to warring armies demanding that the other side "Surrender" or else!But actually surrendering also happens in positive relationships where two parties join together. Its the same with the concept of TEAM.  All individuals who join a team must surrender there own way, their own plan, and their own power in order to gain the power of team.When you think of it that way - what better team to start for than God's team!You and God together make a great TEAM too! So even if it's just you and God verses the world - you can be victorious when you surrender to Him and let Him apply His genius, power, experience in your life!Got a hopeless situation that seems impossible? That's just what God wants to help you with today! Right Now!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

On this episode we talk about the "spiritual junk food" that often fills us to the point that we cannot eat anything of eternal value. We all know that we need to hunger and thirst for righteousness. We know that, if we are calling ourselves true Followers of Christ... we need to hunger for prayer and reading the Bible.What if we so fill ourselves with spiritual junk food, that we have no room for REAL AUTHENTIC SPIRITUAL FOOD?In this episode, you will discover how to get hungry for the real thing - JESUS, and how to hunger for His Word and being in His Presence!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

It's time for a filter check, people!It's time to filter our filter!We all have certain filters, or ways we interpret truth, that can cloud or even block our ability to see correctly.Imagine wearing that really annoying bright yellow or super blue pair of sunglasses and then looking at a white vase and thinking its really a yellow or blue vase.Only to discover, it was your filter that was yellow all along. The vase white all along!That is how we often look at the world, interpret truth and error. It's also how we look at spiritual truths. Take for example the Bible. Let's say you are with 5 other friends - all from USA and all reading the same English translation. Everyone is reading basically the same words .You would think all 6 would take the exact same meaning away. But depending on their filter, each one may instead have a totally different opinion on what it means!Now that's not a problem if the meaning is close to the truth.But we all grow up being given our own filter(s).We have to be aware of this fact. And one of the first things we can do as Christians is to be ready to see our filters and remove them as they come to light.So with that as an intro - listen for more details! Enjoy! Grow! Analyze! Search! Move on!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

What do you do when someone sins against you and you are tempted to become bitter? Or even worse, what if you are bitter and you know that unforgiveness is something you struggle with all the time?If so - this episode is for you!Let's be honest - all of us experience the sins of others in this life. There are sinful acts, words, even thoughts that others commit against us that we may not even be aware of.And to flip the script for a second, we ALL sin against others - if we're keepin it real.So today we are going to look at 5 reasons we need to forgive in the Holy Bible.Let's do this!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Have you heard of the term, "First Love?" It's not the way we normally explain our closest relationships.  On the other hand, it kinda works, right? "Hey have you met my first love - Jennifer?"On this episode we are going to dig deeper into this whole idea of having our First Love. And we will dig into why only God can be that First Love in our lives. And yet - ironically when Jesus is our first love, all other loves seem to get stronger, not weaker!What?!Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Have you had relationships where things were going great and then, suddenly, without warning... it was over?Maybe the relationship ended because of soemthing they did and you had enough, put a fork in that baby and moved on to the next one.Or perhaps it was the other person who just ended things seemingly out of nowhere, leaving you hanging bro!Either way, these sad abrupt endings are normal, in one sense; they are inevitable. But also, at least as it depends on us, we may be losing relationships that could have continued to be mutually beneficial and positive in our lives. There is nothing we can do when someone else either cuts us off without warning, or does something so toxic, so destructive, that your closest friends and family agree that it was for the best to be delivered from that relationship. There is alot to unpack here. And really, it is a big big topic that certainly can't be adequately covered in one 30 minute podcast. But what we do discuss is how God can make the difference in our relationships if we learn how to repent, ask forgiveness whenever we blow it, knowing that Our Father in Heaven loves us and longs to forgive any and all sincere, obedient hearts that seek to please HIM FIRST! Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

Is it wrong to have people ask Jesus to come into their hearts?Ephesians 3:17 says “That Christ may make His home in your hearts “ It also says we must be born again.  John 3:3. And it does say we are new creations in Christ where Christ takes dwelling inside us! Galatians 2:20, Colossians 1:27, So I would say we have to be careful to teach this is not correct just because we don’t have every single word exactly. Although Ephesians 3:17 is pretty close. An example would be when some teach the Trinity is not Scriptural. Well - The word “Trinity” is not in the Bible. But the concept is found all through the Old Testament and New.10  Verses that Show Jesus Christ Lives in You1. John 3:3 "You must be born again."When Nicodemus asks how this can possibly happen, Jesus corrects him. Then Jesus explains this is a spiritual rebirth, not a physical rebirth.2. 2 Corinthians 13:5 "Don't you realize Jesus Christ is in you?"The apostle Paul asks the Corinthian believers a question: “Or do you not realize about yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you?” Just like the Corinthians, we believers today need to realize this fact about ourselves. Christ isn’t outside of us as some kind of Helper in our time of need; He actually lives in us and is with us all the time.3. Romans 8:10—“Christ is in you”“But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the spirit is life because of righteousness.”We human beings were made by God with a body, soul, and spirit. Our spirit is our deepest part, created with the ability to contact and receive the Spirit of God. He came into our spirit. Now He’s in us, so our “spirit is life.”4. Second Corinthians 4:6-7—“This treasure in earthen vessels”“Because the God who said, Out of darkness light shall shine, is the One who shined in our hearts to illuminate the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellency of the power may be of God and not out of us.”In verse 7, the apostle Paul describes the believers as earthen vessels that contain this treasure. What is this treasure? In verse 6 we see the treasure is Jesus Christ, in whose face we see the glory of God. Christ lives in us earthen vessels as a precious treasure, revealing the glory of God to us from within.5. Galatians 1:15-16—“His Son in me”“But when it pleased God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called by His grace, to reveal His Son in me.”We might think this verse should read, “It pleased God…to reveal His Son to me.” But in Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the preposition is unmistakably in, so the verse reads “to reveal His Son in me.” God’s plan is to reveal His Son in us, from within, rather than to us, from without. From within us, God is pleased to reveal more of the wonderful Person of Christ.6. Galatians 2:20—“It is Christ who lives in me”“I am crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself up for me.”Here, Paul did not say, “I live in a Christ-like way,” or, “I glorify Christ through my behavior.” No, he said, “Christ…lives in me,” clearly showing us that Christ lives in His believers. Because He lives in us, the Christian life is not a matter of trying to behave like Christ, but of allowing Him to live in and through us.7. Galatians 4:19—“Christ is formed in you”“My children, with whom I travail again in birth Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com

In this episode, we take a look at how to deconstruct your faith with the Bible. Yes there is a way to deconstruct a faith that was never constructed properly to begin with.  Jesus talks to a Jewish Religious leader in John chapter 3, and literally helps him deconstruct his faith right there! John 3:3 says "Unless a man (or women) is born again, they will not see the Kingdom of God." This absolutely shocked this Pharisee named Nicodemus.  Nicodemus was so beside himself. I'm sure we would be too. So Nicodemus asks Jesus the obvious question, "What do you mean by saying I must be born again? How can someone enter their mothers womb a second time?"It seems like an intelligent question to ask. Yet Jesus humbles him by responding "You mean you are Israel's teacher, and yet you don't even know how to be born again spiritually?"Jesus explains that he is talking about a spiritual re-birth, not a physical re-birth.I think we are in a season of taking a look inside and really getting honest with ourselves what, if any, faith we want to construct, and why.Jesus calls us to reconsider this "Christian life' so many claim they are on. Maybe they are. Maybe they are not.But the bottom line is this: we can only deconstruct and reconstruct our own faith, not anyone else's faith.And furthermore, Jesus asks things of us that no other diety dared ask. John 3 is a chapter for the ages. It's like an UBER BIBLE CHAPTER!If there was only 1 chapter of the Bible that we could have, I would likely choose John 3.Thanks again for listening!Revive Equip website is:www.reviveequip.orgMy author websitewww.jeffsaxton.com