Ministry At Zero Degrees Podcast

I subscribe to Dan Raine’s newsletter “The Raine Report” (@DanRaine). In a recent article, he described how he’s using NotebookLM to create audio, video, and mindmaps of his own materials and that of others that he is learning from.Never before have I created any material for the Ministry at Zero Degrees Newsletter; this is the first. Let me know what you think or how you feel about this in the comments below. I thought I’d give it a go with my latest article, and I was so impressed with the video summary that I wanted to share it with you. That article can be found at zerodegrees.substack.com, with the title “What Could Go Wrong When Church Leaders Ignore Sound Doctrine.” I think the tool could be a helpful addition to your writing arsenal. You could use the video generated to create video posts for your Substack, and the associated audio can end up on your podcast feed. If you are researching anything online, you could use this tool to help you learn more about your topic, summarize books, videos, and podcasts, and more. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com

You and I live our lives one story at a time.I've been contemplating the possibility that we live life in stories, seamlessly moving from one chapter to the next.I wake most mornings to my alarm. My phone has this annoying tune/tone that sometimes plagues me in the off-moments of my day. This morning, for instance, I had just gotten another cup of coffee. I returned to the cozy sofa near the blazing wood stove to finish watching a YouTube news video.The tune entered my brain from nowhere — like the ethereal substance of daydreams.That's a story from this morning. I could tell you a story about watching videos, picking up the house and vacuuming, or making pizza dough for dinner tonight.You and I live our lives one story at a time. Just like a book or magazine, some stories are better than others.Dreams and VisionsDreams can be like that. I've had times when it seems like I dream all night, every night. I dreaded falling asleep a few times because of the trepidation of dreams that would follow.Some things can make us dream. Maybe it's the spicy tacos or the blazing Chinese food I ate. Perhaps it's medicine. Ibuprofen has given me some very vivid, colorful, weird, and sometimes scary dreams.Dreams can motivate us to act. In Jude, the dreamers act on their dreams and visions, but the thoughts they dwell on lead them on the path to destruction. It's possible to envision works in our churches or lives contrary to God and His purposes for us.Have you ever said something like this? "I dream of going to Hawaii," and then you start planning and acting on that dream? Not many years after becoming a Christian, I dreamed of becoming a pastor. The Bible says that's an excellent or noble desire.Do you find it curious that Joseph dreamed, but his visions saved lives and blessed even his brothers who hated him? They despised him for his dreams and visions of grandeur."For to be carnally minded [is] death; but to be spiritually minded [is] life and peace." [Rom 8:6 KJV]The dreams and visions that Jude's dreamers dwell on are carnally minded. Joseph's dreams brought both life and peace when they were complete. The "certain men" had a vision or dream contrary to God.In verses 8-11, Jude explains how we can envision a path for ourselves or a direction for our churches contrary to what God had determined for us. He illustrates the lives of Michael and Satan, Cain, Balaam, and those who rebelled with Core to show us a few ways to wander from that path.When the King James Version calls the dreamers "filthy," the context is looking back to those "certain men" who have crept into the Church and come in relatively unnoticed. Many other versions agree that these dreamers rely on their dreams as a source of authority for their behaviors."to be carnally minded is death.These four verses describe three actions these filthy dreamers might do."Likewise also these [filthy] dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities.Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core." [Jude 1:8-11]The dreamers* defile the flesh* despise dominion* speak evil of [ blaspheme ] dignitiesI may break these four verses into several articles. Then maybe I'll restore them all as one more extensive article or newsletter later.Jude uses four historical records to jog his readers' brains. Similarly to the annoying tune from my daily alarm, Jude mentions four stories to trigger memories and meaning from them.* Michael disputing with Satan over the body of Moses* Cain, who killed his brother* Balaam, who ran greedily in error after the reward of riches.* Those who perished in the gainsaying of Core.I'm using the phrase "historical records" because the world hears the word "stories" and hears "fairy tales," "science fiction," or "fiction". Your stories that happen every day are still stories, but they are also history.Historical events happen that are never recorded; your life is probably a series of such stories.Ministry At Zero Degrees thanks you for your support. Become a free or paid subscriber and help the ministry to continue. As we walk through these records, let's watch for the pernicious people occupying these lands.The dreamers* defile the flesh* despise dominion* speak evil of [ blaspheme ] dignitiesThere is no other direct reference to the dispute between Michael the Archangel and Satan over Moses's body. I'm guessing there were no human witnesses to the event when it happened. We can surmise that God wanted us to know about it, though.This passage allows us to make some educated guesses about the dispute. It's essential to begin with God's revealed word.God's Eternally Faithful WordIn Deuteronomy 34, a book of the Bible in the Old Testament, God instructed Moses to go to the top of a mountain in Moab, the top of Pisgah. From that mountain top, Moses would have a sweeping view of all the land God promised Israel.When God makes a promise, he will not break that promise. God cannot lie. God will not make a man more holy or righteous than Himself. God commands us to let our "yes" be yes and our "no" be no. He has said anything else comes from evil."This is the land which I swore unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, "I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused you to see it with your eyes, but you will not go over there."So Moses, the servant of the LORD, died there in Moab, and no man knows where his grave is. The LORD buried him in a valley in Moab, according to the word of the Lord.Consider the Record of A DisputeThe evidence from Deuteronomy tells us that the LORD was there, along with Michael the Archangel and Satan. The LORD himself is the witness of the dispute.If you recall, we're interpreting the stories in light of three characteristics of the ungodly dreamers, those certain men who portray themselves as Christians but are really godless dreamers who have snuck into the Church to change how we approach God and respond to Him.I. Defile the fleshJude and the premise for reminding us of this history suggest that the dispute over Moses's body was first intended to defile the flesh. What did Satan intend to do with the body of Moses? Perhaps he would possess it and deceive Israel into departing from the LORD. Perhaps something worse.II. Despise DominionThe dispute may have displayed Satan's disdain and his despisement of God. God had used Moses in many miraculous ways. If Satan could use the corpse to deceive the people of God, it would have been a despicable display of Satan's contempt for the dominion and authority of God.III. Speak Evil of DignitiesThe third action is the perfect action of Michael, who would not blaspheme even Satan but only said, "The Lord rebuke you."Remember that "dignities" here is about God and His glory.How should these examples impact our daily conversations?I recently had a conversation with a man who holds some authority. I felt that the way I was spoken to and his body language displayed an impersonal and disrespectful demeanor.I likely misread parts of our communication, and ironically, the discussion was specifically about poor communication and what could be done differently to improve our communication in the future.Well, the man wouldn't look me in the eye but only talk to me while looking at the ground. I was at fault, in part because I was ignorant of his severe hearing difficulty. It was unfortunate, but he appeared to despise and disrespect me by his actions.After several attempts to get his attention, he bolted upright and, agitatedly, asked me, "What? You want me to look you in the eye when I'm talking to you?"My blood boiled as I calmly answered him, "That would be nice." I turned and walked away before I said things that shouldn't be said to someone in a position of authority.In days past, I've let loose with blasphemies that never should have been uttered. I would have despised that man's authority and spoke evil of him if I had said what my flesh desired to convey.We are not to speak evil of dignities. More literally, we are not to blaspheme God's glory in Himself or His people.So what?Why is any of this important to you or me? Jude warns us not to follow in the footsteps of the dreamers. They and their visions of grandeur follow their own imaginations instead of following God as He wants us to.Suppose we become like these certain men and women and develop a character in the likeness of these ungodly dreamers. In that case, we set ourselves on the path of those with an appearance of godliness but whose hearts are far from Him. We would be like them, whitewashed tombs full of dead men's bones.Maybe you've seen the news this week and the arrest of several criminal illegal immigrants from New York City. A legitimate and legal pawn shop/jewelry store was fencing the stolen items. The news video shows four individuals being pulled over with more than $300,000 in stolen goods in the trunk of the car!The vehicle was headed north on the interstate. When the policeman inquired where they were headed, they explained they were headed for Florida. The officer pointed with a finger and wryly told them they were headed the wrong way, "Florida is that direction."Are we headed the right way in our churches and lives?These four instances in Jude are for us, to remind us to keep going the right way in our walk and worship.In the following three examples, there's a pattern of bad behavior as Cain, Balaam, and Core's rebellion all attempt to do things their way. God has given us the means of forgiveness and the proper use of spiritual gifts and instructed us to flee sexual immorality.God has given the Church and believers some freedom in worship. The Bible does not instruct on the order of service for Sunday morning or on whether a midweek Bible study should occur.God gave clear instructions on some areas of worship. From before the foundation of the world, Jesus is the Lamb sacrificed for the sins of the world. There is no other means of forgiveness. Without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness of sin. After the life, death, and resurrection of Christ, animal sacrifice is no longer acceptable to God for the sin of any man.In the first example, Satan, in self-seeking, sought his own desires. In the following three examples, we see men who rejected God's clear instructions and determined their way was better.I hope you're looking forward to discussing Cain, Balaam, and Core as much as I am.Thanks for reading Ministry At Zero Degrees! This post is public; please share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com

"Don't Forget What You Once Knew" Jude 1:5-7 This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit zerodegrees.substack.com“Jude...to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. Jude 1:1-2It seemed surreal! I desperately struggled to stand upright in three or four feet of water. My heart was pounding as I wrestled the riptide and longed for the solid ground of the sandy beach only twenty or thirty feet away.Then another series of waves happened, and I lost my footing, and I was being dragged out to sea. The white foam engulfed my entire body, the saltiness of the sea in my mouth as I gasped for breath. How could I make it to shore when I couldn't resist the strong rip of the ocean?That summer afternoon was like so many others. I grew up in the ocean and spent most of my summer days swimming, floating on surf mats, bodysurfing, and laying on the soft, warm sandy beach. I was an average swimmer and felt safe in the water.I was probably 14 or 15 at the time. I'd be at the beach all afternoon, my dad would come down after work to swim, and I'd get a ride home with him.The surf was rough that summer day and a yellow flag warning was posted on the lifeguard tower. I'd been swimming under the guard's watchful eye all day. The beach was nearly empty, and the lifeguards had left at five. I could see surfers a half mile away on the beach. I felt anxious and scared, weakened from the struggle.My soul was screaming for help. How was I going to get out of the waves?Ministry At Zero Degrees is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Jude 1:1-2(1) Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called:(2) Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.My wife will sometimes ask, “Do you love me?”I don’t think she believes I quit loving her. She wants to hear me tell her, “I love you.” She wants the reassurance that I’m thinking of her and love her so much that I would verbalize it.I like to hear her tell me that she loves me, too. It’s a good thing.Ministry At Zero Degrees is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Society and Culture are CrumblingJude is writing to the Church when the culture in and outside of the fellowships is crumbling. The world has been dark ever since sin entered the world, and death entered it.Look at our world. What were the top 5 topics during the election cycle? My dad would be in shock were he alive today. He died in 1982, and in the last 42 years, the Democratic platform has descended into a totally depraved and morally corrupt platform.Thankfully, there are still a lot of Americans who believe there is still room for right and wrong in culture, society, business, religion, and politics.Through Jude, God tells you that if you are a genuine Christian, you have been called as already made holy, set apart, faultless, and sanctified. You are preserved and secure in Jesus Christ. He will keep you from stumbling and present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.We live in a dark world and are to watch out for men who would cause us to fall away.2 Peter 3:17(17) Ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness.What Does Being Already Sanctified Look Like?Consider the following ideas and scenarios.* The Co-Exist Movement American society was founded on the truths of a Creator God who gave us the 10 Commandments. Among those commandments, God declares himself the only true God. All other gods are false gods. The Democratic platform would have you believe in every faith except genuine biblical Christianity and Orthodox Judaism. The letter of Jude addresses the aberrant practices that godless men and women promote.* The Murder of the Innocent God declares He knit you together in your mother's womb and that he knew you before you were born. John the Baptist got very excited in his mother's womb when he heard the voice of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The Democratic platform would have encouraged the abortion of both of these babies.* Excessive Use and Promotion of Drugs and Drunkenness God encourages and rewards sobriety. Drunkenness is antithetical to righteousness. The Democratic platform encourages unbridled drug abuse. Free needles, free drugs, no penalties, reduced prison sentences, legalize it all. I’ve seen news items where well-known Democrat politicians are clearly drunk while performing their official duties.* Gender Confusion is encouraged and sometimes decided for children who aren’t old enough to make good decisions for themselves. The Bible condemns men and women cross-dressing. The Democratic platform has fought hard to blur the lines between men and women.* Deuteronomy 22:5: "The woman shall not wear that which pertains unto a man, neither shall a man put on a woman’s garment: for all that do so are abomination unto the LORD thy God." Compare the King James Version (KJV) with what the Contemporary English Version says.* Deuteronomy 22:5: "Women must not pretend to be men, and men must not pretend to be women. The LORD your God is disgusted with people who do that." (CEV) - Contemporary English Version* In the 1970s, it wasn't uncommon to hear, "In the beginning, God created Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve."* Lies and Liars: God hates lies and liars. It's a sin for a person to knowingly lie, and yet some would force Christians to lie. Preferred Pronouns are another person's insanity. Don't force others to participate in your mental illness. Just as men are men and women are women, humans are not cats, dogs, or other forms of "furries."God calls you as already holy and pure. You are already sanctified.1 Corinthians 6:9-11"(9) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,(Verse nine of The Darby Bible says, "Do ye not know that unrighteous persons shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not err neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor those who make women of themselves, nor (men)who abuse themselves with men."(10) Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.(11) And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God."In the following message, we'll consider the idea of being preserved in Christ. Remember, through Jude, God already calls or identifies you as sanctified and preserved. He finished making you clean, pure, and secure at the Cross.Until next time, may the Lord bless and keep you!Thanks for reading Ministry At Zero Degrees! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com

Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: (Jude 1:1) Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Jude 1:2)“If you’re a servant of the Lord, don’t be surprised when you get treated like one”Ministry At Zero Degrees is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.As a new Christian, I sat under a number of pastors over the first decade of the faith. Sure, I had one primary place of worship, but living in the Mecca of Christianity in the early 1980’s was a smorgy of solid biblical teaching. My “home” church was Calvary Chapel Dana Point, which at the time was beginning to burst at the seams with growth.One of those awesome men used to repeat the phrase “If you’re a servant of the Lord, don’t be surprised when you get treated like one”I’m probably not the epitome of a servant of the Lord. How about you? You see, as humans I think we enjoy a measure of self that interferes with becoming that premier example of a servant.* We have liberty to do anything we want, but there may be consequences.* We don’t like being told what to do unless we already want to do it anyway.* We have a hard time putting others first.* Self-centered, self-seeking, self-ish, self-made, selfies, self magazine, instead of self-less.The life is in the blood.Throughout the New Testament, the writers frequently call themselves the servants of the Lord, but what exactly do they mean? What did Jude mean when he called himself “the servant of Jesus Christ”?There are six nouns translated “servant” and one verb. We’ll consider just one or two of them.Paul the apostle tells us how the journey to becoming a servant of Jesus Christ begins, and some of what it means to be that servant.Romans 6:5-7(5) For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: (6) Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. (7) For he that is dead is freed from sin.In his book “The Cost of Discipleship”, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote “When Christ calls us, he bids us come and die.”Every task has reward. If you plant a garden, you hope to eat of it. If you work you expect a paycheck. If you take a hike you hope to experience nature. If you love to drive over the speed limit, you know that you may receive a fine. For everything that we “do” we have an expectation of an outcome.We drain sap from maple trees for several weeks each year, and they suffer no harm. Draining the blood of a creature or human for weeks would kill us. The life is in the blood.The wages of sin, the reward of sin, is death. From the very first sin in the garden of Eden, the price for sin is death. The life is in the blood. It’s what separates animals from every other living thing. There is no forgiveness of sin without the shedding of blood.That’s the point of the Cross. Jesus was a perfect sinless man and yet fully God in human flesh. He died on the Cross to pay for our sins, if we are willing to believe and receive that price paid on our behalf.When we come to Christ, our old man is put to death, and we are set free from the bondage to sin. The Word to us can be challenging though. I don’t want to recognize that I was a slave to sin. As a slave you do things you might not want to do. Your master tells you what to do, where to go, when to do everything. Your life is not your own, you only eat, sleep, and function at the will of the one that is your master.In college I would hear the partiers mantra, “I don’t do drugs, drugs do me” . It doesn’t matter if its a sin of consuming or of behavior, or a sin of thoughts, words, or deeds. If you are a servant to that sin, it will do you, and where you once thought you were in control of it all, you find it now controls you. You need a new master.You need a new master.They were confessing a biblical truth without knowing it. They were the servants of sin. If you are sick and tired of being sick and tired from sin in your life, Christ wants to set you free. “He bids you Come and Die”. If you have ever been consumed by sin, a servant of sin, then you may know the taste of death that comes with it. The hangover, the crash, the thought life, the foulness, the filth.The word that Jude uses for “servant” is “Doulos”. When used as an adjective, it means to be in bondage. As a noun, its used to label a soldier, a slave, an employee, or anyone who is under the authority of another. Some are born slaves. Some are made slaves. Some are sold into slavery. Some are slaves of their own accord.Jude has made himself a servant of Jesus Christ, and has brought himself under the will of his Lord, God, and brother.Going back to Romans 6, Paul continues to reveal to us God’s will in becoming servants. In Romans 6:18 he uses the verb form of the word to serve. “douloo”. He says of us “I made myself a servant”, and “I brought myself under bondage” . We “became slaves or servants of righteousness through faith in Jesus Christ. Please take the time to read all of Romans chapter 6, as a believer you’ll be greatly encouraged.Romans 6:15-17, 18, 20(15) What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. (16) Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? (17) But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.(18) Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ...(20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness.So what’s the answer?...as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness… Romans 6:19We’ve been transformed. Once servants of sin and evil and now servants of what is right, and good, and holy. We need to remember who our master is. Are we ruled by sin and death? Or are we ruled by righteousness unto holiness? Do you need a new master?If we claim Christ, we are no longer servants of sin. We were bought with a price, and are no longer our own. The costly and precious blood of Christ, spilled out on the ground. The blood of Abel cried out from the ground to God, and the blood of Christ still cries out today on our behalf. He bids you Come and Die, identifying with his death and resurrection. He offers the free gift of eternal life purchased at great cost to Himself.He paid a debt He did not owe for me who owed a debt I cannot pay.Until next time, May the Lord richly bless you my beloved.Ministry At Zero Degrees is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com

Ministry At Zero Degrees is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Welcome to the first episode of Ministry at Zero Degrees podcast.0:05My name is James Beane.0:06I'm your host.0:07I'm the author and publisher of Ministry at Zero Degrees.0:12Well, if you're listening, you'll perhaps hear the background noise here.0:17I've got the pellet stove going because it's cold and rainy outside,0:21and there's some music coming from the other room that you might pick up on.0:25But in any case, this is our first episode, and I'm going to be beginning a series on the letter of Jude.0:33This first episode is, Why Can't You Be More Like Jesus?0:38An Introduction to the Letter of Jude.Thanks for reading Ministry At Zero Degrees! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit zerodegrees.substack.com