Walking in biblical manhood

May we see the power and the actual gift fasting is and how much we need to walk in this spiritual disciplineFasting is a spiritual disciplineLet’s not redefine fasting.  It’s not an absence of watching TV or the internet, it means to cover the mouth (tsom in Hebrew).  It is connected to abstaining from foodLet’s not redefine it, and dumb it down to mean something else.What does the Scripture say about fasting?1. Primarily it is a sign of repentance.  Not just confession but repentance, a turning away. A sincere turning, bringing forth the fruit of repentance. Getting God’s eyes and attitude towards sin, not just a godly sorrow, but an anger against sin, it becomes odious.  Proverb 8:13. 2 Corinthians 7.1. 1 Samuel 7:62. Fasting is associated in mourning for the dead. 1 Chronicles 10:123. It is also a seeking for God to have mercy about a situation 2 Samuel 12:164. It is used for seeking for God’s intervention in times of crisis 2 Chronicles 20:35. Fasting can be for God’s protection Ezra 8:21-236. Fasting is used for favor and a turning in the eyes of earthly authorities or government Esther 4:167. Fasting is connected to a longing for the return of Jesus and a readiness for His return Matthew 9:14,15.  Fasting brings an eternal perspective in our lives, living in righteousness…. A crown of righteousness 2 Timothy 4:8.  Not ashamed before Him at His coming8. Fasting for seeking for guidance/ direction and receiving revelation for His calling Acts 13:1-39. Fasting is for appointing of church leadership/ elders/ pastors Acts 14:23. Understanding how serious it is to be appointed a leader and the warfare that comes with it.10. Fasting increases faith and expels unbelief Matthew 17:20,21  Jesus addresses the disciples unbelief not the size of the demon, This “kind” is addressing in the context, unbelief. 1. Fasting cannot be void of living rightly and corresponding actions of humility - Isaiah 58:3-7.  Our fasting is hypocritical if we are fasting (a sign of humility) but actions are self centered2. Fasting is always accompanied with prayer.  It’s the other wing of the bird.  It’s Daniel 9:3.  It’s not just abstaining from food, it opens up more time for prayer that normally would be given for eating.  It’s a sign that God                                        3. Fasting MUST be with right motive. Zechariah 7:5, Matthew 6:16-18.  Not for the eyes of men, for selfish reasons, but for the glory of God and His great Namesake                                                                                                      Remember Jesus fasted, in Luke 4, Jesus went into the wilderness filled but after fasting returned in the “power” of the Holy Spirit.  2 Corinthians 6:5, it as a regular part of Paul’s life as well.  2 Corinthians 11:27The message finishes with my testimony how I came upon fasting and how it changed my life and how it filled me with faith to see the miraculous.  Bill Bright’s book fasting for the coming revival

Thanks for joining us. We pray these testimonies give glory to the Lord and encourage those who listen. This first episode is the current and most recent testimony as Katie has walked this 3+ year journey of a brain injury when she stopped breathing for about 10 min.  Our hope is that you won't give up hope if you too are in a deep, dark valley.Video is on Youtube - "Miracle stories" #1 - wadeandkate

Listen to Rob's powerful testimony of experiencing the Father's love as a prodigal and the difference it is when he surrendered each part of His life to the Lord.

A former tennis pro, who realized the Lord was pursuing him, and so began to seek to know the Lord and testifies his life radically changed in amazing ways.

Join us as we finish talking about the Kingdom of God and how we are to reveal it to this broken world.

Join us as we look at Jesus' message and what should be ours as well

Join us as we look at some biblical principles of communication and the need to grow in this area.

Manny has a powerful testimony of a NDE (near death experience) while being flown out of the Vietnam jungle during the war after being shot in the chest, and God's great mercy in bringing him back to hear the Gospel and be saved.  He shares of a supernatural experience at his baptism.  Then how the Lord brought things full circle in healing his heart as he is confronted with his past of hate and how it's replaced with God's love.

Listen to Josh's testimony of how he found the freedom and joy of knowing your true identity. Not in collegiate sports, or in being the life of the party, or even as one in recovery from addiction, but in Christ. May you be encouraged by how one encounter with Jesus can change everything.

A powerful testimony of Joe's searching for the "Why?" of life and coming to the end of himself in that search.  Through the grace of the Lord a co worker gave him a book "When the world will be as one" that Joe identified with in his own search. Hear how he encountered Jesus and the Lord's deliverance from the power of the evil one.

Thanks for joining us again.  In this episode we'll be looking at what the Bible says concerning unrighteous vs. righteous anger.  Grace and peace be multiplied to you today and this week.

Be encouraged as John shares how the Lord brought him out of great despair, and deep pits and gave him hope. Be encouraged in your faith in how the Lord set him free from alcoholism, and of John's encounters with the Lord in supernatural healings. 

Be encouraged as Brian testifies of his surrendering all to Jesus and finding his identity not his being in the NFL for 15 years, but being a child of God and the joy it is to serve and pour into others for the glory of God.

Join us as we look at the biblical perspective and some practical steps to be good stewards with our health.  We'll be looking at some Bible verses and practical ways to stay in shape and eat right, for the glory of God.

Clifton has a powerful testimony and reminder that the Lord is looking for simply willing vessels that will say, "Yes" to Him.  He is no respecter of persons.  Listen to Clifton testify of how the Lord took him on a journey into the impossible and seeing the undeniable hand of God at work.

Thanks for joining us, we're making an announcement for future episodes and giving a short follow up from last weeks.

Be encouraged by Rick's testimony of how the Christian faith is not just an experience but is logical, how we can encounter God through extended times of worship, to count the cost as we seek the Lord and get His heart for the world.  Be challenged by his testimony of loving our wives as Christ loves the church, and to get involved actively in your children's lives.  And finally the challenge of, "Are you seeing answers to prayer?" and the need to persevere in prayer until the answer comes.

Join us as we combat a culture of distraction and busyness as we remain vigilant and intentional with our time to pull away, get quiet and listen to the Lord...

Born March of 1933, Brother Ned has seen a lot, but most of all, the faithfulness of God.  Be encouraged by his testimony of first encountering God's presence, to God's revealing Ned's calling to decades of ministry.  Ned shares how the Lord empowered him to be a caretaker for his wife for 9 years and how it only grew his love for her.  Hear of how he's come to more appreciate the brevity of life, the power of prayer, and his responsibility to fulfill Acts 1:8.

Join us we continue to look at trials through a biblical understanding

Join us as we look at this important reminder on what the Scriptures speak to concerning trials in our lives

Listen to Jordan’s powerful testimony of redemption.  From witnessing the aftermath of his father taking his life, and dealing with the emotions of that broken relationship and lack of affection, to Jordan’s firstborn being born in spite of a medical emergency on the same day his father took his life.  Jordan has a powerful testimony of seeing generational iniquities being broken by the blood of Jesus.  Here his supernatural encounter he had with the Lord that healed the father wound in his heart.

Today we continue looking at some of the biblical principles that have impacted us as fathers and we pray would edify or be a reminder for you as well.

Join us today as we look at biblical principles as are called to father our children with His heart and are called to be vigilant watchmen for our homes.

Ryan found himself constantly in a cycle of sin, a lifestyle of sin. Exposed to a criminal lifestyle in South Africa, be encouraged by Ryan's testimony of being exposed to the presence of God and hearing the Lord speak to him and the transformation that started to take place.  Hear his exhortation of what he discovered in being alone with God for long periods of time, the power of His Word, the power of fasting and God's gift of discernment.  Finally hear his exhortation to you, "Don't give up!"You can reach Ryan if you want at his email [email protected]@gmail.com

Here are some practical principles/ counsel on seeing your marriage be what God wants it to be...We encourage you to go on a date with your spouse and have some time asking these questions from Focus on the FamilyFOCUS ON THE FAMILY  1. What are some things that we used to do that you would like to do again? What did you most enjoy about those things? 2. What things about our life together make you happy? How frequently do you notice those things? 3. What’s something you’d like to do together that we’ve never done? What makes it so inviting to you? 4. What was the last thing I did for you that you really enjoyed? What made it so pleasant for you? 5. Which of our couple friends or acquaintances do you admire the most? What is it about their relationship that impresses you? 6. What is the best part about being together? How does that make you feel? 7. What makes us a good team? What could we do to be an even better team? 8. When was a time you felt that I listened to you really well? What would you like us to discuss but have been hesitant to bring up? 9. On a scale of 1 to 10, how am I doing as a husband or wife? What one little thing could I do that would move that up a notch?

May your faith be strengthened as you hear this powerful testimony.  Jamie shares the reminder of the need to remain vigilant over your children.  He shares the miracle of how God delivered him from a 12 year drug addiction and rescued his marriage to be a powerful testament unto the Lord's redemption.  Be reminded of the power of loving accountability in community, and how the Lord will take what you were bound in and send you to see others set free by His truth of the very thing you were enslaved to!

Join us as we get practical concerning marriage, looking at the Scriptures and principles from His Word to empower us to live out what He wants our marriages to look like... Christ and the church.

Jackson has a powerful testimony of God's healing power after losing his earthly father at a very young age and finding his way to find his identity in the Lord.  Listen as he testifies of God's mercy, loving-kindness and God's redemption.  

We'll be starting out this series on the foundation of marriage before moving on to the practical in the next two sessions.  Please join us as we seek to please Him in this holy covenantal relationship with our wives.

Listen to Jason's powerful testimony of Jesus being with him through the adversity and furnace of tribulation and bringing his faith out like gold refined in the fire.  You'll be encouraged in his testimony of encountering the Lord in jail, and knowing Jesus in the fellowship of suffering.  And a powerful testimony that Jesus is for all nations, including the first nations people of North America.

May you pray with us this central discipleship truth of asking our Lord to help us abide and better understand what it means to abide in Him.  That His life and His fruit would come forth for His glory!

Listen to how the Lord took Elliot from the Bronx New York, opened his heart to the truth and power of the Gospel and gave him His heart.  A powerful testimony of transformation, Elliot's identity of one being filled with anger, to the Lord giving him a heart of compassion, empathy and brokenness for the hurting!

Be encouraged and reminded of some of the reasons we can trust the Bible to be the Word of God. From its historical backing, to its prophetic accuracy to answering the argument that its been corrupted at some point in history,  to the millions who've been impacted by its truths...we can trust the holy Scriptures.Daniel Merritt's articlehttps://crossexamined.org/voltaires-prediction-home-and-the-bible-society-truth-or-myth-further-evidence-of-verification/Mountain of Firehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nEdpkdkjLf0Noah's Ark teaserhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7m_1HResiYw

Listen to Eric's powerful testimony of God's pursuit of him to give all and to follow Him in His calling to serve and bring the Gospel to the Lakota of Pine Ridge.  You'll be encouraged with how the Lord answered prayers, delivered Eric from a destructive lifestyle, and how He has changed Eric's life.

Thank you for joining us today as we look at why accountability is so needed and a gift in the Body of Christ as brothers. 

Join us as we look at Spiritual warfare in the life of us as men one more time in this series and how we are called to overcome.

Thank you for joining us as we continue to talk about this important subject of spiritual warfare. The Lord has revealed to us snares of the enemy and weapons He has given us to be victorious through Him by His Word.  Today we'll look at three more snare and three more weapons.

Bruce originally from Arizona, shares his testimony of how he went from being a skeptic and partier to being a follower of Christ.  Be encouraged by this powerful testimony of not only how he was saved but how the Lord met him later in his complacency and set his soul on fire.  Be encouraged by some faith building testimonies of seeing the Lord change hearts and work miracles for His glory!

Be encouraged from Michael's testimony.  Delivered of alcoholism, lust, addiction, depression to the point of wanting to end his life, to salvation in Jesus and a mighty deliverance.  Michael testifies of a couple of miracles he's witnessed, as well as the grace of God giving him an overcoming spirit in the face fear while as a journalist in Iraq during the war.  Hear again of the power of the Word of God to transform minds and hearts.

Join us today as we address three of the snares the enemy uses against God's children.  However we will also look at three weapons the Lord has given us to counter those snares.  Let us walk strongly in Him and war a good warfare for the glory of our King Jesus.

We've looked at being men of humility and integrity, join us as we look at being men of love.  John 13:34, 35.  Watch as the Lord changes you as you pray the prayer of Ephesians 3.

Be encouraged and blessed by Will's testimony.  Listen to how powerfully his life changed when he began to understand Who the Holy Spirit is and develop that relationship.  Hear how Will's life was transformed by encountering the Father's heart and love.  May the grace that the Father  poured out on Will in his experiencing His love, fall on you in a powerful way for His glory.

Join us as we conclude this series on integrity 

Be encouraged by our brother Derrik's testimony.  Now living in New York, Derrik has a powerful testimony of coming to faith, the impact of having an "Ebenezer" in your life, seeing the Lord work in the midst of fiery trails, and the legacy you can pass on to your children by building an altar of remembrance.   Feel free to reach out to Derrik if you have any questions or would like to receive prayer, [email protected]

Today join us as we look at the "how" of walking in integrity for the glory of His Name.  We'll also begin to look at what rewards come from walking as men of integrity according to the Scriptures.

Join us as we continue to look at this foundational attribute as we follow our example in Jesus and walk in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Join us as we finish looking at the areas of integrity and then look at the biblical motive of integrity.

Listen to a powerful testimony from brother Kirk from Pennsylvania on his path to freedom in Christ, knowing his identity in Christ, and the fruit that it brings in contentment.  What the Lord revealed to him through the text "stretch forth your hand," is powerful and will no doubt speak to you.  And you'll be blessed by the fitting song he sings at the end.  Is the song your testimony as well?  Feel free to reach out Kirk if would like to hear more or receive prayer you can reach him at [email protected].  You can hear him bring the Word on Facebook through "Victory Tabernacle" in Hedgesville, WV. 

Join us again as we look at the subject of integrity.  Today we'll look at walking as men of integrity in the areas of our finances, our talents and our time.

How real is Jesus?  Is heaven real?  Does the Father answer prayer?  Just ask Russ.  Listen to his testimony and be encouraged and challenged.Feel free to reach out if you'd like to ask him any [email protected]