May 29, 2025 • 32 mins
Where do you find Jesus? Not where you might expect. The second statement Jesus made from the cross—"Today you will be with me in paradise"—reveals something profound about God's character and kingdom values.
While hanging between two thieves, Jesus demonstrated that He's unashamed to associate with society's outcasts. Rather than seeking the company of the powerful or influential, He chose to spend His final hours with condemned criminals. This reveals the upside-down nature of God's kingdom, where the first become last, the weak are strong, and the poor are rich.
Many of us struggle to enter difficult spaces or connect with those in desperate situations. We worry about what to say or how we'll be perceived. But when born again, we receive new spiritual eyes that see value where the world sees none. Jesus shows that a single soul is worth everything to God—so valuable that if that thief had been the only person who would ever believe, Christ would have endured the cross for him alone.
We're experiencing an unprecedented spiritual awakening across the earth, more than revival—a sovereign demonstration of God that's intensifying. He's calling believers not to comfort but to challenging places: prisons, homeless shelters, areas of exploitation and poverty. Why? Because that's where Jesus already is. If you want to experience His presence and glory, go where others won't go.
The Lord has no problem attracting crowds, but making disciples involves a refining process that makes us moldable for His purposes in uncommon places. His love doesn't overlook anyone, focusing not just on multitudes but on individuals. When we realize we're personally seen by Christ, it's overwhelming. He's setting the record straight about who He is—not through talk but by showing Himself to a world in desperate need.
Have questions or thoughts to share? Connect with us at lifearoundthefire@gmail.com or visit our website. Join us as we follow Jesus to the places where His healing presence is needed most.
Loving Yeshua/Jesus, Loving people... Come as you are and you will be loved!
Feel free to check out our website by typing in lifearoundthefire.com or Life Around The Fire ... We think you'll find some beneficial stuff to look at and apply to your life.
Shalom to you and your home.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:01):
We've been taking the past several podcast episodes
to focus in on Jesus Christ andHim crucified.
Really, the central theme in allscriptures really is the
(00:22):
revelation of Jesus in allscriptures really is the
revelation of Jesus, who he is,why he came, what he
accomplished, what he'saccomplishing and what he's
going to accomplish.
Really, if you want to find outreally what is the Bible all
(00:43):
about?
Well, it's really about Jesus.
He is the center of thescriptures and he is the center
of all creation, and so we'vebeen focusing in on that
particular portion of hisministry, of his purpose and
(01:08):
that being the cross beingcrucified, literally on our
behalf, so that we could have arelationship with God.
Amazing, a demonstration oflove that's so profound that
casually looking at it doesn'treally make sense.
(01:29):
But when you're drawn in, andespecially when Holy Spirit
draws you in and he begins tounfold things, it's amazing.
The Apostle Paul said at onepoint in his public ministry
(01:50):
that he only knew one thing andthat was Jesus Christ and him
crucified, meaning it wascentral to everything that he
said because it was thatimportant and it is that
(02:12):
important.
And in focusing in on JesusChrist and him crucified, we've
been looking at the sevenstatements that he made while he
hung on the cross, and you canreally I mean you, stop and
(02:38):
think about it.
You can really find out a lotabout a person when their back
is against the wall, when theirskin is on the line whether or
not they're going to live up towhat they've been saying or
(02:58):
whether they kind kind of foldlike a cheap suitcase.
Jesus spoke seven things whilehe was hanging on the cross, and
we looked at the first one andthe first thing that he said
(03:24):
while he was hanging on thecross, concerning the people
that were literally responsiblefor putting him there, or at
least on a human level.
They were the ones that werethe vehicles being used, and
that were the Romans and theJewish leaders.
(03:48):
He said, father, forgive them,for they know not what they do.
They don't know what they'redoing and he, of all things, had
(04:10):
it within himself to ask forthe forgiveness of those who
were tormenting him.
That's really living up to whathe had proclaimed publicly
(04:30):
concerning the fact that he wasthe way, the truth and life,
that no one could come to theFather except through him, and
he was making that way possibleright there.
The second thing that he saidwas I tell you the truth today
(04:52):
you'll be with me in paradise.
And he is speaking that to aman who was sentenced to death
because of being a thief.
In fact, jesus hung between twothieves.
One of them joined in with theother people and mocked him and
(05:17):
basically said if you can do it,save yourself and save us.
And the other person, who was athief, said be quiet, don't you
really know who you're talkingto?
And then he asked Jesus toremember him.
(05:41):
And Jesus counted right thereon, right there, at that very
moment, he considered that to beenough and he said I tell you
(06:08):
the truth today you will be withme in paradise.
What a profound statement, again, of all the things that he
could say or not say whilehanging on the cross.
(06:30):
I mean, some of us go to greatlengths to make sure that we are
seen talking to the rightpeople.
You know what I mean being seentalking to those that are
(06:50):
popular or those that have poweror those that have some sort of
inside information, and it'simportant to be seen talking to
them because it looks likeyou're in the know.
And here Jesus literally beingking of the Jews, king of kings,
(07:16):
actually Lord of lords God inthe flesh hanging on the cross.
Talk about having rank andholding court.
Jesus was holding court withtwo thieves.
(07:42):
If he was looking to be seenwith the right people, court
with two thieves, if he waslooking to be seen with the
right people, he would have comedown off the cross and he'd
have been spending time with theRomans and with the Jewish
leaders, because that would havebeen the right people to be
seen, with right people to beseen with.
(08:07):
But Jesus was there with menwho were on death row.
Interesting where you find Jesus.
There's a statement that Jesusmade or it was part of a
(08:33):
teaching that he said when I wasnaked, you clothed me, and when
I was hungry, you fed me.
When I was in prison, you cameto me.
(08:53):
When I was sick, you came to meto visit me.
And the question's like, lord,when did we ever see that
condition?
And he said when you do thingslike that to the least of these,
(09:16):
you do it to me.
It's the same as you doing itto me.
And I thought about that onetime time and I heard in my
heart the Lord say you know, ifyou want to find me in my
presence, go to places like that.
(09:39):
Go to places like that andyou'll find me.
That's where I hang out, that'swhere I spend time.
I spend time where other peopledon't, because in my kingdom
(10:06):
things are different.
The first they'll be last andthe last they'll be first.
The weak are strong.
The poor are rich.
(10:26):
The rich the wise in their owneyes, they become foolish.
Interesting Jesus is notashamed to be seen with people
(10:48):
that are in difficult situations.
Difficult situations.
Unlike many of us at times,myself included, I have a hard
time, or I've had a hard time.
(11:08):
Things have changed in my life,but there was a point in my
life where I had a very hardtime associating with people
that were struggling in lifeBecause, first of all, I didn't
know what to say and, secondly,I didn't want people to think
(11:31):
that that's what I was like.
I wanted people to think thatthat's what I was like.
I wanted people to think moreof me than that.
Now I see things differentlybecause I've been given a
different set of eyes.
Isn't it interesting what takesplace when we are born again,
(11:55):
when we receive the very life ofGod?
It's not as though we have anew set of eyes to see with.
We do have a new set of eyes tosee with and a new set of ears
to hear with.
We are spiritually alive,previously dead.
Spiritually alive Now.
(12:21):
Jesus gives the ultimate exampleof being willing to go to a
great length to see one personcome into the kingdom of God,
and that is how valuable onesoul, one person's life, is
(12:47):
worth.
How can you place value upon aperson's life, a person's soul?
It's invaluable.
You can't place enough value onit.
If that man on the cross wouldhave been the only one who would
(13:08):
have come to a place ofrelationship with God, to a
place of relationship with God,jesus would have gone to the
cross for that man.
I mean, it's amazing to thinkabout how far he's gone to reach
(13:28):
you, to reach me.
He had to reach into the veryplace of desperation, a type of
skid row, a hopeless alcoholicand heavy drug user.
(13:51):
But he, associated with me,reached in and said David, I
forgive you, I love you, Ireceive you, I'm going to show
(14:15):
you who my father is and I'mgoing to make you a citizen of
my kingdom and give you my lifeIn exchange for yours.
Do we have a covenant?
Yes, we do.
(14:36):
Today is the day of salvation.
For some of you, this might bethe moment, like it was for that
(15:01):
thief on the cross, where, inyour heart, you've been wooed by
the spirit of God to place yourfaith, your trust, your belief
in who Jesus is, what he's doneand what he is doing for you
(15:27):
right now, and that he is God,the Son, your Savior, and that
you have been convinced that youneed him and you believe that
(15:47):
he is who he said he is who hesaid he is.
And at that moment, at thatmoment, you enter into a whole
new realm, a whole new existence.
(16:14):
You see, does it really takeplace in a moment?
Yes, it really does take placein the moment.
Now, it's lived out over alifetime, but the change takes
place in a moment, just like ina moment you were in your
(16:35):
mother's womb and then,eventually, that moment, you
were out of your mother's womb.
Now, the process granted, justlike there's a process coming to
know the Lord.
But in a moment things changeand they change by faith in the
(17:04):
Son of God, who loves you andgave his life for you, and now
he calls us and gave his lifefor you and now he calls us to
go into some of those difficultplaces?
Oh, yes, he does.
(17:30):
Two reasons One is becausethat's where people live.
Two reasons One is becausethat's where people live and
Jesus said it's not the peoplethat are well who need a
physician.
And some people can openly sayI'm not doing so good, whereas
(17:53):
other people hide it and say, no, I'm not doing so good, whereas
other people hide it and say,no, I'm good, I got this, I got
this, I got this.
Well, if that's you, you're notready yet.
But if that has been you orthat is you where you say I need
, I'm in need and I need morethan just human help, I need
(18:22):
divine intervention, well then,enter Jesus.
But he calls us then to be hishands and his feet, his body,
doing what he did, so that wecan see people on death row come
(18:52):
to know the Lord.
Okay, well, isn't that justjailhouse religion?
Yeah, I guess it can be, butthen again, not everything that
happens in the jailhouse isreligion.
Some of it's real.
Some of you were born again asa result of your incarceration.
(19:14):
It took that to bring you toyour place of need, you
recognizing you have a need.
But it was there that Jesus metyou, either through the
(19:41):
testimony of another person, theword that came out of their
mouth, or by him supernaturallyrevealing himself to you himself
(20:05):
, to you, but nonetheless hecalls us into places that are
difficult, where people are sick, not feeling well, where people
are imprisoned right, wherepeople are naked, they literally
don't have clothing or they'restarving, they're hungry.
(20:29):
Jesus is there, and that's theother reason why we go there is
because Jesus is there, andthat's the other reason why we
go there is because Jesus isthere.
If you want to feel and knowhis presence, spend some time in
a homeless shelter, not becauseyou're homeless per se, but
because you're there to be anambassador of the kingdom of God
(20:54):
, bringing good news.
There's something going on onplanet Earth right now that is
unprecedented and it's more thana revival.
It's a sovereign demonstrationof God and it's been happening
(21:27):
for centuries, but it'shappening on a very pronounced,
graduated level right now.
And it's happening on a verypronounced, graduated level
right now and it's intensifyingand it's going to continue to
intensify, it's going tocontinue to grow, and he is
calling some of you, some of us,to be flung out into the
(21:52):
nations, to the far regions.
Some of you are hearing thisand something's burning inside
of you, because God has calledyou to reach the unreached.
He's called you to reach thosewho are in prison, those who are
captives, those who are boundin the sex slave industry, those
(22:19):
who are starving, those thatdon't have mothers, don't have
fathers, those who are widows.
He's called you into placesthat aren't easy.
But because he's there, itchanges everything Moses said.
(22:49):
Moses said that he would notlead Israel one step further
unless God, his presence, wouldgo with him.
Not an angel, not somesuperpowers, but God himself.
(23:14):
Well, that's where we're at andthat's what God is saying.
Also, he might not be visitingyour church building.
He might be saying I want youto go here and that's where I'll
(23:40):
be and that's where I willmanifest my glory.
Someone's maybe waiting for itto happen in the wrong places.
Say God, I want to have yourglory come in my easy chair.
And he's like that's a littletoo easy.
(24:06):
I want you to go where peopleare struggling.
There.
I'll manifest my glory, I willshow my glory.
I will show my glory, I willshow my power, I will reveal the
dynamics of my kingdom.
I will back up my word withsigns and wonders.
(24:32):
The Lord has no problem gettingfish in the net, he has no
problem attracting crowds.
Now, making disciples is anotherthing, and sometimes that
involves a refining process,oftentimes leaving a remnant
(24:54):
behind for a period of time.
But then the expansion takesplace because when we're refined
we become moldable, we becomeliquid gold and then we can be
(25:20):
formed and fashioned intodifferent things in oftentimes
different places.
Sometimes the Lord withholdshis glory because he wants to
cause people to leave wherethey're at and go somewhere else
, not necessarily to anothergroup of people who are
(25:45):
comfortable, but to go to placesthat are uncomfortable.
That might be the reason forsome of the rearranging going on
.
God has a plan and it'sunfolding.
(26:05):
It's not just something that'sbeen unfolded and now we just
kind of review what he's alreadydone, but we're living in an
(26:26):
unfolding of his plan and hispurposes.
His ways are becoming known,and his purposes, his ways, are
becoming known by virtue ofrevelation, because it's time it
wasn't time before, but it'stime now and for some of us it's
(26:49):
time to move locations, butagain, not so we can go start
another comfortable thing downthe block, but where we can go
into some of the more remoteplaces, some of the more
(27:14):
challenging places.
Jesus went to the cross.
Now, granted, he accomplishedmuch more than the salvation of
that one man, but he didaccomplish the salvation of that
one man.
His love certainly did notoverlook him.
(27:41):
Jesus didn't have his eyes justset on the multitudes.
He had them set on that one manand for that moment that was
the only one that was in thesight line of Jesus.
(28:03):
Sometimes you're the only onethat's in the sight line of
Jesus.
You know that can almost feeldaunting when you realize, ah,
I'm not just in a crowd and he'slooking at the crowd, he's
looking at me.
I remember when that reallyhappened to me, I was undone
(28:26):
when Jesus centered hisattention and his eyes on me and
he said I did this for you andI felt it, I heard it.
(28:48):
He made himself real.
He's making himself real acrossthe nations and it's going to
continue to grow and grow andgrow and grow and grow, because
God is very committed torelationship and he is setting
the record straight.
It's not talk about who he is.
(29:12):
It's him showing us who he is.
It's him showing us who he is.
Jesus is not ashamed toassociate with people who have
(29:34):
needs.
May that same who have needs,may that same mind, be within us
.
Let's pray, father.
I so thank you for molding usand shaping us, for refining us,
(30:03):
for purifying us.
Jesus, your forgiveness isunmatched is unmatched, and Holy
Spirit, your wisdom, is asupreme acquisition.
After you, impart to us themind of Christ so that we could
(30:28):
function like him and go toplaces that he sends us,
regardless of the condition.
Father, we love you, we worshipyou and we stand here in the
(30:52):
name of our Lord and our Savior,jesus Christ, and we say so be
it.
Amen, amen, amen, amen.
All right, folks, I love you.
If you have any thoughts,questions, concerns, please feel
free to drop us a line atlifearoundthefire, at gmailcom,
(31:15):
or type in lifearoundthefire andlook us up on the web.
We would love to hear from youIn the meantime.
God bless you.
Adios amigos.
We've been taking the past several podcast episodes
to focus in on Jesus Christ andHim crucified.
Really, the central theme in allscriptures really is the
(00:22):
revelation of Jesus in allscriptures really is the
revelation of Jesus, who he is,why he came, what he
accomplished, what he'saccomplishing and what he's
going to accomplish.
Really, if you want to find outreally what is the Bible all
(00:43):
about?
Well, it's really about Jesus.
He is the center of thescriptures and he is the center
of all creation, and so we'vebeen focusing in on that
particular portion of hisministry, of his purpose and
(01:08):
that being the cross beingcrucified, literally on our
behalf, so that we could have arelationship with God.
Amazing, a demonstration oflove that's so profound that
casually looking at it doesn'treally make sense.
(01:29):
But when you're drawn in, andespecially when Holy Spirit
draws you in and he begins tounfold things, it's amazing.
The Apostle Paul said at onepoint in his public ministry
(01:50):
that he only knew one thing andthat was Jesus Christ and him
crucified, meaning it wascentral to everything that he
said because it was thatimportant and it is that
(02:12):
important.
And in focusing in on JesusChrist and him crucified, we've
been looking at the sevenstatements that he made while he
hung on the cross, and you canreally I mean you, stop and
(02:38):
think about it.
You can really find out a lotabout a person when their back
is against the wall, when theirskin is on the line whether or
not they're going to live up towhat they've been saying or
(02:58):
whether they kind kind of foldlike a cheap suitcase.
Jesus spoke seven things whilehe was hanging on the cross, and
we looked at the first one andthe first thing that he said
(03:24):
while he was hanging on thecross, concerning the people
that were literally responsiblefor putting him there, or at
least on a human level.
They were the ones that werethe vehicles being used, and
that were the Romans and theJewish leaders.
(03:48):
He said, father, forgive them,for they know not what they do.
They don't know what they'redoing and he, of all things, had
(04:10):
it within himself to ask forthe forgiveness of those who
were tormenting him.
That's really living up to whathe had proclaimed publicly
(04:30):
concerning the fact that he wasthe way, the truth and life,
that no one could come to theFather except through him, and
he was making that way possibleright there.
The second thing that he saidwas I tell you the truth today
(04:52):
you'll be with me in paradise.
And he is speaking that to aman who was sentenced to death
because of being a thief.
In fact, jesus hung between twothieves.
One of them joined in with theother people and mocked him and
(05:17):
basically said if you can do it,save yourself and save us.
And the other person, who was athief, said be quiet, don't you
really know who you're talkingto?
And then he asked Jesus toremember him.
(05:41):
And Jesus counted right thereon, right there, at that very
moment, he considered that to beenough and he said I tell you
(06:08):
the truth today you will be withme in paradise.
What a profound statement, again, of all the things that he
could say or not say whilehanging on the cross.
(06:30):
I mean, some of us go to greatlengths to make sure that we are
seen talking to the rightpeople.
You know what I mean being seentalking to those that are
(06:50):
popular or those that have poweror those that have some sort of
inside information, and it'simportant to be seen talking to
them because it looks likeyou're in the know.
And here Jesus literally beingking of the Jews, king of kings,
(07:16):
actually Lord of lords God inthe flesh hanging on the cross.
Talk about having rank andholding court.
Jesus was holding court withtwo thieves.
(07:42):
If he was looking to be seenwith the right people, court
with two thieves, if he waslooking to be seen with the
right people, he would have comedown off the cross and he'd
have been spending time with theRomans and with the Jewish
leaders, because that would havebeen the right people to be
seen, with right people to beseen with.
(08:07):
But Jesus was there with menwho were on death row.
Interesting where you find Jesus.
There's a statement that Jesusmade or it was part of a
(08:33):
teaching that he said when I wasnaked, you clothed me, and when
I was hungry, you fed me.
When I was in prison, you cameto me.
(08:53):
When I was sick, you came to meto visit me.
And the question's like, lord,when did we ever see that
condition?
And he said when you do thingslike that to the least of these,
(09:16):
you do it to me.
It's the same as you doing itto me.
And I thought about that onetime time and I heard in my
heart the Lord say you know, ifyou want to find me in my
presence, go to places like that.
(09:39):
Go to places like that andyou'll find me.
That's where I hang out, that'swhere I spend time.
I spend time where other peopledon't, because in my kingdom
(10:06):
things are different.
The first they'll be last andthe last they'll be first.
The weak are strong.
The poor are rich.
(10:26):
The rich the wise in their owneyes, they become foolish.
Interesting Jesus is notashamed to be seen with people
(10:48):
that are in difficult situations.
Difficult situations.
Unlike many of us at times,myself included, I have a hard
time, or I've had a hard time.
(11:08):
Things have changed in my life,but there was a point in my
life where I had a very hardtime associating with people
that were struggling in lifeBecause, first of all, I didn't
know what to say and, secondly,I didn't want people to think
(11:31):
that that's what I was like.
I wanted people to think thatthat's what I was like.
I wanted people to think moreof me than that.
Now I see things differentlybecause I've been given a
different set of eyes.
Isn't it interesting what takesplace when we are born again,
(11:55):
when we receive the very life ofGod?
It's not as though we have anew set of eyes to see with.
We do have a new set of eyes tosee with and a new set of ears
to hear with.
We are spiritually alive,previously dead.
Spiritually alive Now.
(12:21):
Jesus gives the ultimate exampleof being willing to go to a
great length to see one personcome into the kingdom of God,
and that is how valuable onesoul, one person's life, is
(12:47):
worth.
How can you place value upon aperson's life, a person's soul?
It's invaluable.
You can't place enough value onit.
If that man on the cross wouldhave been the only one who would
(13:08):
have come to a place ofrelationship with God, to a
place of relationship with God,jesus would have gone to the
cross for that man.
I mean, it's amazing to thinkabout how far he's gone to reach
(13:28):
you, to reach me.
He had to reach into the veryplace of desperation, a type of
skid row, a hopeless alcoholicand heavy drug user.
(13:51):
But he, associated with me,reached in and said David, I
forgive you, I love you, Ireceive you, I'm going to show
(14:15):
you who my father is and I'mgoing to make you a citizen of
my kingdom and give you my lifeIn exchange for yours.
Do we have a covenant?
Yes, we do.
(14:36):
Today is the day of salvation.
For some of you, this might bethe moment, like it was for that
(15:01):
thief on the cross, where, inyour heart, you've been wooed by
the spirit of God to place yourfaith, your trust, your belief
in who Jesus is, what he's doneand what he is doing for you
(15:27):
right now, and that he is God,the Son, your Savior, and that
you have been convinced that youneed him and you believe that
(15:47):
he is who he said he is who hesaid he is.
And at that moment, at thatmoment, you enter into a whole
new realm, a whole new existence.
(16:14):
You see, does it really takeplace in a moment?
Yes, it really does take placein the moment.
Now, it's lived out over alifetime, but the change takes
place in a moment, just like ina moment you were in your
(16:35):
mother's womb and then,eventually, that moment, you
were out of your mother's womb.
Now, the process granted, justlike there's a process coming to
know the Lord.
But in a moment things changeand they change by faith in the
(17:04):
Son of God, who loves you andgave his life for you, and now
he calls us and gave his lifefor you and now he calls us to
go into some of those difficultplaces?
Oh, yes, he does.
(17:30):
Two reasons One is becausethat's where people live.
Two reasons One is becausethat's where people live and
Jesus said it's not the peoplethat are well who need a
physician.
And some people can openly sayI'm not doing so good, whereas
(17:53):
other people hide it and say, no, I'm not doing so good, whereas
other people hide it and say,no, I'm good, I got this, I got
this, I got this.
Well, if that's you, you're notready yet.
But if that has been you orthat is you where you say I need
, I'm in need and I need morethan just human help, I need
(18:22):
divine intervention, well then,enter Jesus.
But he calls us then to be hishands and his feet, his body,
doing what he did, so that wecan see people on death row come
(18:52):
to know the Lord.
Okay, well, isn't that justjailhouse religion?
Yeah, I guess it can be, butthen again, not everything that
happens in the jailhouse isreligion.
Some of it's real.
Some of you were born again asa result of your incarceration.
(19:14):
It took that to bring you toyour place of need, you
recognizing you have a need.
But it was there that Jesus metyou, either through the
(19:41):
testimony of another person, theword that came out of their
mouth, or by him supernaturallyrevealing himself to you himself
(20:05):
, to you, but nonetheless hecalls us into places that are
difficult, where people are sick, not feeling well, where people
are imprisoned right, wherepeople are naked, they literally
don't have clothing or they'restarving, they're hungry.
(20:29):
Jesus is there, and that's theother reason why we go there is
because Jesus is there, andthat's the other reason why we
go there is because Jesus isthere.
If you want to feel and knowhis presence, spend some time in
a homeless shelter, not becauseyou're homeless per se, but
because you're there to be anambassador of the kingdom of God
(20:54):
, bringing good news.
There's something going on onplanet Earth right now that is
unprecedented and it's more thana revival.
It's a sovereign demonstrationof God and it's been happening
(21:27):
for centuries, but it'shappening on a very pronounced,
graduated level right now.
And it's happening on a verypronounced, graduated level
right now and it's intensifyingand it's going to continue to
intensify, it's going tocontinue to grow, and he is
calling some of you, some of us,to be flung out into the
(21:52):
nations, to the far regions.
Some of you are hearing thisand something's burning inside
of you, because God has calledyou to reach the unreached.
He's called you to reach thosewho are in prison, those who are
captives, those who are boundin the sex slave industry, those
(22:19):
who are starving, those thatdon't have mothers, don't have
fathers, those who are widows.
He's called you into placesthat aren't easy.
But because he's there, itchanges everything Moses said.
(22:49):
Moses said that he would notlead Israel one step further
unless God, his presence, wouldgo with him.
Not an angel, not somesuperpowers, but God himself.
(23:14):
Well, that's where we're at andthat's what God is saying.
Also, he might not be visitingyour church building.
He might be saying I want youto go here and that's where I'll
(23:40):
be and that's where I willmanifest my glory.
Someone's maybe waiting for itto happen in the wrong places.
Say God, I want to have yourglory come in my easy chair.
And he's like that's a littletoo easy.
(24:06):
I want you to go where peopleare struggling.
There.
I'll manifest my glory, I willshow my glory.
I will show my glory, I willshow my power, I will reveal the
dynamics of my kingdom.
I will back up my word withsigns and wonders.
(24:32):
The Lord has no problem gettingfish in the net, he has no
problem attracting crowds.
Now, making disciples is anotherthing, and sometimes that
involves a refining process,oftentimes leaving a remnant
(24:54):
behind for a period of time.
But then the expansion takesplace because when we're refined
we become moldable, we becomeliquid gold and then we can be
(25:20):
formed and fashioned intodifferent things in oftentimes
different places.
Sometimes the Lord withholdshis glory because he wants to
cause people to leave wherethey're at and go somewhere else
, not necessarily to anothergroup of people who are
(25:45):
comfortable, but to go to placesthat are uncomfortable.
That might be the reason forsome of the rearranging going on
.
God has a plan and it'sunfolding.
(26:05):
It's not just something that'sbeen unfolded and now we just
kind of review what he's alreadydone, but we're living in an
(26:26):
unfolding of his plan and hispurposes.
His ways are becoming known,and his purposes, his ways, are
becoming known by virtue ofrevelation, because it's time it
wasn't time before, but it'stime now and for some of us it's
(26:49):
time to move locations, butagain, not so we can go start
another comfortable thing downthe block, but where we can go
into some of the more remoteplaces, some of the more
(27:14):
challenging places.
Jesus went to the cross.
Now, granted, he accomplishedmuch more than the salvation of
that one man, but he didaccomplish the salvation of that
one man.
His love certainly did notoverlook him.
(27:41):
Jesus didn't have his eyes justset on the multitudes.
He had them set on that one manand for that moment that was
the only one that was in thesight line of Jesus.
(28:03):
Sometimes you're the only onethat's in the sight line of
Jesus.
You know that can almost feeldaunting when you realize, ah,
I'm not just in a crowd and he'slooking at the crowd, he's
looking at me.
I remember when that reallyhappened to me, I was undone
(28:26):
when Jesus centered hisattention and his eyes on me and
he said I did this for you andI felt it, I heard it.
(28:48):
He made himself real.
He's making himself real acrossthe nations and it's going to
continue to grow and grow andgrow and grow and grow, because
God is very committed torelationship and he is setting
the record straight.
It's not talk about who he is.
(29:12):
It's him showing us who he is.
It's him showing us who he is.
Jesus is not ashamed toassociate with people who have
(29:34):
needs.
May that same who have needs,may that same mind, be within us
.
Let's pray, father.
I so thank you for molding usand shaping us, for refining us,
(30:03):
for purifying us.
Jesus, your forgiveness isunmatched is unmatched, and Holy
Spirit, your wisdom, is asupreme acquisition.
After you, impart to us themind of Christ so that we could
(30:28):
function like him and go toplaces that he sends us,
regardless of the condition.
Father, we love you, we worshipyou and we stand here in the
(30:52):
name of our Lord and our Savior,jesus Christ, and we say so be
it.
Amen, amen, amen, amen.
All right, folks, I love you.
If you have any thoughts,questions, concerns, please feel
free to drop us a line atlifearoundthefire, at gmailcom,
(31:15):
or type in lifearoundthefire andlook us up on the web.
We would love to hear from youIn the meantime.
God bless you.
Adios amigos.
Popular Podcasts
Crime Junkie
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.