Abounding Love Podcast with Former ”Tex” Watson

We get strength from the Holy Spirit as born-again believers, because God inhabits the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3). We experience His strength through the joy of the LORD. In the book of Exodus we read about the deliverance of the children of Israel from the tyranny of Pharaoh. After God brought them through the Red Sea and drowned Pharaoh's armies, " . . . Moses and the children of Israel sang this song to the LORD, and spo...

In this day and time, it is very easy to let fear and unbelief overtake us. How many of us can confess that we need help? We all need help in every area of our lives. The Lord is our helper! He helps us to overcome all our fears when we trust in His promises as children of God. "‭For He Himself has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.' So we may boldly say: 'The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?'"...

In this episode I share how God's Word sets you free and without faith in His word you will not be truly free. "‭. . . Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free'" (John 8:31-32, NKJV‬). Through His Word you learn of your right standing with God and this sets you free. For example, in Luke 13, beginning at verse 10...

This episode is Part 2 of 2 about our identity in Christ. By now, I hope when asked who you are, you don't identify yourself by your profession, neighborhood, nationality or your past. But as a believer, you identify yourself by who you are in Christ -- loved, accepted, forgiven, a new creation, a saint, a child of God and an overcomer. This identity places you above the darkness and oppression of this world system and lifts your p...

This episode is Part 1 of 2 about our need to identify ourselves with the finished works of Christ at Calvary -- who we are because of His death, burial and resurrection. The devil will come to us with lies, saying we are no good, causing us to doubt our salvation. But ". . . Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, 'If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you f...

This episode is based on the understanding given in Proverbs 28:1, which reads, "‭The wicked flee when no one pursues, but the righteous are bold as a lion" (NKJV). The word for "bold" in this verse means secure and confident. Jesus is described as "the Lion of the Tribe of Judah" (Revelation 5:5). As born-again Christians, we have His divine nature. "For He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might bec...

The ancient Greek word translated "honest" is "Kalos," meaning honest, admirable, fair, honorably. It has to do with conduct. As Christians we need beautiful conduct to "make our truth attractive." We have a new, born-again nature. Our old lying nature has been done away with; and now the Spirit of Truth lives inside of us and needs to come out, "‭. . . providing for honest things, not only in the sight of the Lord, but also in the...

In recent episodes, I've taught things on Christian character and this one is on hospitality. In the Old Testament, there is no word translated "hospitality", but it is found in stories which illustrate the concept as a duty one is required to perform. In Genesis 18:1-8, we see Abraham being hospitable to the three angels. Again, in Genesis 19:1-11, we find Lot doing the same, plus there's numerous other such stories. In the New Te...

This message is based on one particular verse, Ephesians 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (NKJV). We are to be kind, act tenderly towards others, and be forgiving [See episode 352 - How To Forgive]. We are to be this way because God is this way. We have been given a new nature - a divine nature (2 Peter 1:4); born again of incorruptible seed, through the wor...

In this episode, we're going to be talking about how to be set free. Isaiah prophesied, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" (58:6, NKJV). The bonds have been loosed, the burdens removed. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8, NKJV). Once...

As we live our lives in Christ, the Holy Spirit compels us to please God, our Heavenly Father. We want to please Him more and more. The one person Who pleased the Father more than any other is Jesus. "Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am and I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for...

The first half of this message was episode #239A - "The Call of God." I now continue by presenting eight  things we are to practice in order to be used by God. They are summarized as follows.

1. We must be willing to be used by God. "Then He [Jesus] said to His disciples, 'The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37,38, NKJV). In ...

In Isaiah 6:8, we read: "Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me'" (NKJV).  Isaiah was called to give the people a choice: to hear the Word of God and live; or reject the Word of God and face His wrath. We are called to deliver a similar message: Receive God's Word [Jesus] and accept His salvation; or reject it and be left to God's wrath. God gave His...

In the first part of the message, I taught on two ways to grow Spiritually: READ GOD'S WORD and PRAY. I begin this second part with the third way: FELLOWSHIP. This,  by definition, means we are to share things in common, to have communion with and to be partners with those possessing eternal life -- salvation. The apostle John wrote: " . . .that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with ...

This episode is the first of two parts in a series on 5 ways we can grow Spiritually: 1) Read God's Word; 2) Pray, talk to God; 3) Fellowship; 4) Witness; and 5) Praise God. Remember, our spirit is born again when we receive Christ. We needed to be born again because our spirit was corrupted by the original sin of Adam and Eve. Although our spirit has been made anew, we need to grow in spiritual understanding in the soul. Man is ma...

Our flesh opposes our spiritual, born-again nature and vice versa. "The fruit of the Spirit is love." Only as we walk in love can we fulfill the will of God in our lives, and it is manifested in joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This message is based upon the following verses: "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lust...

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. . ." (Acts 4:29, NKJV). In this verse, the Apostles had been threatened for preaching the gospel [Good News] of Jesus Christ, and they were praying for the boldness needed to preach the Word. Years later, the apostle Paul wrote: "And He Himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pas...

I begin this message by looking at Acts 19:13-20, which records what happened when Jewish exorcists wanted to use the power of the Name of Jesus, without having a relationship with Him. They tried to drive out a demon by calling on "the Jesus whom Paul preaches" (v. 13). "And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'" (v. 15, NKJV). The story ends badly for these exorcists. But good comes ...

In this message, I use various Scriptures reminding us to think on the things of God. It's a major part of our transformation. The word "things" is often correctly translated "words." Our thoughts are to become the thoughts of the Word of God. I often use the Spirit, Soul and Body Study Chart on my site to bring out the truths of salvation. During this message, I review that our spirit is born again, but our soul is not. It takes t...