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Jesus promised that if we obey his commands, our joy would be uncontainable (John 15:10-11). In fact, he frequently emphasized the importance of following his commands. But what are they? I read all of Jesus’ words in the Bible (the words in red letters) and collected 52 commands. 13 are related to our relationship with God, 13 about our relationships with people, 13 are about our values, and 13 about our actions. Over the next year, I’ll explore a different command each week.
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Listen to the Holy Spirit: Command #12
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YouTube: https://youtu.be/LR9J4HTcrVk In Revelation 2:7, Jesus said, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” - Revelation 2:7 How do we develop ears to hear? What keeps us from hearing the Holy Spirit? Gresom Grace first heard the Holy Spirit at age 12, when he lived in Nepal. Gresom’s …
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There are two components of worship. I’m going to call them “liturgy” and “lifestyle.” Liturgy includes expressions of worship in church, small groups or by yourself, like singing, praying, kneeling, etc. Lifestyle is how you live when you’re not doing the liturgy. If you’re not leading a lifestyle of worship, the liturgy is just noise. One of Jesu…
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Remember Jesus in Communion: Command #10
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Communion is a strange Christian ritual. It sounds uncomfortably like cannibalism. We practice Communion because Jesus told us to, but why did he give us this particular, peculiar instruction? Communion is not just consuming bread and wine, or juice and a cracker. If you approach it right, it’s a holy experience. Martin Luther said, “To our eyes Ba…
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Be Faithful and Watch for Jesus' Return: Command #9
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Jesus said, “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.” - Matthew 25:13 Was there value in all the previous generations being alert for Jesus’ return, even though he did not return in their lifetimes? I interviewed Howard Cary about keeping watch and gained a whole new perspective!…
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Ask the Lord to Send Out Evangelists: Command #8
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Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” - Matthew 9:37-38 What was God’s strategy to spread his word at the beginning of the Church? He could have rained down gospel tracts from heaven. He could have projected angelic TV sh…
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Let’s be clear: Jesus never explicitly commanded us to fast in the Bible. But he did assume that fasting would be part of our lives. “And when you fast, don’t make it obvious, as the hypocrites do, for they try to look miserable and disheveled so people will admire them for their fasting. I tell you the truth, that is the only reward they will ever…
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Don't Pray to Impress People: Command #6
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Some people are afraid to pray out loud where others will hear them. Others like praying out loud--maybe a little too much. Jesus said, “When you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them. I tell you the truth, that is all the reward they will ever get. But when …
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Don't Pray with Vain Repetition: Command #5
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Is praying before meals an example of praying with vain repetition? It depends. In this episode, we’ll look into what Jesus meant and didn’t mean by praying with vain repetition. We'll explore the 24/7 Prayer Room of Frederick Maryland, also known as the Frederick Prayer House. We interview its Director Sarah Dorrance. https://24-7prayerroom-freder…
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"And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Luke 11:9-10 Prayer is conversation between God and His followers. But …
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What does it mean to pray in Jesus’ name? The third command of this series comes with a conditional promise: “You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!” - John 14:13-14 This week's episode includes interviews with two prayer warriors: …
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Obey & Teach God’s Commands: Command #2
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Have you ever noticed that Jesus never emphasized believing all the correct doctrines but rather emphasized obedience? What if the Church was like that? What if we were so busy carrying out stuff Jesus told us to do that we didn’t have time to argue minor doctrines and spiritual preferences? Jesus said, “So if you ignore the least commandment and t…
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Jesus said, “follow me” a lot. But how do we follow someone we can’t see? I can follow someone on social media. I could follow a YouTube account or a podcast (you can follow this one right now by hitting subscribe). But I can’t see or hear Jesus—not with my eyes and ears. So what does it mean to follow Him? Here’s one thing Jesus doesn’t mean: try …
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