• The Fleshy Word. 2

    The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye

    What does it really mean to know Jesus Christ?

    This episode of The Kitchen takes that question beyond the familiar language of Scripture, doctrine and biblical stories and introduces a profound premise: Jesus Christ is the living Word of God, and the Body of the Word is the detailed revelation of who He is.

    Drawing from Revelation 1, Colossians 2:9 and other Scriptures, the episode explores the descriptions of Christ's head, eyes, face, hands, feet and voice. These are presented as revelations that help us understand the Person of the Word.

    The central challenge of the episode is compelling: if we want a fuller knowledge of Christ, we must learn to see and understand His Body. Each member carries its own description, function and value, and together they reveal more of the Person of the Word.

    This makes The Fleshy Word. 2 an important continuation of the journey into The Body of the Word. It invites the listener to read Scripture differently—not merely looking for verses to quote, but looking for the detailed revelation of the Person whom the Scriptures reveal.

    I recommend this episode to anyone who wants to go deeper in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Listen carefully, particularly to the way the episode connects the different members of the Body with the identity and attributes of the Word.

    Listen to “The Fleshy Word. 2” on The Kitchen

    Available on:
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    Listen to The Kitchen on Acast

    The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye
    Celebrating The Body of the Word.
    The Fleshy Word. 2 The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye What does it really mean to know Jesus Christ? This episode of The Kitchen takes that question beyond the familiar language of Scripture, doctrine and biblical stories and introduces a profound premise: Jesus Christ is the living Word of God, and the Body of the Word is the detailed revelation of who He is. Drawing from Revelation 1, Colossians 2:9 and other Scriptures, the episode explores the descriptions of Christ's head, eyes, face, hands, feet and voice. These are presented as revelations that help us understand the Person of the Word. The central challenge of the episode is compelling: if we want a fuller knowledge of Christ, we must learn to see and understand His Body. Each member carries its own description, function and value, and together they reveal more of the Person of the Word. This makes The Fleshy Word. 2 an important continuation of the journey into The Body of the Word. It invites the listener to read Scripture differently—not merely looking for verses to quote, but looking for the detailed revelation of the Person whom the Scriptures reveal. I recommend this episode to anyone who wants to go deeper in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. Listen carefully, particularly to the way the episode connects the different members of the Body with the identity and attributes of the Word. 🎧 Listen to “The Fleshy Word. 2” on The Kitchen Available on: • Spotify • Apple Podcasts • Amazon Music • Audible • Deezer Listen to The Kitchen on Acast The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye Celebrating The Body of the Word.
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  • The Kitchen Newsletter

    Good day,
    Welcome to The Kitchen, where we explore, prepare and serve the contents in the Body of the Word as the delicacies of God—to create the form of the Father on the earth, to make the earth in His likeness, and to take charge of the economic destinies of nations for God.

    Relax, and let's journey through the scriptures to see the Body of the Word.

    What if the descriptions of the body of Jesus Christ in Scripture are not merely descriptions of what John or Ezekiel saw—but windows into the invisible God?

    John was on Patmos when he heard a voice behind him. He turned, and what he saw was extraordinary: a figure like the Son of Man, standing among seven golden lampstands. His hair was white like wool, His eyes were like blazing fire, His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, His voice like rushing waters, and His face like the sun in all its brilliance.

    John did not encounter an idea.

    He encountered a Person.

    He encountered Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, in the appearance of a man and with a body (Revelation 1:1–2, 12–17; Ezekiel 1:26).

    This gives us a remarkable way of reading Scripture: the Body of the Word is a revelation of the invisible God.

    Hebrews 1:3 calls Christ “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Paul similarly speaks of “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory” in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

    Therefore, when Scripture describes the eyes, face, feet, voice, garments, or other details of the Word, these descriptions are not empty imagery. They invite us to inquire into the Person they reveal.

    Consider the eyes.

    John says:

    “His eyes were like blazing fire.”
    — Revelation 1:14

    Why blazing fire?

    Hebrews 12:29 tells us, “Our God is a consuming fire.”

    The image therefore takes us beyond the physical description of eyes. It begins to tell us something about the nature, passion, desire and activity of God.

    The Body of the Word becomes a language through which the invisible God makes Himself known.

    And this is where the subject becomes particularly provocative.

    The Father has a hunger.

    We often speak about our hunger for God. But what if Scripture also teaches us to consider the hunger of God?

    Isaiah speaks of the tongue of the Lord as a consuming fire (Isaiah 30:27). Jesus declares:

    “I am the bread that came down from heaven.”
    — John 6:33

    And:

    “I am the bread of life.”
    — John 6:35

    Then He makes the statement even more striking:

    “This bread is my flesh.”
    — John 6:51

    The bread placed continually before God in the tabernacle was called the bread of the Presence (Exodus 25:30).

    So the Body of the Word is not merely something we study. In this revelation, the Body of the Word is the food of God—the object of the Father’s intense desire.

    The dining table becomes a powerful picture.

    Song of Solomon 7:2 speaks of a rounded goblet, blended wine and a mound of wheat. The imagery presents the Body as a place of nourishment and abundance.

    What if our understanding of the Body of the Word is itself part of the Father’s desire?

    What if the question is not merely, “How much do I know about God?”

    But:

    “What does God desire to find in me?”

    This takes us directly to the image of the blazing eyes.

    The eye is described by Jesus as the lamp of the body (Matthew 6:22). The blazing eyes of the Word therefore present another dimension of the Body: the lamp of God.

    A lamp searches.

    A lamp illuminates.

    A lamp reveals what is hidden.

    Psalm 11:5 says that the Lord examines the righteous, while Psalm 14:2 says that He looks down from heaven to see whether there is anyone who understands and seeks Him.

    Notice the connection.

    The blazing eyes are not merely looking at us.

    They are looking for something in us.

    They are looking for understanding.

    The Father is looking for the knowledge of the Body of the Word in the hearts and minds of His people.

    That changes the way we think about revelation.

    Psalm 119:130 says:

    “The unfolding of your words gives light and understanding to the simple.”

    The Word contains depths that must be unfolded.

    And when the details of the Body of the Word are unfolded, they bring light—the revelation knowledge of the Father (Psalm 119:130; 2 Corinthians 4:6).

    This is also why Jesus said:

    “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.”
    — John 5:39

    The Scriptures are not merely information about religious subjects. They testify about a Person.

    The descriptions of the Body of the Word therefore become places of investigation.

    The eyes speak.

    The face speaks.

    The feet speak.

    The garments speak.

    The voice speaks.

    And through these descriptions, we begin to encounter dimensions of the Person of the Word—and consequently dimensions of the Father.

    The emotions of God are also revealed.

    Isaiah 59:17 describes God clothing Himself with zeal “as a cloak.”

    A garment covers and expresses the person wearing it.

    If the garments of God are described through Scripture, and Scripture testifies about the Word, then the imagery of God's garments becomes another doorway into understanding His Person.

    The Body of the Word, therefore, becomes a profound vocabulary for understanding the emotions of God.

    His zeal.

    His longing.

    His desire.

    His hunger.

    His compassion.

    His grief.

    His expectation.

    His pleasure.

    His intensity.

    These are not abstract theological categories. They are dimensions of the Person of God that Scripture progressively reveals.

    And who searches these depths for us?

    The Holy Spirit.

    Jesus says in John 16:13–15 that the Spirit of truth will take what belongs to Christ and make it known to us.

    Paul adds:

    “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.”
    — 1 Corinthians 2:10

    The Body of the Word is therefore not a closed mystery.

    It is a treasury to be searched.

    The Holy Spirit searches the deep things of God and unfolds them so that we can know the Father more precisely.

    This is why revelation is more than acquiring information.

    Revelation is discovering what is already contained in the Person of the Word.

    And perhaps this explains one of the great spiritual questions of our time:

    Why does God seem to be searching the hearts of His people?

    Because the Father is looking for a place where the Body of theWord can be understood.

    He is looking for hearts that can become tables upon which His food is received.

    He is looking for minds that can accommodate the revelation of His Son.

    He is looking for people who will not merely quote Scripture, but will allow Scripture to reveal the Person of Christ.

    The blazing eyes of the Word are still searching.

    And the question is:

    What are they looking for in us?

    Perhaps the answer is simpler—and more demanding—than we imagined:

    Understanding.

    An understanding of the Body of the Word.

    An understanding of the Father.

    An understanding deep enough to shape how we live, how we build, how we govern, how we work, and ultimately how we participate in the economic destinies of nations.

    The Father wants His form reproduced on the earth through people who have seen, understood and received the revelation of the Body of the Word.

    This is why we must return to Scripture—not merely to read it, but to unfold it.

    Because somewhere within the details is light.

    And somewhere within the light is the knowledge of the Father.

    And somewhere within that knowledge is the revelation of the Person of the Word.

    I am Omodolapo Ogunye.

    Listen to The Kitchen Podcast by Omodolapo Ogunye on Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts.

    Please share and spread the Revelation Knowledge of the Body of the Word.

    celebrating the Body of the Word

    #foodmoneyshow
    #bodyoftheword
    #marketplace
    #moneymindset
    #money
    #worldwide
    The Kitchen Newsletter Good day, Welcome to The Kitchen, where we explore, prepare and serve the contents in the Body of the Word as the delicacies of God—to create the form of the Father on the earth, to make the earth in His likeness, and to take charge of the economic destinies of nations for God. Relax, and let's journey through the scriptures to see the Body of the Word. What if the descriptions of the body of Jesus Christ in Scripture are not merely descriptions of what John or Ezekiel saw—but windows into the invisible God? John was on Patmos when he heard a voice behind him. He turned, and what he saw was extraordinary: a figure like the Son of Man, standing among seven golden lampstands. His hair was white like wool, His eyes were like blazing fire, His feet like bronze glowing in a furnace, His voice like rushing waters, and His face like the sun in all its brilliance. John did not encounter an idea. He encountered a Person. He encountered Jesus Christ, the living Word of God, in the appearance of a man and with a body (Revelation 1:1–2, 12–17; Ezekiel 1:26). This gives us a remarkable way of reading Scripture: the Body of the Word is a revelation of the invisible God. Hebrews 1:3 calls Christ “the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being.” Paul similarly speaks of “the light of the knowledge of God’s glory” in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6). Therefore, when Scripture describes the eyes, face, feet, voice, garments, or other details of the Word, these descriptions are not empty imagery. They invite us to inquire into the Person they reveal. Consider the eyes. John says: “His eyes were like blazing fire.” — Revelation 1:14 Why blazing fire? Hebrews 12:29 tells us, “Our God is a consuming fire.” The image therefore takes us beyond the physical description of eyes. It begins to tell us something about the nature, passion, desire and activity of God. The Body of the Word becomes a language through which the invisible God makes Himself known. And this is where the subject becomes particularly provocative. The Father has a hunger. We often speak about our hunger for God. But what if Scripture also teaches us to consider the hunger of God? Isaiah speaks of the tongue of the Lord as a consuming fire (Isaiah 30:27). Jesus declares: “I am the bread that came down from heaven.” — John 6:33 And: “I am the bread of life.” — John 6:35 Then He makes the statement even more striking: “This bread is my flesh.” — John 6:51 The bread placed continually before God in the tabernacle was called the bread of the Presence (Exodus 25:30). So the Body of the Word is not merely something we study. In this revelation, the Body of the Word is the food of God—the object of the Father’s intense desire. The dining table becomes a powerful picture. Song of Solomon 7:2 speaks of a rounded goblet, blended wine and a mound of wheat. The imagery presents the Body as a place of nourishment and abundance. What if our understanding of the Body of the Word is itself part of the Father’s desire? What if the question is not merely, “How much do I know about God?” But: “What does God desire to find in me?” This takes us directly to the image of the blazing eyes. The eye is described by Jesus as the lamp of the body (Matthew 6:22). The blazing eyes of the Word therefore present another dimension of the Body: the lamp of God. A lamp searches. A lamp illuminates. A lamp reveals what is hidden. Psalm 11:5 says that the Lord examines the righteous, while Psalm 14:2 says that He looks down from heaven to see whether there is anyone who understands and seeks Him. Notice the connection. The blazing eyes are not merely looking at us. They are looking for something in us. They are looking for understanding. The Father is looking for the knowledge of the Body of the Word in the hearts and minds of His people. That changes the way we think about revelation. Psalm 119:130 says: “The unfolding of your words gives light and understanding to the simple.” The Word contains depths that must be unfolded. And when the details of the Body of the Word are unfolded, they bring light—the revelation knowledge of the Father (Psalm 119:130; 2 Corinthians 4:6). This is also why Jesus said: “These are the Scriptures that testify about me.” — John 5:39 The Scriptures are not merely information about religious subjects. They testify about a Person. The descriptions of the Body of the Word therefore become places of investigation. The eyes speak. The face speaks. The feet speak. The garments speak. The voice speaks. And through these descriptions, we begin to encounter dimensions of the Person of the Word—and consequently dimensions of the Father. The emotions of God are also revealed. Isaiah 59:17 describes God clothing Himself with zeal “as a cloak.” A garment covers and expresses the person wearing it. If the garments of God are described through Scripture, and Scripture testifies about the Word, then the imagery of God's garments becomes another doorway into understanding His Person. The Body of the Word, therefore, becomes a profound vocabulary for understanding the emotions of God. His zeal. His longing. His desire. His hunger. His compassion. His grief. His expectation. His pleasure. His intensity. These are not abstract theological categories. They are dimensions of the Person of God that Scripture progressively reveals. And who searches these depths for us? The Holy Spirit. Jesus says in John 16:13–15 that the Spirit of truth will take what belongs to Christ and make it known to us. Paul adds: “The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God.” — 1 Corinthians 2:10 The Body of the Word is therefore not a closed mystery. It is a treasury to be searched. The Holy Spirit searches the deep things of God and unfolds them so that we can know the Father more precisely. This is why revelation is more than acquiring information. Revelation is discovering what is already contained in the Person of the Word. And perhaps this explains one of the great spiritual questions of our time: Why does God seem to be searching the hearts of His people? Because the Father is looking for a place where the Body of theWord can be understood. He is looking for hearts that can become tables upon which His food is received. He is looking for minds that can accommodate the revelation of His Son. He is looking for people who will not merely quote Scripture, but will allow Scripture to reveal the Person of Christ. The blazing eyes of the Word are still searching. And the question is: What are they looking for in us? Perhaps the answer is simpler—and more demanding—than we imagined: Understanding. An understanding of the Body of the Word. An understanding of the Father. An understanding deep enough to shape how we live, how we build, how we govern, how we work, and ultimately how we participate in the economic destinies of nations. The Father wants His form reproduced on the earth through people who have seen, understood and received the revelation of the Body of the Word. This is why we must return to Scripture—not merely to read it, but to unfold it. Because somewhere within the details is light. And somewhere within the light is the knowledge of the Father. And somewhere within that knowledge is the revelation of the Person of the Word. I am Omodolapo Ogunye. Listen to The Kitchen Podcast by Omodolapo Ogunye on Audible, Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music and Apple Podcasts. Please share and spread the Revelation Knowledge of the Body of the Word. celebrating the Body of the Word #foodmoneyshow #bodyoftheword #marketplace #moneymindset #money #worldwide
    0 Commenti 0 condivisioni 46 Views
  • Omodolapo Ogunye
    (Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify)

    The Kitchen
    Omodolapo Ogunye (Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify) The Kitchen
    0 Commenti 0 condivisioni 42 Views
  • The Body of the Word is a Land Flowing with Abundance of Silver.

    Join me for 15 minutes everyday in The Kitchen to explore and feed on the contents in the Body of the Word for consistent supply of finances in the economic environments of nations.

    Listen to The Kitchen on Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify

    https://music.amazon.com/es-us/podcasts/37df4cbf-d46c-44af-9104-77c1a71f3d09/the-kitchen

    #foodmoneyshow
    #bodyoftheword
    #marketplace
    #moneymindset
    #moneytips
    The Body of the Word is a Land Flowing with Abundance of Silver. Join me for 15 minutes everyday in The Kitchen to explore and feed on the contents in the Body of the Word for consistent supply of finances in the economic environments of nations. Listen to The Kitchen on Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify https://music.amazon.com/es-us/podcasts/37df4cbf-d46c-44af-9104-77c1a71f3d09/the-kitchen #foodmoneyshow #bodyoftheword #marketplace #moneymindset #moneytips
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  • 1. The detailed description of the Body of the Word is the language of the Word of God.

    2. The ears of the Father are always itchy to hear the detailed descriptions of the Body of the Word.

    3. The eyes of the Father are always longing to see the Body of the Word..

    Listen to The Kitchen on Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify.

    https://shows.acast.com/the-kitchen/episodes/6a5e04bcc8941e69915ed32e

    #foodmoneyshow
    #bodyoftheword
    #marketplace
    #worldwide
    #moneymarket
    1. The detailed description of the Body of the Word is the language of the Word of God. 2. The ears of the Father are always itchy to hear the detailed descriptions of the Body of the Word. 3. The eyes of the Father are always longing to see the Body of the Word.. Listen to The Kitchen on Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify. https://shows.acast.com/the-kitchen/episodes/6a5e04bcc8941e69915ed32e #foodmoneyshow #bodyoftheword #marketplace #worldwide #moneymarket
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  • Are You an Intentional Christian?

    By Pastor Joseph Clark

    Life does not simply happen to us. At least, it should not. There are circumstances we cannot control. There are things that happen to us that we never anticipated, and there are seasons when we have little choice over what comes our way. But within all of that, God has given us something extraordinarily important:

    The freedom to choose how we will live before Him.

    We should never be content merely to hope that our faith is genuine. We are called to deliberately follow Christ, deliberately obey His Word, deliberately love others, deliberately serve, deliberately grow—and deliberately bear fruit. The Christian life is not a spectator sport.

    Let me be absolutely clear: we are not saved by our good works. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not something we earn through religious accomplishments or our own efforts. We cannot purchase forgiveness by doing enough good deeds. We cannot impress God into saving us.

    Paul writes:

    “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works.”

    Ephesians 2:8–9

    Amen.

    But sometimes Christians stop reading there. The very next verse says:

    “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

    Ephesians 2:10

    Notice the order. We are not saved by good works. We are saved for good works. Works are not the root of our salvation; they are supposed to be the fruit of our salvation.

    That distinction is absolutely essential. A person does not become a Christian because he produces fruit. Rather, because he has been brought into Christ, his life should increasingly begin to produce fruit.

    I have observed that some Christians use the “by faith, not works” argument as a cop-out to justify a lazy, fruitless walk.

    Jesus Himself said:

    “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

    Matthew 7:16

    He did not say, “Don’t worry about fruit because you believe.” He said:

    “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

    Matthew 7:17

    There is a dangerous misunderstanding that can sometimes enter Christian thinking. A person says, “I am saved by faith and not works.” That statement is true. But then he concludes, “Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether my life produces anything.”

    That conclusion is not biblical.

    James puts the matter bluntly:

    “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”

    James 2:17

    James isn’t teaching that we purchase salvation by our deeds. He is teaching that genuine faith is living faith.

    If I tell you that I have a fire burning in my house, but you enter the house and find no heat, no light, no flame, and no evidence whatsoever of fire, you would have good reason to question my claim.

    In the same way, if someone claims to belong to Christ but deliberately refuses to grow, refuses to obey, refuses to serve, refuses to love, refuses to forgive, and refuses to bear any spiritual fruit, we should not simply congratulate that person by saying, “Well, you’re saved by faith, so none of that matters.”

    Jesus never taught such complacency.

    Consider one of the most sobering statements Jesus ever made. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus describes people who will stand before Him on the day of judgment. They will say that they did things in His name. And Jesus will say:

    “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

    Matthew 7:23

    That should cause every professing Christian to pause.

    Jesus did not say, “You weren’t sincere enough.” He did not say, “You didn’t perform enough religious deeds.” He said, “I never knew you.”

    The issue is ultimately relationship with Christ.

    Likewise, Jesus gives a similar warning in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Some of the virgins were complacent and unprepared for the bridegroom. When he arrived, they were shut out of the wedding feast. The warning is unmistakable: we must not live carelessly or presume upon the grace of God.

    A person can say the right things, use Christian vocabulary, attend church, perform religious activities, and even speak about Jesus—and yet not actually belong to Him.

    This is why we should never merely sit back and say, “I hope my faith is genuine.” We should examine our lives. We should pursue Christ. We should repent when we sin. We should seek holiness. We should love our neighbor. We should forgive. We should serve. We should pray. We should study God’s Word. We should proclaim the Gospel. We should bear fruit.

    Not because these things purchase our salvation—but because Christ has saved us and called us to live differently.

    Our fruitfulness should also be expressed through obedience to Christ’s Great Commission.

    Jesus said:

    “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

    John 15:16

    That is not passive language.

    Go. Bear fruit.

    Christ did not save us so that we could sit comfortably on the sidelines of Christianity. He called us into a life of purpose.

    Jesus also said:

    “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.”

    John 15:8

    There is that word again: fruit.

    Fruit is evidence of life.

    Wake Up and Bear Fruit

    Do you see what is happening in this fallen world today?

    Paganism. False religions.

    They are boldly, deliberately, and intentionally seeking to influence and claim the hearts and minds of people throughout the world.

    Our answer should be bold, fruitful evangelism!

    Wake up!

    Use your God-given gifts in any way you can to share His Gospel.

    An apple tree doesn’t produce apples in order to become an apple tree. It produces apples because it is an apple tree.

    Likewise, Christians don’t perform good works in order to become God’s children. We bear fruit because, through faith in Christ, God has made us His children.

    This brings us back to our central question:

    What are you going to do with the life God has given you?

    You cannot choose every circumstance. But you can choose whether you will trust God in those circumstances.

    You can choose whether you will forgive.

    You can choose whether you will serve.

    You can choose whether you will encourage someone who is discouraged.

    You can choose whether you will open your Bible.

    You can choose whether you will pray.

    You can choose whether you will share your faith.

    You can choose whether you will repent.

    You can choose whether you will obey Christ when obedience is difficult.

    You can choose whether your Christianity will be merely something you claim—or something you deliberately live.

    Paul told the Philippians:

    “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.”

    Philippians 2:12

    Paul did not mean, “Work for your salvation.” He was writing to people who were already Christians. The meaning is that the salvation God has worked into your life should be worked out in the way you live.

    Your faith should become visible.

    Your character should change.

    Your priorities should change.

    Your relationships should change.

    Your choices should change.

    Your life should increasingly resemble the Christ you profess to follow.

    There is a difference between saying, “I hope I’m a faithful Christian,” and saying, “By the grace of God, I will deliberately seek to become a faithful Christian.”

    The first can become passive.

    The second is intentional.

    What Will You Do With What God Has Given You?

    Do you remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14–30?

    Are you the servant who was given one talent and buried it in the ground rather than using it?

    To that servant, the master said:

    “You wicked, lazy servant!”

    Matthew 25:26

    The judgment concludes:

    “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

    Matthew 25:30

    Or are you the servant to whom the Lord will say:

    “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!”

    Matthew 25:21

    Let me pause and ask you right now:

    Is this message off-putting to you? Does this message offend you?

    If so, ask yourself: Why?

    Why does God’s Word—and a message consistent with His Word—bother you?

    And don’t misunderstand me: you cannot manufacture spiritual fruit through human strength.

    Jesus said:

    “Apart from me you can do nothing.”

    John 15:5

    Fruit comes from abiding in Christ.

    But abiding in Christ is not passive indifference.

    We choose to remain close to Him.

    We choose obedience.

    We choose repentance.

    We choose prayer.

    We choose service.

    We choose faithfulness.

    We choose to say yes when Christ calls.

    In the Parable of the Talents, one servant received one talent and buried it. He did not steal it. He did not destroy it. He simply did nothing with it.

    When the master returned, the servant had an excuse. But the master condemned him.

    Why?

    Because what had been entrusted to him was intended to be used.

    There is a warning here for Christians who have been given time, abilities, opportunities, spiritual gifts, knowledge, and resources but deliberately refuse to use them for God’s purposes.

    God did not give you your life merely to consume it.

    He gave you a life that can be offered back to Him.

    Jesus also told of a fig tree that was not producing fruit. The owner came looking for fruit and found none. The tree was occupying valuable ground, but it was not fulfilling the purpose for which it existed.

    That should make us think.

    What is your Christian life producing?

    Are people encouraged because you know Christ?

    Are people helped because you serve?

    Are people forgiven because you have learned to forgive?

    Are people hearing the Gospel because you are willing to speak?

    Are people seeing Christ in your conduct?

    Are you becoming more patient?

    More loving?

    More humble?

    More truthful?

    More generous?

    More courageous?

    More obedient?

    Has God given you talents or resources such as public influence, good oratory, conversational skills, a good computer, social media, or other online tools?

    Use them for Christ.

    Do you enjoy Christian podcasts, Christian articles, or Christian music?

    Share them online with others.

    Do you know someone who is in need or grieving?

    Be present to them.

    Let them know you are praying for them.

    Pray for them!

    Make a prayer list and pray daily.

    Pray for this fallen world.

    Reassure others of the coming of Christ.

    Use whatever God has entrusted to you to advance His Kingdom and proclaim His Gospel.

    What fruit is your life producing?

    You Don’t Have to Be Famous to Be Fruitful

    You don’t have to be famous to be fruitful.

    You don’t have to preach to thousands.

    You don’t have to write books.

    You don’t have to stand behind a pulpit.

    A mother raising her children in the faith can be fruitful.

    A man encouraging a discouraged neighbor can be fruitful.

    A Christian visiting the lonely can be fruitful.

    Someone praying faithfully for another person can be fruitful.

    A believer forgiving an enemy can be fruitful.

    A Christian refusing to participate in gossip can be fruitful.

    Someone quietly giving to help another person can be fruitful.

    Fruitfulness isn’t necessarily spectacular.

    Sometimes the greatest Christian fruit is produced quietly, where only God sees it.

    Jesus said:

    “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

    Matthew 6:4

    Your life will not be perfect.

    You will fail.

    You will sin.

    You will sometimes become discouraged.

    You will occasionally make terrible decisions.

    But don’t confuse failure with fruitlessness.

    A fruitful Christian is not a perfect Christian. A fruitful Christian is an obedient Christian who keeps turning toward Christ.

    When he falls, he gets back up.

    When he sins, he repents.

    When he fails, he seeks God’s grace.

    When he becomes discouraged, he keeps walking.

    When God opens a door, he walks through it.

    When Christ calls, he responds.

    That is deliberate Christianity.

    So don’t merely sit back and hope that your faith is genuine.

    Pursue Christ.

    Don’t use salvation by faith as an excuse for spiritual laziness.

    Bear fruit.

    Don’t try to earn God’s love through good works.

    Serve because you have already received His grace.

    Don’t live as though your life is something that merely happens to you.

    By the grace of God, choose to make it count.

    Jesus said:

    “By their fruit you will recognize them.”

    And He also said:

    “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.”

    The Christian life is not about earning salvation.

    It is about living out the salvation you have received.

    So get up.

    Pray. Believe. Repent. Obey. Serve. Love. Forgive. Speak. Give. Go.

    Create content.

    Share content.

    Practice charity.

    Use your talents in any way you can to share the Kingdom of Christ and reach pagans, non-believers, and those who do not yet know Jesus Christ.

    Bear fruit.

    You have been given one life.

    Don’t merely wait to see what happens to it.

    With Christ, deliberately choose what you will do with it.

    And may your life bear fruit—not for your own glory, but for the glory of the One who saved you.

    In Jesus’ name, I pray.

    AMEN. AMEN. AMEN!
    Are You an Intentional Christian? By Pastor Joseph Clark Life does not simply happen to us. At least, it should not. There are circumstances we cannot control. There are things that happen to us that we never anticipated, and there are seasons when we have little choice over what comes our way. But within all of that, God has given us something extraordinarily important: The freedom to choose how we will live before Him. We should never be content merely to hope that our faith is genuine. We are called to deliberately follow Christ, deliberately obey His Word, deliberately love others, deliberately serve, deliberately grow—and deliberately bear fruit. The Christian life is not a spectator sport. Let me be absolutely clear: we are not saved by our good works. The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith, not something we earn through religious accomplishments or our own efforts. We cannot purchase forgiveness by doing enough good deeds. We cannot impress God into saving us. Paul writes: “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works.” Ephesians 2:8–9 Amen. But sometimes Christians stop reading there. The very next verse says: “For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” Ephesians 2:10 Notice the order. We are not saved by good works. We are saved for good works. Works are not the root of our salvation; they are supposed to be the fruit of our salvation. That distinction is absolutely essential. A person does not become a Christian because he produces fruit. Rather, because he has been brought into Christ, his life should increasingly begin to produce fruit. I have observed that some Christians use the “by faith, not works” argument as a cop-out to justify a lazy, fruitless walk. Jesus Himself said: “By their fruit you will recognize them.” Matthew 7:16 He did not say, “Don’t worry about fruit because you believe.” He said: “Every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.” Matthew 7:17 There is a dangerous misunderstanding that can sometimes enter Christian thinking. A person says, “I am saved by faith and not works.” That statement is true. But then he concludes, “Therefore, it doesn’t matter whether my life produces anything.” That conclusion is not biblical. James puts the matter bluntly: “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” James 2:17 James isn’t teaching that we purchase salvation by our deeds. He is teaching that genuine faith is living faith. If I tell you that I have a fire burning in my house, but you enter the house and find no heat, no light, no flame, and no evidence whatsoever of fire, you would have good reason to question my claim. In the same way, if someone claims to belong to Christ but deliberately refuses to grow, refuses to obey, refuses to serve, refuses to love, refuses to forgive, and refuses to bear any spiritual fruit, we should not simply congratulate that person by saying, “Well, you’re saved by faith, so none of that matters.” Jesus never taught such complacency. Consider one of the most sobering statements Jesus ever made. In Matthew 7:21–23, Jesus describes people who will stand before Him on the day of judgment. They will say that they did things in His name. And Jesus will say: “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!” Matthew 7:23 That should cause every professing Christian to pause. Jesus did not say, “You weren’t sincere enough.” He did not say, “You didn’t perform enough religious deeds.” He said, “I never knew you.” The issue is ultimately relationship with Christ. Likewise, Jesus gives a similar warning in the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Some of the virgins were complacent and unprepared for the bridegroom. When he arrived, they were shut out of the wedding feast. The warning is unmistakable: we must not live carelessly or presume upon the grace of God. A person can say the right things, use Christian vocabulary, attend church, perform religious activities, and even speak about Jesus—and yet not actually belong to Him. This is why we should never merely sit back and say, “I hope my faith is genuine.” We should examine our lives. We should pursue Christ. We should repent when we sin. We should seek holiness. We should love our neighbor. We should forgive. We should serve. We should pray. We should study God’s Word. We should proclaim the Gospel. We should bear fruit. Not because these things purchase our salvation—but because Christ has saved us and called us to live differently. Our fruitfulness should also be expressed through obedience to Christ’s Great Commission. Jesus said: “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” John 15:16 That is not passive language. Go. Bear fruit. Christ did not save us so that we could sit comfortably on the sidelines of Christianity. He called us into a life of purpose. Jesus also said: “This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.” John 15:8 There is that word again: fruit. Fruit is evidence of life. Wake Up and Bear Fruit Do you see what is happening in this fallen world today? Paganism. False religions. They are boldly, deliberately, and intentionally seeking to influence and claim the hearts and minds of people throughout the world. Our answer should be bold, fruitful evangelism! Wake up! Use your God-given gifts in any way you can to share His Gospel. An apple tree doesn’t produce apples in order to become an apple tree. It produces apples because it is an apple tree. Likewise, Christians don’t perform good works in order to become God’s children. We bear fruit because, through faith in Christ, God has made us His children. This brings us back to our central question: What are you going to do with the life God has given you? You cannot choose every circumstance. But you can choose whether you will trust God in those circumstances. You can choose whether you will forgive. You can choose whether you will serve. You can choose whether you will encourage someone who is discouraged. You can choose whether you will open your Bible. You can choose whether you will pray. You can choose whether you will share your faith. You can choose whether you will repent. You can choose whether you will obey Christ when obedience is difficult. You can choose whether your Christianity will be merely something you claim—or something you deliberately live. Paul told the Philippians: “Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.” Philippians 2:12 Paul did not mean, “Work for your salvation.” He was writing to people who were already Christians. The meaning is that the salvation God has worked into your life should be worked out in the way you live. Your faith should become visible. Your character should change. Your priorities should change. Your relationships should change. Your choices should change. Your life should increasingly resemble the Christ you profess to follow. There is a difference between saying, “I hope I’m a faithful Christian,” and saying, “By the grace of God, I will deliberately seek to become a faithful Christian.” The first can become passive. The second is intentional. What Will You Do With What God Has Given You? Do you remember the Parable of the Talents in Matthew 25:14–30? Are you the servant who was given one talent and buried it in the ground rather than using it? To that servant, the master said: “You wicked, lazy servant!” Matthew 25:26 The judgment concludes: “And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Matthew 25:30 Or are you the servant to whom the Lord will say: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” Matthew 25:21 Let me pause and ask you right now: Is this message off-putting to you? Does this message offend you? If so, ask yourself: Why? Why does God’s Word—and a message consistent with His Word—bother you? And don’t misunderstand me: you cannot manufacture spiritual fruit through human strength. Jesus said: “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5 Fruit comes from abiding in Christ. But abiding in Christ is not passive indifference. We choose to remain close to Him. We choose obedience. We choose repentance. We choose prayer. We choose service. We choose faithfulness. We choose to say yes when Christ calls. In the Parable of the Talents, one servant received one talent and buried it. He did not steal it. He did not destroy it. He simply did nothing with it. When the master returned, the servant had an excuse. But the master condemned him. Why? Because what had been entrusted to him was intended to be used. There is a warning here for Christians who have been given time, abilities, opportunities, spiritual gifts, knowledge, and resources but deliberately refuse to use them for God’s purposes. God did not give you your life merely to consume it. He gave you a life that can be offered back to Him. Jesus also told of a fig tree that was not producing fruit. The owner came looking for fruit and found none. The tree was occupying valuable ground, but it was not fulfilling the purpose for which it existed. That should make us think. What is your Christian life producing? Are people encouraged because you know Christ? Are people helped because you serve? Are people forgiven because you have learned to forgive? Are people hearing the Gospel because you are willing to speak? Are people seeing Christ in your conduct? Are you becoming more patient? More loving? More humble? More truthful? More generous? More courageous? More obedient? Has God given you talents or resources such as public influence, good oratory, conversational skills, a good computer, social media, or other online tools? Use them for Christ. Do you enjoy Christian podcasts, Christian articles, or Christian music? Share them online with others. Do you know someone who is in need or grieving? Be present to them. Let them know you are praying for them. Pray for them! Make a prayer list and pray daily. Pray for this fallen world. Reassure others of the coming of Christ. Use whatever God has entrusted to you to advance His Kingdom and proclaim His Gospel. What fruit is your life producing? You Don’t Have to Be Famous to Be Fruitful You don’t have to be famous to be fruitful. You don’t have to preach to thousands. You don’t have to write books. You don’t have to stand behind a pulpit. A mother raising her children in the faith can be fruitful. A man encouraging a discouraged neighbor can be fruitful. A Christian visiting the lonely can be fruitful. Someone praying faithfully for another person can be fruitful. A believer forgiving an enemy can be fruitful. A Christian refusing to participate in gossip can be fruitful. Someone quietly giving to help another person can be fruitful. Fruitfulness isn’t necessarily spectacular. Sometimes the greatest Christian fruit is produced quietly, where only God sees it. Jesus said: “Your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” Matthew 6:4 Your life will not be perfect. You will fail. You will sin. You will sometimes become discouraged. You will occasionally make terrible decisions. But don’t confuse failure with fruitlessness. A fruitful Christian is not a perfect Christian. A fruitful Christian is an obedient Christian who keeps turning toward Christ. When he falls, he gets back up. When he sins, he repents. When he fails, he seeks God’s grace. When he becomes discouraged, he keeps walking. When God opens a door, he walks through it. When Christ calls, he responds. That is deliberate Christianity. So don’t merely sit back and hope that your faith is genuine. Pursue Christ. Don’t use salvation by faith as an excuse for spiritual laziness. Bear fruit. Don’t try to earn God’s love through good works. Serve because you have already received His grace. Don’t live as though your life is something that merely happens to you. By the grace of God, choose to make it count. Jesus said: “By their fruit you will recognize them.” And He also said: “I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last.” The Christian life is not about earning salvation. It is about living out the salvation you have received. So get up. Pray. Believe. Repent. Obey. Serve. Love. Forgive. Speak. Give. Go. Create content. Share content. Practice charity. Use your talents in any way you can to share the Kingdom of Christ and reach pagans, non-believers, and those who do not yet know Jesus Christ. Bear fruit. You have been given one life. Don’t merely wait to see what happens to it. With Christ, deliberately choose what you will do with it. And may your life bear fruit—not for your own glory, but for the glory of the One who saved you. In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN. AMEN. AMEN!
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    Listen to The Kitchen on Amazon Music. Apple podcasts. Audible. Deezer. Spotify

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