Welcome back to the Journey. Let me ask you a question. Have you ever found yourself just plain worn out and discouraged by the situations you face on a daily basis? How do we regain our hope? That's what we are going to explore in this episode.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage.

Link to this episode's homepage:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/126

Scriptures referenced:

1 Peter 1:13 NLT So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world.

1 Peter 4:1,2 The Message Since Jesus went through everything you’re going through and more, learn to think like him. Think of your sufferings as a weaning from that old sinful habit of always expecting to get your own way. Then you’ll be able to live out your days free to pursue what God wants instead of being tyrannized by what you want.

Ephesians 1:17 - 19 The Message I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do,

1 Peter 4:8-10 NLT 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another.

Matthew 22: 34-40; Mark 12:28-31; Luke 10:27 The Greatest commandments ever given.

John 15:12 Love each other as I have loved you.

1 Peter 4:8 AMP Above all, have [c]fervent and unfailing love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins [it overlooks unkindness and unselfishly seeks the best for others].

Proverbs 10:12 NIV Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.

Proverbs 10:12 AMP Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers and overwhelms all transgressions [forgiving and overlooking another’s faults].

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 The Message Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn’t want what it doesn’t have. Love doesn’t strut, doesn’t have a swelled head, doesn’t force itself on others, isn’t always “me first,” doesn’t fly off the handle, doesn’t keep score of the sins of others, doesn’t revel when others grovel. Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, puts up with anything, trusts God always, always looks for the best, never looks back, but keeps going to the end.

1Chronicles 29:13, 14 NLT “O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name! 14 But who am I, and who are my people, that we could give anything to you? Everything we have has come from you, and we give you only what you first gave us!

Philippians 1:21 NIV For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

2 Timothy 2:15 NIV Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

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If there is any hope of our reaching our goal of hearing God say to us, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant." There is something we must continually strive to experience: the fullness of the power of the Holy Spirit. For it is his power that gives us wisdom, knowledge, and insight. Join Gerald Yerkes as he explores this with you.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage.

Link to this episode's homepage:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/125

Scriptures referenced:

Romans 12:1,2: And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

2 Corinthians 3: 18: So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Galatians 5:16: So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

Romans 8:6-8: So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace. 7 For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God’s laws, and it never will. 8 That’s why those who are still under the control of their sinful nature can never please God.

Acts 2:38: Peter replied, “Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 4:6: And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.”

John 7:37-39: On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[e] 39 (When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given,[f] because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)

Galatians 3:13,14: But Christ has rescued us from the curse pronounced by the law. When he was hung on the cross, he took upon himself the curse for our wrongdoing. For it is written in the Scriptures, “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.”[g] 14 Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised[h] Holy Spirit through faith.

Acts 5:32: We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.”

Philippians 1:10, 11: For I want you to understand what really matters, so that you may live pure and blameless lives until the day of Christ’s return. 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation—the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ—for this will bring much glory and praise to God.

John 13:34,35: So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

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So, we've prepared our minds for action; now comes the challenge of what to do with this preparation. In this episode, we will look at the challenge of stepping up to the plate, beginning to exercise... self-control.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage.

Link to this episode's homepage:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/124

Scriptures referenced:

1 Peter 1: 13-16 NLT: Prepare your minds for action.... Because it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Galatians 5:23 NLT: The fruit, gift, of the Spirit is... gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5:22-23 NLT: But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

John 8:31, 32 NLT: You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Philippians 2:12, 13 NLT: Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Luke 14:26-28 NLT: “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple. “But don’t begin until you count the cost. For who would begin construction of a building without first calculating the cost to see if there is enough money to finish it?

Gal 5: 16-18 NLT: So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses.

John 14: 26 NLT: But when the Father sends the Advocate as my representative—that is, the Holy Spirit—he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I have told you.

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A critical part of our journey is preparing our minds for action. It begins by acknowledging that we are indeed at war with our spiritual enemy, the devil. In this episode, we will explore what it means to prepare our minds and how this equips us to win the battles we face.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage.

Link to this episode's homepage:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/123

Scriptures referenced:

2 Corinthians 11:3 NLT But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.

Ephesians 6:10 18 The Whole Armor of God A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

1 Peter 1:13-16 NLT So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. 14 So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then. 15 But now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy. 16 For the Scriptures say, “You must be holy because I am holy.”

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So, we’ve started the journey toward hearing God say “Well done, good and faithful servant!” We’ve become receptive to God’s call. What’s next? We are called to grow. But how does that start, and what does it entail? This is the topic of this episode.

All Scripture referenced is listed below.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage. The link is below.

Link to episode home page:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/120

Scripture Referenced:

Matthew 10:38,39 NLT 38 If you refuse to take up your cross and follow me, you are not worthy of being mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you give up your life for me, you will find it.

2 Peter 1:2-11 NLT 2 May God give you more and more grace and peace as you grow in your knowledge of God and Jesus our Lord.

Growing in Faith

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. 5 In view of all this, make every effort to respond to God’s promises. Supplement your faith with a generous provision of moral excellence, and moral excellence with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with patient endurance, and patient endurance with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love for everyone. 8 The more you grow like this, the more productive and useful you will be in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 But those who fail to develop in this way are shortsighted or blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their old sins. 10 So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. 11 Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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In order to reach our goal for this journey, hearing God say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!" We must be receptive to God's call. Yet, what does that mean? What does that entail? That is what we will talk about in this episode.

All Scripture referenced is listed below.

And please, share your thoughts in the comment box on this episode's homepage. The link is below.

Correction note: In this episode, we mistakenly referred to Psychiatrist and Philosopher Viktor Frankl as being American. He was Austrian. We do apologize for this error.

Link to episode home page:

https://www.simplenotshallow.com/the-sns-podcast/119

Scripture Referenced:

2 S a m u a l 12:1-7NLT

So the Lord sent Nathan the prophet to tell David this story: "There were two men in a certain town. One was rich, and one was poor. 2 The rich man owned a great many sheep and cattle. 3 The poor man owned nothing but one little lamb he had bought. He raised that little lamb, and it grew up with his children. It ate from the man's own plate and drank from his cup. He cuddled it in his arms like a baby daughter. 4 One day a guest arrived at the home of the rich man. But instead of killing an animal from his own flock or herd, he took the poor man's lamb and killed it and prepared it for his guest." 5 David was furious. "As surely as the Lord lives," he vowed, "any man who would do such a thing deserves to die! 6 He must repay four lambs to the poor man for the one he stole and for having no pity." 7 Then Nathan said to David, "You are that man! The Lord, the God of Israel, says: I anointed you king of Israel and saved you from the power of Saul.

2 S a m u a l 12:13NLT

Then David confessed to Nathan, "I have sinned against the Lord."

R o m a n s 2:4 NLT

Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?

1 Corinthians 6:9-11NLT

There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil-for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.[a] 10 But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

2 Peter 3:8, 9 NLT

But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. 9 The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent.

Acts 13:22 NLT

But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, 'I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.'

1 J o h n 1:5-10

This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. 6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. 9 But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. 10 If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts.

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