Sermon broadcasts from Lighthouse Church, Durban, South Africa
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Alan Keith Wagner Podcasts
The Pop Culture Audio Magazine
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While some say, "follow your heart", the Bible cautions us that the heart can be deceitful, hard and sick! Our hearts need God's healing and transforming work - and we need to guard our hearts from becoming hardened, wounded or dirtied. Wewould be wise to: -Reflect on our heart's condition to see if there are areas that need God's restoring or tran…
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The oldest scheme of the devil is found in Genesis. In a cunning, step-by-step scheme, the serpent tricked the first man and woman into throwing away their closerelationship with God - and the paradise they lived in. This scheme is very much at work to this day - so we would be wise to recognise the scheme and resist it! Let's read the Bible - and …
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Circumstances and feelings can cause us to feel that God has abandoned us. But God promises to never leave us! Humans lie and change their minds - but God is not like that! Jesus didn't walk away from sinners - he won't walk away from you! God understands our weaknesses - and helps us through our trials. Hebrews 13:5, Numbers 23:19, Matthew 16:21-2…
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A Little Hole, a Little Fox, a Little Yeast
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A small hole can empty a bucket. Small foxes can ruin a vineyard. A little yeast affects a whole batch of dough. In the same way, our "small sins" can do far more damage that we may think - both to us and to those around us. We should therefore: -Recognise the "little foxes" in our life -Get rid of those foxes! -Put up fences (set boundaries) - or …
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We can gain valuable insights from Isaac as he dug wells: We need to identify our neglected "wells" - such as prayer, Bible reading, worship and fellowship. We need to renew these ways, seeking "living water" from Jesus. We need to persevere in these things as we face obstacles and even opposition. Reclaiming our spiritual wells changes our relatio…
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The gospel is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes. We should therefore: - know the gospel - trust the power of the gospel. We may be ashamed of many things, but we should NOT be ashamed of the gospel! We may be weak in many ways, but that does NOT reduce the power of the gospel! Romans 1:14-17, 1 Corinthians 15:1-6, Acts…
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Sometimes we go to people for what only God can do. This can frustrate us and the people we go to. The Bible tells us how - God gave Hannah the child that her husband couldn't give - Jesus gave a woman the forgiveness that a Pharisee couldn't give - Jesus healed a woman who no doctor had been able to heal These women pushed through significant barr…
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Sometimes our circumstances "get on top of us". In those times, it's good to know that great heroes of faith also had those moments! Know too that others around us are also fighting battles. In those times, ask God for relief, but be open to his "no". He may choose not to change your situation; he may change you instead! We can be more than conquer…
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God doesn't take us out of our trials - but He is with us through them. He wants us to learn perseverance in our trials producing character and faith. In our trials, we can find peace in knowing that God works out everything in conformity with his perfect will. Prayer is powerful. God hears our every prayer, sees our every tear and is always there …
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When we look in the mirror, we may not like what we see. The image of God has been tarnished, damaged. When we compare ourselves to Jesus, the true image of God, we may feel disheartened. But Jesus came to make a way for us to be transformed into his image! Just as an art restorer carefully and patiently works to return a painting to its former glo…
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God is WORTHY to be praised and worshipped! God seeks -true worshippers - led by the Holy Spirit -authentic worship - an honest overflow of a life surrendered to him Praise glorifies God - and it strengthens us! We can express praise and worship in many ways and in any place - he is always worthy! John 4:23, Psalm 96:4, Psalm 69:30, Psalm 96:7-8, P…
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God's ways are higher than our ways. He sees what we can't see. So the journey that he maps out for us may not make sense to us at times. It may also be hard - very hard. In those hard times, we need to: -trust God - no matter what - and submit to his will -remember that he is our faithful creator and is perfectly capable of sustaining us -take the…
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We were created to worship God. Our worship is often a response to God's gift ofsalvation and the victories he has won for us, but sometimes our worship itselfwill bring us into victory. Some battles are won as we worship; worship can bea form of spiritual warfare. When we have battles to fight, we need to ask "What has God been saying? What has he…
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The goal of worship is to give God the reverence and honourthat is due to Him. The essence of worship is a life of devotion to God - for our life to be a living sacrifice. The more we see of the greatness and goodness of God, the more we will value and love him. This is well expressed through "extravagant" sacrifices (Abraham), offerings (Mary) and…
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Jesus' disciples represent their King in hostile places. Some people are offended simply because we bear his name. Others are offended because good challenges evil. The nature of the hostility varies depending on the nation and community, but we will face hostility. This means that we need to be wise if we are to be effective as ambassadors. We sho…
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Life can be full of challenges; we can face them fearfully or courageously. God's children should remember that his ways are far higher than ours. We shouldn't try to understand them, just trust & obey him! We should base our obedience on God's commands that we already have (in the Bible), learning & obeying them. We should ask God to give us his p…
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We are Christ's ambassadors. As "Christians", we bear his name and represent him wherever we go. This is a great responsibility! As good ambassadors, we want to: - Present Jesus' message of reconciliation clearly. - Live out his mission to seek and save the lost. - Tell people who he really is. - Demonstrate his ways for all to see. 2 Corinthians 5…
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Every child of God has a place - and a part to play. This is true regardless of our past or our present situations - in fact, God uses "where we've been" and "where we are right now" to equip and position us for ministry! Those places and parts can be very different, because we are on different journeys, face different challenges and have different…
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One principle of the Kingdom of God that Jesus taught and modelled is that "small" things can have a great impact: - Small seeds grow into trees - A small amount of yeast affects a big batch of dough So a seemingly "small" person can have a great impact - as can a small church. A seemingly insignificant conversation - or act - can also have a great…
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Jesus taught that our attitudes and motives matter to God. And how we do things can reveal our heart - sincerity, humility, purity and devotion - or a lack of these. Making a show of our giving, prayer and fasting reveals a desire for the approval of people rather than God; God rewards us when we do these things secretly, for him alone. Matthew 6:1…
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We have a wonderful and precious faith - but it is under attack! We therefore need to stand strong and defend our faith in the face of: - False teachings - Trouble, hardship, persecution and danger Remember, - The truth is always true! - Nothing can separate us from the love of God! Jude 1:1-4, Romans 8:35-39, 2 Corinthians 12:10…
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Jesus said "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them." While receiving, or being filled with, the Holy Spirit is vitally important, we must understand that this "living water" should flow OUT of us as well as into us.When we open our hearts and l…
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How Jesus taught about the Kingdom of God
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The Kingdom of God is very different and can be hard to understand; so Jesus presented it in terms of illustrations and contrasts. He challenged cultural assumptions of the day and presented alternative ways of thinking and living. His parables are powerful because they are culturally relevant, easily remembered, in the context of ordinary life, lo…
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God gives ALL of his children spiritual gifts. He gives different gifts to different people, so his work is different in each of us. He gifts us in order to bless others, not ourselves. In some cases, WE become the gift, as we serve the church as equippers: apostles, prophets, evangelists,pastors and teachers. 1 Corinthians 12:4-11, 28, 1Kings 3:25…
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There are appropriate and inappropriate ways to dress for weddings and other special occasions. We "dress for the occasion". The Bible uses this analogy to describe how we can - and should - change our ways appropriately for life in the Kingdom of God. As an ancient wedding host would provide special clothes for his guests, God has provided his chi…
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Just as Jesus' disciples walked and worked closely with Jesus, we are to "keep in step" with the Holy Spirit. The "fruit of the Spirit" is evidence that we are living in step with him. Because the Holy Spirit comes in Jesus' name, he leads in line with Jesus' words and ways. Knowing and obeying Jesus' words and ways makes it easier to recognise and…
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Repentance is sometimes viewed negatively, but it is actually a gift from God that brings reconciliation, refreshing and transformation. True repentance is a change of mind that leads to a change of action. It comes from the heart and includes confessing our sin and forgiving others. It is NOT merely being sorry that you were caught, embarrassed or…
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Jesus has commissioned all of his disciples - to be his witnesses and make disciples everywhere. This is a supernatural work that needs supernatural power. The Holy Spirit provides this power. Jesus said we can trust our Heavenly Father to give us this good gift - so we should ask! The book of Acts teaches us that there is no "formula", but we can …
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The Bible is full of stories of salvation - people putting their faith in Jesus and following him.Sharing the gospel is not reserved for those who are highly gifted and knowledgeable; the power is not in the speaker, but in the scriptures and in the gospel message itself! That said, Jesus was a master communicator and we can learn a great deal from…
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The apostle Paul prayed that the church would "know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." The love of Christ brings the fullness of God to us. As we grow in his love, we experience more of the fullness of God - everything that he has for us. When we co-operate with the work of the Holy Sp…
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Even the most godly people experience setbacks. When you experience a setback or failure: - Recognise if it's caused by sin or not - Repent from any sin - Persevere through any hardship - Show loyalty to God and to his people - Trust God to step in: He has no equal! He makes the impossible possible! Acts 13: 22, 2 Samuel 11: 2-4, 14-15, Psalm 51:10…
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Jesus values, expects & rewards FAITHFULNESS. He doesn't expect us to be faithful with what he hasn't given us, but with what he has given us: resources, gifts & abilities, relationships, influence & opportunities. Don't step back because others have greater abilities & resources than you. Don't think that your "smaller impact" matters less to Jesu…
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The encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus teaches us some valuable lessons. If we want to experience more of Jesus, we should: - Discuss matters of faith openly with others. - Acknowledge and expect Jesus' presence, power and reality in our daily lives. - "Make room for Jesus" in our hearts, our homes and our lives. Luke 24:13-34…
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We live in times when fake news abounds and we want to verify the news we receive. Here are four compelling verifying factors for the gospel message: 1. The fulfilment of many ancient prophecies. 2. The large number of first-hand witnesses. 3. The courage of the many witnesses who suffered and died rather than deny Jesus. 4. The supernatural eviden…
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Jesus has given all of his followers work to do - particularly, the ministry of reconciliation to God. The Holy Spirit has given us all the power we need to do that work. Yet many things compete for our attention and resources; so we need to regularly re-examine our priorities. Jesus does not deny the importance of our needs, but he calls us to put…
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Paul's prayers for the Ephesian church are really powerful. As Elisha prayed for his servant's eyes to be opened to his spiritual realities, Paul prays that the "spiritual eyes" of church members would be opened to their spiritual realities. We would do well to pray those prayers for ourselves and for one another - so that we will: -know God better…
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The tower of Babel teaches many valuable life lessons: -Seeking our own glory will distract us from seeking God and his purposes. -Godless empires and enterprises rise - but then they fall. -Find your significance in God, not in achievements. -Our pride will be our downfall. -When we humble ourselves, God lifts us up. -Rather build your life on God…
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Unbelief stands in the way of what God wants to do - in the lives of his people and through his people. Faith pleases God. It doesn't have to be "big", because God is the object of our faith - and he is big enough! Sound Bible teaching builds up faith. God's words can always be trusted; he will fulfil them! When we put God's word into practice, thi…
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When Jesus said "if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed", he wasn't overstating our freedom! We have been set free: -from the grip of sin -from the grip of the devil -from condemnation -to approach God with confidence -to leave our past behind and live a glorious new life. WE ARE FREE INDEED!! John 8:31-36, Romans 6:18, Colossians 1:13, …
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We are not under the law of the Old Covenant, but have a relationship with Jesus under the New Covenant. Instead of offering animal sacrifices, we are to offer ourselves to God, as a living sacrifice. Gratitude and thanksgiving please Jesus - and bring peace into our lives. Know that God is working in all things for our good! Let's consistently tes…
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Jesus invites us to join the most privileged people on earth - the people who are on God's mission with him. But before we say "yes", we need to: -make it an informed decision: to follow Jesus knowing that it will be difficult at times. -surrender our selfish agendas and follow Jesus as our Lord (master). -renounce all other masters, knowing that w…
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God has good plans for his people. But he works his plans his way - with light and with order. God's light enables us to see his order and to bring things into that order. God can bring order at many levels: personal, church, community & nation. We can all embrace his order personally & contribute to the order of the other levels. When we embrace G…
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Like many heroes of the Bible, we may also experience some dark, difficult days. In those times, we should not be afraid to pour out our hearts to God in lament, knowing that: - He is GOD - His ways are BETTER - He is GOOD - He SEES us - He UNDERSTANDS us - NOTHING is impossible for him - He WORKS GOOD in all things - He will lift you up in his per…
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The Bible and history teach us that seemingly insignificant people can have a great impact. We need to realise this so that we step forward in faith; if we think we are insignificant, we won't. God knows every one of us and has a plan for us. He prepares us and develops us so that we can do what he has planned. This journey can be hard, but it is w…
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Difficult circumstances can undermine our faith and cause doubt. But, irrespective what we may go through, the name of Jesus has power over: - sickness and disease - sin - demonic Influence - even death! As we get to know Jesus - and live in obedience to him - we will experience more of the power of his name to heal, forgive, deliver and give etern…
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God gives us dreams and visions and puts godly desires into our hearts. We need to walk towards those goals, step by step. God's path for us to walk into our destiny is often not the obvious one or the easiest one! He uses difficulties and detours to prepare us and equip us for what is to come. A clear vision, shared with people we trust, helps us …
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We were created by God, on purpose, with purpose! He has put us in the right place at the right time for his perfect purposes! While he may have some specific purposes for you, he definitely has some general purposes that apply to us all. Two of these purposes are: -be salt and light where God has put us -make disciples. We are salt and light to ou…
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In terms of the sheer scale of the universe, we are SO tiny! We may conclude that we are insignificant. Yet the Bible teaches us that: - We are God's work of art, made to reflect his image! - We were made on purpose and with purpose! We should therefore - seek to discover our purposes - seek to fulfil our purposes - reveal the love and glory of God…
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If we want this new year to be different - for the better - then we will need to make some changes.This is why we make resolutions. These four resolutions based on Jesus' words will definitely bring changes for the better: God helping me, I will: -love God with all that I am -love the people around me -love other disciples like Jesus does -help oth…
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Our conscience is a great gift from God, keeping us on good terms with God and with people. Yet it can be corrupted; then we lose our sense of right and wrong, our "moral compass". Fortunately, it can be cleansed and restored by the work of the blood of Jesus, the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. We should therefore pay attention to the state of our…
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