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Showing posts from October, 2016

I Am the Lord – October 27, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Message | Weekly Video : Abram’s Heir (Genesis 15:1-21) “ God continued, “I’m the same God who brought you from Ur of the Chaldees and gave you this land to own.” Abram said, “Master God, how am I to know this, that it will all be mine?” God said, “Bring me a heifer, a goat, and a ram, each three years old, and a dove and a young pigeon.” He brought all these animals to him, split them down the middle, and laid the halves opposite each other. But he didn’t split the birds. Vultures swooped down on the carcasses, but Abram scared them off. ” – Genesis 1 5: 7-11 ( MSG ) Live It Out! Throughout the Bible, God is constantly reminding His people of who He is – He is the God of their fathers and the God who saves. He is a personal God, one who walks with His people. The sacrifice described here is meant to seal a covenant between God and Abram, just as the blood of Christ seals the new covenant between God and the Church. God is the same today as He was yest

Righteous by Faith – October 26, 2016

Today’s Translation : Holman Christian Standard Bible | Weekly Video : Abram’s Heir (Genesis 15:1-21) “ Now the word of the Lord came to him: “This one will not be your heir; instead, one who comes from your own body will be your heir.” He took him outside and said, “Look at the sky and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” Then He said to him, “Your offspring will be that numerous.” Abram believed the Lord, and He credited it to him as righteousness. ” – Genesis 1 5: 4-6 ( HCSB ) Live It Out! Abram was made righteous by his faith. If we want to see God’s promises fulfilled in our lives, then we must believe in both His power and His goodness. God reiterates His promises to His people throughout Scripture, and His Word holds true every time. We must put our faith in Him. There is nothing we can do on our own to make us righteous before our Most Holy God. We are made righteous by our faith. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dMWw3C via IFTTT

Trusting in God’s Plan – October 25, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Voice Bible | Weekly Video : Abram’s Heir (Genesis 15:1-21) “ Abram : ‘ Eternal Lord, what could You possibly give to me that would make that much of a difference in my life? After all, I am still childless, and Eliezer of Damascus stands to inherit all I own. Since You have not given me the gift of children, my only heir will be one of the servants born in my household. ‘ ” – Genesis 1 5: 2-3 ( VOICE ) Live It Out! Abram responded to God’s call with a great amount of faith, but even the greatest of heroes can experience seasons of doubt. God had promised to make an old man (with a barren wife) into a father of many nations, but here he is still childless. When God puts a desire into our hearts, we tend to focus on the immediate future. However, often times, God plants those desires in us ahead of time in order for us to grow and mature before our time comes. We must trust in God’s plan and in His perfect timing. God keeps His promises! from Paradigm

Fear Not! – October 24, 2016

Today’s Translation : New Living Translation | Weekly Video : Abram’s Heir (Genesis 15:1-21) “ Some time later, the Lord spoke to Abram in a vision and said to him, ‘ Do not be afraid, Abram, for I will protect you, and your reward will be great. ‘ ” – Genesis 1 5:1 ( NLT ) Live It Out! When God speaks, He often begins by reassuring us that there is nothing to fear because He is in control. Our God is a loving Father who will always be there to protect His children. The deeper we go in our faith journeys, the more often we will find ourselves in situations where it feels like God has forgotten us, but those low points are just part of the mountainous trail that leads to the place God wants you to be. Trust Him, and never be afraid. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dKpzVt via IFTTT

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (Abram’s Heir) – October 22, 2016

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Live video from this week’s Six Thirty Saturday Nite. This week, we continue following the story of Abram as he struggles to understand what God’s promises meant for him. Know that God is good, faithful and worthy of our trust. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2eyVkhZ via IFTTT

The Promised Land – October 22, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Amplified Bible | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “ Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “I will give this land to your descendants.” So Abram built an altar there to [honor] the Lord who had appeared to him. Then he moved on from there to the mountain on the east of Bethel, and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east; and there he built an altar to the Lord and called on the name of the Lord [in worship through prayer, praise, and thanksgiving ]. Then Abram journeyed on, continuing toward the Negev (the South country of Judah). ” – Genesis 12: 7-9 ( AMP ) Live It Out! God promised to give the land of Canaan to Abram’s descendants. This promise would not be fulfilled until several hundred years later when Moses leads the people of Israel out of Egyptian captivity. Abram’s focus was not on the here and now but on eternity. What we can see is not all that there is, and the seeds we sow may not reap a harvest until

A Good Man – October 21, 2016

Today’s Translation : New International Version | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “ He took his wife Sarai, his nephew Lot, all the possessions they had accumulated and the people they had acquired in Harran, and they set out for the land of Canaan, and they arrived there. Abram traveled through the land as far as the site of the great tree of Moreh at Shechem. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ” – Genesis 12: 5-6 (N IV ) Live It Out! Long before God called Abram to leave home and follow Him to te promised land, Abram prepared his heart by seeking to do good by others. When God told him it was time to go, those closest to him joined him in his journey – they knew he was a righteous and faithful man, and they wanted to be a part of whatever God was going to do through him. If you feel like you are “waiting on God”, invest the time you have in building relationships and prayerfully preparing your heart for the coming call. from Paradigm Shift Ministries

God’s Not Done with You – October 20, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Message | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “ So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran. ” – Genesis 12: 4 ( MSG ) Live It Out! God has a place for everyone in His kingdom. Abram may have been seventy-five years old and childless, but God still had big plans for both him and his future offspring. No matter your circumstances, know that God will never leave or forsake you. He has a plan for your life, and His timing is always perfect. Keep the faith, and follow He who calls you by name. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2exKTcU via IFTTT

Foreshadowing – October 19, 2016

Today’s Translation : Holman Christian Standard Bible | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “ I will bless those who bless you, I will curse those who treat you with contempt, and all the peoples on earth will be blessed through you. ” – Genesis 12: 3 ( HCSB ) Live It Out! Abram’s descendants would become known as ancient Israel, and out of ancient Israel would come Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world! Abram could not have even imagined it, but his faithful response to God’s call was the first step in the world being reconciled with its Creator because of what would happen on a cross right there in the promised land. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dE24f9 via IFTTT

A Great Nation – October 18, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Voice Bible | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “ I have plans to make a great people from your descendants. And I am going to put a special blessing on you and cause your reputation to grow so that you will become a blessing and example to others. ” – Genesis 12: 2 ( VOICE ) Live It Out! Abram was an old man with no children, but God promised to make him a great nation if he would simply step out in faith. No matter your age or where you are in life, God is not finished with you. Every blessing given to you is meant to be passed on to others. God did not promise to make Abram a great nation for his benefit but for the benefit of future generations. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2efq8WP via IFTTT

Rise and Go – October 17, 2016

Today’s Translation : New Living Translation | Weekly Video : Call of Abram (Genesis 12:1-9) “The Lord had said to Abram, ‘ Leave your native country, your relatives, and your father’s family, and go to the land that I will show you.'” – Genesis 12:1 (NLT) Live It Out! God called Abram to leave everything he knew behind and follow Him into a foreign land. Abram was an older man and reportedly well-to-do. It would have been perfectly natural for him to dismiss God’s call and live out his days comfortably in his home country, but he knew he was created for a reason. How would you have responded if you were Abram? Are you willing to follow God wherever He leads you? from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2eHKFUu via IFTTT

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (Call of Abram) - October 15, 2016

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This week's Six Thirty Saturday Nite continues our look at the Patriarchs by talking about how God called Abram to leave home and lay the foundation for the future Israel. Abram's faithful response to God's call would eventually lead to Jesus coming to bless the world by giving His life to pay the price of our sin. Like Abram, we are called to be a blessing to others.

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (Call of Abram) – October 15, 2016

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This week’s Six Thirty Saturday Nite continues our look at the Patriarchs by talking about how God called Abram to leave home and lay the foundation for the future Israel. Abram’s faithful response to God’s call would eventually lead to Jesus coming to bless the world by giving His life to pay the price of our sin. Like Abram, we are called to be a blessing to others. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2ei9QJc via IFTTT

Looking Ahead – October 15, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Amplified Bible | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “ By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau [believing what God revealed to him], even regarding things to come. By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and bowed in worship, leaning on the top of his staff. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, referred to [the promise of God for] the exodus of the sons of Israel [from Egypt], and gave instructions concerning [the burial of] his bones [in the land of the promise].” – Hebrews 11:20-22 (AMP) Live It Out! By setting out on his journey of faith, Abraham set the example for generations to come. And each generation would pass a blessing on to the next. We are in this together. We need each other. And we must never forget that our faith has the power to inspire others. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2e1WVgK via IFTTT

Trusting God – October 14, 2016

Today’s Translation : New International Version | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “ By faith Abraham, when God tested him, offered Isaac as a sacrifice. He who had embraced the promises was about to sacrifice his one and only son, even though God had said to him, “It is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned.” Abraham reasoned that God could even raise the dead, and so in a manner of speaking he did receive Isaac back from death.” – Hebrews 11:17-19 (NIV) Live It Out! Even after Abraham received his promised heir, he still trusted God. God will often test our faith when things seem to be going well just to make sure we don’t forget the source of our blessings. Leaning on our own strength or selfishly holding on to what has so graciously been given us can lead to sin. We must be so in tune with the will of God that we don’t hesitate when He suggests the impossible. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2e2xqgD via IFTTT

Citizens of Heaven – October 13, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Message | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “ If they were homesick for the old country, they could have gone back any time they wanted. But they were after a far better country than that — heaven country. You can see why God is so proud of them, and has a City waiting for them.” – Hebrews 11:15-16 (MSG) Live It Out! Abraham and those who followed him realized that what they saw was not all there is. This world and everything in it are temporary, but heaven is forever. They were not homesick for the land they set out from; instead, they longed for their heavenly home. We too are citizens of heaven. Let us never lose sight of this important truth. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2e24bdy via IFTTT

Died in Faith – October 12, 2016

Today’s Translation : Holman Christian Standard Bible | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “ These all died in faith without having received the promises, but they saw them from a distance, greeted them, and confessed that they were foreigners and temporary residents on the earth. Now those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a homeland.” – Hebrews 11:13-14 (HCSB) Live It Out! The Patriarchs are great examples of faith because they followed God despite knowing they would not live to see the true fulfillment of God’s promises. They knew the things of this life are temporary while the things of God are eternal. We are all part of a much greater story God is writing in our midst. Keep the faith and follow God wherever He leads. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dKXKNV via IFTTT

Stars in the Sky – October 11, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Voice Bible | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “ By faith Abraham’s wife Sarah became fertile long after menopause because she believed God would be faithful to His promise. So from this man, who was almost at death’s door, God brought forth descendants, as many as the stars in the sky and as impossible to count as the sands of the shore.” – Hebrews 11:11-12 (VOICE) Live It Out! Sarah was old and barren when God promised that she and Abraham would have more descendants than there are stars in the sky if they were to step out in faith. We can trust God because He is faithful. If God can deliver on this promise, then we can surely rely on Him to take care of the little things in our lives. Let’s be faithful as our Father in heaven is faithful. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dTHVTc via IFTTT

Walk by Faith – October 10, 2016

Today’s Translation : New Living Translation  | Weekly Video : The Patriarchs (Hebrews 11:8-22) “It was by faith that Abraham obeyed when God called him to leave home and go to another land that God would give him as his inheritance. He went without knowing where he was going.   And even when he reached the land God promised him, he lived there by faith— for he was like a foreigner, living in tents. And so did Isaac and Jacob, who inherited the same promise. Abraham was confidently looking forward to a city with eternal foundations, a city designed and built by God.” – Hebrews 11:8-10 (NLT) Live It Out! Abraham and the other Patriarchs lived as strangers in a foreign land, trusting in the coming promises of God. Abraham laid the foundation by leaving his comfortable life to follow God’s call despite his old age. As long as you have breath in your lungs, God still has use for you. God will often call us to uncomfortable places in our lives, but we must learn to walk by faith. fr

A Legacy of Faith – October 8, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Amplified Bible | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “When Noah awoke from his wine [induced stupor], he knew what his younger son [Ham] had done to him. So he said, “Cursed be Canaan [the son of Ham]; A servant of servants He shall be to his brothers.” He also said, “Blessed be the Lord, The God of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant. “May God enlarge [the land of] Japheth, And let him dwell in the tents of Shem; And let Canaan be his servant.” Noah lived three hundred and fifty years after the flood. So all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years, and he died.” – Genesis 9:24-27 (AMP) Live It Out! How we live our lives matters. Noah and his sons Shem and Japheth left legacies of faith while Ham and Canaan did not. Instead of being quick to see other’s faults (like Ham), we need to look for the good in each other (like how God seeing Noah’s faith and righteousness). Both our actions and our character can affect generations to come. f

An Imperfect Hero – October 7, 2016

Today’s Translation : New International Version | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “Noah, a man of the soil, proceeded to plant a vineyard. When he drank some of its wine, he became drunk and lay uncovered inside his tent. Ham, the father of Canaan, saw his father naked and told his two brothers outside. But Shem and Japheth took a garment and laid it across their shoulders; then they walked in backward and covered their father’s naked body. Their faces were turned the other way so that they would not see their father naked.” – Genesis 9:20-23 (NIV) Live It Out! Noah is remembered as a great hero of faith, but he had his flaws just like everyone else. Noah drank too much and passed out, but the real sin was when his son tried to humiliate him in front of the rest of the family. God can use any of us despite our flaws if we are willing and faithful to His call. We must learn to not only follow God but also respect and support each other. We are all imperfect, but we too ca

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (The Patriarchs) – October 8, 2016

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Tonight we continued our #GodOfOurFathers campaign by taking a look at the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph) as listed in Hebrews 11:8-22. The question before us is whether or not we are willing to walk by faith as they did, forsaking all we have to pursue God’s will for our lives. If we want to change this world for the better, then we need to dream the impossible, live for something bigger than ourselves and focus on the future. We can make a difference. Keep the faith! from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2d3fGgx via IFTTT

Image of God – October 6, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Message | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “ Whoever sheds human blood, by humans let his blood be shed, Because God made humans in his image reflecting God’s very nature. You’re here to bear fruit, reproduce, lavish life on the Earth, live bountifully!” – Genesis 9:6-7 (MSG) Live It Out! We are created in the image of God, which means our lives have value. However, in both Noah’s day and our own, wickedness and violence have consumed much of the world. When we fail to be good stewards of life, we fail at life itself. We are our brother’s keeper, we are bound together by the Spirit, and we must learn to build bridges rather than burn them. Life matters. We must protect it at all costs, and we must mourn together when anyone loses it. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dx1GOM via IFTTT

An Offering – October 5, 2016

Today’s Translation : Holman Christian Standard Bible | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord. He took some of every kind of clean animal and every kind of clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. When the Lord smelled the pleasing aroma, He said to Himself, “I will never again curse the ground because of man, even though man’s inclination is evil from his youth. And I will never again strike down every living thing as I have done. As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, and day and night will not cease.”” – Genesis 8:20-22 (HCSB) Live It Out! After the flood subsided, Noah built an altar and made a sacrifice to God. The flood did not and could not wipe away the sin nature of man, but God’s common grace would resume for all nations. We all fall short of the glory of God, and a price must be paid for our sin. The imagery of rebirth after the flood is invoked in the sacrament of ba

Build an Ark! – October 4, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Voice Bible | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “ I want you to build an ark. Build it out of cypress wood. Make rooms in the ark, and cover it inside and outside with tar. Here’s how you will do it: build the ark 450 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 45 feet high. Put a roof on the ark and leave a gap of 18 inches below the roofline for air to circulate. Put the door of the ark in its side, and build it with lower, middle, and upper decks.” – Genesis 6:14-16 (VOICE) Live It Out! God told Noah there was going to be a great flood and that he should build an ark to save his family and preserve animal diversity. This would have been a massive project that would have taken years to complete. Noah had enough faith to give up everything in order to follow God. If we were in Noah’s shoes, would we show the same level of faith? Would we give up everything and trust Him? from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dqdJkl via IFTTT

It Broke His Heart – October 3, 2016

Today’s Translation : New Living Translation | Weekly Video : Faith of Noah (Genesis 6-9) “The Lord observed the extent of human wickedness on the earth, and he saw that everything they thought or imagined was consistently and totally evil. So the Lord was sorry he had ever made them and put them on the earth. It broke his heart.” – Genesis 6:5-6 (NLT) Live It Out! In the days before the great flood, the earth was full of corruption, and it broke God’s heart. God’s heart still breaks today when we allow our hearts to be consumed with hate, anger and bitterness. God is our Heavenly Father, and He loves us dearly. We need to honor our Father by sharing His love with others. Human wickedness will remain as long as we fail to see each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dCYUct via IFTTT

May He Keep You – October 1, 2016

Today’s Translation : The Amplified Bible | Weekly Video : Enoch / Jude (Jude 1-25) “ Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling or falling into sin, and to present you unblemished [blameless and faultless] in the presence of His glory with triumphant joy and unspeakable delight, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion , and power, before all time and now and forever. Amen. ” – Jude 24-25 (AMP) Live It Out! We cannot live up to God’s standards by our own merit. We need Jesus. We need the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the only one who has lived this life without sin; He set the example for us to follow. He prayed often. He sought the will of His Father. We need to live in the presence of the Holy Spirit. May the Lord keep you, and may He show you how to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dCYB17 via IFTTT

Taking the High Road – September 30, 2016

Today’s Translation : New International Version | Weekly Video : Enoch / Jude (Jude 1-25) “ But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit. But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear— hating even the clothin g stained by corrupted flesh.” – Jude 17-23 (NIV) Live It Out! As Christians, we are called to show mercy and to help save people from themselves. There will always be people who either don’t get it or try to subvert the message of the Gospel, be we are called to

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (Faith of Noah) - October 1, 2016

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Tonight we continued our #GodOfOurFathers campaign by looking at the example of faith set by Noah. Following God in a fallen world requires crazy faith. Are we willing to live by faith when the world thinks we're crazy?

Created... Music Project (Live at the 2016 Galion Oktoberfest) - October...

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The Created Music Project will take the stage Saturday, October 1 at 1:00pm in the Galion Square (look for the gazebo). This year's Galion Oktoberfest features a full slate of Christian artists all weekend (Thursday thru Saturday). This will the fifth year the Created Music Project has performed at this event. If you cannot join us in person, the Created Music Project set will be broadcast live across Facebook, Periscope, Twitter, YouTube and Live.PrayGrowServe.com.

Six Thirty Saturday Nite (Faith of Noah) – October 1, 2016

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Tonight we continued our #GodOfOurFathers campaign by looking at the example of faith set by Noah. Following God in a fallen world requires crazy faith. Are we willing to live by faith when the world thinks we’re crazy? from Paradigm Shift Ministries http://ift.tt/2dAF1o7 via IFTTT