Galena Bible Church Podcast

We’ll see the first mention of the Christmas star, seen from afar, in time, by Balaam in Numbers 24:17-19. The Spirit takes hold of this pagan sorcerer to proclaim Christ’s Excellencies for His rebellious people who have rejected Him.

The story of Christmas is our rescue story. We needed a King so that we could be kings and queens again.

The Risen King sets His agenda for His kingdom people – and that includes us here!

What a fascinating and inspiring history is this Book of Acts in our Bibles! What makes it especially exciting is the fact that this history continues to be written — in the sense that the risen, ascended Lord continues to expand His reign in our world through His Spirit-empowered Church even today.

We conclude our walk through Ruth with the VERY happy ending (chapter 4)! But, also, Naomi’s joy can be our joy as we find our refuge under the wings of Naomi’s great, great… grandson: God’s Redeemer, Jesus.

The tension thickens in chapter 3 as Naomi sends Ruth on a clandestine, night-time mission to the threshing floor. In Naomi and Ruth we’ll see needed examples of holy and gutsy optimism.

We left Naomi and Ruth at the end of Ruth chapter 1 without much hope. Naomi insisted that she be called “Mara” (Bitter). But the invisible, gracious hand of God is at work.

We’ve all been there… those bitter seasons in life when all we can focus on is our pain and disappointment. But Naomi’s story can be our story.

As we conclude our journey through Ephesians, we’re reminded again that there’s nothing on this planet quite like the Church!

Summary: Paul calls Christians and churches to put on the whole armor of God through prayer.

The Cosmic Battle is real for every Christian.

We return to Ephesians where we will focus on 6:5-9. The focus will be on God’s design for Work in the Christian Life and how we imitate God through our labors.

We had VBS this past week and we focused on this verse in John 20:31. John gives his purpose in writing his gospel, namely, that we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God AND that by believing we have life in His name! Often we forget the “and”!

The Bible is definitely for kids—they’re addressed directly right here in today’s text! How children and their parents relate in Christian homes gives a window to the grace and glory of our God.

The Gospel changes the way we live and the way we interact with one another. We will look at the first of those changed relationships in Ephesians 5:22-33.

It’s so easy to just go through the motions in life, to spin our wheels, as it were. And as we do, life passes us by. We miss opportunity after opportunity to contribute to God’s plan of redemption in this fallen world. But our gracious God has given us the resources to get off this treadmill!

We are called to imitate God but not be God. We live for His desires, not our own desires. Whose desires are you living for? There is no neutrality here, you live for someone’s desires, your own or God’s!

As we continue to think through the “nice threads” God has provided us through the work of His Son, and by the power of His Spirit, we’re called to:

If we truly have come to know and experience the riches of God’s grace through the gospel, we have been given a new wardrobe through the Spirit. People should recognize us through what we “wear."

If we truly have come to know and experience the riches of God’s grace through the gospel, we have been given a new wardrobe through the Spirit.