Author: Robert

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For Friday, December 5, 2014
“Six Lessons We Can Learn from Persecution” Part 2

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or as a busybody in other people’s matters. Yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter (1 Pet. 4:14-16).

There are blessings in persecution, lessons that we can learn that can strengthen our faith and help us to grow as Christians. Yesterday, we noted three of those lessons. Today, let’s notice three more.

1. Satan’s army is strong and convicted in what they do.

In Acts 12, Herod was so vehemently against Christianity that he killed James with the sword, and threw Peter into prison. Now stop for a minute and reflect upon the level of commitment to a conviction that would cause you to kill others in order to support that philosophy.

Satan has deceived many people into thinking that they are right and that the Bible’s path is wrong. They are many in number and strong in their convictions. We must be prepared to give an answer to them, and we must wear the whole armor of God in order to combat their fiery darts.

2. Sometimes persecution comes from people who are supposed to be religious.

Of all of the people whom we would think would be early adherents to Jesus and to Christianity, we would think the Jews would have been quick to accept and obey Jesus Christ. After all, the prophets had foretold of His coming and His ministry for centuries! However they, the ones who were supposed to be religious, rejected Christ and, consequently, all who would follow Christ.

When Paul became a Christian, Acts says that “the Jews plotted to kill him” (Acts 9:23). Sometimes persecution comes from surprising directions.

3. The power of the gospel is never diminished by persecution.

To this point, I think Acts 12:23-24 is extremely interesting. It records when Herod (who killed James and imprisoned Peter) died:

Then immediately an angel of the Lord struck him, because he did not give glory to God. And he was eaten by worms and died. But the word of God grew and multiplied.

Notice that contrast! It’s there for a reason. Herod – who had given part of his life to trying to stop Christianity – died, but the word of God grew and multiplied. Amazing!

Persecutors may try to stop us, but God’s word is powerful – more powerful than our enemies! It can save souls! It can show us the way to heaven! It is not diminished in any way by efforts to diminish its light!

Let’s wrap it up: If you read through the book of Acts, you’ll notice something about the first century church. The first century church thrived during persecution. The church has been persecuted since its very establishment. Why do we think it would be any different today?

Don’t ever give up. Trust God. Be faithful even if it means death, and the Lord will give you the crown of life (Rev. 2:10).

Memory Verse: Do you have this week’s verse down yet? This one was one of the most difficult that we’ve done because of its length. Let’s try it one more time for this week. Here’s 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: What will you do in 2015 to improve the new you? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “In 2015, I will ______ to better serve Jesus. #NewYouChallenge” This is the final week of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Over the weekend: Be sure to worship God on Sunday, the Lord’s day. Assemble with God’s people in your area and worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Need help locating a place to worship? Check out the interactive map (available from our friends at In Search of the Lord’s Way) that will help you find a congregation of God’s people in your area! Just go to thelightnetwork.tv/worship.

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Thursday, December 4, 2014
“Six Lessons We Can Learn from Persecution” Part 1

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

And when they had brought them, they set them before the council. And the high priest asked them, saying, “Did we not strictly command you not to teach in this name? And look, you have filled Jerusalem with your doctrine, and intend to bring this Man’s blood on us!” But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:27-29).

Persecution is hard, isn’t it? It’s hard to be different from culture. It’s hard to take a stand when others relax. It’s hard to remember that heavenly home when the problems of our age seem so big. But persecution has a way of teaching us valuable lessons in our spiritual journeys. It has a way of bringing us closer to Jesus.

Today and tomorrow, we will notice six lessons from persecution. Here are the first three for today.

1. Times like these demonstrate who will really take a stand for Christ.

Are you among the number who will “stand up, stand up for Jesus”? Peter and John were! In Acts chapters three and four we read that they were arrested, chastised, and beaten for preaching in the name of Jesus. They were told not to preach in His name anymore. But boldly responded : “We cannot but speak the things which we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).

Is that your sentiment, too? Are you willing to take a stand when its necessary to stand up?

2. Times like these encourage Christian unity.

Following Peter’s and John’s persecution, the preaching pair went back to the congregation to tell them what happened. The church’s response is interesting. They don’t say, “Let’s not go back there again. We need to try to find somewhere else to preach.” Not at all! Instead, they pray to God – and they pray for boldness to continue preaching as He desires (Acts 4:23-31)!

There’s something about praying together that unites us, isn’t there? That’s a special time to commune with God and with each other. Persecution encourages unity.

3. Persecution reminds me that Christianity is about more than my comfort.

This is a difficult lesson to learn. You know, we become a Christian because we realize our need to do so. It’s about us to a degree. However, sometimes we fail to emphasize that becoming a Christian is more about entering into a relationship – a covenant – with God. It’s not about me at all. It’s about what I can do to serve the Lord.

The apostles had been imprisoned in Acts chapter 5, but at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and freed them. They were told that they were to go right back where they were preaching initially and preach. By the way, this was exactly what got them put into prison in the first place! They were freed to go preach. It wasn’t about them. It was about the cause of Christ.

The church that was scattered because of Saul’s persecutions “went everywhere preaching the word “(Acts 8:4). It wasn’t about them and their comfort. It was about furthering the cause of Christ.

Let’s wrap it up: Persecution hurts the human side, but it seems to have spiritual benefits that bind us together as God’s people and they help us to rely more fully upon our Heavenly Father. In that sense, persecution is a blessing. May we pray for boldness, and may we boldly proclaim the only message that can save our lost world.

Memory Verse: The realization that Christianity and the church is bigger than I am helps me as I strive for unity among my brethren. Listen once again to 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: What will you do in 2015 to improve the new you? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “In 2015, I will ______ to better serve Jesus. #NewYouChallenge” This is the final week of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Wednesday, December 3, 2014
“Why Are Christians Persecuted?”

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead (Acts 4:1-2).

Why are Christians persecuted? I mean, it’s a spiritual lifestyle that has love at its very core. Jesus said we would be known by our love (John 13:34-35)! So why are Christians so often persecuted rather than loved in return?

The New Testament gives us at least four reasons why Christians are persecuted.

1. Christianity’s Leader is controversial to culture.

If you think about it, the first century church was persecuted because of their affiliation with Jesus. For example, we find this in Acts 4:1-2:

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.

Stephen preached Jesus in Acts chapter seven, and this caused those to whom he preached to lash out by stoning him to death.

Jesus said it Himself: “Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil” (John 3:19).

2. Christianity and pride cannot coexist.

The Synagogue of the Freedmen (Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and those from Cilicia and Asia) disputed with Stephen concerning his preaching, but “they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spoke” (Acts 6:10). Therefore, they began to spread lies about him to turn the people against him. That’s what ultimately led to his murder by stoning. This seems to be a perfect illustration of the fact that pride and Christianity cannot coexist.

3. Christianity affects some people’s bank accounts.

Do you remember what happened to Paul when he healed the slave girl who was possessed with a spirit of divination? He and Silas were imprisoned (Acts 16:16-40)! What about the riot that occurred in Ephesus at the theater (Acts 19)? You may remember that the riot resulted from the silversmiths (who made silver shrines of Diana for no small profit, Acts 19:24) feeling the pain that Christianity could bring upon their pocketbooks!

4. Christianity disrupts the “status quo.”

In Acts 17:5-9, Paul has been preaching in Thessalonica. Some of the Jews are unhappy about what he has preached, and they go looking for him. Unable to find Paul and his company, the Jews go to Jason’s house, dragging Jason and some of the brethren to the rulers of the city. Listen to what those Jews said as they brought Jason before the rulers: “These who have turned the world upside down have come here too. Jason has harbored them, and these are all acting contrary to the decree of Caesar, saying there is another king – Jesus” (Acts 17:7).

They didn’t like that Christianity was turning their world upside down. Christ calls people above the status quo. God has bigger plans for us than our culture’s low standards.

Let’s wrap it up: These four reasons continue to explain why Christianity is persecuted. Jesus taught principles that challenge us and call us out of our sinful lifestyles. Christianity calls us to humble ourselves, casting off pride. Christianity tells us to lay our treasures in heaven, not on earth, and Christianity calls us out of the world, and thus away from the world’s standards. We are to measure up to God’s standards for our lives.

So long as Christianity stands on this earth (and this kingdom will stand long after the earth is destroyed, Daniel 2:44; John 18:36), it will be persecuted. May God help us to withstand that persecution and to cling tightly to our Lord, through Whom we can do all things.

Memory Verse: This week’s verse is all about unity in the church, and how we can achieve it. Here’s 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: What will you do in 2015 to improve the new you? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “In 2015, I will ______ to better serve Jesus. #NewYouChallenge” This is the final week of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Tuesday, December 2, 2014
“Why Church Attendance is So Important” Part 2

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:24-25).

Yesterday, we studied together three things that church assembly attendance does. If you missed yesterday’s episode, I strongly encourage you to listen to episode 144 of The New You. Today, let’s notice three things that attendance says.

1. Assembly attendance says, “I am selfless.”

Honestly, choosing not to attend a worship assembly is selfish. When you don’t go to a church assembly when you could, you are choosing yourself over God and His people.

2. Assembly attendance says, “I want to be a source of spiritual strength.

According to Hebrews 10:24-25, we rely on each other’s strength to keep on in our spiritual journey. I don’t always consider myself to have the kind of strength that someone else can rely on, but I like to think that I have something I can offer to my brethren when they’re struggling. I like to think that I am willing to rise to the occasion to help in times of need. I think that’s a good goal to have.

3. Assembly attendance says, “I seek to be spiritually strong.”

I haven’t “arrived,” spiritually speaking, and I never will. Even the oldest Christian can – and should – grow. So I’m seeking to be strong. I want to be someone who can encourage others. I want to be a Barnabas, for example, ready to give aid to struggling Christians. I do this because it is expected of me. I also do this because I have often been the beneficiary of other people’s strength.

All of this begs the question: Is missing a service forsaking the assembly?

This question cannot be answered with a simple yes or no. It occurs to me that some people miss because they HAVE to. They are sick, or they are caring for someone else who is sick. Perhaps they miss because of work. Not everyone can work 9-5, Monday through Friday. Therefore, they are forced to miss, even though they would like to be there. Is this “forsaking?” No.

Conversely, there are some people who miss because they WANT to. They choose sports over the assembly. Perhaps they are on vacation, so they don’t go to worship. Perhaps they had a long week, or a long Saturday, they choose to sleep in on Sunday morning. These are wants, not necessarily needs, that I am talking about. Is this “forsaking?” I have to believe that it is.

That word “forsaking” used in Hebrews 10:25 literally means to leave behind, to neglect, to abandon. It is used in the present tense, and indicates repeated practices. Those people were habitually neglectful of the assembly. They were often missing when the church gathered. You and I must not be among that number.

What about someone who says, “we’re only required to come one time and that’s on Sunday.” First, I would be cautious of reducing Christianity into a “checklist religion.” I don’t go to the assembly just to get my bubble filled in that I was present. If that’s why you go, then you’re going for all the wrong reasons.

Do the elders have an obligation to feed the flock? Acts 20:28 says that they do. How can they accomplish this command? How do they ensure that the souls over whom they are watching are spiritually nourished? Perhaps those elders decide it would be good to come together twice on Sunday for worship instead of just once. Perhaps they decide it would be great to meet for an hour of Bible study before worship on Sunday mornings and for an hour in the middle of the week, say on Wednesday evenings. Many elderships have done this. They may also plan seminars, gospel meetings, and other events throughout a year’s time to feed the flock.

Do sheep have an obligation to yield to the elders? Yes we do. Those elders operate under the Chief Shepherd, Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 5:1-4). Hebrews 13:7 says that we are to “obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account.”

Let’s wrap it up: Considerations about church attendance can be summarized by this question. Does my worship attendance reflect Matthew 6:33? You must answer that for yourself, and I must answer it for myself.

Memory Verse: Let’s continue our work to memorize 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: What will you do in 2015 to improve the new you? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “In 2015, I will ______ to better serve Jesus. #NewYouChallenge” This is the final week of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Monday, December 1, 2014
“Why Church Attendance is So Important” Part 1

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching (Heb. 10:24-25).

Hebrews chapter ten is an incredible chapter all about assurance of our salvation and the need for endurance as Christians. The Hebrews writer reminds us that we are all in this Christian journey together, and we need each other.

Part of our reliance upon each other involves our regular assemblies. That’s where we come to Hebrews 10:24-25. There is something that our attendance DOES when we assemble with God’s people on the Lord’s day and on other occasions (such as Wednesday evening Bible study for many of us). Today, let’s focus on three things that our worship and Bible study attendance does.

1. Your assembly attendance expresses deep concern for your brethren.

Looking at Hebrews 10:24-25, we notice that word “consider.” The Holy Spirit says, “Let us consider one another…” (Heb. 10:24). That word consider means that we are fixing our minds upon one another. As we come together to worship, we do so to worship the God of the Universe. We do so in the way that He prescribes – in spirit and in truth (John 4:24). But we also assemble for each other. We come to think about each other and to consider what we can do to encourage each other. Your presence shows that you care for your brethren.

2. Your assembly attendance stimulates your brethren to love and good works.

Looking again at Hebrews 10:24, we now notice the words “stir up.” “Let us … stir up love and good works,” the text says. Some translations read “provoke” instead of “stir up,” as the New King James puts it. The word means to stimulate. We are encouraging one another to do good. Personally, I rely on that encouragement from each of the assemblies of the saints.

3. Your assembly attendance admonishes your brethren.

Hebrews 10:25 says that we are not to forsake the assembly, but to be “exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.” To exhort is to admonish, to urge. As we assemble, we encourage each other to “keep on keeping on.” That’s important!

“The day” to which the writer refers is likely the day of the destruction of Jerusalem. That would happen in A.D. 70. There are some scholars who want to assign “the Day” to mean the day of judgment, however, we cannot “see the day [of judgment] approaching.” Jesus said that no one, save God, knows when that day and hour will be. During His earthly ministry, Jesus foretold of the day that Jerusalem would be destroyed. It was going to be a terrible day for those who lived within the city of David. It would undoubtedly be a difficult time for even Jesus’ disciples because of the need to flee their homes and avoid death. This is why the Hebrews writer says that those saints needed to exhort one another not to give up. They needed to rely on each other in order to spiritually survive what was coming their way.

Today, you and I also exhort one another to keep on keeping on. While it is somewhat different from the original meaning in Hebrews 10:25, there is certainly a strong application to be made for modern Christians.

Let’s wrap it up: Your attendance during worship and Bible study times expresses deep concern for your brethren, stimulates them to love and good works, and admonishes them. By contrast, what are you able to do to encourage your brethren when you’re not at the assembly? We need each other. You have a responsibility to be there when the church assembles, and so do I.

Memory Verse: This week’s verse is one of the longest we’ve attempted on this podcast. However, it’s message is so important that it warrants our memorization. Here’s 1 Corinthians 1:10.

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1 Cor. 1:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! Let’s work together to make the Internet a better place. Each week, I’ll give you a challenge, and I want to encourage you to take to social media with that challenge, followed by the hashtag #NewYouChallenge.

This week I want us to answer this question: What will you do in 2015 to improve the new you? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “In 2015, I will ______ to better serve Jesus. #NewYouChallenge” This is the final week of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Tuesday, November 25, 2014
“Thanksgiving in Three Tenses”

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Rev. 1:8).

The Hebrews writer says that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8). As we consider all of that for which we are thankful, it occurs to me that we can be thankful to God for the spiritual blessings that He has given us, is giving us, and will give us in the future. Wayne Jackson wrote an article on The Christian Courier several years ago titled Thanksgiving in Three Tenses. I want us to think about that thought today. We can express thanks to our Father for the past, the present, and the future!

Gratitude for the Past

In Colossians 1:12-14, Paul gives the church at Colossae some insight into his prayers of thanksgiving:

Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

Notice two arenas of thanksgiving that are expressed here. First, he is thankful for his relationship with God. That relationship includes the forgiveness of his sins that made it possible to be in fellowship with God. Second, he is thankful for his relationship with God’s people. God has made it possible for “us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Col. 1:12). This took place in the past, when Paul put on the Lord in baptism. What a blessing!

Gratitude for the Present

Our lives are to be living sacrifices, dedicated to the Lord (Rom. 12:1-2). As such, we are to go about living in a way that is pleasing to Him – in word and in deed (Col. 3:17). Paul often paused to express his thanksgiving for his present circumstances as he labored for Jesus.

Paul would express thanksgiving for the people in his life. He told the church in Corinth: “I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given to you by Christ Jesus” (1 Cor. 1:4). Similarly, you and I have people in our lives for whom we are thankful to God.

Additionally, we can be thankful that the Lord is in our lives! Remember the promise Jesus made to His disciples? “I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Mat. 28:20). I’m comforted by that promise. I’m so thankful for that promise. I know you are, too.

Gratitude for the Future Victory

Paul knew of this great victory over sin. In fact, the entire fifteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is about the victory that is in Jesus. The book of Revelation is about that same theme. The entire Bible makes it abundantly clear that God wins over Satan and sin. You and I can be partakes in that victory through Christ. “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ,” Paul exclaimed in 1 Corinthians 15:57. That victory awaits all of God’s faithful when this life is over.

Let’s wrap it up: We have seen that Paul appreciated the blessings that God had given him through Jesus Christ. Consequently, Paul was sure of the victory that was prepared for him. In 2 Timothy 4:8, he wrote:

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.

I pray that you and I have that confidence in that future victory, and that we are continually thankful for what God has done in our past, our present, and what He will do in the future. Thanks be to God!

Memory Verse: Psalm 106, like so many of the psalms, expresses praise to God for His great blessings. Our memory verse this week is Psalm 106:1.

Praise the LORD!
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: Who is your favorite Bible character? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “My favorite Bible character is ______ . #NewYouChallenge” This is week 9 of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

From my family to yours, I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. God has blessed us all so much! He truly is great and good. We’re taking off the rest of the week for The New You, but I’ll be looking forward to meeting you back here, the Lord willing, on Monday as we continue our spiritual journey together.

Until then, I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Monday, November 24, 2014
“The Heart of Thanksgiving”

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

Oh come, let us sing to the LORD!
Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving;
Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms (Psa. 95:1-2).

Welcome to Thanksgiving week here on The New You. We have a short week this week, with only two episodes, today and tomorrow. I thought it would be good to focus on the topic of thanksgiving.

The ninety fifth Psalm is all about being thankful. It begins with an invitation. “Come, let us sing to the LORD,” the psalmist writes. Down in verse six he continues, “Come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the LORD our Maker.” Notice that we are invited to come to the LORD, to Jehovah. We are to come joyfully (verse one), thankfully (verse two), and reverently (verse six).

Following the invitation to approach God’s throne with thanksgiving and praise, the Psalmist continues by focusing on two aspects of a thankful heart. A thankful heart is a worshipful heart, and a thankful heart is an obedient heart.

A thankful heart is a worshipful heart.

Psalm 95:3-7 shows us this picture of a thankful heart expressed in worship to God. We worship God because of His prominence. “The LORD is the great God, and the great King above all gods” (95:3). Second, we worship God because of His power.

In His hand are the deep places of the earth;
The heights of the hills are His also.
The sea is His, for He made it;
And His hands formed the dry land (Psa. 95:4-5).

The Challenger Deep, in the Pacific ocean, is estimated at close to 36,000 feet deep! God’s hand is in the deep places of the earth. And yet, the heights of the hills are His, too! Exodus 19:18 says that Mount Sinai smoked and quaked because of God’s presence there. The sea clearly belongs to Him. Just look at the parting of the Red Sea (Exodus 14) and you will see that God is in control of every part of nature. His power gives us reason to thank Him and worship Him.

In the third place, we worship God because of His presence. Psalm 95:6-7 says that “He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.” God cares for us, and we belong to Him.

In light of all of this, how can anyone refuse to worship God and to bow down before Him in reference, joy, and thanksgiving?

A thankful heart is an obedient heart.

The psalmist makes a turn in Psalm 95 to discuss the children of Israel. Psalm 95:7-11 tell about the thankless, faithless, and, consequently, Godless Israelites as they wandered in the wilderness for forty years. They refused to hear God’s voice, and they hardened their hearts (Psa. 95:8). Inspiration warns us in this psalm not to be like them. “Today, if you will hear His voice…,” the psalmist writes at the end of verse seven. Notice that nothing is said of tomorrow. Today – now – is the time to heed God’s voice and to call upon Him, to trust in Him for salvation and to rely on Him for strength. He is able, isn’t He? Ephesians 3:20 says that He is.

Let’s wrap it up: This week, as we in the United States pause to count our blessings, we are certainly reminded that we have need to be thankful all year long. We are undoubtedly overwhelmed by God’s goodness toward us in His multitudes of blessings on us.

As we’re expressing our thanks, let us also remember that God expects us to be good stewards of His blessings. Someone put it this way: “Not what we say about our blessings, but how we use them, is the true measure of our thanksgiving.”

Memory Verse: I have a short verse selected for us to memorize this week, since it’s a short week for us on The New You. However, this is a power-packed verse all about God’s goodness and our expressions of thanksgiving to Him. Here’s Psalm 106:1.

Praise the LORD!
Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good!
For His mercy endures forever (Psalm 106:1).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! Let’s work together to make the Internet a better place. Each week, I’ll give you a challenge, and I want to encourage you to take to social media with that challenge, followed by the hashtag #NewYouChallenge.

This week I want us to answer this question: Who is your favorite Bible character? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “My favorite Bible character is ______ . #NewYouChallenge” This is week 9 of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!

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For Friday, November 21, 2014
“Biblical Principles for Our Hearts”

 

 

 

 

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Episode Transcript:

You’re listening to The New You, the daily broadcast for people who have been made new by the blood of Christ. I’m Robert Hatfield, and here is today’s Scripture:

But those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and they defile a man. 19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies (Mat. 15:18-19).

We’ve talked all this week about the heart. There’s a reason I wanted to devote an entire week to the heart here on The New You. That is because your heart dictates everything about who you are. Therefore, if you want to be conformed to the image of Christ, if you really want to be the new you, it’s going to begin with changing your heart.

As we conclude this week-long series, here are five principles that we need to remember about our hearts.

1. The Bible is designed to prick your heart.

The Hebrews writer describes the Bible as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword,” it pierces through right to the heart. The writer continues by saying that the Bible is “a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). When the gospel message pricked the hearts of those honest Jews on the day of Pentecost in Acts 2, the word was doing exactly what it was designed to do. When you and I read the Scriptures and we come across a passage that steps on our toes and calls on us to change, we should know that the word is, once again, doing exactly what God designed it to do.

2. Following Jesus demands a change of heart.

Paul says that we are to have the mind of Christ (Phil. 2:5). In Galatians 2:20, he stated that Christ lived within him. Jesus calls upon us to relinquish our wills so that the mind of Christ can dwell in us. We are going to think in accordance to the law of Christ.

3. If you take garbage in, you will produce garbage out.

That’s not just one of your grandmother’s favorite sayings, it’s a fact of life! The Holy Spirit gave us the positive side to that old adage in Philippians 4:8: “ Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Do your thoughts match what the Bible teaches? Do you allow your mind to be filled with the trash that our culture has to give or are you intentional and protective about what you allow into your heart?

4. Your heart reflects your true priorities.

Jesus said it: “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Mat. 6:21). So what about it? Do you derive great pleasure when reflecting on heaven and studying about that eternal home and how to get there? Or do you find it difficult to make time for regular Bible study? The old hymn asks, “Where is your heart, O pilgrim?”

5. Your actions and your words come directly from your heart.

Jesus stated on several occasions this truth: your actions and your words are representatives of your heart. So do you have a problem using your tongue in a Scripturally inappropriate way? Do you do things that are not becoming of the gospel of Christ? Let us take Jesus’ words to heart:

Brood of vipers! How can you, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things (Mat. 12:34-35).

Let’s wrap it up: Christianity is a lifestyle of the heart. It is designed to change who we are and what we are all about. Thanks be to God for His mercy, love, and kindness which make that change possible!

Memory Verse: The end of another week means that you have potentially memorized another verse! I hope that you have 2 Corinthians 5:10 down by now. Ill say it once, and then ask you to say it again with me the second time.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad (2 Cor. 5:10).

The New You 10 Week Challenge for a Better Internet! This week I want us to answer this question: For what physical / material blessing are you most thankful? So head over to Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like and compose a post which says, “The material blessing for which I am most thankful is ______ . #NewYouChallenge” This is week 8 of the 10 week challenge for a better Internet!

Over the weekend: Be sure to worship God on Sunday, the Lord’s day. Assemble with God’s people in your area and worship Him in Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Need help locating a place to worship? Check out the interactive map (available from our friends at In Search of the Lord’s Way) that will help you find a congregation of God’s people in your area! Just go to thelightnetwork.tv/worship.

Thanks for joining me today for The New You. You can find us each weekday at thelightnetwork.tv. You’ll also find episode archives, transcripts, and more Christian podcasts there. That’s thelightnetwork.tv

Contact me by email at robert@thelightnetwork.tv or by voicemail, by calling 903-26-LIGHT, that’s 903-265-4448. I’d love to hear from you!

I’m Robert Hatfield. You are the new you! Go live like it!