1 Corinthians chapter 12. Now, about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. You know that when you were pagan somehow or other, you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. Therefore, I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them and all men.   Enjoy the rest of the message.   Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

A particular type of gift, the elitist gift, is that if you don't have it, somehow, you're not really a believer, somehow, you're not really a Christian. Of course, those things aren't true, we know that. But as we watch that kind of abuse, the rest of us who believe in the gifts because they're scriptural,  they're laid out for us repeatedly in the Bible, the rest of us acknowledge them, but then we shy away from using them and we're not exactly how to use them biblically without coming off as kind of flaky and weird and without being a participant in the abuse of the gifts.   Enjoy the rest of the message,  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

Something's just not quite right when it's being abused, and we know that. And you can see the self -centeredness of that kind of usage of the gifts. And then what happens to a lot of us, I would say the larger part of the Christian church, because of that abuse, we've tended to kind of be like, off from the gifts. And we assent to them, we acknowledge them, we declare them biblical because they are biblical and they are in the Bible, but when we come to the actual practice of the gifts, we don't see them functioning very often in the church. And so that seems to be the kind of two opposites of how the gifts are being misused or ignored.    Enjoy the rest of the message.  Enjoy the rest of the message,  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

If we abuse the gifts, then we're doing damage to the body of Christ and certainly not using them for the purpose for which Christ gave them. them through the Holy Spirit. And so, I talked about that last week and we're building kind of a foundation from which we can understand the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And I talked about the fact that the foundation of the gifts is love. And we looked at the context of all of the passages from Ephesians, from Romans, and from 1 Corinthians. And in each of those passages, it's all around it, is the... critical importance of agape love.   Blessings,    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

There's lots of abuse when it comes to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and almost always it results from a lack of love, a misunderstanding about the foundational truth of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. And I'm going to get to that in a few minutes, so I'll explain that. It's almost always emphasizing the individual rather than the corporate body, where it's drawing a lot of attention to that person. Enjoy the rest of the message.    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

The Bible starts out in the book of John with John speaking of Jesus Christ.  He's the Messiah He was pre -existent. He is distinct from the father and the and the Holy Spirit and at the same time He is deity. He is God and so John starts out with his grandiose beginning of explaining who Jesus Christ is. Today we're going to be looking at John the Baptist, and an introduction to his life, also looking at John's first experience with Jesus in understanding that he's the Messiah, and then look at one of them, what I believe is one of the most fundamental and basic teachings on evangelism and the Bible on how to reach others with the good news of Jesus Christ.   Enjoy the rest of this message.    Blessings, Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

Very specifically, through Christ, to a certain lifestyle and to follow Him and to make disciples, we're going to go over some of this. But in the face of discouragement and Peter's own failure, he went back to what he was most comfortable with in the past, and he went fishing, and we talked about that life. last week. But, as Romans 11, 29 tells us, God's calling and gifts are irrevocable. And God knew that Peter was going to take a dive for a short period of time. And not only Peter, but that he was going to influence the other disciples to go AWOL as well. But you know the wonderful thing about God,  and if you get nothing else from today's message except this, I want you to remember that God... is a God that never gives up. He never says, "That's it. You're finished. Enjoy the rest of the message.  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

I've entitled the teaching today "Absent Without Leave." For those of you in the military with any military background, and most of you that don't have military background, you know what? What absent without leave means, it means a situation where a soldier commissioned to do a certain post or a certain responsibility leaves without the authorization of his commanding officer. There are actually a number of figures in the Bible who were guilty of going AWOL. In fact, we find in the very first few chapters of the Bible Adam and Eve going AWOL on the commissioning that God gave them.   Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

For Christ, it's not sightings, it's appearances. Why? Because Christ made himself absolutely visible. You know, he wasn't hiding. He wasn't transporting us up into heaven and dissecting our brain and switching parts and then putting us back and trying to to erase our memories so that we couldn't recall what happened to us. No, I mean it's like Jesus came right down and he said, "Here I am. Feel me, touch me, examine me." There's no area 51 with Jesus.   Enjoy the rest of the message.  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

You know, over the years and over the millennia, there have been a number of men who have claimed to be enlightened and to have the word of truth. I think about Muhammad, Siddhartha Gautama, who was Buddha. We have Confucius and, of course, Jesus Christ. Each of these men, men died and was buried.  But only one rose from the dead, never to die again, and his name was Jesus Christ   Enjoy the rest of the message. Blessings,  The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

And I titled the message Wonder if you're Loved. And there are very few of us who at times don't wonder or have that great need to know that yes, we are loved, and we are loved. That's one of the greatest needs actually that God has placed in our hearts. I believe, Even more than in some cases, more than some of the basic necessities of life. We have this deep longing to know that we have value and importance and that we are loved and that's really what this message is about today.  So, although it's a challenging message for me to deliver to you and a challenging one to receive, I believe that it's the fullest and most complete and most comprehensive expression of love ever known to man and ever known in the future to man.   Enjoy the message  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

This is a pretty powerful passage.   There's an awful lot happening in a very condensed period of time. The hours are short before Jesus' death. He is about to give up everything for you and for me. He's going to pay the ultimate price for our sin that we can be reconciled to God. But before that happens, there are some final catastrophic disappointments that Jesus is going to face in his final hours.    Enjoy the rest of the message    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

Last message we talked about Jesus' commissioning prayer, and if you recall, the first three things that Jesus prayed for his disciples, for the growth and expansion of the kingdom, was protection. And we need it. We need protection from sin and the world, but we also need protection from the onslaught of the enemy.   So, Jesus prays right away for protection. Jesus is leaving. He protected them during His earthly ministry. And now that He's making the transition back to the Father's right hand, now He's asking that the Father would take over that responsibility of protecting the disciples.   Enjoy the rest of the message.    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

"So with you, now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy. In that day, you will no longer ask me anything.   I tell you the truth, my father will give you whatever you ask him in mind. my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete."   Enjoy the rest of the message   Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

This is Jesus speaking with his disciples. And if you recall, he's in this upper room discourse with his disciples.   It's one of the longest stretches in Scripture of Jesus speaking. speaking and the most intimate of all his communication with his disciples. And it's going to go on for quite a while through this book. And we're going to be finishing up and probably in a couple of months. But he's still teaching his disciples. This is just before his death.    Enjoy the message.    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

You do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember the words I spoke to you. No servant is greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.   If they obeyed my teaching, they would obey yours also. They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me.   Enjoy the rest of the message,    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

And so we have an opportunity to kind of be participants in that very private time with his disciples, and it's been made very public so that we can participate in it through the Word of God.    Beginning in verse 1, Jesus is speaking. He says, "I am the true vine, and my father is the gardener." He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in me, and I will remain in you.   No branch can bear fruit by itself. It must remain in me. in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. I am the vine. You are the branches.   Enjoy the rest of the message.    Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

The final chapters of John comprised primarily this very intimate conversation that Jesus is having with his disciples in the upper room and last week we looked at the fact that there is no other way except through Christ and Jesus.  We finished up that section talking about prayer and how we can know with certainty that our prayers will be answered if we're praying according to God's will and with the purpose of glorifying him.  Today we're going to be looking at the promise of the Holy Spirit, but it's all couched in the context of obedience, which is the greatest demonstration of love for God and it's the only demonstration that God requires of true love for him.    Enjoy the rest of the message.  Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

Trust also in me. In my Father's house or in many rooms, if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me so that you also may be with me. be where I am. You know the way to the place where I'm going. Thomas said to him, "Lord we don't know where you're going so how can we know the way?" Jesus answered,  "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really knew me you would know my Father as well. From now on you do know him and have seen him.    Enjoy the rest of the message.    if you enjoyed this short, be sure to enjoy the full sermon here https://youtu.be/nxWsvYrNmrE   Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com

"My children, I will be with you only a little longer. "You will look for me." and just as I told the Jews, "so I tell you now where I am going, you cannot come. "A new command I give you, love one another. "As I have loved you, so you must love one another. "By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, "if you love one another."    Today we're talking about a number of things that are important. One of the things that I am going to be talking about today is is prophecy. Jesus makes a number of prophetic predictions in this brief passage.   Enjoy the rest of the message.  If you enjoyed this short, be sure to enjoy the full sermon here https://youtu.be/nxWsvYrNmrE   Enjoy the rest of this message and may you be blessed by the teaching of God's word. Blessings, The Epic Life 3-2600 Kaumualii HWY STE 1300 #513 Lihue, HI 96766 https://www.theepiclife.org https://www.facebook.com/livetheepiclife https://www.instagram.com/Living_The_Epic_Life https://www.theepiclife.podbean.com