Calvary Albuquerque with Skip Heitzig Audio Podcast

I have spent my entire ministry telling people what the Bible does say. In this series I have been telling you what it doesn’t say—that is, commonly used sayings that many have assumed were from Scripture but are not. Today we look at one that many a parent has quoted to a child, and teachers have quoted to their students. Our story in Mark 7 reveals three categories of cleanliness.I. Cleanliness Had Become ExternalII. Cleanliness Was Seen as EternalIII. Cleanliness is Really InternalTalk with God: Prayerfully consider your relationship with the Lord. Have religious habits taken the place of an active, intimate connection?Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer how they stay focused on the Lord when life distracts them.Talk with kids: How does knowing that God has a plan help you face hard situations?

How many times have you heard about the separation of church and state? I’m guessing a lot! But usually, it’s from Christians who think that it is in the Bible (it is not). It comes from secularists who think that it comes from the US Constitution (it does not). Every election cycle brings with it the dilemma: Should Christians be involved in politics? If so, to what degree?I. ComplexityII. PolicyIII. ResponsibilityTalk with God: Pray for our elected leaders and candidates and ask the Lord for wisdom and clarity as you get ready to vote.Talk with others: Encourage a believer who is anxious about the upcoming election and remind them that “no purpose of [God’s] can be thwarted” (Job 42:2, ESV).Talk with kids: How does learning about God help us receive courage?

This noble-sounding little statement has been around for a couple of decades but was popularized by Oprah Winfrey at the 2018 Golden Globe Awards. She stated, “Speaking your truth is the most powerful tool we have.” In all fairness, she was talking about those women who dared to speak up about being sexually harassed; however, the quip rapidly became a modern mantra for those who say absolute truth doesn’t exist, but that all truth is individual and comes from within.I. We Should Know the TruthII. We Should Guard the TruthIII. We Should Speak the TruthTalk with God: Meditate on John 17:14-19 and ask the Lord to sanctify your life by the truth of His Word.Talk with others: Ask your Connect Group how they stay “ready in season and out of season” (v. 2).Talk with kids: Who can you share the gospel with?

Some of the worst advice we have ever received has come from the best friends we’ve ever had. A popular slogan of our modern culture tells us each to, “Follow your heart,” and we’ve all had close friends tell us as much. But is that a good plan? Is your heart reliable? Let’s discover three valuable components of decision-making from a familiar story where things almost went really wrong.I. A Good IntentionII. Some Bad AdviceIII. A Better PlanTalk with God: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life where you choose to follow your heart instead of seeking His direction.Talk with others: Ask a fellow believer or mentor to be your sounding board and keep you accountable to follow the Word rather than your heart.Talk with kids: Why is faith in Jesus the only way to be saved?

Welcome to our new weekend series, which we are simply calling The Bible Doesn’t Say That. Over the next few weeks, we will look at some sayings and concepts people think are found in Scripture but aren’t. Perhaps you heard your grandma say them, or they were given as a piece of advice that just sounded right, so you assumed they must be in the Bible. Today, we’ll look at one of the first I heard.I. Where Did it Originate?II. Is There Any Truth to It?III. What Does the Bible Say?Talk with God: Meditate on vv. 8-10 and thank the Lord that “we shall be saved by His life” (v. 10).Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer who may be struggling right now, reminding them that “God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1).Talk with kids: What are some ways you can tell others about Jesus?

Saving anyone from death would, of course, be a noble goal. If physical death threatens someone and we can help them avert it, we should by all means try to do so. But especially if there is a risk of spiritual, eternal death, we should step in and try to stop it. Today I will share the four musts of saving a soul from death. These four ingredients are needed for every Christian life.I. Restoration Must Be Our PlanII. Admonition Must Be Our CallIII. Conversion Must Be Our GoalIV. Salvation Must Be The ResultTalk with God: Pray for an unbelieving or backslidden friend or family member and take comfort in knowing God’s Word “shall not return…void” (Isaiah 55:11).Talk with others: Sharpen another believer (see Proverbs 27:17) this week through gentle, Spirit-led correction, encouraging words, or time spent praying together.Talk with kids: What difficulties did Paul and Barnabas have to endure while sharing the gospel?

I. What Is It?II. Who Can Use It?III. What’s the Impact?Talk with God: Is there someone or something that you’ve given up praying about?Talk with others: “Confess your faults” (v. 17, KJV) to a mentor or trusted fellow believer and ask them to pray for you and hold you accountable as you tackle these areas in your life.Talk with kids: What’s the difference between knowing Jesus and knowing about Jesus?

The son of great missionary Hudson Taylor noted of his father, “For forty years the sun never rose on China that God didn’t find him on his knees.” Someone called prayer the gymnasium of the soul. When was the last time you had a good “workout”? Today, James jumps into the mysterious cooperation of the divine with the human through prayer. When and why should we do it?I. Pray When You're SufferingII. Pray When You're SmilingIII. Pray When You're SickIV. Pray When You SinV. Pray For the SaintsTalk with God: Consider your prayer life—what things consistently keep you from praying (e.g. anxiety, distractions)? Surrender them to the Lord this week.Talk with others: Invite a few friends to gather regularly to spend time in prayer together.Talk with kids: How do you use the gifts God has given you to serve your church?

Sometimes parents will tell their children not to do certain things. But such prohibitions are motivated by love. These negative commands are to ensure a positive outcome. A good biblical example of this is the list of thou shalt nots in the Ten Commandments. In this section, James gives his audience a few negative instructions so they can have a positive life.I. Do Not GrumbleII. Do Not Back DownIII. Do Not Give UpIV. Do Not Speak HastilyTalk with God: Meditate on 1 John 2:5-6 and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas of your life that don’t reflect your love for the Lord.Talk with others: Ask a friend or member of your Connect Group how you can pray for them as they seek to align their lives to God’s Word.Talk with kids: What were the believers doing while Peter was in prison?

Ever since Jesus came to Earth over 2,000 years ago to die and rise again, He promised to return. And believers have been looking for Him since. Every generation has its doomsday preachers and prophecy “experts,” predicting when He will return. But today we examine not when He will come back, but rather how we should live until He does. James tells us three ways we are to wait for it.I. Be ReadyII. Be PatientIII. Be StrongTalk with God: Meditate on verse 8 and ask the Lord to give you the wisdom to “strengthen your [heart]” (NASB), so you can continue to live for Him in the last days.Talk with others: Encourage a fellow believer to seek the Lord diligently and continue in the faith as we wait for His coming.Talk with kids: Why should we celebrate when others repent and turn to Jesus?