Calvary Church with Skip Heitzig Audio Podcast

<p>When life is easy, it can be tempting to put our faith in our own effort and ability. But when we face difficult circumstances, we have an opportunity to respond with praise as we rely on God and deepen our faith in Him. In this message in Acts, Nick Macedo unpacks an example from the apostle Paul's life that shows us how to embrace holy hardship for our sanctification and God's glory.</p>

<p>Christians are cautioned not to condemn others by their judgment, yet the Bible is clear that we should be discerning and live wisely. So how can believers know which approach God wants us to take? In this message, Nate Heitzig looks to James 4:11-12 to discover how we can replace condemnation with compassionate evaluation and discernment.</p><p><br></p><p>I. Stop Condemning</p><p>II. Start Considering</p><p> A. Consider Others</p><p> B. Consider God</p><p> C. Consider Yourself</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to fill your heart with grace and forgiveness so that you “do not speak evil of one another” (v. 11).</p><p>Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer to point out areas of bitterness, judgment, or unforgiveness in your life.</p><p>Talk with kids: What does it look like to have the same attitude as Jesus?</p>

<p>If we are not on guard against "philosophy and empty deceit" (Colossians 2:8), we can fall prey to false beliefs about Jesus and Christianity. Paul wrote a letter to the church at Colossae to address the heresy taking root among them. In this message from Colossians, Kaiden Ritchie examines the clear and powerful Who, what, and how of the gospel.</p>

<p>Conflict resolution is an entire field of practice—used from the counselor’s couch to the United Nations. Evidently, conflicts were a problem in early congregations. James, in forceful language, addressed this and told his audience how to fix it. Today we see several steps to resolve conflict. And today, instead of me writing the outline for you, I will let you do the honors.</p><p><br></p><p>I. Recognize the Source</p><p>II. Realize the Consequence</p><p>III. Repent of Your Attitude</p><p>IV. Resist the Devil</p><p>V. Rest in God</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal areas in your life that you haven’t submitted to His control. Surrender them to Him this week as you “draw near to God” (v. 8).</p><p>Talk with others: Do you need to seek resolution or reconciliation with someone in order to “live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18, NLT)?</p><p>Talk with kids: What are reasons others might not know about Jesus? How can we help them learn about Jesus?</p>

<p>God's plan for a new society, called the church—where all believers, Jews and non-Jews alike, are united in Christ by faith—was once hidden but had finally been fully revealed. Wrapping up the doctrinal section of his letter, Paul expanded on the power and importance of that shocking revelation. In this message, Skip Heitzig explores Paul's costly dedication to delivering the good news, and what it means for us today.</p>

<p>In the ancient world, few virtues were more revered than wisdom. In the biblical Hebrew culture, wisdom was considered the skill to live well, or more precisely, a wise person was an expert in godly living. According to James, wisdom has little to do with IQ, SAT scores, or education. Wisdom is different from knowledge. Rather, true wisdom is the right application of knowledge. In this passage, James showed the difference between true and false wisdom with four notable traits.</p><p><br></p><p>I. Wisdom Is Practical (v. 13a)</p><p>II. Wisdom Is Humble (v. 13b)</p><p>III. Wisdom Is Spiritual (vv. 14-16)</p><p>IV. Wisdom Is Fruitful (vv. 17-18)</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to fill your heart with “the wisdom that is from above” so your life will be “full of mercy and good fruits” (v. 17).</p><p>Talk with others: Ask a mentor to hold you accountable in not acting through “envy and self-seeking” (v. 14).</p><p>Talk with kids: How can Stephen’s faith encourage us in our own faith?</p>

<p>Bookstores are full of helpful leadership advice, but as believers we have access to the ultimate source of wisdom: the Bible. God's Word includes important examples and principles for leaders. In this message from 2 Chronicles, Robert Furrow looks at the story of King Asa and identifies seven principles of biblical leadership that can be applied to any industry or leadership role.</p>

<p>Do the words that come out of your mouth bless others and honor God, or do they bring bitterness and destruction? In this message, Nate Heitzig examines what James 3:2-12 says about the power of the tongue and reminds us that God is the only one capable of changing our heart—and the words that flow from it.</p><p><br></p><p>I. What You Say Is a Reflection</p><p>II. What You Say Causes Destruction</p><p>III. What You Say Is a Decision</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to help you break any habits of complaining, gossiping, or tearing others down—and to help you use your words to bless and encourage.</p><p>Talk with others: Be intentional in encouraging a fellow believer this week.</p><p>Talk with kids: What problem did the early church face? How did the apostles solve the problem?</p>

<p>Since the days of the early church, false teachers have claimed that a believer's faith is incomplete without the addition of worldly elements like philosophy, mysticism, or legalism. Paul's letter to the Colossians counters this message by pointing to the sufficiency of Jesus Christ. In this message, John Miller examines what believers truly need to live the abundant life that is found through faith in Christ alone.</p>

<p>When our lives don't match our testimony, it gives unbelievers an excuse to blaspheme the name of God and diminishes our witness to a lost world. It's critical that believers continually develop their spiritual character and stay accountable for their conduct. In this message, Nate Heitzig applies James 3:1 to Bible teachers—and every believer who faces the scrutiny of a skeptical world. </p>

<p>Just as young children ask their parents what is going to happen each day, we can find ourselves wondering how and when God is going to work in and through our lives. Hebrews 11:1-12 provides powerful examples of how God calls us to have faith in Him before He calls us to act. In this message, Cody Byrne unpacks the faith we need to step into our God-given calling. </p>

<p>You probably couldn’t find two people more different than the two examples chosen by James to show the difference between dead faith and dynamic faith. Abraham was the first patriarch and designated figurehead of the Jewish nation. Rahab was a prostitute who lived in Jericho during Israel’s assault of that city. But both demonstrate how true faith will produce action and change.</p><p><br></p><p>I. Question (v. 20)</p><p>II. Illustration (vv. 21-24)</p><p>III. Amplification (v. 25)</p><p>IV. Conclusion (v. 26)</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to show you ways to put your faith into action.</p><p>Talk with others: Brainstorm some practical ways to regularly serve your community with your family or Connect Group.</p><p>Talk with kids: How does sharing the gospel show we love God and people?</p>

<p>Every believer is called to share the gospel, but one survey found that most Christians have never led another person to Jesus. There are a number of reasons people give for not sharing the gospel—but could the underlying issue be a lack of compassion and conviction? In the book of Matthew, Jesus' words and example create a blueprint for how we can pray for—and participate in—the harvest.</p>

<p>According to a recent Netflix documentary, there are more forgeries of famous paintings hanging in museums than most people suspect. From time to time, these cases come to light. But what about faith in God? The easiest thing to do is to simply say that one is a believer. But where’s the proof? James addressed this, giving four telltale signs to help us spot the genuine from the fake.</p><p><br></p><p>I. Words without Works (v. 14)</p><p>II. Sight without Sympathy (vv. 15-16)</p><p>III. Profession without Proof (vv. 17-18)</p><p>IV. Commotion without Conversion (vv. 19-20)</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to give you a servant’s heart, then seek opportunities to serve or encourage someone this week.</p><p>Talk with others: Ask a mentor or trusted believer if your faith is obvious in your daily habits, attitudes, and relationships.</p><p>Talk with kids: How can people see the power of God in our lives?</p>

<p>After painting a beautiful picture of new life in Christ, Paul reminded the Ephesian church what they were saved from, saved for, and saved by. In this message, Skip Heitzig explores the profound journey from spiritual death to spiritual life—and the mystery of spiritual unity between Jewish and Gentile Christ-followers.</p>

<p>Faith and favoritism are incompatible. We have been saved by a loving Redeemer and we must be willing to accept all different kinds of people. That’s not to say that people don’t need to repent of known sin. Of course they do! But one of the glaring sins of the Christian church is discriminating on the basis of outward appearance—actually, this is a flaw endemic to the whole human race.</p><p><br></p><p>I. People Are Prejudiced Naturally (vv. 1-13)</p><p>II. Favoritism Is Foolish Logically (vv. 5-7)</p><p>III. Christians Are Corrected Biblically (vv. 8-9)</p><p>IV. Life Should Be Lived Consistently (vv. 10-13)</p><p><br></p><p>Talk with God: Ask the Lord to reveal an area where you haven’t been living as one “who will be judged by the law of liberty” (v. 12).</p><p>Talk with others: Say hello and introduce yourself to someone sitting alone at service.</p><p>Talk with kids: How are we changed by the Holy Spirit?</p>