Rise on Fire Ministries

We live in a world with more distractions and forms of entertainment than ever before. With that comes an ever-growing temptation to focus on lesser things, even leading to laziness and unhealthy procrastinations where we never get anything done. Do everything (even the mundane) as unto the Lord: If God was the one who gave you every assignment, would you complete it as one who is driven, or would you allow laziness to steal your calling? The choice is yours.

Did you know the covenant God made with us through Jesus was not just about providing salvation but includes promises of financial provision? I'm not talking about the "prosperity gospel" I am talking about what it means to have a Father-Son relationship with a Father who cares more than your employer, government, or the world. And the Bible is full of hope for those worried about the future, if only we knew where to look. God feeds sparrows, clothed lilies, and even provided coin from the fish's mouth. In this teaching we will unpack deep revelation upon revelation about God's promises of provision for us, and I share some personal testimony miracles. You don't want to miss this one!

In this live stream, I'd like to share an incredible revelation regarding God's provision, and why Jesus chose to pay the temple taxes using the coin from the fish's mouth.

God made known He will one day gather the fruit of His Kingdom from places He did not even scatter seed (Matt 25:24). While God scatters seed, it is the winds of the Holy Spirit that carry it to new unexpected places where God raises unexpected people to walk out His divine callings. The concept is simple: Some seeds take no root and die, some seeds fall on good ground and bear much fruit, some seeds grow but never bear much fruit at all. As people, we each have a Kingdom "credit score", if we use the little God entrusted to us well, He gives us much more because we are trustworthy. If we are not trustworthy with what He gave (because we do not trust God for the miracle of producing fruit in our life), the little we have will be taken away and given to another (Matt 25:29). Walk by faith! If you stumble in your weaknesses yet know He made you with them all, how could your weakness stand in His way of using you mightily? You were made for Him. But you must trust Him.

We are in a war. A constant battle surrounds us between good and evil. Satan moves strategically to try and poke for weaknesses to get into our lives and mold us into his image. He wants to destroy the image of God we have been made in. He is after your character: Who you are, how you act. He wants to use you as his vessel. He wants to manipulate others through you, for you to use others for your own gain, to care about yourself more than others, to be critical, jealous, angry, and hateful. God wants the opposite. But perhaps the most concerning is that Satan tries to do these things undercover without your knowledge, especially if you consider yourself a believer. Is your character being used as a vessel for good, or evil? This is a vital message for teenagers, young and older adults alike!

The law is holy and good but must be used for what it was intended for. The accuser (Satan) brings guilt, shame & condemnation through the misuse of the law even unto those who are no longer under it. What does it really mean that we are "not under the law"? Understanding the freedom from condemnation we have in Christ is essential for us to be able to walk out our wonderful and powerful God-given callings in confidence, instead of living in unworthiness to serve God, shame, and other lies of the enemy. In this short video, we discuss this freedom we can experience in Christ!

The arrival of the Internet ushered in a change in culture and the way we view and share information. Before, to become a "teacher" on the things of God you had to go out of your way to do so. Today, it's all a click away and then our words are published for the world to see. But if we teach, are we called? Should we be? Just because teaching the masses has become easier than ever before, doesn't mean we should. The Bible has strong words against the idle and careless teaching that sometimes litters our feeds. For many, they may find that their "social media life" will be their disaster at God's throne. We need to develop a greater fear of God, His Word, and understand whether He truly qualified us personally to become a teacher.

In this teaching PD details the nature of "Generational Curses" as scripture outlines it: The consequences of sin that can span generations in more ways than we realize. When God said: "The life is in the blood", He hinted at how what we live out - good or evil - will be in our blood, and what is in our blood can be carried over generations, unless the curse is broken through Yeshua.

Speaking in Tongues is one of the more mysterious spiritual gifts, and because of this, it has even been feared by some believers. Some fear that they might accidentally "curse God" or "speak from a different spirit." Paul demonstrates, it is possible to speak in tongues without having the interpretation yourself (1 Cor 14:13), so how do we walk out this gift with the peace that we do so in purity and in worship to God? Because of these fears, the gift of tongues has been forbidden in some circles and the Holy Spirit quenched, but is this the desire of God? Is it not in the welcoming of Holy Spirit, and the practice of spiritual gifts with discernment that we can avoid evil spirits in the first place? I hope this video answers any questions you may have regarding this gift!

Join me live now as I pray for you and the nations live.

In this live broadcast, we will be answering various questions sent in by listeners, including the topic of casting out demons, the mark of the beast, being a bold witness for the gospel, and more.

A video to share with your New Age friends! Another world exists outside of this one, much bigger and more influential than many realize, comprised of two kingdoms with a battle between good and evil. The Kingdom of Light is holy, pure, honest, and true. But the kingdom of darkness is continually trying to disguise itself as "good" through crafty lies to deceive man. As witchcraft increases and is being practiced more openly than ever before, it is important for us to distinguish the light from the darkness. Many believe in so-called gods, but what are the Ways that the One True God prescribes His people to worship and honor Him by? And what are the ways of sorcery that he calls an abomination? In this teaching, we discover the spiritual realm and the angels & demons that function therein, the various forms of witchcraft to beware of today, and how we can be an instrument of the battle for the right Kingdom.

When God sent out the 12 disciples to cast out demons, heal the sick, raise the dead and cleanse lepers, He didn't promise that it would be easy. In fact, human nature being confronted with these seemingly "impossible" instructions, even from God, can bring great fear. These instructions, while beautiful (as they bring life) can seem scary, because we are the ones they were assigned to. This kind of instruction also isn't new. God wants the best for us, promised lands flowing with milk and honey, but sometimes a giant will stand in the way. But the question is will you give in to the fears that may come upon you when faced with that giant? Or will you trust in the promises of God? Join me in this teaching as we discover the amazing parallel's found within scripture between the 12 disciples and 12 spies; and what they teach us about giants, fear and deliverance - especially within the realm of the Great Commission. Numbers 13 - 15 Torah Portion: Shelach | Send | שלח

God is calling warriors. People who are willing to be bold for His Kingdom, and who are faithful and unafraid of walking in the power of His Holy Spirit. Join me with Victor LaBarbera LIVE today at 6:00PM as we share inspiring testimonies of how God is doing this, and discuss how we enter a walk with Holy Spirit operating in our lives. If He did it before, surely He desires to do it again - even through you! Speaker: PD Vander Westhuizen Guest Speaker: Victor LaBarbera

I am so excited to announce to you all something that has been in the works for a long time by an incredibly devoted and hard-working group of people who made this possible: the Spanish translation of the Reigniting Spirit & Truth book! “Reencendiendo Espíritu y Verdad” is now available to all! GET IT HERE: https://www.SpiritTruthBook.com/Spanish

The recent killing of George Floyd by a police officer sparked protests and even violent riots across the United States. The god of this world (Satan) takes joy in segregation, discrimination, violence, and all expressions of hatred. While the God of Abraham, Isaac & Jacob takes joy in our unity, patience, and love for all people and righteousness. Unbeknown to many, Jesus faced many of the same problems rooted in hate that we face today. There were many "flames on the rise" in the first century and Jesus chose to strategically respond to them in order to teach us how to respond to similar sins in our times. In this teaching, we will discuss the historical and cultural context of one of Jesus' most famous encounters to better understand what God expects of us these pressing times. How you act today matters in light of eternity and you may not even know it - you are being tested as His Bride, but how will you respond?

In some movements, certain, or all spiritual gifts are thrown aside as unimportant. This is a grave error and leads to a lack of power in the lives of believers, causing them to struggle to walk out the commission given by the Messiah. In this teaching, we will discuss one of the biggest reasons some are unable to powerfully walk in spiritual gifts, and how to get rid of this barrier so we may enter into walking in the gift Father has set apart for us.

Many modern believers have found themselves in a religion that has drifted from the exciting normality of the first-century church. The Holy Spirit's role was recognized as absolutely necessary in the life of every believer for them to make a valuable contribution to the Body of Christ through their own spiritual gifts. Holy Spirit didn't get a "sideline role" as we often see today but was valued to be just as important as Jesus' dwelling with men in the flesh was. This is what it is supposed to look like and why Jesus said it is "good" for Him to go and Holy Spirit to take His place in terms of the earthy presence. John the Baptist prophesied that there will come one after him who will baptize in the Holy Spirit and Fire. What is this Holy Spirit and Fire baptism, and how does it impact our lives? You may be surprised to learn how this has a lot to do with what the Bible teaches regarding sacrifices within Jesus' priesthood, and spiritual gifts. And once we understand the importance of spiritual gifts and sacrifice, this revelation drives us deeper in communion with Him so we may make His Holy Spirit an even more integral part of our lives than what modern-day believers may consider "normal". May the 'new normal' be that Holy Spirit gets on the forefront of our lives to empower us to be effective and powerful warriors for God's Kingdom.

Just before the crucifixion Jesus told His disciples to take swords as they were leaving for the garden. But why would Jesus instruct them to take swords, only to later correct Peter for using it as he cuts the ear of the high priests' servant? In this teaching, we will discuss this question in relation to biblical prophecy, knowing the will of God, being zealous like Peter, and the relevance of the Garden of Gethsemane to this event. I hope this revelation blesses you as it has me!

From perhaps the beginning, Satan has tried to implant a religious spirit in our hearts - one of pride, self-seeking, and one that hates the workings of the Holy Spirit. And unfortunately, the religious spirit is hard to detect by those who have it. In this video, we will look at various attributes of the religious spirit so you may audit your heart to easily identify any of its influence in your life. Freedom from a religious spirit will mean more of His Holy Spirit this Pentecost!

We often find that the physical observances the Father asks us to do, while important, are only the "tip of the iceberg". What He is sometimes even more interested in is the transformation of our hearts and learning of the intended spiritual lessons that come with the physical observances. And the book of Leviticus is no different. While it has often been considered as too "weird", inapplicable or even incompatible to our modern lives. That perspective misses perhaps most of the purpose of the Levitical instructions. That is: To teach us about making sacrifices, which we ought to do for our Father even today. In this teaching, we will uncover some of the amazing depth Leviticus teaches us regarding sacrifices and how it is applicable to our lives today. Torah Portion: Emor / Say / אמור

Those who reject Paul as a False Apostle typically cite a large number of "reasons" to attempt to persuade the reader that their case is stronger. However, if their stance was correct, they would only need one: That the rest of the apostles denied Paul. But the opposite is true, and this actually becomes one of the strongest reasons for how we know Paul is a true Apostle! See the proof text discussed in this video.

We are entering an age where more and more false prophets will start arising. Last year at the feast of Sukkot in Texas, I spoke on this very idea, and we are seeing it come to fruition in 2020. These false prophets will be allowed by God to go forth to test His people, to see where their hearts are (Deut 13). These false prophets will also be used by the enemy to accomplish certain goals and deceive in certain ways. I hope this teaching edifies you in understanding the deceptions of the enemy in this season so you may defend you and your family against false and dangerous teaching.

A week ago, "Christian Truthers" released a teaching titled, "50 Reasons to Never Quote Paul Again." The video attempted to prove that Paul is a false apostle, that we should treat him as such, and throw out all his books from our Bibles. Some people who listened to this teaching were persuaded by a few of the "arguments." This was a distressing observation, as the points raised in the teaching were incredibly weak. I joined with David Wilber (119 Ministries) to discuss this teaching in-depth as well as the real dangers of calling Paul a false apostle. Contrary to what some have suggested, this is not a light matter. This teaching is incredibly dangerous, and we explain why in this video. May this study bless you and edify you with knowledge so that when these teachings arise again in the future, you will be prepared for it.

Jesus told us to remain childlike for a reason. Sometimes we get too "grown-up" and "mature" for our own good. We take pride in our understanding of complex theological concepts, or superb knowledge. But do we do the basics? Could it be that we sometimes try to chew meat before we even have teeth? And then we end up going hungry because we can't truly apply what we've learned; because we don't know the basics yet. Sometimes we need milk, not solid food. What is it that you need today? I hope this short teaching will help you answer that question.

Recently I overheard an interview with a man who said that he "converted to flat earth in 3 minutes" after he heard of the theory. He stated that after all the things he's been lied to before, from things concerning his religion to other lies by the government, he can't trust anything he's been taught anymore. And for that reason, he simply concluded that this conspiracy theory is another that "must be true. ", even without further research. And it made me think, how susceptible are we to quickly accept untried new ideas, even potentially untrue ideas, when we already have a lack of trust? As believers, we are called to pursue truth by evaluating the evidence set forth by 2 - 3 witnesses as scripture mandates. It is when we set aside this requirement to rather be led by our emotions, or potential trust issues, that we could be led astray by our own flesh. I hope this short video blesses you to think regarding how easily you accept new information, and whether you do conduct the appropriate research. Especially in a time such as this where there are so many coronavirus conspiracy theories being promoted, good or bad.

The world is captivated by the coronavirus. But thousands of years ago, God gave His yearly feast days to be kept forever. Why forever? Because He knew that as time goes on, and birth pains increase, the world will be captivated by more and more things to be afraid of. But He continuously calls His people to be captivated with His season. This is not the season of the Coronavirus! This is His. During the Passover season, we are focused on cleansing our homes from sin. But thereafter we need to look to the next feast: The Feast of First Fruits, where Jesus was resurrected from the dead to give the Holy Spirit. Now, it's not just about getting rid of sin but keeping it out by His Holy Spirit. This year, celebrating First Fruits will probably be more important than all the years before it for you, considering the great birth pain season we are in. Keeping this feast is God's spiritual call and preparation to ensure His "blood is on our doorpost" this year and our hearts are clean. Join PD in this teaching on celebrating the Feast of First Fruits.

For a time, many have assumed that walking in God's law is contrary to walking in the Spirit. This is because of Paul's fierce language against circumcision, which he calls a "yoke of slavery." He also says that anyone who tries to keep the law, is obligated to keep it all! So now, we must rather "walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:5). But what if the idea of "circumcision" Paul is addressing was not the biblical circumcision? What if Paul has never been against keeping any of God's law (Romans 3:31), but only when we do so for the wrong reasons? And what if, walking "by the flesh" is actually when we break God's law, while walking "in the Spirit" would be keeping it? It may sound crazy, but you will discover that this may actually be what scripture says. Join us in this episode of the Galatians series for a verse-by-verse study to see what Paul really meant, by reading his letters with us through a first-century perspective.

When Paul speaks of the story of Sarah & Hagar allegorically, some have thought that Paul is saying that anyone who tries the keep God's law, is trying to be a slave like Hagar. But this misunderstanding has come in because few truly understand the simple story of Sarah & Hagar in Scripture. When we understand what Abraham and Sarah's error was, we will be in a much better position to accurately interpret how Paul was using this famous story to teach us something very important. In this episode, we will discover Paul's writing's in the context of this old testament story. Some of What We Talk About: Are those who try to keep God's law a slave like Hagar? "You observe days and months and seasons and years!" Is Paul against the feast days and sabbath celebrations mentioned in the Bible?

Panic has captivated the world as various plagues sweep across it. Many have criticized churches for closing, others criticized others for desiring to go out and pray for the sick. Many have been in a panic, while others take on a more careless approach. But why is all of this happening, prophetically speaking? What is the biblical response of the believer suppose to look like? The Bible - it's stories and lessons - have clear answers to all of these timely questions. And in this video, we will unpack the current plagues in light of scripture to understand what Jesus expects of us to do at this time.

Paul famously called the Galatians "foolish" in his letter. This has often been taught to be due to their desire to follow God's law. But what if biblical and historical contexts teach us that they were foolish for starting to believe a prevalent lie circulating in the first century? It has also often been concluded that Paul's writings regarding the law as a "schoolmaster" downplays its importance in a believer's life - that the law was only important for a little while until Christ came. Is God's law today in opposition to the life and instructions of Christ? Or is the danger more simply in what we use law the for? Join PD & Christina in Part 2 of the Galatians Series for an in-depth discussion on this important chapter of the book. Some of the points discussed in this episode: Paul's famous, yet widely misunderstood explanation of the law as our "schoolmaster" The Covenants of God, and how they relate with one another and to our personal walks. What does "keeping the whole law but failing at one point causing us to break the law", mean in relation to whether we should keep God's law? What it meant for the "veil to be torn" in relation to the Abrahamic Covenant. ...and more!

Galatians is perhaps one of the most misunderstood and hard to understand books of the Bible. Without an understanding of the 1st-century culture - it's people and the issues Paul faced, it would be impossible to fully understand what Paul is teaching. This is simply because we are reading someone else's mail - the Galatians. In this series, we will uncover the history to reveal a deeper meaning to each of Paul's verses. And I think you'll see as we begin that this information has rarely ever been taught in churches - causing a drought of understanding Paul's letters accurately. But the Holy Spirit is bringing us back to the 1st-century church's understanding and walk. And when you read Paul's letter with new eyes, that is through Paul's own, instead of a 21st-century perspective, the scriptures will come alive and make sense like never before! In the first episode, we will look at what exactly this dangerous "different gospel" is that Paul is going to be speaking against in the book of Galatians. It is important to understand this, because if we think Paul is speaking about something he is not, we will struggle to refine our understanding of the true gospel of Christ. Amongst other things, we will discuss: History & Culture of Galatians The "Different Gospel" Does the Law Enslave? Circumcision in the First Century Why Paul Really Opposed Peter

In the midst of an outbreak such as the Coronavirus, it is easy to focus all our attention on physical preparations. But have you prepared spiritually?

A quick update on a recent announcement of spiritual attack. Thank you for your support in this season!

Hi brothers and sisters, This is the hardest video I’ve ever done from the over 300 videos on the Rise on Fire channel. Things have been very hard health wise and I have found myself in the wilderness. A place where I know only God can deliver me and give me nourishment. I believe the various things that have happened to me are no coincidence, it is spiritual attack by the enemy. I hope this video will give you clarity on the matter. Please consider me in your prayers. Many blessings in Messiah and see you again soon! PD

Let's be honest, there's one thing about this whole "relationship with God" thing that makes us really uncomfortable: We can't control Him. And that is terrifying sometimes. In the past, we created idols of wood and stone. They said and thought what we made them say and thought through our imaginations. But the One True Living God is not determined by our thoughts. He does what He wants, thinks what He wants; and even sees everything. Instead of those idols we made in our image, like clay in our hands, God does the opposite. He says we are made in His Image, and we are clay in His. He is the One who would now mold us, if we do not harden our hearts against Him. And no, you don't get to tell Him how you want to be molded, other than into His Image. You also don't get to pick which parts of Him you want, and which you don't - He is not like those idols. God is alive. If you want a dead idol like your flesh desires, go for it. But if you want God, give yourself fully over, ask Him to mold you, and don't harden your heart against Him this day.

Regarding the controversial spiritual gift of speaking in tongues, there are generally two camps of belief, which disagree with one another. The main obstacle is disagreement on what the gift practically looks like. We can agree on what happened in Acts 2, but is there more to it than that one event? Paul describes the gift in-depth, and describes it in a way that seems to indicate that the gift is more than a "sign" or "miracle" for unbelievers, but can even bring great edification to a believer's life. Here are 3 scriptural reasons why speaking in tongues is more than just speaking in earthly languages!

A scam artist made just another call to scam his next victim. But this call would be very different. In fact, his plan to scam was turned around by God to become the call that saved his very soul. And the scam artist ended up stating he would leave his job to never scam again. We are called to be like Jesus to people even out to "get us", betray us, or deceive us. Responding with Jesus in those situations is exactly what could save them! Watch this incredible story that includes part of the call recording.

What if I told you that the first and perhaps one of the most complete evangelistic models laid out in the Bible by God for us, is actually found in what we call the "Old Testament"? Many forget that Moses was one of the first and greatest evangelists. God gave Moses the methods, and later Jesus (Yeshua) would implement the same even more powerfully in His ministry. So to walk as Yeshua did, we need to start at the beginning with Moses at the burning bush. There we will unravel some of the great "secrets" to walking out the Great Commission powerfully in our lives. The Holy Spirit is key. And just having the knowledge of the truth alone is not enough. Bonus: We will also answer the mystery of why God appeared to Moses in a burning bush. It truly is a powerful revelation! Torah Portion: Shemot / Names / שמות

Why does it seem that I always talk about the Holy Spirit & spiritual gifts? In this video, we will talk about why we need the Holy Spirit working in our lives every single day, what it has to do with love, and what it means for our walk with Jesus as a disciple. Unfortunately, sometimes there has come a divide of what we call a "Christian" today, and what a disciple is. Somewhere along with history, things went wrong. So what would it look like to be a first-century disciple of Jesus and how does that translate to today?

As a followup to the Speaking in Tongues series, we received many awesome questions! In this teaching, I answered the most commonly asked questions we received, especially in relation to the "do's and don't's" with regards to the gift; and how to responsibly exercise it in a public setting. Some of the questions featured: Is it OK to pray in tongues for a friend? Is it scriptural for an entire congregation to "sing in tongues" corporately? Can we do spiritual warfare with the gift of tongues? Is it scriptural to pray in tongues while praying for someone to receive the Holy Spirit? What is praying in tongues suppose to feel like? Find out more at https://rise-on-fire.pinecast.co

God is so incredibly pure and good, that He takes the most horrible and terrifying circumstances that come about because of sin in the world; and turns it around to accomplish good. In fact, the good that He accomplishes by turning sin around is so good that it often overshadows the bad altogether. Simply, when we are in God, He doesn't say nothing bad will ever happen to us, on the contrary, He promised persecution (Matt 10:22). But what He did promise is this: That He will never leave us. God gives us what we call "Shalom" (peace). Shalom doesn't mean nothing bad is happening to you, it rather means you have peace despite whatever is happening because you know that He is in control even when everything feels like it's going wrong. It is the knowing faith that He is one step ahead. That is the kind of peace God gives. And that is what God did in the story of Joseph's enslavement. He turned Joseph's dire circumstances of being sold into slavery by his brothers into the best thing that could ever happen to his family. As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today. - Genesis 50:30 Torah Portion: Vayigash / He approached / ויגש

2019 has come to a close, and we had an amazing year with you! In this video, we are sharing our findings of traveling throughout the USA in 2019. We have met many wonderful people, and also received an overview of the current state of believers. Additionally, we are sharing some statistics indicating the amazing growth we've seen in viewership of the ministry this year. And lastly, we will share an update on PD's green card (USA immigration process). THANK YOU to all who have supported the ministry in 2019 through prayer, by making a donation, and/or correspondence. May God bless you and we look forward to a fruitful 2020 with you! Find out more at https://rise-on-fire.pinecast.co

When we don't truly understand how much we've been forgiven, because we think we're better than we really are, we will struggle to love. Because we will think we didn't need much forgiveness and mercy, so why would anyone else? Why would we extend such mercy to others when "we didn't need it". Pride is the opposite of love, and as you'll discover in this teaching, pride is very subtle in how it strips us of love for our neighbor. Luk 7:47 Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven—for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little. Support Rise on Fire Ministries by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/rise-on-fire

A new series of over 2 hours of teaching on the controversial spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. In this teaching, we will use scripture to explain the gift in a way that is practical, with testimonies to give it life, while considering what the Father desires this gift to achieve in the Body. This teaching is important because the gift has been abandoned by many because of bad experiences, inaccurate teaching, or misunderstandings of scriptures. But we hope this will bring an end to much of the confusion. Be sure to watch both PART 1 & PART 2. PART 1 DISCUSSES: 1. The 3 goals of the gift of tongues 2. Common misunderstandings 3. Correct practice & procedures of the gift in both corporate and private environments 4. The gift of interpretation 5. Practical aspects of the gift of tongues PART 2 DISCUSSES: 1. Sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit 2. Counterfeit/demonic tongues 3. For who is the gift? 4. Receiving the gift 5. Testimonies of the gift

A new series of over 2 hours of teaching on the controversial spiritual gift of speaking in tongues. In this teaching, we will use scripture to explain the gift in a way that is practical, with testimonies to give it life, while considering what the Father desires this gift to achieve in the Body. This teaching is important because the gift has been abandoned by many because of bad experiences, inaccurate teaching, or misunderstandings of scriptures. But we hope this will bring an end to much of the confusion. Be sure to watch both PART 1 & PART 2. PART 1 DISCUSSES: 1. The 3 goals of the gift of tongues 2. Common misunderstandings 3. Correct practice & procedures of the gift in both corporate and private environments 4. The gift of interpretation 5. Practical aspects of the gift of tongues PART 2 DISCUSSES: 1. Sign of the baptism of the Holy Spirit 2. Counterfeit/demonic tongues 3. For who is the gift? 4. Receiving the gift 5. Testimonies of the gift

When Peter was on his boat, frustrated at the water for not bringing forth any fish that day, a stranger called out: "Throw your net to the other side of the boat, and you'll catch". Now isn't that the most ridiculous-sounding advice ever? Any good fisherman would know that it doesn't matter which side of the boat a net is tossed, it won't change the yield of fish. Yet this is exactly what Jesus said. God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong (1 Cor 1:27). We may think we are wise in our own conceit, but faith in what God says is our deliverance; even if what He says sounds foolish. So, even when what God says doesn't make sense, will you cast your net?

Some have been believers in Jesus all their life, yet still live lives lacking in what the Bible describes as love. For the believer, love is not an option, love is not a feeling. It does not compromise showing grace, nor showing truth. Love is not limited by our opinions, or the world's opinions. Love is not limited by how much we were offended or how much wrong was done to us. Love hopes, believes, is patient, humble, all while rejoicing in truth. This is what love is suppose to be. But we have drawn lines in the sand on "how much we will love" and by which conditions. But if that was the mindset of Jesus, where would that leave us? Our lack of love, at it's root, is often a misunderstanding of how much weight He truly bore on the cross. We all know the story of His crucifixion, but have you considered the depths of what He really did?

When Jesus walked up to the lost and sick, the first thing He did was to show them their treasures - their purpose, value, and most importantly His love for them. Above all else He came to them because He deeply desired to see them walk in the Freedom He has to offer. And only after all this was clearly communicated to the person, to the point of them wondering who Jesus could be, did He tell them repent of their sins. So often, the first thing we want to do is tell people to repent. While their sin may be true, our love for them often isn't, and we end up like clanging symbols doing more harm than good. We need to imitate Jesus - by walking as He did in the image and purpose God ordained for us. Others will see that and deeply desire the same. In this teaching, we will talk about how Jesus did it, our identity, and showing others theirs.

No matter how long you've been walking with God, our enemy, the devil, does not give up. He waits at the door and throws out bad reports - lies. These reports come to us masquerading as our very own thoughts, but they are not. We are tested each day to see what we trust more: The bad reports this world will bring, or the unbreakable promises of our God, who dwells in unapproachable light. Take your unclean thoughts captive, or they will take you captive.