Best Feelings Podcasts

By Flattery, George M. INTRODUCTIONToday, I will talk with you about making the journey from death to eternal life. We will begin with the thought that death takes many forms. We can talk about the death of a dream, the death of hope, the death of relationships, the death of a marriage, and ultimately physical death. All of these forms of death can be very painful. Another form of death is spiritual death. A fact that we must face is that, without Christ, we are spiritually dead while we are physically alive. Millions of people live in spiritual darkness. Unless they are delivered out of this darkness, they will live eternally in spiritual death. They will be eternally separated from God. Fear of Physical DeathSeveral times, I have heard Larry King on CNN say that the thing he fears most is death. Obviously, he is referring to physical death. Larry King is a professed agnostic. He does not believe in Christ as the Son of God. Because of this, he fears death. Untold numbers of people are just like him. The death-bed comments of many people testify to the fear they experience as they die. Bertrand Russell said: "There is darkness without, and when I die there will be darkness within. There is no splendor, no vastness anywhere; only triviality for a moment, and then nothing." To those without hope in Christ, physical death leads to darkness and nothing. Contrast this view with the Christian view of death. Someone said that "Christians die well!" There is a reason for this. The apostle Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4:13 that we do not grieve as those "who have no hope." Our hope is in Christ through whom we have life eternal. Given our hope, we can face death with peace in our hearts. We can place our lives in God's hands without fear. The Struggle Against DeathWe experience a life-long struggle against death in all of its forms. We plan our way and build our strategies for life. Things may go well for a season, then the seemingly inevitable happens. Things turn bad for us. Our highest hopes and dreams seem to go down the drain of life and leave us stunned. Our brightest hopes turn into forlorn hopes and eventually into feelings of utter defeat. We struggle against the seeming inevitability of death. We know that we will die physically, but we want to prolong life as long as possible. We strive mightily to overcome other forms of death. We read self-help books by the dozen and try to think positively at every turn. But even our positive thinking seems to hit the wall without success. Death in some form becomes a reality. Contrast this battle with the approach of those who commit themselves to God and to Christ. In Proverbs 16:9 we read, "The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps." When the Lord directs our steps, we live in victory. The victory may not be in the exact form we expected, but it will be in the form that God desires. The Gift of Eternal LifeFortunately, we can become recipients of the gift of eternal life. God gave His Son to die for our sins so that we might have eternal life. In John 6:47 Jesus says, "He who believes has eternal life." He means that He who believes in Jesus has eternal life. This eternal life is a quality of life that endures forever. We experience it now and will have it in fullness when we are in the presence of Christ forever and ever. No wonder Christians die well. When Dietrich Bonhoeffer was facing death, he said, "This is the end, for me the beginning of life." Although he faced physical death, he was looking forward to beginning his life in the presence of Christ. It was for him a beginning. Actually, eternal life begins in this life, but in the sense of being in the presence of Christ, it begins with death. Death Has Lost Its StingThose who believe in Christ have the hope of eternal life. Because they have this hope, they do not fear death as those who have no hope. They look forward to putting on an imperishable body and living eternally. The apostle Paul declares (1 Corinthians 15:53-55): 53 For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory. 55 "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" ConclusionUltimately, every person will die physically. Meanwhile, we experience death in many forms. The solution lies in our faith in Christ. When we believe in Christ, we begin our journey from death to eternal life. The journey begins with faith, but it never ends. We can look forward to eternal life in the presence of our Lord. It will be abundant life in its highest form! Believe in Him today!

By Flattery, George M. IntroductionOne of the common drives that we have is that we want people to accept us and love us as we are. We want people to love us no matter what we say or do. On the other hand, one of the most difficult tasks we face is to love people who disrespect us or treat us badly. In other words it is difficult to give the same unconditional love that we desire. We must make the journey from conditional love to unconditional love. As we grow in the image of Christ, we can make this important journey. We can learn to both receive and give unconditional love. We cannot do this journey alone, but we can with Christ! God Loves Us UnconditionallyFortunately for us, there is one who loves us unconditionally. This is why God sent His son to die for us. Without regard to our sins, Christ died for each one of us. According to Romans 5:8, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." With regard to atonement for sins, God's love is unconditional. The love of God for all mankind is amazing! When we think of all the wickedness in the world, all of the evil that is daily paraded before us, and all of the despair caused by evil people, we wonder how God could love all people. But we know that He does! The Word of God is very clear on this point. Because of His Son, God makes His offer to all men to be saved. We Must Receive God's LoveThrough Christ, we can make the journey from being conditionally loved to being unconditionally loved. Our desire to be unconditionally loved can be fulfilled in Christ. David Lim says, "When we are restored to relationship as God's children, we are: "fully known, fully accepted, fully loved, fully valued, and fully celebrated." It would not be fair to say, however, that we can experience the results of atonement without any conditions. The conditions are that we must repent of our sins and believe in Christ. Through repentance and faith, we receive God's love. The apostle Paul clearly explained to the Ephesians (2:13-18) that we have peace with God through Christ. We have access to God through Christ and the Spirit. We must repent of our sins and believe in Christ before the results of atonement apply to our lives. Unconditional Love and AccountabilityIt is important that we journey from conditional love to unconditional love in what we offer to others. But before we can do this, we need to understand the nature of unconditional love. We often extol unconditional love in human affairs, especially in marriage. The idea is that we will love others without placing conditions on that love. According to some, unconditional love has no conditions whatsoever. Unconditional love is a free gift that does not call people to account. Others, however, find that unconditional love is not to be separated from accountability. Indeed, in their view holding people to account is an expression of love. James Dobson writes p. 89: I certainly believe in the validity of unconditional love, and, in fact, the mutual accountability I have recommended is an expression of that love! . . . I'm trying to say that unconditional love is not synonymous with permissiveness, passivity, and weakness. Sometimes in require toughness and discipline and accountability. Giving Unconditional LoveOnce we properly understand unconditional love, we must step forward quickly to embrace it. We must journey from conditional love to unconditional love. When we do, we will discover that I Corinthians 13:4-8 provides an excellent framework to guide us in our decisions. 4 Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, 5 does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, 6 does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. NAU ConclusionThe yearning of our hearts to be loved unconditionally can be fulfilled through Christ. We must repent of our sins, believe in Christ, and allow the Spirit to open up our access to God. If we do, we will experience unconditional love. Then, we must make the journey from giving only conditional love to giving unconditional love. Although not every situation demands this, we must be able when it is appropriate to make the journey. Unconditional love is in harmony with accountability. Accountability is a way to express that love. Let us love unconditionally!

By Flattery, George M. IntroductionFor many people life is hard, circumstances are daunting, and the prospects of improvement are bleak. Given the hopelessness of their situation, they live with despair. When despair deepens, millions of people wonder if there is a way out of their darkness. These people, including teenagers, sometimes consider suicide. Today, I want to talk with you about making the journey from hopelessness to hope. You do not need to live without hope. You do not need to be dominated by despair. There is a way out, a way forward, a way upward, and a way that is ultimately victorious. With joy I will tell you about it now. Living with HopeThe best way to live is to live with hope. When we have hope, we expect good things to happen. We believe that we will have a good job, will be well physically, will marry and have well-behaved children, will travel and see the world, and the list goes on. Just the anticipation of these things brings joy and happiness to us. Theologian Emil Brunner observed, "What oxygen is to the lungs, hope is to the spirit. The quality of our hope determines the quality of our lives." Thus, hope is an essential ingredient to life. Hope is the anticipation of positive outcomes. We expect good things to happen. With hope we can overcome the problems of life. Lost HopeIt is probably safe to say that every person in the world has had hope for something that never was achieved or obtained. Sometimes we may have false hope. Maybe there was not much chance at the start that we would get what we wanted. Alister McGrath. "To have no hope in life is a terrible thing, to build that life on a false hope is still worse." At other times, we learn over time that our hope will not be realized, so our hope becomes forlorn. In any case our hope is lost. Dr. Steve Lim writes, "Without hope, the human spirit shrivels. When cynicism, defeat, and despair stain our lives, they hardly seem worth living." We all have watched as individuals who normally are positive shrivel in spirit when they lose hope. The darkness of the day shuts out the light and imprisons the soul in hopelessness. Jimmy Long. "Most xers have given up on growth and prosperity, and societal progress has hit a brick wall." As Robert Jensen exclaimed, "When hope in progress has been discredited, modernity has no resource either for renewing it or acquiring any sort of hope . . . Hopelessness is the very definition of Postmodernism." Our Hope is In ChristToday, I want to offer you hope that will never be false or forlorn. Jesus Christ died and rose again to give you new life. When you believe in Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will have that hope that abides and never fails. It is the hope of life eternal through Christ. You can make the journey from hopelessness to hope by believing in Christ! Speaking of the hope that we have in Christ, Lloyd Ogilvie says, Hope enables a vital quality of life; it sets us free to dare, gives us confidence for daily frustrations, and the courage to live adventuresomely. The gift of hope for the future is the key entrusted to us which opens the floodgates of the Lord???s power and unlocks the flow of His amazing, unlimited possibilities. The Ultimate VictoryTo be sure, even with our hope in Christ, we have our disappointments. We know that some people suffer greatly in this life. However, our hope in Christ is well-founded. In Romans 5:5 Paul says, "hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us." Also, in II Corinthians 1:10 Paul writes: "On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us." As believers in Christ, all of our losses and suffering are short-term. We may experience despair for a season, but in the long run, we are victorious. In His time and in His way God brings the victory. The full extent of that victory will not be realized until we meet Jesus face-to-face. When we meet Him, we will see that all along our hope was sure. ConclusionYes, believers in Christ do suffer in this life, but Paul says (Romans 8:18) "Our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." When we have hope in Christ, our hope abides. In 1 Corinthians 13:13 Paul says, "But now faith, hope, love, abide these three." With our abiding hope, we can make the journey from hopelessness to hope with confidence, joy, and assurance of ultimate victory.

By Flattery, George M. IntroductionAre you worried today about your job, health, financial security, relationships with others or anything else? All of us from time-to-time worry about something! But many people are so torn up by worry that it extends over into anxiety. For some people anxiety becomes an anxiety disorder that severely limits them from living in a normal way. All of us in life's journey sometimes need help. Today, I want to help you make the journey from anxiety to peace. The peace that I am talking about is the peace that Christ gives. Jesus declared in John 14:27: "Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." The peace of the world is easily shattered and broken, but with Christ's peace we can overcome anxiety. You Are Not Alone!Millions of people suffer from anxiety, so you are not alone! A Gallup poll reveals that 61% of Americans feel somewhat or very concerned that their jobs, or that of a friend might be shipped overseas. Others experience anxieties that go far beyond being somewhat or very concerned. These people suffer from some type of anxiety disorder. According to the National Institute of Mental Health: "Anxiety Disorders affect about 40 million American adults age 18 years and older (about 18%) in a given year,1causing them to be filled with fearfulness and uncertainty. Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event (such as speaking in public or a first date), anxiety disorders last at least 6 months and can get worse if they are not treated."   You May Need HelpYou are not alone, but sometimes you cannot overcome anxiety by yourself. One Seminary professor, Dr. Steve Lim, says: "No matter how much we do to ensure positive outcomes, life brims with causes for worry. Anxiety arises whenever we fear possible loss or harm to our person, family, relationships, or possessions. If we depend on our own resources, we can't avoid worry, for no matter how much we have, we never know if it's enough." Sometimes, when you have a severe case of anxiety, it may be necessary to obtain professional help. Many people are helped by Christian counselors, psychologists, and clinics. You can go without reservation to obtain help from dedicated Christian professionals. You Can Overcome AnxietyAnxiety is real, but it can be overcome. It is not true that you are forever locked into anxiety and just have to live with it. It is not true that people with anxiety are just lazy or weak. It is true that many people have overcome anxiety and have learned to live without fear and defeat. It is true that you can get control of your anxious feelings and begin to live without worry! Timothy Sanford suggests a way to overcome anxiety. He points out that anxiety is characterized by what if thinking. What if I disappoint someone? What if my spouse leaves me? What if my boss lets me go? He encourages you to trade what if thinking with statements that express reality such as: What five colors do I see right now? What five sounds do I hear right now? What do I need to do, or think about, right now? You Can Have the Peace of GodThe apostle Paul writes in Philippians 4:6-7 about the peace of God. He states: 6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Paul says to us: "Be anxious for nothing." Well, you might say, "But you don't know what is happening to me!" Yes, that may be true, but God does know. And He wants you to have full confidence, faith, and serenity in Him. No matter how difficult our circumstances, we can rely fully on God. According to Paul, we should make our requests known to God through prayer and supplication. It's more than OK to ask God to help us overcome anxiety; we are exhorted to do so. Let us be specific when we approach God and ask Him to help us put away our anxiety. Our peace is both objective and subjective. When God gives us peace through Christ, we have peace whether we feel it or not. Objectively God's peace is ours, but God wants us to subjectively feel peace as well. He wants us to experience peace in its fullness. So, His peace will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. When God's peace guards our hearts and minds, we will be anxious for nothing! ConclusionBegin to trust in God fully today. Practice having His peace in your heart. You can, with God's help, control your thoughts. And you can keep your thoughts on Him and His goodness. He will be with you always. He will never leave you. And he will provide for every emotional and intellectual need! You can make the journey from anxiety to peace today!