Category: Podcasts

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green introduces us to “The Incredible Patience of God” by Lane Adams.

Many believers become discouraged with the long process of growth in their walk with Christ. In fact, today’s featured author believes it is “the rare spiritual prodigy” who moves rapidly to spiritual maturity.

In this book, Lane Adams urges Christians to seek a balance between asking for forgiveness and being accountable. The Incredible Patience of God will help Christians rethink their beliefs about sin and repentance, while reassuring believers who are sincerely seeking a closer relationship with God.

The purpose of this book is to bring comfort and understanding to all who named Jesus as Lord and Savior. May it’s message free many believers to patiently enjoy the maturing process as God is working in their lives. It is designed to bring a fresh biblical understanding of conversion and growth, and thereby to bring relief to the person who keeps wondering, “how come it’s taking me so long to get better?”

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at “The Trouble with Jesus” by Joseph Stowell.

Jesus declares He is the ONLY WAY, the TRUTH, and the LIFE.  In establishing this once great nation, His rule book the Bible was the foundation for our founding fathers.  Today, in a post-Christian society we have reduced the God of Creation, Jesus Christ, to a tradition that now competes with other significant religions within our society.  Now, man declares, through his own understanding, that all gods are good gods and our jaded culture says this is the new normal.

All worldly religions have their leaders in graves; only Christianity has arisen Leader.  Our society will let Him live if we don’t speak of Him publicly or make any claim of His deity.  Make no mistake, Jesus is unequaled. He doesn’t compete.

To say that ALL religions are true means no religion is true.  Are we ready to stick up for Jesus and be His advocate, anytime, anywhere?

If you want to know how to speak the Truth that Jesus is the only way, how to speak it humbly and compassionately, how to speak it wisely and patiently in ways that honor Jesus, then prepare your heart to be steadfast in being light overcoming darkness. THE TROUBLE WITH JESUS is a great guide to achieve this.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green grabs “Full Assurance” by H.A. Ironside to explore.

There is a saying “Peace at any price” but most will not adhere to the certainty of peace because it does have a price.  The only one who can give full assurance of true peace says there are several absolutes for obtaining and enjoying the luxury of resting in your current circumstances and knowing joyful peace and calm.  Our society has done away with absolute thinking and accepted our own truth for having peace. This leaves us on shaky ground.

When doubts and fears arise to control our thinking and actions, our confidence in trusting anyone that offers peace with full assurance is dismissed as fantasy or out of date thinking. The Gospel message and the character of the Godhead are up for grabs as our logic and reasoning become our final authority and override the health manual of the Scriptures; as many regards that tool also out of date.

Full Assurance, by Dr. Harry Ironsides, realigns our thinking based on facts in faith. These are proven certainties readers can discover in choosing  Christ over the deception of the devil, or our fleshly desire.  This is a fascinating read with many stories and applications for encouragement to step onto the path of peace for whatever holds you from FULL ASSURANCE. From getting out of darkness, being set free from torments, finding hope to grow, standing on a solid foundation and handling the crisis of unplanned trauma or loss that we all may face, but all the while having the confidence to be well pleasing in all we do is the theme of FULL ASSURANCE.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green pulls “A Christian Manifesto” by Francis Schaeffer from the shelf to examine.

Most of the Christian world of today know little or nothing of a biblical world view regarding life.  We may know scripture or have a sincere desire to serve the Lord; however, we lack an understanding of how to view life through biblical eyes. For this biblical world view, we need to use the word of God to define our decisions and actions regarding circumstances, situation, relationships, and choices that need to be made each day of our lives.

A Christian Manifesto is not an easy book to assimilate into the fabric of one’s daily walk.  It is a book that is worth making a commitment to read and understand the erosion in our world culture.

Christians have been slow to see the decay of values.  This is mainly due to our dividing between our “spiritual” and the “material” worlds.  True reality is the Lordship of Jesus Christ in every area of life.

What it is to know the True and Living God in a practical way; opening our minds, strengthening our convictions and consciences to impact ourselves and those around us.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes the book “9 Must-Have Conversations for a Doubt-Free Wedding Day” by Gary Thomas and Drs Steve and Rebecca Wilke and gives us an inside look.

There are a lot of challenges in life but making and keeping a happy marriage is a rare art form.  Less than 1% of marriages worldwide ever make it to the 50 year anniversary.  Expectations for an intimate relationship most of the time are based on desires, personal needs and wants.  When those are not fulfilled the pain and disappointments of living exposes our true character and independent personalities. People are not prepared to preserve and sacrifice for what they once held so dear.

Having the RIGHT premarital counseling can establish the priority of any marriage and set the goals for a couple that will thrive and not just survive in a “me first” society.  Marriage wasn’t created just to make us happy, but to merge two lives into one for the ultimate glory of God.  Helpful hints from this book can make falling in love a life long passion for staying in love.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green tackles “The Porn Problem” by Vaughan Roberts. Sex is not simply recreational; it is profoundly relational.”  In just two short generations we have moved to a widespread adoption of liberal values, many that conflict with the Bible. Believers are finding themselves to be the misunderstood minority, and feeling at odds with where the world seems to be heading.

It is not just Christians who are worried about the tsunami of porn that has hit our society. Social commentators, medical professionals, and concerned individuals point to the negative impact it is having on body image, relational health, and development of adolescent sexuality. Porn wears many different faces and affects both sexes leaving many with shame and nowhere to find the door out of the driving desires that consume their lives.

There is a way out from the passion of porn. The author, Vaughan Roberts lifts the lid off this bondage and gives a short, but direct, understanding in finding help for anyone facing the enslavement of lust without any lasting satisfaction.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts: The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger pulls “God is Not Fair” by Joel Freeman to examine. The really big question is how do we live, as we are called to live if  God is not fair?  A beautiful, yet simple solution, awaits you as discover the answer.

We often hear our children complain about a situation  that did not go the way they thought it should and say, “that is not fair.”  Fair according to what standard?  Is there an alternative to being fair? God assures us that according to His standard “fairness” must yield to justice under His loving wisdom.  Where did “fairness” become our “guiding light” for circumstances that happen in our lives?

The best of men have asked that question: Moses, John the Baptist, and even Job have all wondered why and how God allowed His Own to incur such horrible messes when they thought they were faithfully serving Him.

Joel Freeman portrays and outlines,  from start to finish,  of how we fall into this way of thinking as being justified by our own evaluations.  He uses examples from the logic of man to reveal the mind of God on where our thinking has a false view. “God Is Not Fair” awakens our conscience, in how the enemy can erode our seeking to explain the difficult things that happen.  This will hold the attention of anyone from 15-75 years.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green continues with Part 2 of “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn. It will bring joy to our spirits and rest to our souls as we anticipate our forever together.

• Eternal life in the immediate presence of the triune God.
• All that diminishes the quality of life on earth will be gone in heaven.
• The heights of joy on earth will be eclipsed in heaven.
• Failure and its consequences will be a thing of the past.
• No more temptations from the world, the flesh, and the devil.
• Knowledge will no longer be limited.
• The body will no longer suffer from mental, emotional, physical anguish.
• Seeing our loved ones, making new relationships and getting acquainted  with those that paved the way before us.

HEAVEN IS BETTER BY FAR THAN THE BEST EXPERIENCES OF EARTH

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green begins to share insight into “Heaven” by Randy Alcorn.

Most of us believe there is an afterlife.  Even if the body returns to dust for an unknown period of time, we do live on; but where?  Luke 16 gives a description of one who chose to live for himself here on earth, and after dying, tells a grim story for those who reject the way of Life in Jesus Christ. In that same chapter, there is a great insight for those that trust, no matter difficult life was while walking on earth. Many that are confident in their home going to Heaven still have questions about facts of their future.

• How do we Gain Entrance into Heaven?
• Is Heaven a Place or a State of Mind?
• Will We Know One Another in Heaven?
• What Will Our Resurrection Bodies Be Like?
• What Will We Do in Heaven?
• What are the Mansions like that Await Us?
• Who Will Receive Rewards in Heaven?

And so many more questions.  The Word is very specific on some issues and gives glimpses into other matters that cause us to need to know the Word and accept, by faith, our Heavenly Father when “unknowns” to us still exist.

 Heaven by Randy Alcorn, define answers that bring great peace and comfort to those that want the “real deal”.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green explores “This World-Playground or Battleground” by A.W. Tozer.

We live in a time of great prosperity and one whole generation has known life as having it “your way” with “75 choices” of instant fulfillment. Society and culture offer options gratifying to the senses of pleasure, desire, lust, and comfort. When situations occur and threaten that lifestyle, especially for the Christian that accepts the world’s standard as their own, chaos and confusion with division brings unbelief and destruction to our faith. The focus is no longer centered in the Bible and person of Jesus Christ.

If you are a student of the Word you will know we are promised seasons of suffering, and a playground was never an option. Oh, yes, there awaits times of refreshing and a dimension so wonderful that our Lord Jesus declares in Ephesians 3:20, He is exceedingly abundantly able to do above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.  There is a life NOW that is worth the living when holding to the plan of God.  When we choose the world system for life untold loss awaits us, now and in the eternal purpose planned by God.

AW Tozer cuts through the glitz and glamor with an honest and balanced appraisal of desiring a playground rather than a temporal calling of a battleground.  We need to wake up and count the cost of believing that our God knows what is best for us, NOW AND FOREVER.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at “Things Which Become Sound Doctrine” by Dwight Pentecost.

This study is based on fourteen tremendous words of faith. Words that have deep meaning in establishing our beliefs. This study was written because the average believer retreats from the word doctrine, feeling that it belongs to the seminary classroom or the minister’s library shelf. However, the believer is not “to be  carried to and fro by every wind of doctrine.” So to free us up in understanding and wisdom we need to become familiar with these foundational Truths of Scripture.

THINGS WHICH BECOME SOUND DOCTRINE by Dwight Pentecost offers simple explanations with clear examples that remove the “fear” in learning.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green pulls “The Greatest Thing in the World” by Henry Drummond to take a look at Love.

The word LOVE has many different meanings in the Greek and are all translated into English without making a distinction.

EROS: From which we get the word erotic and is never used in the Bible.  It has to do with the love between a man and woman which embraces longing, craving, and desire.  We can love each other without having the ultimate love. Usually has sexual overtones, a need love.

STERGO: is only used 3 times in the New Testament and means love of kindred, especially of parents for children and children or parents.  The love between husband and wife and for others of close kindred. A love of family. Can still be lacking the ultimate love.

PHILEO: mainly denotes the attraction of people to one another who are close together both inside and outside the family.  It is a love of liking, an affection for someone or something that is the outgoing of one’s heart in delight to that which affords pleasure.  It includes concern, care, and hospitality to others and many times is a friendly love between members of the body of Christ.  However, as good as it is, we can still lack the ultimate true love of:

AGAPAO: The noun form is agape. “it is a love called out of a person’s heart by an awakened sense of value in an object which  causes one to prize it.” Love of approbation and esteem. A love that recognizes the worthiness of the object loved. This love is the soul’s sense of value and preciousness of its object. (Wuest)

Join Ginger as she opens our hearts to the wonders of “true love.” Hope it will create in you the hunger to live a life well pleasing.  Agape love is the love the Father desires we all mature in; with nothing lacking. “We love Him because He first loved us.”  Happy Valentine Day.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green pulls “Know What You Believe” by Paul Little from the bookshelf to take a look inside.

What has established your beliefs about WHAT you believe? Family tradition, something you read or heard in social media, Church and Sunday School teaching, or first- hand bible study.

So many today have a theology built on second-hand faith. We may not be true disciples or learners as we accept whatever we are told is Truth without the discipline of daily searching the Scriptures. WE must be waiting on the ultimate professor of faith, the Holy Spirit to enlighten the doctrines, tenants, history, the God of the Bible and timely truth. Do you really know WHO you worship and hopefully center your life around or is your God a God of convenience and comfort for your benefit only?

Most Christians today cannot defend their faith or beliefs, even though they believe. It is a scary world in the Church today. To think of a soldier not sure what the rules of engagement are, not knowing the people in charge of his company or platoon, not understanding any of the directives given or how to implement them, the war would not be won. We are facing the same crisis within the Body of Christ and the daily attacks are being met with indifference or little concern of what is on the horizon coming straight toward us. We are not prepared!!

Take time out today to start a new commitment to put on your armor and understand the purpose of wearing it. In this day and age, if you are not willing to be a soldier/warrior living in dependence under your Commander, life will be filled with defeat and anguish. Yes, Grace always abounds, but there are “rules” to grace being properly appropriated. GET GROUNDED in WHAT YOU BELIEVE!!

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green pulls “Major Bible Themes: 52 Vital Doctrines fo the Scriptures Simplified and Explained” by Lewis Sperry Chafer from the shelf to discuss.

Can you explain or defend the Bible and its purpose?  Have you ever wanted to know more of God’s role in our lives, understand the different interactions  God the Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit share as they control, direct, and guide us through our time here on earth?  Most Christians lack the daily practical understanding of how God works.

Major Bible Themes addresses 52 questions we desperately need to rise up against the falsehoods that we are being asked to swallow as reality when in essence they are twisted fabrications of man’s thinking. Take some time out of life’s busy schedule and listen to what may be life-changing knowledge as the Holy Spirit grounds us in God’s Truth about Who He is and how He operates.  We will forever be going deeper and deeper into the depths of His grace as we are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at “Your Eternal Reward” by Erwin Lutzer.

There may be tears in heaven.  When we reflect on how we lived for Christ, we might weep on the other side of the celestial gates.  Although Christians have been justified by faith, Christ will still judge us for our “deeds done in the body whether good or bad.” How well or poorly we do here might indeed determine our status in heaven for all eternity.

Be prepared to have your understanding of the judgment seat of Christ challenged, provoked, and perhaps permanently changed.  Will you answer the heart of God that is seeking a bride who can sit with Christ on His throne and rule forever or will you be given a rebuke from Christ and have “shame at His coming?”  The choice is yours!!

This week on Sharin’ Hearts The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung. This book begins with a root issue of our Beliefs. What we believe to be true can differ from what we KNOW to be  true. Life experiences can feed us misinformation about God.  If we do not rely on God solely for our every need, we become busy attempting to meet  our needs and establish our security through our own efforts. Scripture does not teach responsibility ….it teaches faithfulness.

As we desire to be faithful we can walk without fear of failure. If we go through periods of failure as we unscramble, we can claim the truth:  “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13

Author, Kevin DeYoung offers seven diagnoses to help you identify the areas of your life that are contributing to your special brand of “crazy busy” and the one thing necessary for lasting change.

Chances are, Jesus isn’t who you think he is.  No matter what you have read before about this first-century rabbi from Nazareth, there is a good possibility that you have been misinformed.  In fact, maybe you have been wrong from the start about the most amazing man who ever walked the surface of the earth.

I, Jesus speaks in His own words, about Himself, His Purpose, His Nature, and His Mission.

If you desire and want an intimate relationship with Jesus as your First Love, then this is a valuable portrayal of our Savior,  Servant, Shepherd, Messiah, and King .

Today, Ginger Green pulls The Way of the Shepherd by Don Baker from The Fireside Bookshelf to explore. We all need and want to be cared for by someone who really loves us.  We are made in His image where love is paramount. Understanding the ways of a shepherd and what he sacrifices in knowing every need of his sheep, being sensitive to their surroundings is what allows the sheep and lambs to lie down and rest in green pastures and drink the quiet still waters. Under the care of a good shepherd, sheep lie down in quiet and serene sense of gentle contentment.  “Godliness with “contentment is great gain.”

The Way of the Shepherd will bring delightful joy to the heart and the beautiful pictures captivating the message in each chapter. The beauty of the book is that it equally reaches out to the heart that is troubled or to a person struggling with the issues of life that must have a shepherd to protect and carry us, to a place of safety.  Expressed in the 23^rd Psalm and illustrated for us is the correlation between sheep of the field and we as Christians being sheep of His pasture. Tension is released as we see we are never abandoned and always have the Shepherd there for us when we are unable to help ourselves.  Great comfort and understanding comes from practical illustrations that are given to David as he learned from his Great Shepherd.

Today from The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green shares “Wounded Heroes” by Elizabeth Skoglund. Wounds come in all forms from tragic events, daily pressures of continued stress, the “what ifs” of life looming over us, surprises of health challenges, broken relationships, losses  of many kinds.  It is certain that life is filled with UNCERTAINTY.  Choosing right responses is necessary in understanding unavoidable pain, suffering which does not immediately go away, even when we try to get rid of it. Finding meaning in our suffering can keep the joy  and hope for now and whatever may be ahead.

Common life mixed with the divine, practical details lived out in the light of eternity, blessings from buffetings: these are God’s ways of putting our theology into shoe leather. Centuries of saints show us the “how to” of being a faithful wounded warrior.

Today on The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at Crazy Busy by Kevin DeYoung. This book begins with a root issue of our Beliefs. What we believe to be true can differ from what we KNOW to be  true. Life experiences can feed us misinformation about God.  If we do not rely on God solely for our every need, we become busy attempting to meet  our needs and establish our security through our own efforts. Scripture does not teach responsibility ….it teaches faithfulness.

As we desire to be faithful we can walk without fear of failure. If we go through periods of failure as we unscramble, we can claim the truth:  “if we are faithless, He will remain faithful. 2 Timothy 2:13

Author, Kevin DeYoung offers seven diagnoses to help you identify the areas of your life that are contributing to your special brand of “crazy busy” and the one thing necessary for lasting change.

Today on The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green takes a look at Every Body Matters by Gary Thomas.

Weak beliefs about the importance of caring for your body produces weak commitments.  The highest authority  gives us some motivation.  1 Corinthians 6:19-20 are words that need to be taken to heart, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own, you were bought with a price.   Therefore honor God with your bodies.”  We were purchased with a high price to be redeemed and given eternal life in the Son, Jesus Christ.

Every Body Matters doesn’t focus on fad diets, and extreme practices for the body, however, since the body is the  dwelling place for His Spirit in ministry for us and others, we need to evaluate the importance we give to the  body as  we are stewards of what has been given to us. 1 Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover, it is required in a steward to be found faithful.”

Today on The Fireside Bookshelf, Ginger Green discusses the book Waiting on the Lord by James Smith

During the days of demands and deadlines, the need to wait on God many times “feels” like just one more demand of our precious time. However, taking the time to maintain the atmosphere in quietness of heart to wait is a mandate, so we can meet those demands and deadlines.

Faith says I will trust God.  Experience confirms the benefits of this attitude and action.  God nowhere promises that faith will receive all its desires immediately but waiting on Him daily will provide the patience, wisdom, assurance, guidance, hope that He is sufficient for all things, moment by moment.

Take a few moments now to renew your desire and commitment to Wait on the Lord.