Partakers Christian Podcasts

God Gets His Hands Dirty 01. Introduction The birth of Jesus Christ is the most celebrated around the world. These celebrations are diverse and transcend cultures, peoples, and languages. Of course, most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Jesus Christ is the most unique person in history. Jesus Christ is also the most divisive person to be found at anytime and anywhere. Almost everyone has an opinion about Him, even if that opinion is based on ignorance, silence or misinformation. Christians believe that Jesus’ birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming. From the time of the Fall when people showed active rebellion and disobedience towards God in Genesis 3, God was planning the time when He would step into history as a saviour or messiah. Christians believe that Jesus Christ is this messiah. Throughout the Old Testament, we see that the birth, life and mission of this Messiah is the aim and focus of attention. We see it in t

Psalm 66 - A Prayer of Joy Right mouse click to save this Podcast as a MP3. In the podcast today, we look together at Psalm 66, which is a prayer of joy. The reason for this is, because where ever hope can be found, there is always joy. This is particularly true of the Christian life. As christians, our great hope is knowing that through the Lord Jesus Christ we will have salvation. Salvation is freedom. Freedom from injustice, freedom from sin. It is freedom from our prison of looking after our self, to a new life of entrance into self-forgetful worship & service to God. It is freedom from the limits of pain, decay, death, and entrance into a new world of life, immortality, beauty and joy without end. That is the hope of the Christian, and that is why we can have joy as Christians. But joy, is not just for the future. Joy is also for the present, for the here and now.  What is joy, and what place should joy take in our life today? Let's look into Psalm 66, and see where joy fitted into the life of

  G'day! Welcome to Partakers Podcasts and Happy New Year to you where ever you are in this world! If we have helped you in some way in 2023, you are welcome and it is all to the glory of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit! Today we are praying together as we enter into the adventure that will be the year 2024! Come! Let's pray together and say your "Amen!" or "May it be so, Lord!"   Click or tap here to download these prayers as a mp3

Understanding the Kingdom John 3:1-18 I wonder what you think the Kingdom of God is.  In the Old Testament we learn of all kinds of different earthly kingdoms. Each one of these kingdoms were doomed to fail from the start, because of the promised commencement of a new and everlasting kingdom. Perhaps by having a brief overview of what Jesus in the Gospels said about the Kingdom will help us understand more about it before we focus on just a couple of aspects. From what Jesus said, we learn that: The kingdom had small beginnings. It advances slowly and unspectacularly. It works in an unseen way, like yeast in dough. It grows side by side with evil and error. The members are drawn from every part, for it is a universal part. When discovered, it is the source of true joy and fulfilment. It requires sacrifice, submission and surrender. It ends in an eternal separation of the good from the evil, of the true from the false. It centres only on Jesus Christ (Luke 9:28-36). So having seen these descriptions

 Prayers for Refugees... Today on Partakers we are praying a series of prayers - ancient and modern - for refugees worldwide regardless of where they are from. Currently there are over 21,000,000 refugees, those who have been forced to leave their home country due to natural disasters, war or persecution due to race, religion, politics, or social group. As we know, Jesus our Lord, was a refugee when a baby, as Joseph & Mary escaped to Egypt with him. Come on in, download the mp3 and pray with us! We commence with a prayer from the ancient Syrian church... O my God, You are the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings, and the bestower of affection! You are the God who sends peace to those that receive it; open to us this day the sea of Your love, and water us with the plenteous streams from the riches of Your grace. Amen Download or listen to the mp3 to hear more prayers! Come on in! Click or Tap here to listen to or save this as an audio mp3

 Daniel 8 - Worlds In Conflict We are looking today at an intriguing piece of Scripture - Daniel 8! In Chapter 7, the prophet Daniel had a dream of 4 animals, which were a winged lion, a bear, a winged leopard and a beast.  So let us read together Daniel 8. v1-4 In the third year of the reign of king Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, even to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. I saw in the vision; now it was so, that when I saw, I was in the citadel of Susa, which is in the province of Elam; and I saw in the vision, and I was by the river Ulai. Then I lifted up my eyes, and saw, and behold, there stood before the river a ram which had two horns: and the two horns were high; but one was higher than the other, and the higher came up last. I saw the ram pushing westward, and northward, and southward; and no animals could stand before him, neither was there any who could deliver out of his hand; but he did according to his will, and magnified himself. v27 I, Daniel, fainted, and was sic

  Partakers Prayers For the Persecuted  Church Worldwide   We pray together and when Christians pray together, from different nations, different churches and different denominations - that reveals Church unity! Come! Let us pray together! Prayers for the Persecuted Church Sovereign God, we worship you and acknowledge that you know all of those who suffer in your name because they follow you. We remember those who are imprisoned for their faith and ask that they would join with the Apostle Paul to see that even though they remain captive, their chains have furthered the gospel, not frustrated it. May they inspire and embolden their fellow believers to speak the word of God more courageously and fearlessly. Amen God of all comfort, for those who are tortured both in body and mind, give them the grace to endure and to see their suffering as part of following in Christ’s footsteps. Merciful God, for those asked to pay the ultimate price; who are martyred because of their love for you, may they truly know

  Introduction For about 40 years now, I have been a Christian Disciple - a follower of Jesus. It has been an exciting journey on the road of life. I have had my ups and my downs through that journey of 40 years. Most of it I have forgotten. But this I do remember - I know that Jesus has been there with me. I know, that I know, that I know. After my conversion and baptism, I was taken in hand and discipled. Once a week, for about a year, I had a midweek meeting with a mentor, for prayer, bible study, accountability and guidance. Right Mouse click to save this as a mp3 audio file From my observation of Christianity today, that experience would now be rare, as Discipleship is generally in the control of a home group. That works well if that new convert gets some form of bible study, prayer and accountability. Often though, that is not the case and the home group is more an extended social club. Or we are just told to get on with it ourselves and the church isn't interested in helping in lifelong disciples

Why I am a Christian! The Apostle John, writing: "We accept man's testimony, but God's testimony is greater because it is the testimony of God, which he has given about his Son. Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son. And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 5:9-12   Today I share the reasons I am a Christian, a follower of Christ. Come and hear my story!   Right mouse click to save/download this testimony as a MP3 file

PulpTheology Book "God Gets His Hands Dirty: The Story of Christmas" Free on Kindle until end of Wednesday 27th December 2023. Click or tap here! G’day! The book this week is "God Gets His Hands Dirty: The Story of Christmas". Inside this little book, there is something for you to learn afresh or be reminded about, regardless of who you are. Ahhh Christmas. When people around the world remember that moment in time when God Himself, got his hands dirty and entered our world. Christmas is the most wonderful time of year! Christmas, where the birth of Jesus Christ is celebrated around the world - by Christians and others of all faiths and none. That is how God got his hands dirty. These celebrations are diverse and transcend cultures, peoples and languages. Of course, most people stop with Jesus being a baby and continue no further with Him. Christians believe that Jesus’ birth was the culmination of thousands of years of God telling the world that He was coming and coming to show that God gets his hands di

  The Humanity of Jesus Christ Hebrews 2:5-18 (NIV) 5 It is not to angels that he has subjected the world to come, about which we are speaking. 6 But there is a place where someone has testified: ‘What is mankind that you are mindful of them, a son of man that you care for him? 7 You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honour 8 and put everything under their feet.’ In putting everything under them, God left nothing that is not subject to them. Yet at present we do not see everything subject to them. 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. 11 Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same

A Christmas Prayer Service Today as part of our Christmas series, we have a prayer service where we offer to our God, prayers of the Church from history. Come, Church! Let's pray together! 1. Nativity Prayer of St. Bernard of Clairvaux 2. Nativity Prayer from the Orthodox Liturgy Feast of the Nativity 3. An advent prayer dating from the 10th century... 4. Christ, Redeemer of All 5. A Nativity Prayer of St. Augustine 6. The Lord’s Prayer That is all for today! Come back tomorrow for more in our Christmas series! Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

A Christmas Prayer of Ephraim The feast day of your birth resembles You, Lord Because it brings joy to all humanity. Old people and infants alike enjoy your day.   Your day is celebrated from generation to generation. Kings and emperors may pass away, And the festivals to commemorate them soon lapse.   But your festival will be remembered until the end of time. Your day is a means and a pledge of peace.   At Your birth heaven and earth were reconciled, Since you came from heaven to earth on that day You forgave our sins and wiped away our guilt.   You gave us so many gifts on the day of your birth: A treasure chest of spiritual medicines for the sick; Spiritual light for the blind; The cup of salvation for the thirsty; The bread of life for the hungry.   In the winter when trees are bare, You give us the most succulent spiritual fruit.   In the frost when the earth is barren, You bring new hope to our souls.   In December when seeds are hidden in the s

A Christmas sermon of Martin Luther (1483 – 1546) A Christmas sermon of Martin Luther. the angel said to the shepherds, “Don't be afraid! I am here with good news for you, which will bring great joy to all the people. This very day in David's town your Saviour was born—Christ the Lord! And this is what will prove it to you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great army of heaven's angels appeared with the angel, singing praises to God: “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased!” (Luke 2:10-14 Good News Translation) You have heard today the story from the Gospel of St. Luke 2:10-14 of how it came to pass that our Lord Christ was born and then also the message of the angel, who announced who the boy was who was born. Now we shall go on and take up the message of the angel. So for today you have heard only that the child was born and that he is the Lord and Saviour. Thus we spoke of the story, how it unfolded, and who the p

Psalm 21 (as read by Richard A) For the Chief Musician. A Psalm by David. 1 The king rejoices in your strength, Yahweh! How greatly he rejoices in your salvation! 2 You have given him his heart’s desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. Selah. 3 For you meet him with the blessings of goodness. You set a crown of fine gold on his head. 4 He asked life of you, you gave it to him, even length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great in your salvation. You lay honor and majesty on him. 6 For you make him most blessed forever. You make him glad with joy in your presence. 7 For the king trusts in Yahweh. Through the loving kindness of the Most High, he shall not be moved. 8 Your hand will find out all of your enemies. Your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them as a fiery furnace in the time of your anger. Yahweh will swallow them up in his wrath. The fire shall devour them. 10 You will destroy their descendants from the earth, their posterity from among

Gospel Harmony of the Christmas Events Today we have a harmony of the Christmas Nativity from all 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Each Gospel gives us a section of the story, therefore telling it from different perspectives. Our Gospel readings are: 1. Pre-existence of Christ - John 1:1-18 2. Gabriel visits Mary - Luke 1:26-38 3. Mary visits Elizabeth - Luke 1:39-56 4. Angel visits Joseph - Matthew 1:18-24 5. Birth of Jesus Christ - Luke 2:1-7 6. Shepherds visit Jesus - Luke 2:8-20 7. Magi visit Jesus - Matthew 2:1-12 Right Mouse click or tap here to save this as an audio mp3 file

Psalm 50 A Psalm by Asaph. 50:1 The Mighty One, God, Yahweh, speaks, and calls the earth from sunrise to sunset. 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth. 50:3 Our God comes, and does not keep silent. A fire devours before him. It is very stormy around him. 50:4 He calls to the heavens above, to the earth, that he may judge his people: 50:5 “Gather my saints together to me, those who have made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 50:6 The heavens shall declare his righteousness, for God himself is judge. Selah. 50:7 “Hear, my people, and I will speak; Israel, and I will testify against you. I am God, your God. 50:8 I don’t rebuke you for your sacrifices. Your burnt offerings are continually before me. 50:9 I have no need for a bull from your stall, nor male goats from your pens. 50:10 For every animal of the forest is mine, and the livestock on a thousand hills. 50:11 I know all the birds of the mountains. The wild animals of the field are mine. 50:12 If

Psalm 96   96:1 Sing to Yahweh a new song! Sing to Yahweh, all the earth. 96:2 Sing to Yahweh! Bless his name! Proclaim his salvation from day to day! 96:3 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples. 96:4 For great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised! He is to be feared above all gods. 96:5 For all the gods of the peoples are idols, but Yahweh made the heavens. 96:6 Honor and majesty are before him. Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. 96:7 Ascribe to Yahweh, you families of nations, ascribe to Yahweh glory and strength. 96:8 Ascribe to Yahweh the glory due to his name. Bring an offering, and come into his courts. 96:9 Worship Yahweh in holy array. Tremble before him, all the earth. 96:10 Say among the nations, “Yahweh reigns.” The world is also established. It can’t be moved. He will judge the peoples with equity. 96:11 Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice. Let the sea roar, and its fullness! 96:12 Let the field and all that is in

Psalm 35 1 Contend, O LORD, with those who contend with me; fight against those who fight against me. 2 Take up shield and buckler; arise and come to my aid. 3 Brandish spear and javelin against those who pursue me. Say to my soul, "I am your salvation." 4 May those who seek my life be disgraced and put to shame; may those who plot my ruin be turned back in dismay. 5 May they be like chaff before the wind, with the angel of the LORD driving them away; 6 may their path be dark and slippery, with the angel of the LORD pursuing them. 7 Since they hid their net for me without cause and without cause dug a pit for me, 8 may ruin overtake them by surprise- may the net they hid entangle them, may they fall into the pit, to their ruin. 9 Then my soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. 10 My whole being will exclaim, "Who is like you, O LORD ? You rescue the poor from those too strong for them, the poor and needy from those who rob them." 11 Ruthless witnesses come forward; they question

The O Antiphons - Emmanuel We continue looking at the 7 O Antiphons used by some parts of the church in their Christmas worship. Each of them addresses Jesus Christ using a Messianic title drawn from Old Testament prophecy. Today Is Day 7 - O Emmanuel God with us, our King and Law-giver, desired of the nations and their salvation, you came to save us, Lord our God.   Old Testament reading: Isaiah 7:13-14 - Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well? All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’). New Testament Readings: Matthew 1:23 - ‘The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ (which means ‘God with us’). John 3:16 - For God so loved the world that he gave his one and o