Partakers Christian Podcasts

The Spirit Explodes Part 4 of 22 - Healing and challenging by Roger Kirby (Acts 2:41 – 4:4) Luke inserts several summaries of the developing situation into his account of which 2:41 is the first. He then continues his account of those early days of the church in Jerusalem, reinforcing by repetition the points he wants to make. It is not possible (unless you are very rich!) to live in the way described in these verses for any length of time. Sooner or later the money will run out. Somebody has to work and provide a steady flow of income as Paul says in 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “if a man will not work, he shall not eat”. Question 1: Why did Luke tell us about this necessarily limited period in the life of the infant church? What positive things is he stressing by doing so? His purpose must be his interest in telling us about the positively good things that were being done in that early church. There was clearly a deep concern to learn about the meaning of their new found Christian faith and to live a life

The Spirit Explodes Part 3 of 22 - Peter explains and challenges by Roger Kirby TThen Peter stood up with the Eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd: ‘Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: ‘“In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” ‘‘Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth

The Spirit Explodes Part 2 of 22 - The Gift of the Holy Spirit by Roger Kirby Acts 1:14 – 2:13 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) and said, ‘Brothers and sisters, the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.’ (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) ‘For,’ said Peter, ‘it is written in the Book of Psalms: ‘“May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,” and, ‘“May another take his place of leadership.” Therefore it is n

Psalm 101 (as read by Destiny) 101:1 I will sing of loving kindness and justice. To you, Yahweh, I will sing praises. 101:2 I will be careful to live a blameless life. When will you come to me? I will walk within my house with a blameless heart. 101:3 I will set no vile thing before my eyes. I hate the deeds of faithless men. They will not cling to me. 101:4 A perverse heart will be far from me. I will have nothing to do with evil. 101:5 I will silence whoever secretly slanders his neighbor. I won't tolerate one who is haughty and conceited. 101:6 My eyes will be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me. He who walks in a perfect way, he will serve me. 101:7 He who practices deceit won't dwell within my house. He who speaks falsehood won't be established before my eyes. 101:8 Morning by morning, I will destroy all the wicked of the land; to cut off all the workers of iniquity from Yahweh's city. Click or tap here to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

God Comes To Town! Ezekiel 1:1-4, 24-28 to 2:2 Introduction I wonder if there anybody here that is 25 years old?  Anybody turning 25 this year?  How about those who wished they were turning 25 this year? Imagine you are a 25 year old and being trained for the family business.  Then suddenly your enemies invade your city and take you away to a foreign land.  That's what happened to Ezekiel 5 years before this passage of Scripture, Ezekiel 1-2, when the Babylonians, led by Nebuchadnezzar in 597BC took 3000 Jews back to Babylon.  This was the first deportation. 1. Ezekiel - who was he and how did he get there? 2. How does Ezekiel describe this vision of God? 3. God is Holy God 4. God is Universal: Omnipresent, Omnipotent, Omniscient, Mission minded & Personal 5. What does all this mean? Worship & Tell others 6. We speak God's word Conclusion I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I am in exile.  I don't mean as an Australian living in England, the mother country! Although sometimes it does f

Psalm 95 (read by Carol) 95:1 Oh come, let's sing to Yahweh. Let's shout aloud to the rock of our salvation! 95:2 Let's come before his presence with thanksgiving. Let's extol him with songs! 95:3 For Yahweh is a great God, a great King above all gods. 95:4 In his hand are the deep places of the earth. The heights of the mountains are also his. 95:5 The sea is his, and he made it. His hands formed the dry land. 95:6 Oh come, let's worship and bow down. Let's kneel before Yahweh, our Maker, 95:7 for he is our God. We are the people of his pasture, and the sheep in his care. Today, oh that you would hear his voice! 95:8 Don't harden your heart, as at Meribah, as in the day of Massah in the wilderness, 95:9 when your fathers tempted me, tested me, and saw my work. 95:10 Forty long years I was grieved with that generation, and said, "It is a people that errs in their heart. They have not known my ways." 95:11 Therefore I swore in my wrath, "They won't enter into my rest." Right mouse click or tap here to

Psalm 19 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God. The expanse shows his handiwork. 19:2 Day after day they pour forth speech, and night after night they display knowledge. 19:3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. 19:4 Their voice has gone out through all the earth, their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, 19:5 which is as a bridegroom coming out of his room, like a strong man rejoicing to run his course. 19:6 His going forth is from the end of the heavens, his circuit to its ends; There is nothing hidden from its heat. 19:7 Yahweh’s law is perfect, restoring the soul. Yahweh’s testimony is sure, making wise the simple. 19:8 Yahweh’s precepts are right, rejoicing the heart. Yahweh’s commandment is pure, enlightening the eyes. 19:9 The fear of Yahweh is clean, enduring forever. Yahweh’s ordinances are true, and righteous altogether. 19:10 More to be desired are they than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey

Psalm 99 (as read by Sarah) 99:1 Yahweh reigns! Let the peoples tremble. He sits enthroned among the cherubim. Let the earth be moved. 99:2 Yahweh is great in Zion. He is high above all the peoples. 99:3 Let them praise your great and awesome name. He is Holy! 99:4 The King's strength also loves justice. You do establish equity. You execute justice and righteousness in Jacob. 99:5 Exalt Yahweh our God. Worship at his footstool. He is Holy! 99:6 Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel among those who call on his name; they called on Yahweh, and he answered them. 99:7 He spoke to them in the pillar of cloud. They kept his testimonies, the statute that he gave them. 99:8 You answered them, Yahweh our God. You are a God who forgave them, although you took vengeance for their doings. 99:9 Exalt Yahweh, our God. Worship at his holy hill, for Yahweh, our God, is holy!   Right mouse click to save/download this Psalm as a MP3 file

Giving Time, possessions and money Giving is seemingly one of the three forbidden subjects for Christians to discuss in the 21st century! The other two being sex and power. Jesus talked about all three often! Every person has in differing quantities: time, talent, possessions and money. In relationship to giving, the Church is to be a community where the strongest members support the weakest members. This applies not only to the local church, but also at a national and international level as well. Too often, even as Christian Disciples we are found turning a blind eye to the suffering of others where the bare necessities of life are in sparse existence. Too often we gather possessions and people, instead of giving up our time and money generously to help the poor and needy of both our world and local communities. Too often we keep our time and talents selfishly to ourselves instead of giving them to others in need. Spiritual Growth Indicator Perhaps the greatest indicator of spiritual growth in the Ch

Psalm 27 By David. 27:1 Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid? 27:2 When evildoers came at me to eat up my flesh, even my adversaries and my foes, they stumbled and fell. 27:3 Though an army should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear. Though war should rise against me, even then I will be confident. 27:4 One thing I have asked of Yahweh, that I will seek after, that I may dwell in the house of Yahweh all the days of my life, to see Yahweh’s beauty, and to inquire in his temple. 27:5 For in the day of trouble he will keep me secretly in his pavilion. In the covert of his tabernacle he will hide me. He will lift me up on a rock. 27:6 Now my head will be lifted up above my enemies around me. I will offer sacrifices of joy in his tent. I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to Yahweh. 27:7 Hear, Yahweh, when I cry with my voice.  Have mercy also on me, and answer me. 27:8 When you said, “Seek my fa

Messiah's Rejection 11:1 Open your doors, Lebanon, that the fire may devour your cedars. 11:2 Wail, fir tree, for the cedar has fallen, because the stately ones are destroyed. Wail, you oaks of Bashan, for the strong forest has come down. 11:3 A voice of the wailing of the shepherds! For their glory is destroyed: a voice of the roaring of young lions! For the pride of the Jordan is ruined. 11:4 Thus says Yahweh my God: "Feed the flock of slaughter. 11:5 Their buyers slaughter them, and go unpunished. Those who sell them say, ‘Blessed be Yahweh, for I am rich;' and their own shepherds don't pity them. 11:6 For I will no more pity the inhabitants of the land," says Yahweh; "but, behold, I will deliver the men everyone into his neighbor's hand, and into the hand of his king. They will strike the land, and out of their hand I will not deliver them." 11:7 So I fed the flock of slaughter, especially the oppressed of the flock. I took for myself two staffs. The one I called "Favor," and the other I called "Union,

Messiah's Invitation 55:1 “Come, everyone who thirsts, to the waters! Come, he who has no money, buy, and eat! Yes, come; buy wine and milk without money and without price. 55:2 Why do you spend money for that which is not bread? And your labor for that which doesn’t satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat you that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. 55:3 Turn your ear, and come to me; hear, and your soul shall live: and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David. 55:4 Behold, I have given him for a witness to the peoples, a leader and commander to the peoples. 55:5 Behold, you shall call a nation that you don’t know; and a nation that didn’t know you shall run to you, because of Yahweh your God, and for the Holy One of Israel; for he has glorified you.” 55:6 Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near: 55:7 let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have

Messiah's Promise 54:1 "Sing, barren, you who didn't bear; break forth into singing, and cry aloud, you who did not travail with child: for more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married wife," says Yahweh. 54:2 "Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of your habitations; don't spare: lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. 54:3 For you shall spread out on the right hand and on the left; and your seed shall possess the nations, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited. 54:4 "Don't be afraid; for you shall not be ashamed: neither be confounded; for you shall not be disappointed: for you shall forget the shame of your youth; and the reproach of your widowhood you shall remember no more. 54:5 For your Maker is your husband; Yahweh of Armies is his name: and the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; the God of the whole earth shall he be called. 54:6 For Yahweh has called you as a wife forsaken and grieved in spirit, even a wife of youth, whe

Messiah's Leadership 10:1 Ask of Yahweh rain in the spring time, Yahweh who makes storm clouds, and he gives rain showers to everyone for the plants in the field. 10:2 For the teraphim have spoken vanity, and the diviners have seen a lie; and they have told false dreams. They comfort in vain. Therefore they go their way like sheep. They are oppressed, because there is no shepherd. 10:3 My anger is kindled against the shepherds, and I will punish the male goats; For Yahweh of Armies has visited his flock, the house of Judah, and will make them as his majestic horse in the battle. 10:4 From him will come forth the cornerstone, from him the nail, from him the battle bow, from him every ruler together. 10:5 They shall be as mighty men, treading down muddy streets in the battle; and they shall fight, because Yahweh is with them; and the riders on horses will be confounded. (Zechariah 10:1-5) During the time of Zechariah, the Temple was being rebuilt.  The Temple was central to Jewish worship.  But who would h

Messiah's Arrival Zechariah 9:9 - 12 9:9 Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion! Shout, daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King comes to you! He is righteous, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on a donkey, even on a colt, the foal of a donkey. 9:10 I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow will be cut off; and he will speak peace to the nations: and his dominion will be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth. 9:11 As for you also, because of the blood of your covenant, I have set free your prisoners from the pit in which is no water. 9:12 Turn to the stronghold, you prisoners of hope! Even today I declare that I will restore double to you. The King is Coming! We have seen in Isaiah that the coming Messiah was a Servant Prophet, a Servant Disciple and a Servant King.  Today we switch over to the Book of Zechariah to look at in more detail about this Servant King Messiah.  Zechariah gives us a picture of how the Messiah will announce Hi

Who is He? Messiah's Sacrifice Isaiah 52:13 - 53:12 52:13 Behold, my servant shall deal wisely, he shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high. 52:14 Like as many were astonished at you (his appearance was marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of men), 52:15 so shall he sprinkle many nations; kings shall shut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them shall they see; and that which they had not heard shall they understand. 53:1 Who has believed our message? To whom has the arm of Yahweh been revealed? 53:2 For he grew up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no good looks or majesty. When we see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. 53:3 He was despised, and rejected by men; a man of suffering, and acquainted with disease. He was despised as one from whom men hide their face; and we didn’t respect him. 53:4 Surely he has borne our sickness, and carried our suffering; yet we considered him plagued, struck by God, and a

Who is He?- Messiah's Encouragement 51:9 Awake, awake, put on strength, arm of Yahweh; awake, as in the days of old, the generations of ancient times. Isn't it you who cut Rahab in pieces, who pierced the monster? 51:10 Isn't it you who dried up the sea, the waters of the great deep; who made the depths of the sea a way for the redeemed to pass over? 51:11 The ransomed of Yahweh shall return, and come with singing to Zion; and everlasting joy shall be on their heads. They shall obtain gladness and joy. Sorrow and sighing shall flee away. 51:12 "I, even I, am he who comforts you: who are you, that you are afraid of man who shall die, and of the son of man who shall be made as grass; 51:13 and have forgotten Yahweh your Maker, who stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and fear continually all the day because of the fury of the oppressor, when he makes ready to destroy? and where is the fury of the oppressor? 51:14 The captive exile shall speedily be freed; and he shall not die a

  3. Messiah's Obedience Isaiah 50:4 The Lord Yahweh has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with words him who is weary: he wakens morning by morning, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. 50:5 The Lord Yahweh has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away backward. 50:6 I gave my back to the strikers, and my cheeks to those who plucked off the hair; I didn't hide my face from shame and spitting. 50:7 For the Lord Yahweh will help me; therefore I have not been confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be disappointed. 50:8 He is near who justifies me; who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together: who is my adversary? Let him come near to me. 50:9 Behold, the Lord Yahweh will help me; who is he who shall condemn me? Behold, all they shall wax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up. 50:10 Who is among you who fears Yahweh, who obeys the voice of his servant? He who walks in dar

2. Messiah's Mission Right mouse click to save/download this Podcast as a MP3 file 49:1 Listen, islands, to me; and listen, you peoples, from far: Yahweh has called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother has he made mention of my name: 49:2 and he has made my mouth like a sharp sword; in the shadow of his hand, he has hidden me: and he has made me a polished shaft; in his quiver has he kept me close: 49:3 and he said to me, "You are my servant; Israel, in whom I will be glorified." 49:4 But I said, "I have labored in vain, I have spent my strength for nothing and vanity; yet surely the justice due to me is with Yahweh, and my reward with my God." 49:5 Now says Yahweh who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob again to him, and that Israel be gathered to him (for I am honorable in the eyes of Yahweh, and my God has become my strength); 49:6 yes, he says, "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel:

1. Messiah's Identity 42:1 "Behold, my servant, whom I uphold; my chosen, in whom my soul delights- I have put my Spirit on him. He will bring justice to the nations. 42:2 He will not shout, nor raise his voice, nor cause it to be heard in the street. 42:3 He won't break a bruised reed. He won't quench a dimly burning wick. He will faithfully bring justice. 42:4 He will not fail nor be discouraged, until he has set justice in the earth, and the islands will wait for his law." 42:5 Thus says God Yahweh, he who created the heavens and stretched them out, he who spread out the earth and that which comes out of it, he who gives breath to its people and spirit to those who walk in it. 42:6 "I, Yahweh, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand, and will keep you, and make you a covenant for the people, as a light for the nations; 42:7 to open the blind eyes, to bring the prisoners out of the dungeon, and those who sit in darkness out of the prison. 42:8 "I am Yahweh. That is my name. I will not gi