Abounding Love Podcast with Former ”Tex” Watson

84 - Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #6

In this continuing episode in the Acts of the Apostles, I define the Kingdom of God as a spiritual realm of eternal love where God lives and reigns forever. This kingdom isn't visible to the physical senses but is accessed through the eye of faith, which allows believers to see and operate according to God's Word rather than circumstances. Drawing from 2 Corinthians 4:13-18, I emphasize that while the "outward man" is perishing, the "inward man" is being renewed daily through God's Word, allowing believers to view light affections as temporary compared to the eternal weight of glory. And by renewing our mind, we can move from a worldly perspective to a spiritual one, becoming "love beings" who create and speak life just as God does.
I share that Jesus Christ brought His kingdom to earth and was the only one to perfectly fulfill the Abrahamic covenant, demonstrating the life of blessings promised in Deuteronomy, chapter 28. Also, because of Jesus' death, burial, resurrection and outpouring of the Holy Spirit, believers are now recreated in God's image and seated in the "heavenly places," far above worldly powers and principalities, as described in Ephesians 1:19-21; 2:6. In this eternal kingdom, believers are called to reign as kings, living in a "spiritual time zone" where the pressures and clocks of the world lose their meaning, replaced by peace, joy and liberty found in God's presence. Join me as we grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and learn to live with a daily perspective of the Kingdom of God. Selah!
[For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #084 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #6 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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83 - Wintessing the Kingdom - Acts #5

In this insightful episode, I continue in the Acts of the Apostles on the Kingdom of God, focusing on the transformative power of God's "Word of Love". I explain that faith comes by hearing God's word and believing the message of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection [Romans 10:17]. How God's love is a creative force, just as His Word created light in the beginning, His love recreates believers spiritually in His own image [2 Corinthians 4:6]. Through this rebirth, He lifts us out of the "kingdom of Satan" and into the "Kingdom of God" [John 3:3; Colossians 1:13-14]. Also, I emphasis that mankind's relationship with God was broken by sin in the Garden of Eden, but the cross restores us to righteousness, wisdom and life so we can walk as Jesus walked (Genesis 1:26; Ephesians 1:4; 1 John 2:6].
To live effectively in the Kingdom of God, we must renew our minds so our thoughts and language align with the Word of God rather than the world [Romans 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 10:5-6]. This spiritual "reprogramming" allows us as Christians to speak a "pure language" [Zephaniah 3:9] and practice "unconscious love," which naturally produces fruit after its own kind -- overcoming pride, fear, sickness and the works of the devil just as the apostles did in the book of Acts [Mark 1:14; Acts 1:3]. By abiding in Christ as the "true vine" and keeping the commandments to love one another, we manifest God's power and experience a life of full joy and victory [John 15:1-12; 1 John 3:16; 5:4-5]. Join me as we learn to walk in the Kingdom of God, manifesting His love to all those around us. Selah!
[For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #083 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #5 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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81 - Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #4

In this episode, I continue my series in Acts on the Kingdom of God, which is essentially a Kingdom of Love, where believers walk in a "love realm" that allows God's power to operate through them. Central to this walk is the preaching of the gospel -- specifically the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus -- which is described as the ultimate manifestation of God's love being shared with the world. This message functions as a Spiritual seed that, when sown in the heart [Mark 4:14-20], and "watered" by the Word [Ephesians 5:26], produces new life and the "fruit of love" [Galatians 5:22-23]. 
However, Jesus warns us that in the latter times, iniquity will cause this "agape" love to wax cold in many, which will hinder the presence and power of God within the church [Matthew 24:12]. To develop a transformative life, the Word of God must be preached, heard, believed, received and acted upon. This progression creates a faith that "works by love" (Galatians 5:6), and believers who are "doers of the word" rather than just hearers, will avoid being like a man who forgets his own image in a mirror [James 1:22-25].
Throughout the book of Acts, the Christian life is identified as "the way," representing the path of salvation and love that believers followed despite intense opposition [Acts 9:2; 16:17; 24:14]. By being rooted and grounded in love [Ephesians 3:17], and meditating the Word day and night, believers become like "trees of life," manifesting the nature of Christ and experiencing Spiritual prosperity [Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2-3]. Join me as we delve into the Scriptures more fully. Selah?
[For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #081 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #4 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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80 - Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #3

In this episode, I continue my series in the Acts of the Apostles exploring the transformative power of the resurrection of Christ, and the arrival of the Holy Spirit as depicted in Acts chapter 2. I emphasize that Jesus' primary mission was to destroy the works of the devil, a victory achieved through His spiritual death and subsequent resurrection [Colossians 2:15], which "loosed the pains of death" [Acts 2:24]. I share that before Pentecost, the disciples often lacked spiritual power, but the decent of the Holy Spirit provided an "unction" or "anointing" that allowed them to perform the same miraculous works as Jesus [1 John 2:20, 27]. This experience of being "born again" marks a transition from being spiritually dead to spiritually alive, where the believer's spirit is recreated to be perfect, just like Jesus.
This episode further details the specific role of the apostles as witnesses of the resurrection, a task defined as testifying to the facts of what they have seen and heard. Throughout the book of Acts, the preaching of the death, burial and resurrection -- the logos or living Word -- consistently resulted in thousands of conversions and physical healings, such as the man at the temple gate [Acts 3:1-16]. I challenge listeners to renew their minds by aligning their thoughts with the Word of God rather than worldly doubt. When we "compute" our minds to the Word and speak it boldly, it becomes "medicine" to the body, prevailing over the influence of the devil and allowing the life of Jesus to manifest in our daily actions [1 John 3:7-8]. Join me as we delve into God's Word for your edification and well being. Selah!
[For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #080 Witnessing the Kingdom #3 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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79 - Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #2

In this uplifting episode, I continue my series in the Acts of the Apostles explaining how believers are lifted out of the kingdom of hell and into the Kingdom of Heaven through Christ's resurrection [Colossians 1:13-14]. To enter God's Kingdom, one must be born again [John 3:1-8], a Spiritual transformation that allows a person to recognize their identity as "Kingdom kids" and the "righteousness of God in Christ" [2 Corinthians 5:21]. I emphasis that believers must be baptised in the Holy Spirit to receive power to overcome the devil's opposition and to fulfill our obligation as temples of the Holy Spirit [Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8].
Our core mission as empowered believers is to serve as active witnesses of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, which effectively destroyed the works of the devil [1 John 3:8]. We must move beyond a "mental assent" of the Scriptures and become "doers of the word" [James 1:22-25], imitating Jesus' ministry of healing the sick and casting out devils. By recognizing that the devil was defeated at the cross, the body of Christ can exercise authority in the Name of Jesus to take dominion as if Christ were physically present [Acts 3:1-10]. Ultimately, this episode calls for Christians to wake up to their resurrected position and demonstrate their faith through corresponding actions. Selah!
[For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #079 Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #2 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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78 - Witnessing the Kingdom - Acts #1

In this powerful episode, I introduce a seven part series in the Acts of the Apostles on living in the Kingdom of God or Satan's kingdom. We use our five senses in both, but in God's Kingdom, we walk by faith, not by sight [2 Corinthians 5:7]. In Acts, we find what happens when we add the Holy Spirit to our faith. In Luke, we saw how Jesus defeated the works of the Devil, and in Acts, we find how we receive power to do the same. We do this by denying ourselves, taking up the cross daily, yielding to the Holy Spirit and doing what Jesus did by faith.
What's interesting is that the word "love" isn't mentioned anywhere in Acts. Love is an action; what the Apostles and disciples were doing in Acts. That's why it is called the Acts of the Apostles. These "Acts" are performed by the love of God, acting in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we walk in the Spirit, we receive revelation and understanding of the Scriptures in ways we never would without being born of the Spirit. We begin to see ourselves complete in Christ -- holy, blameless and righteous. "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" [2 Corinthians 5:21, NKJV).
Join me as we learn to walk in love through this introduction of the Book of Acts, while looking at Scriptures both in the Old and New Testaments for our edification. Selah!
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77 - Creative Faith in Luke #7

In this challenging Abounding Love episode, I conclude this series in the Gospel of Luke, expressing the need for a Heavenly vision and revelation of how God has resurrected us in Christ from the kingdom of darkness into the Kingdom of His dear Son of light and love [Colossians 1:13-14]. We're the Temple of God, redeemed, blessed and made righteous, as wise and obedient followers of Christ [Galatians 3:13-14].
The goal of this series is to inspire a desire in your heart for living in the Kingdom of God moment by moment, separated from the kingdom of darkness -- the world, the flesh and the Devil. We live in the world, but aren't to be entangled or conformed to the world [Romans 12:1-2]. Our relationship with God in the Spirit is to empower us to live above the world, by denying the power of the flesh to operate [Luke 9:23]. 
Living in the Spirit will become so desirable, that your devotion to God will become most important. The works of the flesh will dwindle as the fruit of the Spirit flow forth in love, peace, joy and patience. The weaknesses of the flesh won't have a chance, with the full armor of God put on from head to toe [Ephesians 6:10-18]. Join me as we cover chapters 20 through 24 in the Gospel of Luke. We'll start the Acts of the Apostles next week. Selah!
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76 - Creative Faith in Luke #6

In this insightful Abounding Love episode, I continue a series in the Gospel of Luke about the Kingdom of God, where we now dwell. Luke's presentation of the Gospel shows the contrast between the Kingdom of God, and the kingdom of Satan [or the world], where we used to dwell. In the Kingdom of God; love, light and peace reign through the Spirit of Life in Christ in God. In the kingdom of the world, Satan is found, where fear, darkness and conflict reign. It's a life ruled by the lust of the flesh and desires of the world verses a life ruled by the Word of God.
We begin this message where we left off in Part 5, at the end of Luke, chapter 14. We must be willing to leave all we have to be a disciple of Jesus. We are to be the "salt of the earth." During Luke's Gospel the disciples are "near" the Kingdom of God, but the Kingdom of God doesn't yet indwell them. That doesn't occur until Pentecost described by Luke in the Acts of the Apostles, chapter 2. There's joy in heaven when one sinner repents. Think how much joy Christ has produced by His sacrifice on the cross. The millions [even billions] of people who have come into the Kingdom throughout the generations. Jesus uses Parables to demonstrate this joy.
Join me in this podcast as we find the same joy even in the circumstances we find ourselves in now. Jesus points out that the Law reigned until John the Baptist, but since then, the Kingdom of God has been proclaimed. I cover this proclamation through the Gospel of Luke, chapters, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19. Selah!
[Fore more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for episode #076 Creative Faith in Luke #6 from Abounding Love Ministries" ].
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