Word for the Week

A special discussion with the Muhotas who run Abba's House, a very special children's ministry near Naivasha, Kenya.

Audio version only of Mark 4:26-29. The parable teaches lessons on God's kingdom involving believers collectively, or individually. This episode looks from the vantage of the individual. canaancommunity.org

Mark 4:26-29, our place, God's place, and the concept of life in the kingdom of God. canaancommunity.org ...Thanks to Tikki O. for a quick clip on growing popcorn!

Our place in the kingdom of God.  And the one thing we cannot do!  Mark 4:26-29.  canaancommunity.org

A focus on the significance of the torches used in the wedding of Matthew 25:1-13.  And the secret they reveal to finishing the race well.

The parable of the 10 virgins, Matthew 25:1-13, lies in the nuances of an ancient Jewish wedding.  Bridesmaids, torches, oil, and fire, teach about the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 22:1-14 is actually 2 parables in one that finds its depth in old Rabbinical stories presented in a new way.  canaancommunity.org

We compare passages that speak of resting in the Lord and look at them side by side with those urging us to strive in our faith.  We look at "transformation" vs. "sanctification" and look for the balance, in this episode.  canaancommunity.org

After our first leadership retreat of the year, here's what our leadership had to say.

Everyone has influence on somebody!  Is your influence good or bad?  A Scriptural look at good spiritual leadership versus bad leadership.

Our special guest, Pastor Chet Berry speaks on the great value of the Old Testament temple, and now... you are the temple!

Last week we shared 2 interpretations of the parable of the leaven in Matthew 13.  One is a warning of future corruption, the other sees it as a promise of inner transformation.  Here's what people concluded... including us!

There are two reasonable interpretations of the parable of the leaven, Matthew 13:33.  On Word for the Week 3.6, we presented a SOBER WARNING.  The interpretation in this session is AN AFFIRMING HOPE.  Which way do you lean?  Do our 1 question survey at canaancommunity.org/media.  Let us know what you think.  

The context and the teaching from this little parable has multiple levels.  What Jesus was teaching from the mustard seed, Matthew 13:31,32.

What was going through the minds of those hearing this simple parable of the mustard seed in Matthew 13?  Here's the backstory on mustard, seeds, and the ancient Jewish culture.

Understanding the parable of the Wheat & Tares as understood by the original listeners in ancient Israel.  canaancommunity.org/media

The parable of the dragnet in Matthew 13.  Moving from context to application.  canaancommunitychurch.org/media

The surprising backstory and context for understanding the parable of the dragnet, Matthew 13.

Putting the context into application- The Parables of the Hidden Treasure and Fine Pearl in Matthew 13.  1. The meaning of "Kingdom."  2. The event of "Discovery."  3. The act of "Buying."

Using the ground rules from the last episode, here is an understanding of the parables of the hidden treasure and the pearl.  Also, some surprising art generated by the A.I. art generator, NightCafe'

If we have ears that hear... this is what we will hear.  7 ground rules on how any parable of Jesus can be understood.  The follow-up sermon to Word for the Week 3.1.  Find it all at- canaancommunity.org/media.

There are basic Biblical rules in following what is really being said in any given parable.  Here's a quick guide. More resources: canaancommunity.org/media

In Part 2: Surveying the greatest spiritual challenges as individuals in the Christian community.  Here is what we found, along with some suggestions in continuing victory in 2023.  You can find us- canaancommunity.org

A look into the greatest spiritual challenges the Christian community faced in 2022.  In Part 1, we look at the challenges we faced collectively- as the global church, and then, as the local church.  You can find us- canaancommunity.org

A look through a century or more to see what things remain important.  From Christmas 1869 to 2022.  What aspects of life have remained crucial?

A look into the backstory of those people most connected to the birth of Christ.  In Part 2, we cover the remaining 3 groups of lives. https://www.canaancommunity.org/media

Isaiah 9 prophesied the how and why of the Messiah, Luke 1,2 accounts the lives that experienced it.

Part 1 of a historical dive into the lives that surround the Christmas story.  Enriching the teaching and the meaning.  canaancommunity.org

Isaiah 9 foretold the coming of the Christ with such accuracy that it fits as a single conversation with Luke 2.  Here's how it played out- from kingdom, to shepherds, to manger.

Two surprising things about these prophecies: 1. They seem to conflict with each other. (But don't!)  2.  They were given 7 centuries before Christ was ever born. Here's the background... let's discuss!

Why does the book of Matthew start with such a long, boring genealogy?  There's a very good reason.  Seriously!

There is a lot of material out there on "taking Christmas seriously."  There is a wide variety of views, and each one takes us to a different place.  What's it mean for you to "take Christmas seriously"?

Following up Word for the Week 2.43: What the Bible teaches us about difficult people through the original 12 apostles whom Jesus didn't just accept, but actively chose!  Are you one?  How do we deal with it?  What's the Biblical secret?

Kevin and Kathy take the "difficult person" test.  Looking at clinical and Biblical material on what it means to be a difficult person.

Follow-up 2.42: Pastor Jim Halstead of Go & Tell Ministries.  The impact of following God and reaching out.

An age-old question.  If God truly controls everything, is there any need... or even any point in the human effort of evangelism.  Here's a discussion in what the Bible says.  The answer may surprise you!

Sunday Follow-up, Life-sappers #3: Distraction.  On Friday's podcast we started a countdown on Bible examples of life-sapping distractions.  On Sunday, this was number 1.  Based on Luke 9.

5 Bible accounts of people distracted from their faith, the good reasons, and the final outcomes.  How are you with life's distractions in your spiritual walk?

We can be clear or unclear about life-direction, our faith, God, or even ourselves.  What happens when we're clear?  Or unclear?  3 Biblical examples and their outcomes.

The Sunday follow-up on our Friday Word for the Week: SELF-DECEPTION & THE CHRISTIAN- a sermon with additional research material and a different angle. 

How reasonable are the clever memes and quips we find on social media?  Every now and then we pick one to examine with classic logic.  This episode: A cartoon on the validity of religion- Fact or Fallacy?  -You can access the transcript and video at canaancommunity.org/media

A look into self-deception and the Christian walk.  How widespread is self-deception among people who profess a religion of truth?  -Here's the WHAT, HOW, & WHY of self-deception and the professing Christian.  Access video and transcript at-  canaancommunity.org/media

Back on Oct. 14, 2022.  Meanwhile, this blessing for you.

Humanity tends to approach the big questions from either myth or legend.  How does Jesus Christ fit in?  A look at myths, legends, and the place of Jesus Christ.

A discussion on relative and absolute truth.  And what kind of truth was Jesus talking about when he said, "The truth will set you free"?

The Gospel story- It's not ALL good news!  Balancing the negative and the positive.

The parable of the sheep and the goats in Matt. 25 may be telling us more about human need than we realize!

A look into the clues of how God changes people- Acts and Philippians chapter 2.

The line of Scripture that documents the moment the church is born is Acts 2:41.  What are the implications of the unexpected use of the word, "souls"?

Exploring 5 questions about baptism, from water to fire, sprinkle to immersion.  The answers we found in the Bible, history, and personal experience.

Biblical repentance, what it is, what is not.  How it applies to the church in our time.

There's no shortage of criticism of the church, but how much is deserved and how much comes from a lack of understanding?  Here are 8 images of the church; 5 skewed, and 3 that Scripture provides.  ~Seeing through the common misconceptions.

Exploring how the Bible describes the practice of the Christian faith, when it denies or ignores spiritual gifts.

Spiritual gifts are a theme of the New Testament, but the same word isn't used in every case.  Changing words from last week, we look at the meaning from 1 Corinthians 12.  7 insights from this passage.

The idea of gifting is a theme that runs through the New Testament.  Is everyone who is living in Christ really gifted?  The original language of the New Testament gives an interesting picture.  Looking at the "gift of the Holy Spirit" in Acts 2, we begin a mini-series on -ARE YOU REALLY GIFTED?

As the world changes, there's no question that practices and strategies need to be flexible.  But there are is a healthy and unhealthy way to be flexible when it comes to sharing a timeless and perfect Gospel.  Where's the line between adaptability and pliability?

To spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth is an act of love.  The ends of the earth contains many people-groups to whom one doesn't relate.  Can you love them?  How?

It happens to us all.  You have the right thing to share, but it just comes across wrong.  Tips on how to communicate for a positive reception.  Looking at modern psychological principles and a look at how Jesus carries it through with the Samaritan woman at the well.

From ancient Samaria to our world today- What exactly is prejudice and why are we so prone to it?  Join us as we discuss personal experience in two different cultures.  Defining it and looking for a solution.

In Acts 1:8, Jesus told the disciples to witness in Judea.  What exactly is our "Judea"?  One way to understand is to take a deeper look at the Judea of Christ's time.  This is where we are called.

Three meanings of Christian witness, and what makes it good, bad, or even ugly.  Here is a compendium of what Scripture says, and the thoughts of other Christian thinkers; based on Scripture and current insights.  The Good the Bad, and the Ugly; it's not just a classic western!

In the New Testament, the ideal of unity is spoken quite often implicitly and explicitly; what about diversity?  A look at how Scripture uses the words unity and diversity.

Christ's last words are the first to remember.  There is a commission to change the world, but before that can happen, there's this...

Romans 10 says to be saved we must "confess Jesus", but is it really "confess", or should it be "profess."  It was a point of curiosity for me, for some 40 years.  What I found out showed me how important the right word really is!

Even with the incredible reality of a God who has conquered the grave.  What do we do with that?  What does God want us to do with that?

What's with the palm branches?  What's the historical significance of the donkey and why that was an odd thing to do?  These and other questions you may have wondered about in the Easter season.  Get the backstory.

Why do we believe lies?  Paul talks about a time we will no longer abide truth but look to satisfy our "itching ears."  In the age of digital communication and social media, are we there now?  A look into the Apostle Paul's time and the parallels of today.  Based on 2 Timothy chapters 3 and 4.

In a mere 18 sentences, the Apostle Paul shares 8 vital points on how to endure and accomplish what God has for you.  A look into the backstory on how and where Paul wrote this letter and the nuances of what he was saying.

Launching from 1 Timothy chapter 6, following the thread of giving.  The virtues mentioned do not simply accompany generosity, they are the building blocks that compose the generous spirit.

Should Christians correct each other?  And if so, how do we prevent good intentions from ending in catastrophe? Based on 1 Timothy 5:1,2, then surveying relevant texts throughout the Bible; we ended up with 7 features that are vital to any Godly correction.

1 Timothy 1, focusing on Gnosticism, speculative thought and making one's own preferred reality.  From the beginning of Christianity, it was truth as an absolute versus the appeal and falsehood of relative, or preferred truth.

Referring to 1 Timothy chapter 4, a look into the social and religious bias that were the challenges Timothy must've faced in establishing the church in Ephesus.  And a look at how that parallels the challenges in our time.

From 1 Timothy 3: What was marriage really like in the time Paul detailed the Christian marriage in Scripture?  Do the same features make successful marriages today as they did in ancient Rome?  A look into then and now, and what Paul was really saying about marriage.

1 Timothy 2,  contains one of the most "politically incorrect" passages in Scripture.  Was the apostle Paul a sexist, or is there more here than meets the eye?  A dive into the culture, times, and what Paul is saying.

A cross-world conversation with our good friends and missionaries in Taiwan.  Discussion on the mega-changes in Christian global missions and a glimpse into the daily challenges ministering to a COVID world.

Okay, granted, that's 2 words... but one aspect of God.  For all the opinions, what/who exactly is the Holy Spirit?  Here is a discussion aimed at a balanced Biblical interpretation of the Holy Spirit.  Also, enjoy a tune highlighted from our praise team last Sunday.

The big question: What makes life, LIFE?  Defining the word "life" is a major challenge from both the secular and religious side.  But here's what we've found.

Do we really need hope to survive?  What exactly is hope anyway?  Here's a look into the history and perspective of hope.

There are many concepts in English, which is true?  Biblically, there are at least 3 words in the Hebrew and 6 in the ancient Greek.  What does that tell us about "love"?

A dive in the conflicting concepts we have of reality.  And a view as filtered through Judeo-Christian teaching.

The nature of sound, the song of the universe, and a short playlist of our Christmas music.  Enjoy a short concert! 

The first revelation of God's attributes was creativity.  Genesis 1:1.  By Gen. 1:27, we are told we are made in his image.  Human creativity as the image of God.  Bonus: An interview with Kitzie Pallas, author of a new illustrated book for children.  A unique Christmas story, "Through the Eyes of a Donkey."

A deep dive into the giving side of Thanks.  What God says about it, what it does for us, and how we do it.  Oh yeah, and a new praise song as well!

The concept of "path" is a golden thread that's found in both the Old and New Testaments.  Here's a look of the meaning and how it is actually the oldest name for Christianity.

Not just health, but spiritual health, not just spiritual health but a collective spiritual health.  Exploring the dynamics and synergy of a church fellowship that is healthy or unhealthy.  The signs and the effects.

Each week, exploring a single word from God's point of view.  The word this week is PEACE.  God's formula to inner peace that surpasses understanding.

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 21, the final chapter

Journey through the Gospel of John, Chapter 20

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 19

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 18

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 17

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 16.

Journey through the Gospel of John, chapter 14

Journey through the book of John, chapter 13.

Journey through the Gospel of John chapter by chapter.

A journey through the Gospel of John, chapter by chapter.

A journey through the Gospel of John, chapter by chapter.

Journey through the Gospel of John chapter by chapter.

Journey through the Gospel of John chapter by chapter.

The world has its definition, but how does God really define "humility"?  -We may be surprised!

A journey through the Gospel of John chapter by chapter.

A journey through the Gospel of John, chapter by chapter.

The final chapter of John.  A life-changing message: humility

Exploring the meaning and background of the Gospel of John.  Pastor Kevin on John 4

Reflect on the meaning and background of John.  Pastor Kevin John 3

Learn the background and meaning.  Pastor Kevin on John 2

Going through the Gospel of John.  Pastor Kevin on John 1