He is Risen. Happy Easter. #20
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Matthew 27:32-56 32 And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross. 33 And when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, a place of a skull, 34 They gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. 35 And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. 36 And sitting down they watched him...
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Trust God (ep. 19)
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Trusting God involves placing faith and reliance in God's character, promises, and wisdom, even when circumstances are difficult or unclear. It's about choosing to believe that God is good, loving, and ultimately has a plan for your life, even when you don't understand. Psalm 105: 4 Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore. New King James Version psalm 31: 14 But as for me, I trust in You, O Lord; I say, “You are my God.” 15 My times are in Your hand; Deliver me from the hand of my enemies, And from those who persecute me.
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Hoping Rather Than Having Faith - Episode 18
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
In a Biblical context, hope is a confident expectation and desire for future good, rooted in faith in God's promises and His redemptive acts, rather than a mere wish for something good to happen. Faith is a strong belief or trust in God, often without complete proof or evidence. Doubt will hinder your prayers. Beware of wishful thinking. Kenn Youtube @revkennblanchard
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Meditate on His Word for Salvation
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. Matthew 13:19
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From Healing to Wholeness: Moving Forward in Faith - Luke 17:11 -19 (episode 16)
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Luke 17:11-19 King James Version 11 And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,...
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The Irritant in Your Life - episode 15
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Corinthians 12:7-12 King James Version 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in...
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You will have Tribulation - John 16:33
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
New King James Version John 16 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you []will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
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Altar call #13
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
james 4:8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded. But as for me, it is good to draw near to God. I have made the Lord GOD my refuge, that I may proclaim all Your works. let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. / Let the wicked man forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him...
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Can you show some compassion for the grieving? Romans 12:15
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Matthew 14 Romans 12:15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Grieve with those who grieve” is a phrase from the Bible, Romans 12:15, which encourages Christians to be compassionate and share the grief of others. Grief is a very personal and complex emotion, and there's no one-size-fits-all answer to this question. However, here are some things to keep in mind that may help you continue to do good while you are grieving: Acknowledge your grief. It's important to allow yourself to feel your emotions and to grieve in your own way. Don't try to...
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Be Purposeful / Intentional with your faith's journey.
Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard
Ephesians 4:14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; An intentional Christian is someone who lives their life with purpose, in accordance with God's will, and with a focus on growing closer to God. This involves putting God at the center of their actions, and being intentional with their emotions and time.
info_outlineThis is a test.
James 1: 2- My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into diversE temptations
1 Peter 1:7-That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Thessalonians 2:4-But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.
Matthew 8:10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
2 Corinthians 12:9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
Being tested by God has been misunderstood by many. It is clear in the scriptures that God does test us. However, God does not send sickness, disease, or calamity into our lives to test us. Those things steal, kill, and destroy. Jesus is the Good Shepherd who came to give us abundant life.
Being tested by God is a matter of the heart and for a specific purpose. Understanding why God tests us will empower us not only to endure the tests but find joy in them.
What Is Testing
Testing can feel like a negative thing. Have you ever been nervous to take a test in school? But testing isn’t designed to be negative.
How the Cambridge Dictionary defines test is:
1. A way of discovering, by questions or practical activities, what someone knows, or what someone or something can do or is like.
2. A medical examination of part of your body in order to find out how healthy it is or what is happening with it.
3. An act of using something to find out if it is working correctly or how effective it is.
4. A situation that shows how good something is.
How the Bible Defines Test
The Hebrew word translated as “test” in the Old Testament is bachan. It means to “examine, investigate, prove, scrutinize.” “Fire tests the purity of silver and gold, but the LORD tests the heart” (Proverbs 17:3, NLT).
The Greek word translated as “test” in the New Testament is dokimazo. It means to “put to the test, prove, examine, and, by implication, to approve.”
In 1 Thessalonians 2:4, it says, “On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts,” The same Greek word is used for both “approved” and “tests.”
Why We Fear Testing
When we are nervous to be tested it reveals something about us. Either we are unprepared, or we are unaware of what we know. When we’re unprepared we shrink back expecting to fail the test, and fear is a natural response when we’re uncertain of the outcome.
We fear to be tested because we fear a negative outcome, and/or are afraid of why God is doing the testing.
Why God Tests Us
The objective of testing is to discover the truth. In school, it’s to see if we’ve learned what has been taught. There are teachers who make tests exceptionally difficult trying to fail students, and there are those who delight in the success of their students.
God is love and wants us to succeed. When he tests us, he wants to see if our faith in him is real. If we fall short, he takes pleasure in teaching us so we can pass the next time. When our faith proves genuine, he can reward us.
Our faith in God is precious to him. The Bible puts it this way in 1 Peter 1:7,
Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns (CEV).
These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed (NIV).
God tests us because he loves us dearly and wants us to grow in grace and in the knowledge of him. This is why the Bible tells us we can rejoice when being tested.
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing (James 1:1-2, ESV).
God will bless you, if you don't give up when your faith is being tested. He will reward you with a glorious life, just as he rewards everyone who loves him (James 1:12, CEV).
What Does This Mean?
Being tested by God is simply part of the process of becoming more like him. The more we lean into him, the more grace he can pour on us.
How do you know your faith is being tested?
1. Change requires sacrifice –something must die
2. Fear of the unknown
3. Tempted to go back to Egypt
4. Lose your comfort
5. Flesh vs spirit.
How do we pass the test of faith?
1. Seek the Lords guidance
2. Be strong and be of good courage
3. Praise and worship
4. Remember God
5. Trust God
Giving Links
Thank you for listening, downloading and supporting the Speak Life Church and this podcast.
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You can support the ministry by check or money order by sending it to Speak Life Church, 14713 Kent Drive, Upper Marlboro, MD 20772
Rev. Kenn Blanchard
240-200-0713