Faith Journey | Rev. Kenn Blanchard

A faith journey is a lifelong process of discovery and defining what faith means to you. It can also be described as a journey of thanksgiving and praise, and a time of depending on God. Some say that faith is a journey that involves different stages or seasons, and that it's normal to experience struggles and disappointment along the way. Others say that faith is something that can be understood and defined, and that the journey of faith is a process of defining what faith means for you personally. A faith journey can involve: Connecting with God: Some say that scripture is a place to encounter God and grow your faith. Defining faith: Some say that you must walk your own path to determine what faith means to you. Expressing faith: Some say that faith can be expressed in many different ways. Learning about faith: Some say that it's important to understand the multiple meanings of faith, and how it relates to events in the past, present, and future. Hosted by Rev. Kenn Blanchard

Testimony and Trust 12/15/2024

Testimony and Trust Answer for last week['s quesiton of the week: John 3. This week the question of the week is: What is the relationship between Paul's teaching and James' teaching about faith and works? This week, I want to help the helpers. You that have a testimony. You that have worked in ministry and you that has a desire to do so. Take it from me, sometimes we fail as disciples of Christ because even though our hearts are in the right place, our mouth is not connected. We say the wrong thing. I am just trying to help someone on your faith journey. Have you ever taken a martial art? Karate, kung fu, BJJ? Depending on your ability and school it may take you a little while to get your first belt, sash or stripe. You with me so far? One of the things that happens to you really quick is you learn how much you don’t know. How foolish would it for a white belt to spar with a black belt in karate? For those that don’t know, you only are taught basic blocks, stances and punches and kicks at that level. The black belt on the other hand is more experienced and has more tools in his arsenal that you do. But we go off to help people fast without realizing we don’t know all that is going on. You ever heard someone quote to you Philippians 4:6-7 with a big old smile, and you wanted to hit them with a one of those three stooges cream pies? King James Version 6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. 7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. Sounds good. But It comes down to trust. Maybe you never felt like that. But personally, Christians can get on your nerves when you are going through tough times. Although the word of God is legit and true, how you receive it to apply is different. Why is it that we are so eager to fight a demon with no training? We have a little bit of Scripture and we want to apply that to every situation. I know you mean well, but so do those folks that come knock on your door to give you Watchtower tracks. Here’s a few tips for making your witness better. Take that scripture and put in your own words that is applicable to the situation. That will take some thought. That will take some maturity. That will slow your roll and allow you to listen which is usually needed more than a memorized Masoretic Hebrew text from the canon, referring to the holy bible. If you really want to help your buddy remind them that they have to trust God. Now would be a good time to testify to a situation you had. Side bar. Testimonies Testimonies are important for several reasons, especially within a faith journey context: 1. **Personal Connection**: Sharing personal experiences helps others relate to your journey and see how faith has impacted your life. It makes abstract beliefs more tangible and relatable¹. 2. **Encouragement and Hope**: Hearing how others have overcome challenges through their faith can provide encouragement and hope to those facing similar struggles. It reassures them that they are not alone². 3. **Strengthening Faith**: Testimonies can strengthen the faith of both the speaker and the listeners. Sharing your story can remind you of God's faithfulness and inspire others to trust in Him more deeply². 4. **Evangelism**: Testimonies are powerful tools for evangelism. They can open doors for conversations about faith and provide a non-confrontational way to share the gospel³. 5. **Building Community**: Sharing testimonies fosters a sense of community and support within a congregation or group. It helps build deeper connections as people share their personal journeys and support one another¹. 6. **Authenticity**: A genuine testimony reflects the authenticity of one's faith. It shows how faith influences daily life, decisions, and actions, making it more credible and impactful. A lot of time what we hear in church is not any of what I just said. What you want to do my friend is inspire on this faith journey is to trust GOD. Trusting God in Difficult Times: Use the story of Job or Psalm 23 to illustrate how faith can sustain us through life’s challenges. Highlight how trusting God can bring peace and strength even in the darkest moments. Faith Over Fear: Focus on the story of Jesus calming the storm (Mark 4:35-41). Discuss how faith in God’s power and presence can help us overcome fear and anxiety. Trusting God’s Plan: Use the story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) to show how God’s plan can unfold in unexpected ways. Emphasize the importance of patience and trust in God’s timing. Trusting God in the Lion’s Den: Reflect on Daniel’s unwavering faith in God when faced with the lions’ den (Daniel 6). Discuss how trust in God can give us courage to stand firm in our beliefs. Trusting God with Our Future: Use Proverbs 3:5-6 to encourage the congregation to trust in God’s guidance and wisdom for their future decisions and plans. Trusting God in a Crisis: Share the story of Peter walking on water (Matthew 14:22-33). Highlight how keeping our focus on Jesus can help us navigate through crises. Trusting God in Everyday Life: Discuss how we can trust God in our daily routines and decisions. Use examples from the New Testament, such as the faith of the centurion (Matthew 8:5-13). Trusting God When We Don’t Understand: Use the story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22) to illustrate the importance of trusting God even when His plans don’t make OK, what happened on my trip to Missouri. It was awesome. I got to do what the Lord called me to do. I was hosted by a beautiful couple of old friends. They blessed me ten fold. I got a chance to meet some of Gods people that have a real testimony as they are overcoming addictions and life choices. They were on fire for the Lord. And I got a chance to rest, eat well, be loved on my some children, that I introduced lil spoon. And be a guest preacher at another church. Where I shared some personal stuff you know already. Awesome sauce. /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34447495

What Did Jonah Learn? Episode 2 12/08/2024

What Did Jonah Learn? Episode 2 Mother Teresa said, be faithful in small things because it is in that your strength lies. You are listening to Faith Journey and I am your host Kenn Blanchard. I hope I didn’t shock you too much with our change last week. It was all of a sudden for some. Missed a few episodes and then BAM what happened? I know. Its like that sometimes. What did you miss? If you don’t know I can’t call it. This week, I want to talk about the journey of a prophet that didn’t want to go to a big city and give bad news. It was kinda like when you are doing the right thing and finally got your act together and the Lord wants you to testify, witness, preach, sing, visit, feed, basically work. And sometimes, you haven’t got yourself together yet, you are waiting for something and the Lord says move. You second guess Him. You pretend you didn’t hear Him. You hope you didn’t hear Him. You even convince yourself you didn’t hear HIM. In your Faith journey your mileage may vary. God however does not change. He is the real deal. The only consistency in our lives. His values don’t change with the culture. He doesn’t deviate from his nature, His Word, or His Will for us. At the time of the release of this episode I am Missouri. I got the opportunity to preach in at Union Grove Freewill Baptist Church in Norwood, Missouri. I believe I was sent there. I will find out why when I am there. How I got there was as sudden as the change of this podcast. More on that later. The question of the week is Where would you find the story of Nicodemus? And the answer to last weeks question for those that found it in the show notes is John 2. I missed saying it on last weeks episode but posted it in the show notes. Ah haaaa. Bonus points if you saw it there. Get your bible and find the Old Testament book of Jonah. While I was studying this minor prophet’s journey, I pictured that he was swallowed by a Grouper. They are pretty big fish that can gulp down their prey and 2000 years ago, it was probably as large as minivan. The big city that Jonah had to go to was called Nineveh. It was somewhere near Mosul, in modern day Iraq. This story is interesting. In far more ways that the fish story. Jonah, first didn’t want to go, then he basically wanted to commit suicide, the Lord wasn’t having it, then he got his mind right, did what he was supposed to do and then got mad at God when the people did right. He was hoping they would not and get destroyed. He wanted God to still slap them. I see a lot of Jonah in other people. But it doesn’t end there. God had to still talk to Jonah like a spoiled child later and show him something. Jonah’s journey was more than spending three days and nights in the belly of great fish. Your journey is bigger than the predicament you are in. your situation, your sin, your short coming, your frustrations. God is not finished with you yet. IF He didn’t quit on you, why are you selling yourself short? Why are you giving up? Why are you settling? Why have you stopped praying? Why have you stopped believing in faith? Voltaire said faith consists in believing when it is beyond the power of reason to believe. Prayer Bad music. Love you, Kenn /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34295180

Changing the podcast name and more to Faith Journey Podcast 12/01/2024

Don’t quit till you win. 11/24/2024

Don’t quit till you win. Frederick Douglass is quoted as saying without struggle there is no progress. Question of the Week: Where would you find the story of Jesus turning water into wine? You know that to get muscles you have to stress out the muscles so that they grow. Our faith is like that too. You will not know that you have any faith until you have been tested with the portion God has given you. As your faith grows, so does your work outs. Or trials. We would like to stay as kids with a Childs problems and concerns but we all have to adult, we all have to grow. We all have to die. So between the cradle and the grave there is this thing called life. It is nice if you can get to 70 and some do but not everybody. And along that journey stuff happens. Stuff happens to Christians, to good people, to faithful people. Remember that being a child of God does not give you diplomatic immunity. You will still have issues. You will still have weaknesses you will still be you. The challenge is to grow in the place you have been planted. Sometimes it’s a good season. Sometimes it a drought. Some seasons in your life eat bovine excrement, but it is what it is. Sometimes God feels like He is right in your face, and sometimes you wonder where in the world did He go. I’m drowning here…. Are you hearing me. The body that God made, us, is a miracle in itself, it can take a lot of punishment, but at the same time, can be snuffed out like a candle. And then there is the thing we all go through too. Getting older. Depending on your mileage, you might be starting to wonder “is this all there is to life.” Or maybe you are passed that point. If you are please share your thoughts with us. some call it a midlife crisis if they even know that is what it is. You just mad, confused, sad, you are grieving basically for the lost time. Lost youth, loss of how things used to be, you thought you should be further or farther along than this. You start thinking you are missing out, and the world loves that. They got answers for you the good folks don’t share. You can drink more, party more, dance more, buy more, have more sex with someone, anyone, all the pleasures of the flesh. And you are justified right? You are running out of time. I want to live. YOLO, they say. Solomon, king Solomon, that at the time of the biblical writing was mega rich. He had everything you buy at the time plus all the fleshy stuff and he said in the Old Testament. Ecclesiastes 1 all is vanity the vanity Solomon spoke of could just as easily be translated "emptiness," "futility," "meaningless," or "nothingness." Solomon was saying, "There is nothing on this earth that will satisfy us completely: no thing, no pleasure, or no relationship." Aint that a kick in the head? And you thought it was just you. Remember I said you can get used to anything? Even negtives. If you stay depressed too long your body. Will change. You may put on weight, metabolism will slow, you can wish yourself to death. You won’t feel like doing anything. You will hinder the creation of the those endorphins. You’ll smoke more, drink more coffee, anything to legally hype yourself up, and give yourself ulcers, or worse. Well, if you are going through a tough time right now. The only thing you can control really is how you are dealing with it. Your money might be funny, your take home can’t take you across the street, you are lonely in a house of 30 kids, your spouse has checked out, or sick, maybe you are physically, sexually, emotionally, lonely, Maybe none of that is your issue, maybe you just feeling like crap. You got some health issues yourself, you are grieving your used to be time, or maybe you have to buyers remorse, you bought into some foolishness and currently stuck with the choices you made. Whatever it is, Change. You are not a tree. You can choose to stop, choose to not be sad, choose to not cry, although crying is good sometimes, but you can choose not to wallow in the pig sty you are in. Let’s say you live in a pig pen. You ever seen where hogs are? Its nasty. Let’s say you can’t get out of there right now. What you can do metaphorically is clean up your area. Make blocks out of the mud, defend your piece of the sty. Claim your space. Even if it is in your head. Protect your sanity. And do something. CHANGE. Means not allowing stuff to stay the same. Change how you react, change how you appear. Your mileage may vary… but your goal is to survive until you see an opening to escape, survive until the season is over, survive until the thing is gone, but you can’t improve without a plan. Plan, do, create, make, design, use the thing God blessed you with, get rid of the distractions, the stuff you know isn’t good for you. Choose. Speak life to your situation. While you have breath you have a chance and a choice. The enemy will be there to remind you of what you are not. What you are missing. He will use people to say and do things to dissuade you. Crush your spirit. Rise above it. Why. Because you are being tested, shaped molded and changed to be more like the person God wants you to be. Your example will help someone else cope with their struggle. We are not alone. You are not all by yourself. Someone knows exactly what it feel like to be you. They made it out, and so can you. If you don’t quit you will win too. If you don’t surrender, you will survive. Sometimes a parent has to be silent to let their children figure something out for themselves. Right? You can hinder growth if you do too much for your kids. Right. Alcohol on a wound hurts a little but if you don’t disinfect the wound it can get infected. Sometimes you have to break a bone to reset it. Sometimes you have to pull a tooth to save a jaw, sometimes love hurts. Not domestic abuse or sexual fetish stuff but Godly love. I can’t stand Romans 8:28; but its true. 28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 1 Corinthians 13:12 12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. I don’t know how you found this podcast but I am glad you did. I don’t preach every week at my best friends church I attend. I play my guitar. I struggle with all the things I mentioned earlier and some I didn’t say. HAPPY THANKSGIVING. [email protected] /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/34120501

Hope in God is Different 11/17/2024

“Be careful how you are talking to yourself because you are listening.” ― Lisa M. Hayes 11/10/2024

Meditate on the Words of God. - Episode 365 11/03/2024

Forgiving Yourself Starts Now 10/27/2024

I'm Undone 10/20/2024

Grace Quotient - GQ 10/15/2024

Thoughts about Joy 10/06/2024

Spiritual Maturity - Episode 360 09/29/2024

Time is one of the greatest gifts that God has given us. 09/22/2024

Kingdom of Heaven - 358 09/15/2024

Do You Believe? EP 357 09/08/2024

Do You Feel Like a Fake? - Ep 356 09/01/2024

Watch Your Mouth - Episode 355 08/25/2024

Restoration - episode 354 08/18/2024

You don’t want this smoke. (to be Called) 08/11/2024

Trusting God is a Process. 08/04/2024

Trusting God is a Process. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it to you." John 15:16 KJV We all go through things that don't make sense: A friend walked out of a relationship. The company is downsizing. They don't need you anymore. Sometimes, it feels like we're going backward. It's easy to live frustrated and think, "God, why is this happening"? God's ways are not ours; He can see things we can't see. And just because it's unfair doesn't mean God is not in control. Many believe God is all good, all wise, and always in control - until our lives take an unexpected turn. When relationships fail, finances falter, or the doctor calls back with grim news. Time is one of the parts of a process. Guess who is not in control of time? You and me. A process is a series of steps and decisions involved in the way work is completed. We may not realize it, but processes are everywhere and in every aspect of our leisure and work. A few examples of processes might include: Preparing breakfast Placing an order Developing a budget Writing a work order Triaging a patient Cleaning a room Changing oil in a car Strapping down a truck Refueling an aircraft Putting gas in the car God works with process. He works in steps and processes towards a promise, a transformation process, a journey to a destination. Scripture tells us that the steps of a man are ordered by the Lord (Psalm 37:23) which means that God works in us step by step and not instant as we would like. The Law of Process reminds us that God works in stages. He processes you first, and then does great works through you. So if you're waiting for the manifestation of your season of greater, hang in there. It's on the way. I know your processing phase may be painful, frustrating and rough, but trust God. 12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; 13 but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. 14 If you are reviled [a]for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a [b]troublesome meddler; 16 but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. 17 For it is time for judgment to begin [c]with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? 18 And if it is with difficulty that the righteous is saved, [d]what will become of the godless man and the sinner? 19 Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right. Where did this come from? (In the Bible). Help me with the ref. Love you, Kenn @revkennblanchardandtheblues - YouTube Channel (subscribe) /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/32427487

351- El Shammah 07/28/2024

351- El Shammah The God that hears El Shammah Elohim Shama: The God Who Hears But He doesn't merely hear our words; He is also moved by the unvoiced groanings of our hearts (Romans 8:26) “God heard their groaning and he remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac and with Jacob.”–Exodus 2:24 Genesis Hagar and Ishmael 16 Now Sarai, Abram’s wife, had borne him no children. But she had an Egyptian slave named Hagar; 2 so she said to Abram, “The Lord has kept me from having children. Go, sleep with my slave; perhaps I can build a family through her.” Abram agreed to what Sarai said. 3 So after Abram had been living in Canaan ten years, Sarai his wife took her Egyptian slave Hagar and gave her to her husband to be his wife. 4 He slept with Hagar, and she conceived. When she knew she was pregnant, she began to despise her mistress. 5 Then Sarai said to Abram, “You are responsible for the wrong I am suffering. I put my slave in your arms, and now that she knows she is pregnant, she despises me. May the Lord judge between you and me.” 6 “Your slave is in your hands,” Abram said. “Do with her whatever you think best.” Then Sarai mistreated Hagar; so she fled from her. 7 The angel of the Lord found Hagar near a spring in the desert; it was the spring that is beside the road to Shur. 8 And he said, “Hagar, slave of Sarai, where have you come from, and where are you going?” “I’m running away from my mistress Sarai,” she answered. 9 Then the angel of the Lord told her, “Go back to your mistress and submit to her.” 10 The angel added, “I will increase your descendants so much that they will be too numerous to count.” 11 The angel of the Lord also said to her: “You are now pregnant and you will give birth to a son. You shall name him Ishmael,[a] for the Lord has heard of your misery. 12 He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone’s hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward[b] all his brothers.” 13 She gave this name to the Lord who spoke to her: “You are the God who sees me,” for she said, “I have now seen[c] the One who sees me.” 14 That is why the well was called Beer Lahai Roi[d]; it is still there, between Kadesh and Bered. 15 So Hagar bore Abram a son, and Abram gave the name Ishmael to the son she had borne. 16 Abram was eighty-six years old when Hagar bore him Ishmael. /episode/index/show/speaklife/id/32315477