Podcast Transcripts

When a Christian knows whom they serve and the power they have in Him, then all things are possible.

Please enjoy this podcast on your favorite podcast platform. Although efforts were made in editing, this transcript may include a few typos. It’s difficult to catch some minor errors. Enjoy!

INTRO

This is Hanging Out With Jesus Podcast. The place where we help you develop spiritual disciplines, which create space, for you to grow in love with God, your neighbor as yourself. Life can get messy affecting your joy and passion for the things of Christ. It’s through instilling some basic disciplines into your daily lifestyle that can keep you focused and grounded in your faith. And here is the place you can learn to do just that.

Well Hello Saints! I’m Lyvita, your host of Hanging Out With Jesus Podcast and founder of The Me Project Academy, on a mission to help you, the believer focus on developing disciplines that allow you to fulfill God’s call on your life with boldness and courage as you stand for Christ in a fallen world.

If you are new to this podcast…WELCOME! And consider subscribing at lyvitabrooks.com so you can receive resources to help you live a more disciplined life that has meaning. And for the Saints of Hanging Out With Jesus Podcast who regularly listen in…thanks. I truly appreciated your support and hearing how this podcast has been a blessing to you. Please don’t forget to share this podcast with others. Go to lyvitabrooks.com. 

So stop what you are doing and come walk with me, where we intentionally practice being in the presence of God.

Saints, it’s time to hang out with Jesus and me, Lyvita.

2:19 – Let’s pray….

EPISODE BEGINS

3:13 – This episode is going to be a first.

3:49 – Now if you wish to follow along with me and do some studying on your own I suggest getting a journal. I have a few you can choose from at lyvitabrooks.com/store. The Bible should be your main source and I’d try different versions because sometimes versions can spark you to open up more to hearing what God has to say.

4:45 – This summer I suggested reading Be Wise: Discern The Difference Between Man’s Knowledge and God’s Wisdom by Warren W. Wiersbe. The focus is 1 Corinthians, so if you did you have something to draw from. Saints, there are other commentaries out there. If you find a good one, send it to me at [email protected]. As always I’ll put this information in the show notes and also when you subscribe you get a link with transcription to this episode.

In 2022 we are going to be diving into 1st Corinthians, the entire year. Learning from the experiences of the Church of Corinth so that we can become better examples of Christ.

I’ve been thinking about the emails I’m sending. They are going to contain tips on how to focus on developing disciplines that allow you to fulfill God’s call on your life. The tips will be helpful for business owners, parents, educators, ministry workers, laypersons, students, and anyone that is seeking to do what God’s calling them to do. They are called Thursday Tips..

8:50 – Now if there is something that you want discussed or a question you have about 1st Corinthians, please email me at [email protected].

9:02 – Now let’s start with some background of the Church at Corinth. This is what we know from the scriptures. Paul founded this church back in 50 AD and considered himself their father in Christ Jesus through the gospel (1st Corinthians 4:15).

9:30 – He received intel that there were problems in the church. So Paul responded with a letter, which theologians call the “lost letter”. You can find that out in 1st Corinthians 5:9.

9:47 – But that didn’t work because “the house of Chole” in 1st Corinthians 1:11 and 7:1) sent him more intel saying that the problem was, in our terms, “out of control”. It seems that Paul made a visit to Corinth after that letter to confront those that refused to acknowledge his apostolic authority and guidance as the father of Christ Jesus through the gospel (2 Corinthians 2:1; 12:14; 13:1).

10:42 – So he sent Titus to them with what we call The First Letter of Paul To The Corinthians, 1st Corinthians (2 Corinthians 7:8-12).

11:05 – This resulted in Titus meeting Paul at Troas (2 Corinthians 2:12-13; 7:6-16) to find out that the church now obeyed Paul’s orders and disciplined the leader of the opposition who had a faction in the church that refused to acknowledge him.

11:53 – Then from that 2nd Corinthians came about.

12:02 – We find that there are several problems that are occurring in the Church of Corinth:

• Religious Diversity – the combining of other beliefs, philosophies, political views, and religions into the gospel
• Sexual Immorality – Son marrying his step-mom, men having sex with the pagan prostitutes
• Doctrinal Errors – around marriage, order in the church, spiritual gifts, resurrection of Christ, eating of food taken used in pagan rituals
• Man’s knowledge verses God’s Wisdom

12:57 – All these things were defiling the Church of Corinth, bringing about division in the churc. One commentary I read, called it a “disgraced” church.

13:12 – What I find interesting is how Paul chose to provide counsel, guidance, and God’s wisdom in helping the Church of Corinth change. He didn’t come in scolding them like some macho preacher who thinks he knows it all, or some timid dude asking everyone “pretty please”. No, he came with God’s wisdom, reminding them of who they are and who their God is.

14:04 – So many times we can get off track, because we forget who we are and the God we serve. 1st Corinthian’s reminds us that we will have to make some hard choices because of our faith. We are suppose to stand out, not wimp out because we want the world to think we are the best Christian ever. Only Jesus Christ is perfect, not you or I.

14:38 – But knowing whom we serve and who we are to the one we serve. Well…that’s priceless.

14:54 – When you get the chance, read 1 Corinthians chapter 1 in its entirety. For now, only if you can, open you’re Bibles to 1 Corinthians chapter 1 verse 1. I’m reading from the ESV, verse 1 to 9. There’s something particular I want to bring out that talks about who we are and who we serve.

15:31 (Read 1 Corinthians 1: 1-9)

16:47 – In just those 9 verses, I see who we are positionally in Christ Jesus. This is what we should practice as believers of Christ.

17:21 – We know that what we look like now isn’t what we will look like when we get to heaven but that does not mean we are not to act like who we are. In the Greek language, the word “church” means “ a called-out people”. Let’s sit here for a second.

17:51 – We are “a called-out people”. We are on this earth but in Christ Jesus. We are made up of people, called Saints, according to verse 2, and sanctified by God. You’ve heard Saints refer to us as “set apart”. Well that’s what sanctified means.

18:14 – Saints, we are a people called out of this world, where ever that maybe – New York, Oregan, etc., a people called out from where we are, sanctified means set apart for God’s delight and purpose.

18:53 – Let’s read that again, verse 1 to 3 … (Read 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3)

19:09 – Believers, followers of Christ are Saints. Why? Because scripture just told us that those who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ have been set apart by God and for God.

19:28 – That is so amazing. We are saints. We don’t need a title or some man or people to designate us as saint. We are by right of our accepting Jesus Christ into our lives a saint.

Now here comes the hard part. You know Man’s knowledge vs God’s wisdom. We may think of a saint as someone who has been deemed by a religious group as a holy, kind hearted, patient, loving or virtuous person. That’s man’s knowledge.

19:53 – God says we are a saint because we are:

1. Sanctified in Christ Jesus
2. Call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ

21:11 – Saints we belong to Jesus Christ because we accepted Him as our Lord and Savior. He then set up apart, called us out of the “worldliness” we were in. In other words, out of sin, doing things and actions that were against God’s command, principles, and statues.

21:38 – And yet, we are also the church, a network of people. Verse 2 says, “called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of Jesus Christ.”

22:43 – Let’s look at this again. So individually we are called saint and collectively we are called church. And yet we are saints who make up the church.

22:59 – Well I guess the church isn’t a building but people because Paul show-nuogh was talking to people instead of a building. So when we say, “I serve the church”, let’s think of it as people and not the building. Yes, you can take care of the building and do a very good job of it, but remember that you are taking care of the building so that the saints can be in a nice place. Not because you think that’s your ticket to heaven. We serve one another and our God.

24:32 – Now there is so much I want to talk about in those verses, like:

• Verse 5, “that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge” What is He saying? Enriched? Am I speaking differently now that I am in Christ? Should I have a different way of thinking?
• Verse 6, “even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you.” What’s the dashes for? What testimony is Paul referring to?
• Verse 7 and part of 8, “so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will sustain you to the end” Whoa! Now that’s a mouth full. Saints, I believe Christ Jesus is strapping Him sandal laces with a listening ear and eye focused on God to say, “Son, now it’s time to go get my children.”
• Verse 9, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord” So this means that we have fellowship with Christ? Is God doing this or is this a part of my new nature change?

I’d love to ponder with you on all those topics, but for now God wants me to remind you as Paul reminded the Church at Corinth. You are a called out person. God calls you saint. You and I together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ are called the church.

Never forget your name. it’s like that movie Black Panther, where the mother said, “tell them who you are.” Well, time to tell the world, your family, friends, acquaintances, customers, business partners, online communities, social media groups, etc. that you are a Saint called out by God for His delight and purpose.

28:27 – Who are you?.... yes that was a pause for you to shout it out loud. Let’s try that again. Who are you? (pause) I am a saint called by God for His good pleasure with a purpose to fulfill in Christ. That’s who I am. Again, in your words.

30:00 – Who are you?

• You are called to be Holy
• You are the righteousness of God
• You are fearfully and wonderfully made
• No weapon formed against you will prosper
• God has given His angels charge over you
• You are a child of the true and living God.

Saints, Bible study is vital. If you have not taken the time to get the 21 Day Challenge for bathing your business, ministry and life in prayer I urge you to do so. It’s consists of reading scripture, focusing on a specific verse, and recording your experience. Directions are included in the journal. There is nothing like spending time to hear what God has to say in His word. 

30:21 – You have got to remember who you are so that your walk and talk will not cause people to reject Christ but flock to Him.

CALL TO ACTION 

One way to remember who you are is spending time with the Lord. Take the 21 Day Challenge where you read scripture each day focusing on a particular verus without commentaries. Just you and the Lord. It’s a refreshing 21 days where you will be able to pray for ministry, business, or yourself.

30:49 – So until we meet again over the airwaves, intentionally and daily, hang out with Jesus.

Shalom!

Lyvita Brooks is the host of Hanging Out With Jesus Podcast and the founder of The Me Project Academy. She is the author of 31 Days of Silence: A Journal for Developing the Discipline of Listening. You can follow her on Instagram or Pinterest @hangingoutwithjesuspodcast. Join her Thursday Tips email list about focusing on developing disciplines to help you do all God’s called you to do.