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Living For Him

Living For Him

By CJ Cousins

Welcome to Living For Him! We’re excited about helping you experience the joy of life in Christ. This means we’re here to tell the story of Jesus for the equipping of healthy disciple-makers who extend His reign of love. In this podcast you will receive a new episode each week hosted by CJ Cousins that will feature a message, interview, conversation or equipping on disciple making. We invite you to listen, subscribe for new episodes, share this with your friends and consider supporting with a monthly subscription.
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Currently playing episode

Enter The Story: Week Eight

Living For HimMar 02, 2024

00:00
52:36
Enter The Story: Week Eight

Enter The Story: Week Eight

Summary
In this week’s conversation, CJ Cousins is joined by Richard McNeil, Rechanka Doristil and Shaun Brooks. They review the highlights of week eight, which focused on the book of Leviticus and the beginning of the book of Numbers. The conversation then transitions to the first journal entry, which explores God's character of love. CJ and the other guests share their insights on how God's love is revealed in various aspects of the readings. The second journal entry is discussed, which focuses on the picture of Jesus and the assurance of salvation. The hosts and guests reflect on the sacrifices and offerings in the Old Testament that prefigure Jesus' sacrifice and how it provides assurance of forgiveness and restoration. The conversation explores various themes related to sacrifices, Jesus' sacrifice, grace, turning the other cheek, Jesus' perfection, God's character, resistance, nonviolence, God's supremacy, the power of Jesus' blood, God's grace and perfection, knowing God through His laws, the Jubilee and restoration, and oppression. The main takeaway is that Jesus' sacrifice and the principles taught in Leviticus point to the redemptive work of Christ and the importance of living out our lives in response to His grace and forgiveness. They also discuss the themes of oppression, justice, and celebration in the context of the gospel. They emphasize that the Bible is a book of love and that God desires equality and justice for all. They also highlight the importance of remembering God's love and celebrating His goodness. The reflection on the work of the Holy Spirit in radiating God's love and the need for believers to emulate God's character of grace and mercy is overwhelming. They encourage listeners to be activists for the oppressed and to create a culture of celebration in the church. The conversation concludes with a reminder of God's promises of peace and freedom from fear.

Takeaways

The Bible is the epic unfolding story of the love of God, ultimately and most vividly revealed in Jesus Messiah, him crucified and risen for our salvation and the establishment of his kingdom.
God's character of love is seen in his call for us to love our neighbors as ourselves and in his preservation and forgiveness of those who come near to him.
Jesus fulfills the sacrifices and offerings of the Old Testament, providing assurance of forgiveness and restoration.
God's love is other-centered, focused on loving us and calling us to love one another. The gospel is a message of love and liberation from oppression.
God desires equality, justice, and celebration in His people.
Remembering God's love and celebrating His goodness are essential for a vibrant faith.
Believers are called to be activists for the oppressed and to emulate God's character of grace and mercy.
Mar 02, 202452:36
Enter The Story: Week Seven

Enter The Story: Week Seven

Show Notes

Summary
This episode of Enter the Story focuses on the conclusion of the book of Exodus and the introduction to the book of Leviticus. The host provides tips for reading Leviticus and encourages listeners to keep the big picture in mind while studying the details. The significance of the sacrifices and offerings is explained, emphasizing their connection to Jesus and his redemptive work. Additional resources are recommended to enhance understanding. The episode concludes with reflections on God's character of love, the assurance of salvation through Jesus, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit in leading others on the journey of faith.

Takeaways

Keep the big picture in mind while reading the book of Leviticus.
The sacrifices and offerings in Leviticus point to Jesus and his redemptive work.
Utilize additional resources to enhance understanding of the Bible.
Reflect on God's character of love, find assurance of salvation through Jesus, and seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in leading others.


Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:57 Conclusion of the Book of Exodus
03:21 Introduction to the Book of Leviticus
04:59 Tips for Reading the Book of Leviticus
07:59 Utilizing Additional Resources
10:13 Journal Entry 1: Reflection of God's Character of Love
14:51 Journal Entry 2: The Assurance of Salvation through Jesus
17:04 Journal Entry 3: The Holy Spirit's Guidance
20:28 Journal Entry 4: Memorizing and Meditating on Scripture
22:13 Closing
Feb 23, 202423:18
Enter The Story: Week Six

Enter The Story: Week Six

Show Notes

Summary
CJ continues the conversation with the Book of Exodus and the establishment of the sanctuary. It highlights the importance of understanding God's character of love and the significance of the cross in salvation. CJ also provides tips for reading and studying the Bible, including the use of the Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal. The chapters cover various themes such as God's desire to dwell among His people, the symbolism of the sanctuary, and the transitional laws in the Old Testament. CJ also encourages readers to meditate on Scripture and seek the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

Takeaways

The Book of Exodus reveals God's character of love and His desire to dwell among His people.
The sanctuary and its services point forward to the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.
Transitional laws in the Old Testament reflect God's movement towards justice and righteousness.
Readers are encouraged to meditate on Scripture, use resources like the Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal, and seek the promptings of the Holy Spirit.


Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Overview
00:58 Yahweh Reintroduces Himself to Israel
02:27 Moses' Fearlessness in God's Presence
03:25 God's Character of Love
04:05 God's Desire to Dwell Among His People
05:32 The Importance of the Sanctuary
06:58 The Outer Court and the Altar of Burnt Offering
07:56 The Laver and the Holy Place
08:56 The Most Holy Place and the Ark of the Covenant
10:25 Justice and Mercy in the Most Holy Place
11:54 Transitional Laws and God's Ideal of Justice
13:47 Moving Towards God's Ideal of Righteousness
14:39 Tips for Reading and Studying the Bible
19:33 Using the Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal
20:30 Journal Entry 1: God's Character of Love
25:38 Journal Entry 2: The Cross and Salvation
28:44 Journal Entry 3: The Holy Spirit's Promptings
31:41 Journal Entry 4: Memorizing Scripture
33:37 Closing
Feb 23, 202434:27
Enter The Story: Week Five

Enter The Story: Week Five

Show Notes

Summary
In this week’s conversation, CJ Cousins and Glenda Charles-Josep discuss the book of Exodus and its themes of God's faithfulness, awareness of our struggles, and the assurance of salvation. They explore the concept of freedom and how it relates to our relationship with God. They also highlight the pictures of Jesus in Exodus and the importance of continued belief and grace. Finally, they discuss God's call to share the good news and encourage listeners to step out in faith.
As CJ and Glenda ruminate more on this week’s reading, they discover the empowerment and eloquence that God provides when speaking on His behalf. They explore how God uses the insufficient and flawed to accomplish His plans. They also emphasize the sufficiency of God's grace and the importance of relying on Him. The conversation highlights the transformative power of being fully captivated by God and the relevance of His word in the present day. They discuss how God makes Himself known in the midst of chaos and offers His blessings. The conversation concludes with an invitation to engage with the story of Exodus and share personal experiences with friends, loved-ones and the Enter The Story community via social media.

Takeaways

God is faithful and communicates with us in our struggles.
God reveals Himself through His actions and desires a relationship with us.
Freedom and assurance of salvation are found in Jesus Christ.
Continued belief and reliance on God's grace are essential in our faith journey.
We are called to share the good news of God's love and salvation. God empowers and provides eloquence to those who speak on His behalf.
God uses the insufficient and flawed to accomplish His plans.
God's grace is sufficient and He shows up when preaching.
Being fully captivated by God leads to a transformative experience.
God's word still speaks and is relevant in the present day.
God makes Himself known in the midst of chaos and offers His blessings.


Chapters
00:00 Introduction
01:08 Overview Of The Week's Reading
02:58 God's Faithfulness and Communication
03:32 Question 1: God's Character of Love
08:58 God Revealing Himself
11:58 Freedom and Assurance of Salvation
13:24 Question 2: Picture of Jesus or Him Crucified
28:39 Question 3: What the Holy Spirit Said or Asked
28:58 God's Call to Share the Good News
30:49 God Uses the Insufficient
32:06 God's Grace is Sufficient
33:07 God Shows Up When Preaching
34:10 Fully Captivated by God
35:09 God's Presence in Preaching
35:38 CJ Reads From Journal
36:24 God's Word Still Speaks Today
38:40 Question 4: Verse to Meditate On
44:26 Wrap Up
44:40 Continuing in the Book of Exodus
46:07 Engaging with the Story and Sharing Experiences
Feb 06, 202446:19
Enter The Story: Week Four

Enter The Story: Week Four

Summary
CJ Cousins shares the backstory of the Enter the Story Challenge and the Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal. He explains how the journaling aspect of his relationship with Jesus led to the development of the journal. CJ also discusses the different Bible reading plans available and how they can be intimidating for some people. He introduces the Enter the Story Challenge, which is based on the Unfolding Story Chronological Bible Reading Plan. CJ emphasizes the importance of experiencing Jesus deeply and inviting others to join the journey. He concludes by encouraging listeners to meditate on a verse and experience the joy of life in Christ.

Takeaways

Journaling can be a simple and powerful way to deepen your relationship with Jesus.
There are different Bible reading plans available to suit different preferences and levels of commitment.
The Enter the Story Challenge is a way to engage with scripture and have meaningful conversations with others.
Meditating on a verse can help recenter your mind and heart on God throughout the day.


Chapters
00:00 The Backstory of Enter the Story Challenge
04:00 The Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal
05:03 Reading Plans
05:56 Chronological Reading Plan
08:08 The purpose of the Enter the Story Challenge
09:33 The Enter The Story Challenge Podcast
11:05 Week 4 Overview
17:09 Question 1: God's Character of Love
20:07 Question 2: Picture of Jesus or Him Crucified
25:41 Question 3: What the Holy Spirit Said or Asked
31:24 Question 4: Verse to Meditate On
35:19 Experiencing the Joy of Life in Christ
Feb 01, 202437:39
Enter The Story: Week Four

Enter The Story: Week Four

Show Notes Summary
CJ Cousins shares the backstory of the Enter the Story Challenge and the Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal. He explains how the journaling aspect of his relationship with Jesus led to the development of the journal. CJ also discusses the different Bible reading plans available and how they can be intimidating for some people. He introduces the Enter the Story Challenge, which is based on the Unfolding Story Chronological Bible Reading Plan. CJ emphasizes the importance of experiencing Jesus deeply and inviting others to join the journey. He concludes by encouraging listeners to meditate on a verse and experience the joy of life in Christ.
Takeaways
1. Journaling can be a simple and powerful way to deepen your relationship with Jesus.
2. There are different Bible reading plans available to suit different preferences and levels of
commitment.
3. The Enter the Story Challenge is a way to engage with scripture and have meaningful
conversations with others.
4. Meditating on a verse can help recenter your mind and heart on God throughout the day.
Chapters
00:00 The Backstory of Enter the Story Challenge 04:00 The Life in Christ Daily Devotional Journal 05:03 Reading Plans
05:56 Chronological Reading Plan
08:08 The purpose of the Enter the Story Challenge 09:33 The Enter The Story Challenge Podcast 11:05 Week 4 Overview
17:09 Question 1: God's Character of Love
20:07 Question 2: Picture of Jesus or Him Crucified 25:41 Question 3: What the Holy Spirit Said or Asked 31:24 Question 4: Verse to Meditate On
35:19 Experiencing the Joy of Life in Christ
Jan 31, 202440:40
Enter The Story: Week Three
Jan 23, 202401:09:33
Enter The Story: Week Two
Jan 16, 202401:08:40
Enter The Story: Week One
Jan 09, 202401:07:14
Life In Christ: How to Use This Journal: What the Spirit Says & One Verse
Jan 08, 202413:04
Life In Christ: How to Use This Journal: Jesus and Him Crucified
Jan 07, 202411:22
Life In Christ: How to Use This Journal: The Love of God
Jan 06, 202406:11
Life In Christ: How to Use This Journal: Read, Meditate & Journal
Jan 05, 202409:00
Life In Christ: Tips on Getting Started
Jan 04, 202406:00
Life In Christ: See the Story with a Gospel Lens
Jan 03, 202408:07
Life In Christ: Jesus Is Our Model
Jan 02, 202412:38
Enter the Story: Week One
Jan 02, 202454:24
The Enter the Story Challenge
Jan 02, 202402:26
S4 Ep. 34 Empathetic Solidarity
Aug 27, 202301:04:40
S4 Ep. 33 Use It or Loose It
Aug 20, 202348:21
S4 Ep. 32 A Continual Flow
Aug 13, 202356:39
S4 Ep. 31 Live Ready
Aug 06, 202354:56
S4 Ep. 30 The Sign
Jul 30, 202346:06
S4 Ep. 29 The Main Thing
Jul 23, 202301:01:54
S4 Ep. 28 The Thing That Really Ticks Jesus Off
Jul 16, 202347:09
S4 Ep. 27 The Answer to Your Questions
Jul 09, 202354:33
S4 Ep. 26 What Will You Do With Jesus?
Jul 02, 202345:06
S4 Ep. 25 Resisting Jesus While Religious

S4 Ep. 25 Resisting Jesus While Religious

[The Unexpected King Series] Join me on this exciting journey through the Gospel of Matthew called “The Unexpected King: The Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom.” Today’s episode is “Resisting Jesus While Religious” based on Matthew 21.

Discussion Question: What does resisting Jesus while being religious reveal?
This message was originally recorded live at Vienna SDA Church. Please subscribe, support and share!

#christian #purpose #askapastor #godislove #thegospel #thegospelofmatthew #decontructingchristianity #podcast #adventist #youngprofessionals #christianpodcast #whatsmypurpose
Jun 25, 202344:33
S4 Ep. 24 Do You Really Want Jesus to Come?
Jun 18, 202348:41
S4 Ep. 23 Redefining Kingdom

S4 Ep. 23 Redefining Kingdom

[The Unexpected King Series] Join me on this exciting journey through the Gospel of Matthew called “The Unexpected King: The Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom.” Today’s episode is “Redefining Kingdom” based on Matthew 20.

Discussion Question: How does Jesus’ redefinition of Kingdom challenge how we live today?
This message was originally recorded live at Vienna SDA Church.
Jun 11, 202348:28
S4 Ep. 22 Reshaping Values
Jun 04, 202358:49
S4 Ep. 21 Preserving Kingdom Community

S4 Ep. 21 Preserving Kingdom Community

[The Unexpected King Series] Join me on this journey through the Gospel of Matthew called “The Unexpected King: The Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom.” Today’s episode is “Preserving Kingdom Community” based on Matthew 18.

Discussion Question: Since offenses are likely to occur among us, though we don’t want them to, then how do we preserve the relationships within Kingdom community?
This message was originally recorded live at Vienna SDA Church. Please subscribe, support and share!
May 28, 202347:21
S4 Ep. 20 Slow to Understand

S4 Ep. 20 Slow to Understand

[The Unexpected King Series] Join me on this journey through the Gospel of Matthew called “The Unexpected King: The Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom.” Today’s episode is “Slow to Understand” based on Matthew 17.

Discussion Question: What are we still slow to understand about Jesus today as His followers?

This message was originally recorded live at Vienna SDA Church. Please subscribe, support and share!
May 21, 202350:59
S4 Ep. 19 Identity Crisis

S4 Ep. 19 Identity Crisis

[The Unexpected King Series] Join me on this journey through the Gospel of Matthew called “The Unexpected King: The Messiah and His Gospel of the Kingdom.” Today’s episode is “Identity Crisis” based on Matthew 16.

Discussion Question: Why is it so critically urgent for Jesus to clarify His identity for those who follow Him, especially now in the end of time?

This message was originally recorded live at Vienna SDA Church. Please subscribe, support and share!
May 14, 202347:58
S4 Ep. 18 Uprooting Barriers
May 07, 202351:42
S4 Ep. 17 Is There a Leader We Can Trust?
Apr 30, 202346:44
S4 Ep. 16 Radical Results
Apr 23, 202348:48
S4 Ep. 15 Mean Tweets 2

S4 Ep. 15 Mean Tweets 2

[The Unexpected King Series]
Apr 16, 202346:14
S4 Ep. 14 Mean Tweets

S4 Ep. 14 Mean Tweets

[The Unexpected King Series]
Apr 09, 202339:52
S4 Ep. 13 Sent Ones

S4 Ep. 13 Sent Ones

[The Unexpected King Series]
Apr 02, 202347:52
S4 Ep. 12 Touched By Desperate Faith

S4 Ep. 12 Touched By Desperate Faith

[The Unexpected King Series]
Mar 26, 202339:14
S4 Ep. 11 When Old Looks New

S4 Ep. 11 When Old Looks New

[The Unexpected King Series]
Mar 19, 202345:01
S4 Ep. 10 The Power of Kingdom

S4 Ep. 10 The Power of Kingdom

[The Unexpected King Series]
Mar 12, 202345:00
S4 Ep. 9 Kingdom Life Now Part 3: Where’s the Love?
Mar 05, 202338:23
S4 Ep. 8 Kingdom Life Now Part 2: This or That
Feb 26, 202305:13
S4 Ep. 7 Kingdom Life Now
Feb 19, 202339:13
S4 Ep. 6 The Dawn of a Movement
Feb 12, 202332:26
S4 Ep. 5 Victorious In Christ
Feb 05, 202347:21
S4 Ep. 4 Repent!
Jan 29, 202310:04
S4 Ep. 3 Making it Through Your Trials
Jan 22, 202309:07