Carnation? Wait, isn’t that a flower? No, no, no. That’s not what we’re talking about today. Instead, we are taking a look at how the Incarnation of Christ should inform the way we live our lives with one another. What does it truly look like to live life with people and to know one another? That’s a question we have got to answer if we are going to live incarnationally. And, as we do this, we will see doors open that allow us to live intentionally with those God has placed around us. 03:24 — Who are your biggest preaching influences? 09:31 — We read in Matthew 12:22, “Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see.” Are they saying the man was demon possessed because he was blind and mute? They seem linked in this passage. 11:25 — We read in Matthew 24:36, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” How could the Son not know? We have Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—three in one. If the Father knows, wouldn’t the Son also know? 15:14 — What do we mean when we talk about the Incarnation of Christ? 16:00 — Outside of the Christmas season, what does the Incarnation of Christ really mean for us today? 17:08 — If God never changes, then how could He become man? In theological words, how can the incarnation be reconciled with God’s immutability? 19:17 — What does it mean to say that Jesus is the Word of God? I thought the Bible was the Word of God? 21:39 — What does that look like for us to live incarnationally? 23:24 — How do we step into someone else’s world, like Jesus stepped into ours? 26:24 — How do we learn to listen better to one another? What are some practical ways we can become better listeners? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the sixth week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-six/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

In this episode, Cameron and Dr. J continue their deep dive into questions about our feelings and emotions and take a look at sorrow. The unfortunate reality is that you have, are, or will be walking through a difficult season of life and a season of sorrows. But, interestingly, one of the titles of Jesus is Man of Sorrows. He is not unable to sympathize with us. So, what do we do in our troubling seasons? What do we do with our sorrows? We run to Him. In this episode, we take a look at different types of grief, how to help others through their grief, and much more. 02:41 — We read in Matthew 12:32, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” I thought the Holy Spirit came AFTER Jesus left the world? I know He was there in the beginning, but didn’t “appear” before Jesus left. Yet Jesus talks about Him; weren’t they confused by that? 06:13 — We read in Acts 9:14, “And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.” So Saul was going to arrest Christians with the authority from chief priests, weren’t priests holy men? 09:05 — We read in John 5:45, “But I will not need to tell the Father that you are wrong. Do not think that I will do that. No, it is Moses who will do that. You hope that Moses is the one who will help you. But he is the one who will show that you are wrong.” Why was Jesus talking about Moses almost like in the present tense? Moses was long dead by this time, so how could Moses help the people? Or how could they have hope that Moses would help them? I’ve noticed this a lot, people speaking greatly about Moses. Though he was great, he was also gone. 11:12 — How do we comfort those who are hurting? 13:53 — What makes Christian lament unique from the way the world grieves? 15:52 — How is godly sorrow different from other kinds of sorrow? 17:54 — What does the Bible mean when it says joy comes in the morning? Frankly, many griefs are carried for quite some time. 19:51 — What is the difference between embracing our grief and wallowing in it? Should we not be attempting to move forward from our moments of grief? 23:38 — How do we protect our hearts in seasons of grief from becoming angry with the Lord? 27:06 — How do we overcome our grief? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the fifth week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-five/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

Has your life ever felt unbalanced? Kind of a dumb question, right? We’ve all been there before. So much so that it often just seems like something we have to deal it. But, what if there was something we could do about it? See, God has given each of us unique gifts and talents but with those gifts and talents also come boundaries and limitations. Part of the struggle is to discover where it is the Lord desires to stretch and grow us and where our natural limitations are creating healthy boundaries. 02:29 — We read in Psalm 18:21, “For I have kept the ways of the Lord ; I am not guilty of turning from my God.” When did David write this Psalm? I wonder how or why he says these things when we all are guilty of turning from God, and his sins are recorded in Scripture. 05:02 — We read in Genesis 1:8, “God called the vault “sky.” And there was evening, and there was morning—the second day.” Is heaven above or beyond the sky? Could we go high enough we could touch it? 08:36 — We read in Matthew 18:30, “But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt.” This is when Jesus is talking about when the servant tried to get a debt that was owed to him, and his debtor couldn’t repay so he sent him to prison until he could repay the debt. So how could the debtor repay when he was imprisoned? He couldn’t earn a wage. 11:28 — How do I discern what is a healthy limit or boundary against what is an area the Lord wants to grow me in? 15:12 — In what ways are limits and boundaries actually for our good? They feel rather restrictive. 18:31 — What are some indicators that we are living an unbalanced, off-center life? 24:44 — If rest is so prioritized in Scripture, why do we value busyness? 27:06 — How do we protect ourselves against burnout? How do you being to realize what our limitations truly are? 32:20 — How can we learn to embrace our God-given limits? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the fourth week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-four/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

So, don’t get mad at us, but we need to have a talk. Everyone seems so anger all the time at all the things, and it’s got to stop. In today’s episode, Dr. J and Cameron sit down and tackle a some Bible-based listener questions before jumping into this timely conversation. There’s a better way to work through the things that anger us. And, prayerfully, through this conversation, we can takeaway a few tangible ways to do just that. 02:59 — I don’t understand where Jesus overturned the tables and was upset — saying the people were making the Temple a den of robbers. What were they doing wrong exactly? Weren’t they selling doves for sacrifices? Why was He so upset? 07:24 — If it’s wrong to sell things within the church, why do so many churches put things for sale like coffee or t-shirts or books? Is that wrong? 11:12 — We read in Exodus 4:24, “At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him.” So, God was still angry with Moses? Why would the Lord kill Moses? Was the Lord holding onto His anger? 13:51 — How can we know for sure when our anger is righteous indignation or when our anger is motivated by selfish ambition? 20:12 — A lot of our anger is brought on by offense. How and when should we overlook an offense? 24:54 — We read in Ephesians 4:26, “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…” What does it mean to not let the sun go down on your anger? Is this like a literal command? 28:03 — How do we protect our observations and feedback from turning into negativity, grumbling, and complaining? 30:40 — So, how do we process our anger in a way that honors the Lord? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the third week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-three/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

We’ve all heard it said before: forgive and forget. What does that even mean, though? And, even more than that: is that even the wise thing to do? Forgiving someone in and of itself can be a difficult thing but to forget the things that have been done surely is impossible. In this episode, Cameron and Dr. J continue their emotions series and take a look at what we do with the hurts we carry. Plus, one of the questions almost made them add an explicit tag to the title! 02:08 — We know that Jehosophat is a king in the Bible, so where did the term jumping Jehosophat come from? 04:01 — Are children punished for sins of their parents? What does the Bible say about generational sin or generational curses? 09:43 — How does our past hold us up? 11:52 — Dr. J once said in a message, “We cannot break the influences of the past, but we can break the power of the past.” What’s the difference? 14:56 — Is forgetting the past biblical? Is it even possible? 17:36 — How should a Christian deal with the guilt regarding past sins, whether that was pre- or post-salvation? 21:37 — What about past wrongs done against us? How do we forgive the pain of past abuse, for example? 24:20 — What encouragement or advice would you have for those carrying shame and regret today? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the second week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-two/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

We live in a time full of emotions. It seems like everyone is feeling something and no one knows what to do about it. But, wait a second: didn’t God give us our emotions? At what point do they shift from a gift to a problem? In this episode, Cameron and Dr. J go past the surface and talk about some deep issues. As they answer these questions, one of the listeners also asks, “Are there questions too deep?” Are there things for which we should not be seeking out answers? 03:05 — We read in Psalm 91:13, “Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet.” Were there really dragons at this time? 05:53 — We read in Psalm 100:4, “Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.” What does this mean to enter His gates and courts? Is this verse talking about prayer? Do we enter these holy places through our prayer? 08:12 — We read in Proverbs 25:27, “It is not good to eat too much honey, nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.” What does it mean “matters that are too deep?” 13:29 — How does the church address emotional issues? Should the church address emotional issues, or should it stick to spiritual matters? 16:02 — Sometimes we say things like, “Stop being so emotional,” like it’s a bad thing. Was Jesus ever emotional? 18:31 — Are there differences between what we see in God’s emotions and our emotions? 23:14 — When do our emotions shift from a gift to a problem? 24:52 — What’s the difference between emotional reactions and wise responses? 31:32 — What do we do with our emotions, and how do we change? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the first week of the Emotionally Healthy Church series at https://nlag.net/sermons/the-emotionally-healthy-church-week-one/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

Cameron and Dr. J end this live series by taking an in-depth look at just a handful of questions. They have discussed in previous episodes that miracles are possible and we serve the God of the miraculous, but how do we identify the miraculous exactly? Couldn’t it simply be coincidence? After taking a few live audience questions, Dr. J and Cameron discuss these questions and more. 04:11 — There’s an instance where one of the disciples wants to go bury his father. But, we read in Matthew 8:22 that Jesus tells him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Honestly, it seems like a rather reasonable request by the disciple. Why does Jesus say this? And, I guess, what does He even mean by let the dead bury their own dead? 10:00 — We read in 1 John 3:6, “No one who lives in him keeps on sinning. No one who continues to sin has either seen him or known him.” But, even as disciples—fully devoted—we still sin. What’s going on in this passage? What does John mean here? 12:51 — Is there anything to learn from the books not included in today’s Bible that can help our spiritual growth? 17:42 — How do we know when we have experienced a miracle and not just a coincidence? Coincidences do occur, right? What qualifies something as a miracle? 26:14 — Why do you think it is that we don’t hear about miracles very often today? Why does it seem like God is so evident in the Bible but seems so hidden today? 32:43 — What is your response to the presence of such significant differences of interpretation of the Holy Bible as we know it? 43:43 — If my understanding of the biblical description of speaking in tongues is correct, shouldn’t we be able to understand what is being said when someone today speaks in tongues? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the third week of the Be Ready series at https://nlag.net/sermons/be-ready-to-see-miracles/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

In another extended, live episode, Cameron and Dr. J take a closer look at fasting and how it is only one part of normative Christian disciplines. As Christians, we must fast — not because it is the latest diet fad — but because we are disciples of Jesus Christ. What discipleship look like exactly? Well, let’s dive into this episode and find out more about this call to follow Jesus. 02:30 — We read in Scripture that we ought to take our thoughts captive. What does that mean? Sometimes we have fleeting thoughts but what if there is a more persistent thought? How do we take that thought captive? Is there a right way to do this? 08:26 — Do you have any recommended books or sermons about the subject that might be helpful to us? What are some verses or Bible chapters to meditate on while fasting? 12:55 — What do I do if the fast ends and my prayer request isn’t answered? 19:08 — In an age where fasting has become a bit more mainstream, what differentiates Christian fasting from the world’s fasting? 22:11 — What does it mean for a fast to be God-initiated? How do we know when it is the Lord who initiates the fast? 26:41 — What does fasting and serving and making disciples really have to do with one another? 30:12 — Is there a difference between a Christian and a disciple? Are the two synonymous? 32:33 — What does it really look like to be a disciple? How do we identify a disciple? 39:03 — Jesus taught in Luke 14:26, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.” What is going on here? Why does Jesus say we must hate family to be a disciple? 44:18 — Why is church attendance important? Why does it matter? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the second week of the Be Ready series at https://nlag.net/sermons/be-ready-to-serve/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

Cameron and Dr. J go live in this episode! In this extended conversation, You Asked for It takes some questions in realtime as they discuss seasons of fasting and how to expect the unexpected. You might be feeling that after 2020,  nothing can be unexpected! But, we believe that it’s not a year alone that can usher in change. That comes only as we fix our eyes upon Jesus and grow in deeper and deeper trust in His character. 02:35 — It seems like God is silent about the things going on in our nation. Why do you think that is? 06:08 — Why have you called us, as a church, to a corporate fast? And, why an annual fast? 08:56 — What are the logistics of this year’s fast? When does it start and end? What should we be doing during the fast? 10:37 — What should we do with our extra time or in place of the things we are fasting from? 12:25 — In light of everything going on around us and in our nation, how do we even really pray? 18:22 — How do we know what we ought to be fasting from? 21:32 — We have been encouraging people to ask God what to fast from, and there are several people fasting rom social media or Netflix or something similar. But, I thought fasting was about food? I mean, isn’t that what we see in the Bible? 31:34 — How is fasting really about our hearts (and not our stomachs)? 36:48 — Doesn’t being ready for the unexpected make the unexpected expected? I guess, what does that look like and how do we prepare ourselves for things not known? 39:53 — How do we include our children in our last? How do we explain it to them? 47:19 — What words of encouragement and advice do you have for us? For those of us struggling with a fast, does it get easier For those of us who are finding it to be breeze, does it become more difficult? For more content on this episode’s questions, we invite you to check out a sermon by Dr. Jason Karampatsos in the first week of the Be Ready series at https://nlag.net/sermons/be-ready-for-the-unexpected/. If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.

Look, we know many of you have been waiting for this day to come: the last day of 2020. But, honestly, it would be quite the shame to roll into another calendar year the same way we are leaving this one. There is so much for us to reflect upon and learn from in 2020. In fact, in this episode, Cameron and Dr. J sit down as the countdown begins and discuss what we went through in 2020 and how it can prepare us for 2021. And, if you want to roll into the new year while listening to this podcast, sit tight and hit play at exactly 11:29:22 PM! 03:32 — What have been some of the biggest challenges you have encountered in 2020? 12:50 — What are some of the biggest opportunities you have observed this past year? 16:37 — Any observations from 2020 as you reflect on it in hindsight? 20:20 — How do we move forward into 2021? 23:22 — What are some of the things we should expect from 2021? 26:40 — How should we approach and walk through 2021? If you would like to share any feedback or ideas for the podcast, or submit a question to possibly be answered in a future episode, please email us at [email protected] or check us out online at https://askthe.church. Follow New Life Assembly of God in Janesville on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JanesvilleNLAG.