Light of the Word

Hearing God in a Storm

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, November 16, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays You know, this might come as a surprise to some folks, but the fact of the matter is, God is God. And He'll do whatever it takes to remind us of this fact, and to pull us back to Himself over and over again. Though we may not always understand His methods, we can trust Him to do what is right. That's what Job needed to be reminded of as he was in the midst of a personal storm. Like Job, we might ask, "why God?" And today on Light of the Word, we begin to learn what God would say back to us. Job 38:1-3

Man Proposes, God Disposes, Pt. 2

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, November 9, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays It’s good to have you with us as we go further in our study of Job. In our last few times together we’ve come to know a new character in this story, a man by the name of Elihu. Now Elihu took it upon himself to counsel Job during his time of great loss. And it’s in this discussion that we’re reminded of the need to turn to God for strength and wisdom, and not to man. Even though Elihu did all he could to help Job, Job knew the only place to find real answers was from the Lord. Here’s Pastor Steve with the conclusion of his lesson entitled Man Proposes, God Disposes. Job 36-37

Man Proposes, God Disposes

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, November 2, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays You know, it's easy for us to think ourselves wiser than we really are. But as life moves on, and we mature, we began to discover how much we fall short in this area. For a young man by the name of Elihu, perhaps the reason he thought so much of himself, and his counsel for Job, was simply a lack of maturity. Job, on the other hand knew exactly where to find wisdom. Not from the overconfident Elihu, but from God. That's one good example we take away from Pastor Steve's lesson today called Man Proposes, God Disposes. Let's pick it up in the 36th chapter of Job. Job 36-37

Songs in the Night

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, October 26, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays All the world has it's "night" and it can be a time of terror for some folks. And like the world, we too have our nights – nights of sorrow, nights of doubt, nights of anxiety and depression. But as God’s children we can say, like Job, that the Lord will give us songs in the night. What are these songs? And how can we experience them in our darkest moments? Pastor Steve answers these questions by way of Job chapter 35, where we’ll look at a conversation between Job and Elihu. Job 35

Somebody Listen To Me, Pt. 2

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, October 19, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays You know, there are quite a few folks who think we live in the world devoid of God’s presence, that God has receded from human concerns. Perhaps that’s what Job imagined as his life was ripped to shreds. What he needed was a man to encourage him in his faith. Instead, what he got were the opinions of a man by the name of Elihu. Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays shows how Elihu failed Job, and what we can learn from his mistakes. More from Steve’s in-depth examination of the book of Job. Job 34

Somebody Listen To Me

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, October 12, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Tell me, are you a person who likes to stand out in a crowd? Make a name for yourself? Get noticed? Let's face it, just about everybody loves attention. But is getting attention a good thing? Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays shares the example of a little attention grabber, a man by the name of Elihu. His efforts to counsel Job during Job's darkest moments proved to be merely arrogant and self-serving. It's a lesson Steve has entitled Somebody Listen To Me. And it's a good example of the kind of attention we don’t want. Let's learn about it. Job 34

Another Opinion, Pt. 2

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, October 5, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays A surprising study found that if you're suffering from emotional problems, the probability that you'll be well in one year if you go see a psychoanalysts is really only 44%. Odds are a little better with a psychotherapist at 53%; a psychiatrist shows 61%; but seeing no one at all is 73%. We certainly see these types of odds to be true in the life of Job. As he suffered from his loss of family and fortune, his friends only seem to make Job's situation worse. Now it's Elihu’s turn. What did this arrogant and misguided young man have to say to Job? Let’s find out.

Another Opinion

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, September 28, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays It's been said that opinions are like faces, everyone has one, some even have two. But whose opinion can we rely on? Who can give us good counsel 100% of the time? That’s the question Pastor Steve addresses as we get to know a new character in our studies of Job. It’s an arrogant little man by the name of Elihu. What could Elihu possibly say to Job that he hadn’t already heard from his friends? Let’s find out as Steve kicks off the fifth and final volume of his in-depth studies in the book of Job. Job 32-33

I Have Seen

Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, September 21, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays You know, if there's one thing this world has plenty of, its "counsel". It's all around us on talk radio, television shows and self-help books. Some folks even pay hundreds of dollars per hour for it. And yes, some of this advice can be quite helpful, but not nearly as much as the truth revealed in God's Word, the Bible. So today on the broadcast, Pastor Steve shows how good counsel can be shared in many ways. But it should always be anchored to the Word of God. Positive insight from Steve's insightful series on the book of Job. Job 4-5

The Thing I Fear the Most

Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, September 14, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays When we're going through difficult times, some folks may tell us God sends each experience for a reason. But let's be honest, that's usually not what we want to hear. We don't always know why certain things happen to us – – nor do we always know where they come from. Yes, God is at work in the world – – but so is the Devil. There is, however, one thing we can all rely on, and that is God is there for us. So no matter what we're going through, we should always reach out to God. That's one of the practical lessons we learn today from our study of Job. Here's Pastor Steve to share more about what we can learn from this man of faith. Job 3

One More Disappointment -- Pt. 2

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, September 7, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays A University of Toronto study shows that coming home to a hug from a supportive spouse can bring down blood pressure boosted by a rough day at work. And you know, it shouldn't surprise us that emotional support can help us cope with stress in a positive way. Now is that something your spouse is receiving from you right now? Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve invites us to learn from the mistake of Job's wife. As his world was falling apart, her only advice to Job was to, "curse God and die." Now hopefully we can do little better than that. Job 2

One More Disappointment

Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, August 31, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Tell me, has the Devil ever promised you anything? Well just know that while he may be good at making promises, he's the absolute worst when it comes to keeping them. So often he promises pleasure, but pays with pain. He promises honor, yet pays with disgrace. He promises life, and always pays with death. The truth is, he’s just one big catastrophe. And as Pastor Steve takes us back into the book of Job, we see the true nature of the Devil as the Lord gave him permission to test Job. It’s a lesson Pastor Steve calls One More Disappointment. Job 2

God's Stripping

Mon, 24 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, August 24, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Let me ask you, when you think of the book of Job, what comes to mind? For most of us, our thoughts go to Job's pain, suffering and loss. And that's something we can all relate to in some degree. For example, many of our regular listeners here on Light of the Word know about the recent history of Pastor Steve Mays. In the past few years he's been through his own physical "Job-like" experience. He's undergone multiple surgeries, including one for his back, another for prostate cancer, and the most recent, the replacement of both of his knees. And it's through these difficult moments that he's come to understand the book of Job in a whole new way. So on his first night back in the pulpit, he was eager to share his discoveries concerning the power of living by faith, and not merely by feelings. So here he is to share a fresh perspective on the story of Job. Let's listen.

Asa: A True Revival

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, August 17, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Revival. Is that something we can bring about in our lives? Or is it solely the work of the Lord? Pastor Steve says it's both. And today as he concludes his four part revival series, he shares the example of King Asa. It was King Asa who determined in his heart to bring revival to his kingdom. So with that desire came a series of steps of reformation – positive actions that pave the way for revival in the hearts of the people. Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve shares what we can take from King Asa’s example to bring about revival in our own circles of influence. 2 Chronicles 14-15

Hezekiah Opened the Doors

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, August 10, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Experts tell us that much of the way we live our life is habitual. Habits, good or bad, can have a big impact on who we become. For those of us who feel an increasing distance between us and the Lord, it may be time to reestablish some good habits. That’s what Hezekiah felt called to do when he became the King of Judah. With purpose and passion, Hezekiah made it a priority to revive a nation that had fallen away from the Lord. He reopened the Temple and reestablished worship practices. And through Hezekiah’s example, Pastor Steve encourages us to get back to those good habits that bring us close to God. 2 Chronicles 29

Ahaz Closed the Doors

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, August 3, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays You know, whenever we hear of those close to us falling away from God, we can’t help but feel disappointment, and in some cases, distressed. We wonder how this could have happened. What are the steps that cause a person to close the door on their faith? Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays shares the example of King Ahaz, and the steps that took him from light to darkness. Several stages we ought to be aware of so we can avoid the pull of sin to bring us down in our faith. Good study today from Steve’s Revival series. 2 Chronicles 28:24

Lessons on Repentance

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, July 27, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Sometimes we’re like a young child just learning to ride a bike. If you’ve ever witnessed this, you’ve seen a kid wobbling along, trying to keep balance on just two wheels. Both hands are usually frozen to the handlebars, stiff and unable to turn. I think you know what happens next. Well today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays talks about our need to turn toward God. It’s in this turning that we find favor with God, and His help in navigating through life. Good insight today to keep us from crashing. 1 Samuel 7:1-17

True Motivation -- Pt. 2

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, July 20, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays I think we can all agree that motivation is good, and manipulation is bad. But what we don’t always see eye-to-eye is what motivational strategies should look like. Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays shares some of the ways we can bring out the best in people without resorting to manipulation. It’s positive direction taken from the apostle Paul’s advice to one of his student pastors, a man by the name of Titus. Let’s listen as Steve takes us back to his series entitled Setting Things in Order. Titus 3:5-8

True Motivation -- Pt. 1

Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, July 13, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays A first-aid kit that’s empty is absolutely worthless. Sure, it can say “first-aid” on the outside, but when it comes to following through on those words, we then see what it really is, just a box of empty claims. The same holds true for Christians who say one thing, yet deny it by the way they live. Today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays stresses the importance of walking our talk. He shows why it’s a very important component in motivating others to live for Christ. Titus 3:5-8

Teaching Great Humility -- Part 2

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 EST

Monday, July 6, 2009 Host: Pastor Steve Mays Are you living up to your name? The name I'm referring to is "Christian" or "a Christ one". And do you reflect on the Lord's name by the way you live? Does the way you treat people, the way you do business, and the way you react live up to the holy name you carry? Well today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve Mays contrasts a life without God, a life with God, and a life for God. It's good insight taken from his series on the book of Titus. Titus 3:1-4

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