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In one of his sermons, Charles Spurgeon said, The heir of heaven serves his Lord simply out of gratitude; he has no salvation to gain, no heaven to lose;…now, out of love to the God who chose him, and who gave so great a price for his redemption, he desires to lay out himself entirely to his Master’s service. O you who are seeking salvation by the works of the law, what a miserable life yours must be...you have that if you diligently persevere in obedience, you may perhaps obtain eternal life, though, alas! None of you dare to pretend that you have attained it. You toil and toil and toil, but you never get that which you toil after, and you never will, for, “by the works of the law there shall no flesh living be justified.”…The child of God works not for life, but from life; he does not work to be saved, he works because he is saved.[1] There are many different gifts, and the Spirit, in His sovereign wisdom, determines who receives which. Peter highlights two essential truths: (1) every believer has been given a spiritual gift, and (2) that gift has been entrusted to us for service. You don’t need to know the precise name or category of your gift before you begin serving. That uncertainty should never keep you on the sidelines. Every gift matters. Every gift is necessary. And we are not called to measure our usefulness by whether our gift appears “big” or “prestigious” in the eyes of others. J. I. Packer wisely reminds us: “The most significant gifts in the church’s life in every era are ordinary natural abilities sanctified.” True service is rarely about public recognition. In fact, most Christians will serve quietly, unseen by many, and yet the work done in those hidden places is often the most vital work of all. But service does require something from us: discipline. A conscious, intentional effort. A willingness to step forward and offer ourselves to God for the good of others In part 3 of The Principle of Serving, Dr. Gonzalez finishes exploring why and what service should be. In this message he teaches that service should be dependent and selfless. [1] C. H. Spurgeon, Serving the Lord with Gladness, in Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit (London: Passmore and Alabaster, 1868; reprint, Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1989), vol. 13, pgs. 495-496. _________________________________________________________________________________ Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

John Newton illustrated obedient service this way, If two angels were to receive at the same moment a commission from God, one to go down to rule earth’s grandest empire, the other to go and sweep the streets of its meanest village, it would be a matter of entire indifference to each which service fell to his lot, the post of ruler or the post of scavenger; for the joy of the angels lies only in obedience to God’s will. Why do many seem to think it’s okay to sit on the sidelines and watch others do the work of the Kingdom? Do we even know what we are missing out on? In part 2 of The Principle of Serving, Dr. Gonzalez reminds us that serving is not just a command, but a privilege. He continues to explore why and what service should be. In this message he teaches that service should be enthusiastic, relational, and expectant. __________________________________________________________________________ Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

Believers must understand that service is a costly proposition. God doesn’t just ask for one’s time and talent, He asks for one’s life. Service to God and others should be a priority to believers, not a hobby or pastime. One’s leftovers are an insult to God and the responsibility to serve is a life-long commitment. There is no greater way to live one’s life to then to live a life of service for it is God’s grand calling for every believer. We must understand, though, that that calling may involve doing what may be considered by many as the mundane or even the “demeaning” things in the eyes of the world. One theologian wrote, In some ways we would prefer to hear Jesus’ call to deny father and mother, houses and land for the sake of the Gospel, then His word to wash feet. Radical self-denial gives the feel of adventure. If we forsake all, we even have the chance of glorious martyrdom. But in service we are banished to the mundane, the ordinary, the trivial. In part 1 of The Principle of Serving, Dr. Gonzalez explains that we serve not just because not just because we are told to do so. He begins to explore why and what service should be. In this message he teaches that service should be sacrificial and real.   __________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

The message we have been given by God to share with others is given to us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6. Then in 2 Corinthians 5:10-21 Paul then goes on to tell us why we are to share with others the Gospel. Today in part 4 of The Principle of Sharing, Dr. Gonzalez discusses how we go about sharing by reminding us of the two primary ways by which we do this.   _________________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

The message we have been given by God to share with others is given to us by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:1-6. In 2 Corinthians 5:10-21, Paul then goes on to tell us why we are to share with others the Gospel. In part 3 of The Principle of Sharing, Dr. Gonzalez looks at 2 Corinthians 5:10-21 and discusses the reasons mentioned by Paul as to why we are to share the glorious message of the Gospel with unbelievers.   __________________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

Here is the message we have been given by God to share with others: “Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the Gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this Gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the Word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter, and then to the twelve. After that, He appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of who are still living, though some have fallen asleep” (1 Cor. 15:1-6). In part 2 of The Principle of Sharing, Dr. Gonzalez looks at verses 3-5 and discusses the essence and substance of the true Gospel we are commanded to share. In this message, we are reminded of how critical it is that we see and understand everything being said in these few verses. ______________________________________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. We have already considered the principles of exalting, loving, and following Christ. Now we will consider The Principle of Obeying Christ. If we are going to pursue Jesus, then it is imperative that we obey Him, not only in the areas where we are comfortable doing so, but also in the areas where we are stretched. In part 3 of The Principle of Obedience, Dr. Gonzalez discusses the result of obedience: fruit. A true disciple obeys Christ. A true disciple doesn’t just hear what He says, he does what Christ tells him to do or not to do. _________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. We have already considered the principles of exalting, loving, and following Christ. Now we will consider The Principle of Obeying Christ. If we are going to pursue Jesus, then it is imperative that we obey Him, not only in the areas where we are comfortable doing so, but also in the areas where we are stretched. In part 1, Dr. Gonzalez reminded us about: the only and necessary foundation, foundational differences, and the two types of foundations. In part 2 of The Principle of Obedience he discusses the principles for building on the right foundation and fellowship as the natural outcome of obedience. _________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. We have already considered the principles of exalting, loving, and following Christ. Now we will consider The Principle of Obeying Christ. If we are going to pursue Jesus, then it is imperative that we obey Him, not only in the areas where we are comfortable doing so, but also in the areas where we are stretched. In The Principle of Obedience, Dr. Gonzalez will discuss that which is necessary to successfully obey Christ – a firm foundation. In part 1, Dr. Gonzalez reminds us about: the only and necessary foundation, foundational differences, and the two types of foundations. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. Many of you remember the game called “Simon Says.” What does “Simon Says” have to do with following Christ? Even though that was a childhood game, the fundamental rule is quite applicable to our pursuing Christ. As Christians we need to be engaged in a very real and serious lifelong activity called “Jesus Says.” That is, we need to be listening and following Christ. In The Principle of Following, Dr. Gonzalez covers three critical points. In part 3, he covers the third critical point, that in following Christ we must make a decision that supersedes every other decision. This truth is clearly illustrated for us in Luke 9:57-62 in the exchange that takes place between Jesus and three disciple “wanna be’s.” As we consider our own lives, are we really following Jesus, or are we allowing something to hinder our pursuit of Christ? You see, if we are not following Jesus the way we should be, we are not truly pursuing Christ. we must deliberately choose to follow Jesus; it is an ongoing decision we must make every day. _________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. Many of you remember the game call “Simon Says.” What does “Simon Says” have to do with following Christ? Even though that was a childhood game, the fundamental rule is quite applicable to our pursuing Christ. As Christians we need to be engaged in a very real and serious lifelong activity called “Jesus Says.” That is, we need to be listening and following Christ. In The Principle of Following, Dr. Gonzalez covers three critical points. In part 2, he covers the second critical point, that following Christ requires on ongoing choice. The decision to follow Christ is not one we make at some point in our lives, to never make again. Paul does a wonderful job of pointing this out in Philippians 3:7-8. In this passage he speaks of his own experience. _________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. Many of you remember the game call “Simon Says.” What does “Simon Says” have to do with following Christ? Even though that was a childhood game, the fundamental rule is quite applicable to our pursuing Christ. As Christians we need to be engaged in a very real and serious lifelong activity called “Jesus Says.” That is, we need to be listening and following Christ. In The Principle of Following, Dr. Gonzalez covers three critical points. In part 1, he covers the first critical point, that following Christ is a personal decision. In John 21:18-19 Jesus told Peter, “’I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.’ Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then He said to him, ‘Follow Me!’” ___________________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this entire series. In The Principle of Love, Dr. Gonzalez states that considering who Jesus is and what He has done for us, as Christians our response should be characterized by several things, chiefly, by a complete and unreserved love. In the study of The Principle of Love, Dr. Gonzalez is considering three very important principles highlighted in Peter’s failure at the crucifixion of Christ and his restoration by Jesus. In part 3, Dr. Gonzalez discusses the second and begins discussing the third of the three principles– Brokenness: A Love Requirement and Love: Made Possible by Grace. _____________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this entire series. In The Principle of Love, Dr. Gonzalez states that considering who Jesus is and what He has done for us, as Christians our response should be characterized by several things, chiefly, by a complete and unreserved love. In the study of The Principle of Love, Dr. Gonzalez will consider three very important principles highlighted in Peter’s failure at the crucifixion of Christ and his restoration by Jesus. In part 2, Dr. Gonzalez will finish discussing the first of the three principles – A Tested Love. ________________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.

What does it mean to pursue Christ? What does making Him Lord of all mean? How do we give Him that place of preeminence He deserves in our hearts? Those questions will be answered throughout this series. In The Principle of Love, Dr. Gonzalez states that considering who Jesus is and what He has done for us, as Christians our response should be characterized by several things, chiefly, by a complete and unreserved love. Should we question the sincerity of Peter’s love for Christ? No, what we should do is understand that his love needed to be tested and purified. His love, like ours, is like an impure metal. We can learn a lot from Peter’s failure at the crucifixion of Christ and his restoration by Jesus. In the study of The Principle of Love, we will consider three very important principles highlighted in this story. In part 1, Dr. Gonzalez will start his presentation of the first of the three – A Tested Love. ___________________________________________________   Today’s podcast was brought to you by Time in the Word. As God ministers to you through this series of studies and as you experience God’s love and grace in your own life, share these podcasts with others, so that they too may be blessed by God’s Word and His amazing grace. Time in the Word with Bible teacher Dr. Miguel Gonzalez is a ministry of Reasons for Faith International Ministries, a ministry committed to the proclamation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the clear exposition of God’s Word. For additional resources, or if you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting www.rffiministries.org.