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Do our words have power?If we are honest with ourselves we would say yes. The book of Proverbs tells us: "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” - Proverbs 18:21James 3:9-10 tells us, "With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be."Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.Now he's talking about us. Each of our lives are known by its fruit. For the mouth speaks out of that which fills the heart. >>Watch on YouTube

When crisis comes into your life, who do you turn to? Who do you trust?The question that God puts before His people again and again is, "Are you going to trust Me?" Where you going to put your hope and your trust when hardship comes? Psalm 4:35 says, "Some trust in horses, some trust in chariots, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God." What does this mean? It's very easy for us to talk about trust in the abstract. Trust God. Put your confidence in God. But when crisis comes, whether it's small or big, our first instinct is usually to try to fix it on our own—in other words, "What can I do to fix this on my own?"That's the crisis that emerges here in chapters 7-9 of the book of Isaiah. >>Watch on YouTubeDr. Mark Gignilliat is professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, where he teaches courses in Old Testament and Hebrew. Mark also serves as theologian in residence at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Birmingham. Dr. Gignilliat is married to Naomi, and they have four children.

What would life be like if there is no God?​In the book of Ecclesiastes, King Solomon writes about the meaning of life. He says a lot of the same things over and over. He also uses this phrase, "life under the sun."When Solomon says "life under the sun," he's asking you to consider—what would life be like if there is no God? Solomon says that it leads to a life that's empty and meaningless. We look for ways to divert the mind.You see this in Solomon's life in Ecclesiastes, and you see this today. The way you deal with this sense of meaninglessness, this vanity is to look for ways to divert your mind. And the way you do it, the way he did it, and the way people do it today is through pleasure and through their work.Solomon talks about all these great buildings that he's built. He talks about all the wives that he had.​Then we learn from Solomon that this is not effective. It doesn't work. These pursuits in life don't bring any type of permanence or lasting satisfaction.​And therefore he says, it's all vanity. It's all meaningless. >>Watch on YouTube

How can we make a lasting impact? We have been called to be lights in a dark world, ambassadors for Christ and now we're called to be salt.Matthew 5:13 tells us, "You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot."How can we be salt to the world?The apostle Paul gives us a great recipe for this in Colossians 4:2, 5-6:"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful... Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." >>Watch on YouTube

How do you influence people? What are you trying to influence them to do? Are you trying to influence them for good?Many influencers today are just really trying to entertain you. They're trying to draw a crowd and promote products. And they get paid by the brands that they promote.Influencers can change a person's behavior, their beliefs, their attitudes or outcomes without the use of direct commands. People can be influenced through logical arguments, appealing to reason, emotional appeals, and cooperative efforts.I also think that as believers, your example can influence somebody.In Jerry Foster's book Life Focus, he says Christians tend to walk down one of three paths:the path of indifferencethe path of indulgencethe path of influenceThe path of influence is making a difference in the lives of others. Instead of desiring to be left alone, they're proactive in the lives of other people. They're not as interested in spending their lives on themselves, but in investing in others.So at the end of the day, your life will make a lasting difference. >>Watch on YouTube

Can we understand our own hearts? What about the hearts of others?Today's episode is from Isaiah 30:9-11"For these are rebellious people, deceitful children, children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction. They say to the seers, 'See no more visions!' And to the prophets, 'Give us no more visions of what is right!Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions. Leave this way, get off this path, and stop confronting us with the Holy One of Israel!'" Several years ago, I was in conversation with a man working in politics in Washington D.C. He was very cynical, and made this observation:"Great statesmen today rarely get elected. Great statesmen tell the truth. The problem is that the electorate don't want to hear the hard truth. They only want to hear what is pleasant..."The same can be said of us. Many times we are not interested in what God has to say—not interested in what is right, and what is true, and what is good. We are like the children of Israel telling the prophets, "We want you to tell us what we want to hear." But what will lead to our ultimate well-being? What is the only thing that can truly satisfy the deep longings of our heart? >>Watch on YouTube

Why am I here? For what purpose have I been made?These 2 questions rightly demand an acknowledgment of the Creator. He exists. He's not just the projection of my own wishes and fantasies. There is a Creator and He's created humanity for a purpose. And what is that purpose?"In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and all nations will stream to it.Many peoples will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.' The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. He will judge between the nations and will settle disputes for many peoples. They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore.Come, descendants of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the Lord." - Isaiah 2:2-5 >>Watch on YouTubeDr. Mark Gignilliat is professor of divinity at Beeson Divinity School, where he teaches courses in Old Testament and Hebrew. Mark also serves as theologian in residence at St. Peter's Anglican Church in Birmingham. Dr. Gignilliat is married to Naomi, and they have four children.

"I sure I sure hope I'm getting into heaven. I'm working hard at it." Have you felt this way or heard others say this?I see this with men all the time. There's this hint of uncertainty. Whenever you hear someone saying, "I'm really working at it. I'm trying hard. I hope I get there."—what does it tell you about that person's perspective on salvation? To me, it indicates in his mind that something is lacking in his life, that he's somehow falling short.Do you believe that your works, or lack of good works, could possibly keep you out of heaven? Many people, even in the church, just naturally believe that good works get them into heaven.Now, I contend if you don't get this right, you can spend the rest of your life, particularly the last years of your life, terrified by what the future holds. Terrified about eternity.The Bible teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ. This truth gives you assurance and not uncertainty. Today we're looking at how to understand God's grace.

How do you respond in when life gets really tough? Jerry Leachman says to remember that we're just a baby in a basket.What does that mean, "a baby in a basket?" When Moses was just a few months old, Pharoah, the most powerful man in the world, had a hit order on his life. Moses' family put him in a little frail reed basket and set him afloat in the crocodile-infested Nile River.His chances are going down the further this story goes along. And then they watched him—talk about a heartbreaking scene.I think most of you know how this story goes along. The daughter of Pharaoh finds Moses, and then they hire Moses' family back. So, now they’re taking care of their own baby again, and they’re getting a paycheck to do it.Pharaoh had a plan for Moses to annihilate him, but God had another plan for Moses. He was going to be God’s deliverer. That little baby was indestructible until God was through with him.As long as God has a purpose for us to be here, your magnificent obsession should be not to sit here and have fun, not to sit here on earth and try to be the man. You need to find out why God put you here and be about that and fulfill your destiny.Be part of the solution, not the problem—be part of the answer. We don’t want God to remove His Holy Spirit. And if there’s anything in your life this morning, only you would know, that grieves the Holy Spirit, get it out. That’s your call.Jerry Leachman of ⁠⁠Leachman Ministries⁠⁠ is a favorite speaker at The Center's events. Along with being an associate Chaplain in The NFL for many years, Jerry has done ministry in Guatemala, Scotland, Russia, Europe and Africa as well as all over the U.S. He and his wife Holly have been on Young Life Staff and continue to be involved with Young Life here and also internationally.

Are you looking for wisdom with your finances?Today's Bible study opens with Luke 3:1-14, where John the Baptist is calling people to repentance and changed hearts. Several groups of people ask John what they should do—first the crowds, then the tax collectors, and then the soldiers.John answered in Luke 3:8, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance..." then he addresses each group with a specific way to produce that fruit.It is interesting to note that each of John's answers to have to do with money and possessions. May we learn and apply this wisdom in our financial priorities and choices. >>Watch on YouTube