The Living to Him Podcast

“We need to let the divine cardiologist thoroughly diagnose us.” He knows our heart and He has a way to deal with every thorn in our heart. Today we conclude the series entitled “Our Heart,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship with brother Ron Kangas in Anaheim, CA on January 14th, 2009. In this final episode, brother Ron describes how the Lord as the divine cardiologist deals with the thorns in our heart. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2009/01/ron-kangas-anaheim-january-2009/

We have an enemy who does not want our heart to be available to the Lord. Rather than attacking us directly, the enemy causes thorns to grow up alongside the Word that has been sown in our heart. Today we continue the series entitled “Our Heart,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship with brother Ron Kangas in Anaheim, CA on January 14th, 2009. In this episode our brother expounds three categories of thorns: the anxiety of the age, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of this life, and emphasizes the importance of our exercise to turn our heart to the Lord every morning so He can make His home in our heart. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2009/01/ron-kangas-anaheim-january-2009/

The parable of the sower reveals that God’s economy is carried out by the Triune God as a man, the Lord Jesus, sowing Himself as the word into our heart. In each account as recorded in Matthew, Mark and Luke, thorns are mentioned. These thorns signify the anxiety of the age, the deceitfulness of riches, and the pleasures of this life, all of which utterly choke the word, preventing it from growing in our heart and bearing fruit. In this episode, we begin a new series entitled “Our Heart,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship with brother Ron Kangas in Anaheim, CA on January 14th, 2009. In this message entitled “Having a Heart Without Thorns,” brother Ron expounds on the different categories of thorns, and describes how the Lord deals with them in our heart. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2009/01/ron-kangas-anaheim-january-2009/

“For the love of Christ constrains us,” was the Apostle Paul’s testimony of the powerful mighty tide that energized and motivated him to live to Christ (2 Cor. 5:14). It is this same positive love that must be activated in us in order for us to overcome all the negative loves in the present age and live for the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). In this episode, we conclude the series entitled “Our Existence,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship given by brother Ron Kangas to the young adults in San Francisco on December 6, 2008. Brother Ron completes his fellowship concerning God’s will and God’s purpose with the matter of loving God and living to Him. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/ron-kangas-san-francisco-december-2008/

Finally, be empowered in the Lord and in the might of His strength. Put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the stratagems of the devil, For our wrestling is not against blood and flesh but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies. Therefore take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. - Ephesians 6:10-13. As believers who love the Lord and who are standing for His testimony, we must not be ignorant of the schemes of God’s enemy in his attacks on the church. In order to help educate and inoculate us against such attacks, the co-workers in North America have released a series of articles on ShepherdingWords.com, which expose the stratagems of the devil. Beginning this week, the Living to Him podcast will release narrations of select articles every month in order that we may all be equipped to stand against the enemy's attacks. This first episode is a narration of the article entitled “Preserving Human Life,” originally released on March 23, 2021. Using the Word and the ministries of Witness Lee and Watchman Nee, this article shows us the preciousness of man in God’s purpose and exposes Satan’s strategies in destroying man, which include injecting thoughts into their minds that lead them to despair, mental instability, and even suicide. May the Lord supply us through this speaking and equip us to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. The original article can be found at: https://shepherdingwords.com/preserving-human-life/. The copyright for this material belongs to shepherdingwords.com and is used with permission.

In Second Timothy, the apostle Paul speaks of God's purpose as having become his own purpose. In chapter 1 verse 9 he says, “Who has saved us...not according to our works but according to His own purpose…”; and in chapter 3 verse 11 he says, “But you have closely followed...my purpose…” In this episode we continue the series entitled “Our Existence,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship given by brother Ron Kangas to the young adults in San Francisco on December 6, 2008. Brother Ron continues his fellowship on how God's will is embodied in His purpose, and how our life has meaning only when God's purpose becomes our purpose. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/ron-kangas-san-francisco-december-2008/

Revelation 4:11 is the unique verse in the entire Bible that tells us why we exist: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, for You have created all things, and because of Your will they were, and were created.” In this episode, we begin a new series entitled “Our Existence,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship given by brother Ron Kangas to the young adults (or working saints) in San Francisco on December 6, 2008. Brother Ron brings us back to the desire of God’s heart and His perfect will as the meaning of our existence. The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/12/ron-kangas-san-francisco-december-2008/

“Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you; / And before you came forth from the womb, I sanctified you. / I have appointed you as a prophet to the nations. Then I said, Alas, Lord Jehovah! / Indeed, I do not know how to speak, / For I am a youth. But Jehovah said to me, / Do not say, I am a youth; / For everywhere I send you, you shall go; / And everything I command you, you shall speak" (Jeremiah 1:5-7). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, brothers Dennis Higashi and Andrew Yu exhort the working saints to not despise their youth, but to show strength and take action by picking up an area of service with a companion. The book referenced in this series can be found at: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“Breathing is something too ordinary and too normal, not outstanding in any way, yet it is miraculous….The Christian life that we have is one that is normal, without one bit of peculiarity, yet it is also miraculous; it is a story of the Triune God living within us." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 4. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, brothers Rick Scatterday and Albert Lim gave their personal testimonies on how they practiced to live a normal yet miraculous life as working saints. The book referenced in the speaking can be found at: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/

“In order to have the proper service, we must first consecrate our bodies and our time….We have to say to the Lord, “Lord, my body is purchased by You. It is Your possession. I am consecrating it to You.” To offer up the body, we have to offer up our time, because the body is in the time." (Witness Lee, Messages Given to the Working Saints, Chapter 8. Living Stream Ministry). In this episode, we continue the series entitled “Miraculously Normal Living,” with excerpts taken from a time of fellowship in the summer of 2008 in Southern California. In this episode, Brother Benson speaks of the importance of offering up our body for the practical church life and service. The book referenced in the speaking can be found here: https://www.livingstream.com/en/christian-practice/13009001-messages-given-to-the-working-saints.html The original recording can be found at: https://livingtohim.com/2008/06/various-co-workers-anaheim-june-2008/