11 June 2023
Two-Minute Features | 18 June 2023 | 04 June 2023

Submitting Ourselves to God? Part 2 (TMF:2115)

Friday, June 16, 2023
Peace to Live By: Submitting Ourselves to God? Part 2 (TMF:2115) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       Anyway, to submit to God—what does the word submit mean? Well, let’s look at some others words that can help us clarify what submit means. To submit means to agree, surrender, abide, indulge, obey, relinquish, and to yield. Basically, we are submitting to God when we are in agreement with him. It’s that simple. There’s nothing hard here. There’s nothing to be afraid of. People who live outside of relationship with God obviously aren’t in agreement with him. And a couple reasons exist as to why it is to our personal benefit to agree with God. Number one, we want to agree with him because we want to have nothing between us and him. Number two, we want to agree with him as his way of living life produces the most happiness and satisfaction for us. Since God created the universe, the world, and us, then it would make sense for us to live how he wants us to live. His ways are the ways that lead us to life. There may not be instant gratification, but really that shouldn’t even be our goal in the first place.

Submitting Ourselves to God? Part 1 (TMF:2114)

Thursday, June 15, 2023
Peace to Live By: Submitting Ourselves to God? Part 1 (TMF:2114) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       James chapter 4, verse 7 states, “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” We have two parts to verse 7 here, and much to talk about. So, let’s focus on the first sentence here. What, really, in reality, does it mean to “Submit.” I mean, I think this is pretty important. For one thing, we don’t want to get a wrong impression. The more negative we are, the more negative we are going to view God. It’s just the way it is, unfortunately. And really, there’s more to it because the amount of positively that flows inside our minds has a direct impact on our world around us. Just think about it. The more negative a person is, the more negative their life is going to be. They are going to be making incorrect actions for themselves, and treating people incorrectly. So, the more positive a person is, the better the life experience, and the more others want to around that person. This is the way the God of the Universe has set things in order.

Choosing to be Self-Righteous Instead, Part 2 (TMF:2113)

Wednesday, June 14, 2023
Peace to Live By: Choosing to be Self-Righteous Instead, Part 2 (TMF:2113) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       It’s not just the world who is proud; it’s not just the Hollywood folk. Yes, unfortunately, even to this day, all around us in this great city of Columbus and around the rest of the country, yes indeed, are the self-righteous Christians who think they have it all. They know it all; they have the correct way. Thankfully, in God’s grace, there are also the humble, there are those who know they need God’s grace. There are those who know their way isn’t the only way, or even the best way. No, these Christians, why, they accept all the different ways of following God under Jesus. They see this church here, and then that church other there, the Methodists, the Presbyterians, the Catholics, the Lutherans, the who-evers, and as long as the heart is right, they’re cool with that. These people are their brothers and sisters. They are not of those of who say, “’Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will [Jesus] declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness’” (Matthew 7:22-23, ESV).

Choosing to be Self-Righteous Instead, Part 1 (TMF:2112)

Tuesday, June 13, 2023
Peace to Live By: Choosing to be Self-Righteous Instead, Part 1 (TMF:2112) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       We can choose to be self-righteous, to be proud, and in that case we won’t have need of God’s grace. Isn’t that what we are required to do? We recognize God as holy, and we ourselves not so holy. We recognize we need God’s grace. When we have this attitude, we are able to approach God with the right heart attitude. When we then we have reached grace, though, when we no longer need it anymore, that’s when the real problem starts. Yes, we think we have believed in Jesus, received salvation from our sins, are in right relationship with God. Then, at that point, some people think they’ve arrived. After all, they’ve read the whole New Testament ten, maybe twenty times. They have familiarized themselves with not only the commandments of God, but all those other nit and gritty details presented in the Books. And, the belief is present that most of the commandments are adequately followed most of the time. So, there’s really no need for God’s grace. You have arrived at awesomeness. You believe you have it down; your way is the best way, and it is the only way.

How God Really Views Us as His Children, Part 3 (TMF:2111)

Monday, June 12, 2023
Peace to Live By: How God Really Views Us as His Children, Part 3 (TMF:2111) - Daniel Litton
(Tap or right-click link to download two-minute feature)

       Grace is God’s favor toward us, his generosity in all kinds of ways; it is his wanting what is the best of us—which is often times what we really want. It shows us God’s blessings, and how he is approving and kind toward us, how he assists us, and supports us, and is biased in our favor. The bottom line to all of this, and we really need to come to grips with this, is that we are children of God. Sounds fancy. You hear it often. But we are as God’s own, personal children, as if he were our father standing right before us, and we standing right before him, his sons and daughters. Get the visual image; understand this is a real thing, and not just something that looks good on paper or sounds good to our ears. We can choose to be self-righteous, to be proud, and in that case we won’t have need of God’s grace. Isn’t that what we are required to do? We recognize God as holy, and we ourselves not so holy. We recognize we need God’s grace. When we have this attitude, we are able to approach God with the right heart attitude.