Rise Up! with John Kowalski

We spend so much time and effort (and rage) defending the nation. Do we ever expend such energy and passion in defending or promoting the Kingdom of God? What does that say about our faith? I know I am consistently disappointed with the balance between nation and kingdom in my life. I thought, maybe we just don't understand the Kingdom. So, in this episode I look to the Bible to answer some big questions. What is the Kingdom of God? How do we gain citizenship to this Kingdom? Once we are citizens, what is expected of us? When will all of this happen? After dealing with all of that I debunk some secular claims about citizens of the Kingdom, or maybe I agree with them...to a point. I take their shallow accusations that we are intolerant, judgmental and exclusive and I go deeper to find the truth in them.  References     The Bible (Various versions)  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-kowalski/message

We all have things in common and things that make us different. One thing we all share, despite our denial, is a sin nature. We don't have to be taught to be mean, selfish, manipulative, or prideful. We do however need to be taught, and re-taught to be kind, generous, giving and selfless. It is not our natural state. Humanity hasn't changed in the entirety of history. From creation to grave we remain lost but aimless, curious but never satisfied. The world however, changes constantly, bending to the wills of loudest, the most prideful, rarely the kindest. Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Christianity has changed too. The Reformation, the Enlightenment, Fundamentalism, the Social Gospel, Revival, Purity Culture, the Prosperity Gospel, Progressive Christianity, Christian Nationalism and so many more beliefs have had their say and taken their toll on Christians and non-Christians alike. This episode I ask, how can Christianity continue to be relevant in a world and culture that keeps changing? The answer I come up with may surprise you. References Craig, William Lane; “YouTube Apologists React!”; Reasonable Faith Podcast Reasonable Faith Podcast - YouTube Apologists React! (google.com) [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy9yZWFzb25hYmxlX2ZhaXRoLnhtbA/episode/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9yZWFzb25hYmxlX2ZhaXRoLzkwMDc5MTE4L3lvdXR1YmUtYXBvbG9naXN0cy1yZWFjdC8?sa=X&ved=0CAcQkfYCahgKEwjI2Kqdq4P7AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQ2AM] Reasonable Faith Podcast - Jordan Peterson's Message to the Christian Church (google.com) [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9mZWVkcy9yZWFzb25hYmxlX2ZhaXRoLnhtbA/episode/aHR0cDovL3d3dy5ibHVicnJ5LmNvbS9yZWFzb25hYmxlX2ZhaXRoLzkwMjk0Nzg0L2pvcmRhbi1wZXRlcnNvbnMtbWVzc2FnZS10by10aGUtY2hyaXN0aWFuLWNodXJjaC8?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahgKEwjI2Kqdq4P7AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQqQE] Donnelly, Marisa; “9 Things That Are Holding You Back From A Deeper Relationship With God” Thought Catalog; https://thoughtcatalog.com/marisa-donnelly/2017/11/9-things-that-are-holding-you-back-from-a-deeper-relationship-with-god/ Sproul, RC; “God’s Law is a Mirror” Ultimately Podcast Ultimately with R.C. Sproul - God’s Law as a Mirror (google.com) [https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly91bHRpbWF0ZWx5LmxpZ29uaWVyLm9yZy9yc3M/episode/YjMyYmUwNjctNmE3NC00NDY3LWFiMGMtNDJkYzk5MDQwMzhk?sa=X&ved=0CAUQkfYCahcKEwjI2Kqdq4P7AhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQLA] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-kowalski/message

The day-to-day life of a follower of Christ is not easy in today's world. We are mocked for our belief in one true God and His word, the Bible. We are persecuted for choosing to live by his standards in defiance of the world's religion of self. We are vilified for the sins of our brethren of the past but given no credit for the great societal accomplishments of other Christians. Jesus said that to find the Father we would have to take the narrow gate which few would choose. Did we really think there would be no opposition? As the world chooses the wide gate to destruction it demands that we abandon our faith and follow them promising us peace and tolerance and success along the way. The truth is that everything this world has to offer is temporal, ending when we shuffle off this mortal coil. What Jesus offers us, through his sacrifice on the cross, is eternal. All we have to do is repent and accept him. Once we do that, we have chosen the narrow gate but that is not the end of the story. Once through the narrow gate there is a fork in the road. This 2nd Anniversary, 50th Episode of Rise Up! discusses getting through the narrow gate and the difference between the two paths to the judgment seat.    References STOPPE, RHONDA, “THE MEANING AND PURPOSE OF THE ROMANS ROAD TO SALVATION;” CROSSWALK.COM;   HTTPS://WWW.CROSSWALK.COM/FAITH/SPIRITUAL-LIFE/WHAT-IS-THE-ROMANS-ROAD-TO-SALVATION-BIBLE-VERSES-AND-MEANING.HTML "Eight Reasons Why Rome Fell" A&E Entertainment. 8 Reasons Why Rome Fell (exploros.com) [https://www.exploros.com/summary/8-Reasons-Why-Rome-Fell] --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-kowalski/message

Life is full of temptations. The ones we give in to become strongholds that grow and separate us from our relationship with God. Detachment form the things that cause those temptations to grow can be healthy and necessary in our lives. We can install guard rails in our lives that protect us when we are weak, tied, or distracted, but it takes effort and discipline. In this episode I discuss the cost of such an effort as well as the benefit to our daily lives. REFERENCES Ahlberg Calhoun, Adele; Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, Revised and expanded. (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2015), 105–108. BOYD, JORDAN, “JOE SCARBOROUGH: JESUS NEVER SAID ANYTHING ABOUT KILLING CHILDREN.” THE FEDERALIST; HTTPS://THEFEDERALIST.COM/2022/09/09/JOE-SCARBOROUGH-JESUS-NEVER-SAID-ANYTHING-ABOUT-KILLING-CHILDREN/ LANDEN, XANDER, “PODCAST GROUP SLAMMED OVER APOLOGY FOR BEN SHAPIRO’S APPEARANCE” NEWSWEEK.COM; HTTPS://WWW.NEWSWEEK.COM/PODCAST-GROUP-SLAMMED-OVER-APOLOGY-BEN-SHAPIRO-PRESENCE-1737134 Valloton, Kris, “8 Things to do When Spiritual Warfare Gets Real” krisvalloton.com https://www.krisvallotton.com/8-things-spiritual-warfare-gets-real    --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-kowalski/message

It is one of the many fun and happy sounding slogans that the world uses to demand that we consider horrific acts acceptable. To them "No Justice, No Peace" means that they won't stop screaming, burning, rioting, and threatening until they get their way. For followers of Christ "No Justice, No Peace" means that we will never find peace and rest in our lives until we accept God's objective justice. In this episode I delve into what justice is, what it is not, and what it should be according to the Bible. I also premier a new segment called "Awake, But Not Woke" in which I will expose the unscientific, unbalanced, senseless claims and policies of elites, leaders, and politicians. Their "rules for thee, but not for me" attitudes show their true goal, control without recourse.  REFERENCES Adele Ahlberg Calhoun, Spiritual Disciplines Handbook: Practices That Transform Us, Revised and expanded. (Downer’s Grove, IL: IVP Books, 2015), 218–220. BONCHIE, “MONKEYPOX DECLARED A GLOBAL EMERGENCY IN THE MOST CORRUPT WAY IMAGINABLE” RED STATE. HTTPS://REDSTATE.COM/BONCHIE/2022/07/23/MONKEYPOX-DECLARED-A-GLOBAL-EMERGENCY-IN-THE-MOST-CORRUPT-WAY-IMAGINABLE-N600360 HANNITY STAFF, “JILL CAME TUMBLING AFTER: FLOTUS HITS LOWEST APPROVAL SINCE BIDEN TOOK OFFICE” HTTPS://HANNITY.COM/MEDIA-ROOM/JILL-CAME-TUMBLING-AFTER-FLOTUS-HITS-LOWEST-APPROVAL-SINCE-BIDEN-TOOK-OFFICE/ International Justice Mission https://www.ijm.org/ JOSE, ANDREW; “BIG DEMOCRAT AND REPUBLICAN NAMES JOIN TOGETHER, FORM THIRD POLITICAL PARTY” THE WESTERN JOURNAL; HTTPS://WWW.WESTERNJOURNAL.COM/BIG-DEMOCRAT-REPUBLICAN-NAMES-JOIN-TOGETHER-FORM-THIRD-POLITICAL-PARTY/ Noyes, Penny, “10 Roles of the Holy Spirit in the Life of Christians,” Christianity.com https://www.christianity.com/wiki/holy-spirit/10-roles-of-the-holy-spirit-in-christian-life.html Unnamed Author, “World Report 2022” Human Rights Watch. https://www.hrw.org/world-report/2022/country-chapters/united-states Walensky, Rochelle P. “Racism is a Serious Threat to the Public’s Health” https://www.cdc.gov/healthequity/racism-disparities/index.html --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/john-kowalski/message