Abounding Love Podcast with Former ”Tex” Watson

810 - A New Life

A New Life: Man is a triune being consisting of spirit, soul [mind, will and emotions] and body. When a person is born again, a miraculous transformation occurs within their spirit through the planting of an incorruptible seed, which is the Word of God [1 Peter 1:23]. This experience involves receiving a new Spirit and a new heart as prophesied in Ezekiel 36:26, resulting in the human spirit becoming 100% aligned with God's divine nature and "perfected forever" (Hebrews 10:14). Central to this process is Hebrews 4:12, which describes the Word of God as a two-edged sword that pierces and divides [cuts/parts] the spirit from the soul. Using the illustration of a bone, the Spirit is likened to the living marrow that produces life [blood], while the soul is the surrounding joint or bone that remains hardened and in need of further work. While the Spirit [marrow] is instantaneously perfected through regeneration, the soul [bone] remains imperfect and must undergo a progressive renewal [Romans 12:2]. This "spiritual circumcision" made without hands [Colossians 2:11] strips away the corrupt carnal nature from the spirit, but the believer must still "put off" the old manner of life and "put on the new man" by being renewed in the spirit of their mind [Ephesians 4:22-24]. As the mind is renewed by learning Christ and agreeing with the Word, the Zoe life of God stored in the perfected Spirit is released into the soul and ultimately manifested through the body. This process fulfills the intent of Deuteronomy 30:6 -- that God circumcises the heart so the believer can love Him with all their heart and all their soul, allowing divine life to operate in their entire being -- Spirit, soul and body [1 Thessalonians 5:23]. Join me as I share these Scriptures and more to open your eyes to the sanctified life. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #810 A New Life from Abounding Love Ministries" ].      www.aboundinglove.org

809 - A New Gift

A New Gift explores the "new creation" by first defining the tripartite nature of man in Greek as spirit [pneuma], soul [psuche] and body [soma], where the "heart" [kardia] represents the non-material inner man of spirit and soul. Because mankind is born into a state of "flesh" [sarx] -- the unregenerate, weaker element of human nature -- all are inherently sinners and cannot save themselves from the penalty of death (Romans 5:12; 6:23). Regeneration is the "new gift" of eternal life through Jesus Christ. It is a free gift that can neither be earned nor deserved but is provided by God's mercy [Ephesians 2:8-9, Titus 3:5]. Through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, the "Word of God" acts as an incorruptible seed that, when received, causes the spirit to be born again and line up 100% with God's Divine nature [1 Peter 1:23; 1 Corinthians 6:17; 2 Corinthians 5:17]. Receiving the new gift requires repentance and faith, which begins with hearing the Gospel [Romans 10:17]. Repentance is described as a change of mind, heart and will where an individual turns from the power of Satan to the power of God [Acts 26:18]. This transformation occurs when a person believes in their heart and confesses with their mouth that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead [Romans 10:9-10]. This act of faith allows the Holy Spirit to enter and regenerate the human spirit, making the individual a partaker of the Divine nature [2 Peter 1:4]. While the spirit is perfected instantly at the new birth, this experience provides the power for the ongoing renewal of the soul and serves as a precursor to the future glorification of the body [Acts 3:19; Philippians 3:20-21]. Join me as I share these Scriptures and others for your edification. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode 809 A New Gift from Abounding Love Ministries" ].         www.aboundinglove.org

808 - A New Nature

A New Nature is the foundation of the Christian life built solely upon the person and work of Jesus Christ, a Spiritual structure laid in the heart through the power of the Holy Spirit [1 Corinthians 3:11]. Man is a three-part being consisting of spirit, soul and body [1 Thessalonians 5:23]; while the body remains the same at conversion, the spirit undergoes a radical transformation known as the "born again" experience [John 3:3-6]. This rebirth occurs when an individual receives the incorruptible seed of the Word of God [1 Peter 1:23], resulting in a "new creation" or a new species of being that is perfected and sanctified in its Spiritual nature [2 Corinthians 5:17]. Contrary to common teaching, the believer possesses only one nature -- the divine nature -- rather than a dual nature of old and new, because the old "dead" spirit has been completely replaced [2 Peter 1:4]. While the spirit is joined to the Lord [1 Corinthians 6:17], and made 100% holy and perfect, the soul [the mind, will and emotions] must be progressively renewed to align with this inner reality [Romans 12:2]. This transformation is a cooperative process where the believer "works out" their salvation [Philippians 2:12-13], allowing the life and power of the Holy Spirit to flow from the perfected inner man into outward actions and fruit-bearing. It's the prophet Ezekiel, who prophesies this new heart and Spirit [36:26]. Join me as I share these Scriptures and more for your edification. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #808 A New Nature from Abounding Love Ministries"].        www.aboundinglove.org

807 - The Discipline of Man

The inner man is defined as the non-material part of a human being, which the Bible often refers to as the heart. It is composed of two distinct parts: the spirit and the soul, while the physical body serves as the "house" or temple for this internal reality. A critical distinction is made between the two: the spirit is regenerated 100% at the moment of the new birth, becoming a perfect new creation. This process is described as a "circumcision of the heart," where the Word of God acts as a sword to cut away the fleshly nature from the spirit. Romans 2:28-29 emphasizes that true circumcision is an inward work of the Spirit rather than a physical one. Whereas the soul [mind, will and emotions] is the part of the inner man that requires continual renewal day by day according 2 Corinthians 4:16. To become a truly disciplined man, a believer must align their soul with their regenerated Spirit through study and application of Scripture. Ezra 7:10 outlines a three-step process for discipline: seeking [studying] the law [Word] of the Lord, doing it and teaching it to others. This discipline is necessary because, as Romans 7:22-25 describes, there is often a "war" in the mind between the law of God and the law of sin. By abiding in the Word, as instructed in John 8:31-32, believers become "disciples" or "disciplined ones," who know the truth that sets them free from the lies of the Devil. Ultimately, Proverbs 4:20-27 teaches that keeping the heart with all diligence allows the "issues of life" to flow out from the Spirit, through a disciplined soul and into outward actions that manifest the love and power of God to the world. Join me as I share these Scriptures and more to build your faith for boldness to share the Good News with those around you. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #807 The Discipline of Man from Abounding Love Ministries" ].    www.aboundinglove.org

806 - The Circumcision of the Heart

The inner man, or the heart, is defined as the non-material part of a human being, comprised of both the spirit and the soul, while the physical body serves merely as a house for this inward reality. According to 2 Corinthians 4:16, although the outward mam perishes, the inward man is renewed daily through a process that begins with regeneration of the spirit at the new birth. While the spirit is fully regenerated when a person is born again, the soul [mind, will and emotions] requires ongoing renewal to overcome the "stony" and deceitful nature of the unregenerate heart mentioned in Jeremiah 17:9. God's promise of a heart transplant in Ezekiel 11:19 and 36:26 describes replacing this hardness with a pliable heart of flesh and a new spirit, which provides the foundation for a believer to walk in God's statutes and experience true life. The message centers on the circumcision of the heart, a spiritual process that fulfills the Old Testament type of physical circumcision found in Genesis, chapter 17. As explained in Romans 2:28-29, true circumcision is an inward work performed by the Spirit rather than an outward physical act or the literal letter of the law. This "circumcision made without hands" is achieved through the resurrection of Christ, which effectively cuts away the "body of the sins of the flesh" from the believer's inner man [Colossians 2:11-13]. By putting off the fleshly nature and its lust, as detailed in Galatians 5:16-25, the believer is empowered to walk in the Spirit and manifest the fruit of Spirit, such as love, joy and peace. This spiritual transformation, urged in Deuteronomy 10:16 and Jeremiah 4:4, removes the authority of sin and enables the believer to live a life directed by the power and knowledge of God. Selah! [For more: Copy and Paste or Enter into ChatGPT.com, "Create a Study Guide for Episode #806 Circumcision of the Heart from Abounding Love Ministries" ].        www.aboundinglove.org