Abounding Love Podcast with Former ”Tex” Watson

In recent episodes, I've taught things on Christian character and this one is on hospitality. In the Old Testament, there is no word translated "hospitality", but it is found in stories which illustrate the concept as a duty one is required to perform. In Genesis 18:1-8, we see Abraham being hospitable to the three angels. Again, in Genesis 19:1-11, we find Lot doing the same, plus there's numerous other such stories. In the New Te...

This message is based on one particular verse, Ephesians 4:32, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you" (NKJV). We are to be kind, act tenderly towards others, and be forgiving [See episode 352 - How To Forgive]. We are to be this way because God is this way. We have been given a new nature - a divine nature (2 Peter 1:4); born again of incorruptible seed, through the wor...

In this episode, we're going to be talking about how to be set free. Isaiah prophesied, “Is this not the fast that I have chosen: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke?" (58:6, NKJV). The bonds have been loosed, the burdens removed. "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8, NKJV). Once...

As we live our lives in Christ, the Holy Spirit compels us to please God, our Heavenly Father. We want to please Him more and more. The one person Who pleased the Father more than any other is Jesus. "Then Jesus said to them, 'When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am and I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for...

The first half of this message was episode #239A - "The Call of God." I now continue by presenting eight  things we are to practice in order to be used by God. They are summarized as follows.

1. We must be willing to be used by God. "Then He [Jesus] said to His disciples, 'The harvest is truly plentiful, but the laborers few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest'" (Matthew 9:37,38, NKJV). In ...

In Isaiah 6:8, we read: "Also I heard the voice of the LORD, saying: 'Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?' Then I said, 'Here am I! Send me'" (NKJV).  Isaiah was called to give the people a choice: to hear the Word of God and live; or reject the Word of God and face His wrath. We are called to deliver a similar message: Receive God's Word [Jesus] and accept His salvation; or reject it and be left to God's wrath. God gave His...

In the first part of the message, I taught on two ways to grow Spiritually: READ GOD'S WORD and PRAY. I begin this second part with the third way: FELLOWSHIP. This,  by definition, means we are to share things in common, to have communion with and to be partners with those possessing eternal life -- salvation. The apostle John wrote: " . . .that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with ...

This episode is the first of two parts in a series on 5 ways we can grow Spiritually: 1) Read God's Word; 2) Pray, talk to God; 3) Fellowship; 4) Witness; and 5) Praise God. Remember, our spirit is born again when we receive Christ. We needed to be born again because our spirit was corrupted by the original sin of Adam and Eve. Although our spirit has been made anew, we need to grow in spiritual understanding in the soul. Man is ma...

Our flesh opposes our spiritual, born-again nature and vice versa. "The fruit of the Spirit is love." Only as we walk in love can we fulfill the will of God in our lives, and it is manifested in joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. This message is based upon the following verses: "I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lust...

"Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word. . ." (Acts 4:29, NKJV). In this verse, the Apostles had been threatened for preaching the gospel [Good News] of Jesus Christ, and they were praying for the boldness needed to preach the Word. Years later, the apostle Paul wrote: "And He Himself [Jesus] gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pas...

I begin this message by looking at Acts 19:13-20, which records what happened when Jewish exorcists wanted to use the power of the Name of Jesus, without having a relationship with Him. They tried to drive out a demon by calling on "the Jesus whom Paul preaches" (v. 13). "And the evil spirit answered and said, 'Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'" (v. 15, NKJV). The story ends badly for these exorcists. But good comes ...

In this message, I use various Scriptures reminding us to think on the things of God. It's a major part of our transformation. The word "things" is often correctly translated "words." Our thoughts are to become the thoughts of the Word of God. I often use the Spirit, Soul and Body Study Chart on my site to bring out the truths of salvation. During this message, I review that our spirit is born again, but our soul is not. It takes t...

In this message, I share how there is evidence of our salvation lived out in our lives when we are established in the promises God made to our spiritual fathers [Abraham, David and the prophets] and confirmed in Christ (Romans 15:8). Through the New Covenant, He promised to "remember our sins no more" and to "put a new spirit within you" (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:26a). The apostle Paul simply put it like this: "Now He who esta...

In this message, I outline 11 things Scripture says we are as believers in Christ. 1) A believer is FORGIVEN, "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7, NKJV). 2) The believer is JUSTIFIED, just as if we had never sinned, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith apart from the deeds of the law" (Romans 3:28, NKJV). 3) The believer is A ...

I begin this message with the concept of man being made up of three parts: spirit, soul and body. [See: About/Charles' Charts/A-2 on my website.] God is Spirit. We are made in His image. Our spirit died when Adam's sin came into the world. Jesus defeated sin and death at the resurrection and gave us new life; that is why He came. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all thin...

How often we forget that love involves sacrifice. God was expressing His love for mankind in creation. We were created in divine love, with the capacity to love. God expects us to love one another with the love He shows towards us. To give up ourselves and let God's love flow forth. To know God is to know His love. We must know God to love others the way He expects. We have to look at the sacrifice of Jesus, Who is the ultimate exp...

In this message, I outlined 15 things or attributes seen in the character of a born-again Christian. I encourage you to listen to the podcast and gain an understanding of what the Word of God says it is to be a Christian. Things all Christians should be doing: 1) We are to be born again. Our character is the result of the New Birth. (The concept of being born again is discussed in Message 222A - Born Again to Conquer.) It's the dea...

The Scriptures are a book of joy to those who walk in obedience to Christ, but to those who walk in rebellion, it's a book of sadness. It's based upon relationships, fellowship with Jesus, and fellowship with other believers. There's nothing new under the sun. This message, given decades ago (during the Carter administration), is as relevant today as when originally given. In Isaiah 9:6, we are promised that "Unto us a child is bo...

In the Gospel of John, chapter three, we find the story of Nichodemas and his encounter with Jesus, Who tells him, ". . . Except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God" (v. 3). Unless you are born of the Spirit, you will not enter Heaven; being born not of corruptible seed (human flesh), but of incorruptible seed - a born-again Spirit (1 Peter 1:23). Those who are born again are living in God's Kingdom now. But if yo...