[SPEAKER_00]: Christian parenting.

[SPEAKER_00]: I am so grateful that you are a faithful listener of this podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: It means the world to me.

[SPEAKER_00]: Did you know that the true-seekers podcast is part of the Christian Parenting Podcast Network?

[SPEAKER_00]: Christian Parenting's mission is to help parents all around the world grow into the perfectly imperfect parents God created them to be so that they can confidently raise the next generation of culture changing Christians.

[SPEAKER_00]: They provide digital and printed resources, encouragement that is rooted in biblical truth, and they have an entire network of faith-based podcasts just for families, including this one.

[SPEAKER_00]: There are 31 podcasts on the network that reach millions of parents every year.

[SPEAKER_00]: But creating resources and running podcasts is not free, and as a donor-based ministry, Christian parenting relies on generous donors like you to continue to make podcasts like this happen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Your donation to Christian parenting also helps to create prayer journals, devotionals, digital guides, and other products to help encourage and build your entire family's faith.

[SPEAKER_00]: So if you love this podcast and I hope you do, [SPEAKER_00]: We are seeking to raise $23,437 by December 31st so that we can continue to produce these podcasts and reach even more parents in 2025.

[SPEAKER_00]: Every gift matters and every gift makes a difference.

[SPEAKER_00]: You can give your best gift by December 31st to help end the year strong and reach our goal.

[SPEAKER_00]: Give today at CPGiv.org that CPGiv.org.

[SPEAKER_00]: Hello and welcome back to another episode of the Truth Seekers podcast.

[SPEAKER_00]: Today is the 23rd day of Advent.

[SPEAKER_00]: We are two days away from Christmas as we prepare our hearts to remember what this season is all about.

[SPEAKER_00]: When Jesus died, that wasn't the end.

[SPEAKER_00]: The good news is that three days after Jesus died, he rose from the dead.

[SPEAKER_00]: Jesus proved that he really was the son of God because no one but God could raise himself from the dead.

[SPEAKER_00]: When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered death forever.

[SPEAKER_00]: We no longer have to fear death because when we are in Jesus, we know that death is not the end.

[SPEAKER_00]: Those who are in Christ Jesus will one day live with Him forever.

[SPEAKER_00]: And Jesus rose from the dead and then he appeared to the disciples and they knew he was truly the Messiah who had come to save them from sin and death.

[SPEAKER_00]: Luke 24 says, on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

[SPEAKER_00]: They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

[SPEAKER_00]: While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men enclosed that gleam like lightning stood beside them.

[SPEAKER_00]: In their fright, the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, why do you look for the living among the dead?

[SPEAKER_00]: He is not here.

[SPEAKER_00]: He has risen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Remember how he told you while he was still with you in Galilee?

[SPEAKER_00]: The son of man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again?

[SPEAKER_00]: Then they remembered his words.

[SPEAKER_00]: When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleventh and to all the others.

[SPEAKER_00]: It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

[SPEAKER_00]: But they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

[SPEAKER_00]: Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.

[SPEAKER_00]: Fending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

[SPEAKER_00]: While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "'Peace be with you.

[SPEAKER_00]: They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.

[SPEAKER_00]: He said to them, "'Why are you troubled?

[SPEAKER_00]: And why do you doubt?

[SPEAKER_00]: Look at my hands and my feet.

[SPEAKER_00]: It is I, myself, touch me, and see, a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see I have." [SPEAKER_00]: When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet, and while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, do you have anything here to eat?

[SPEAKER_00]: They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it in their presence.

[SPEAKER_00]: He said to them, this is what I told you while I was still with you, everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the law of Moses the prophets and the Psalms.

[SPEAKER_00]: then he opened their mind so they could understand the scriptures.

[SPEAKER_00]: He told them this is what is written.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day.

[SPEAKER_00]: And repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be breached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are witnesses of these things.

[SPEAKER_00]: I'm going to send you what my father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been [SPEAKER_00]: When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

[SPEAKER_00]: While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

[SPEAKER_00]: Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy and they stayed continually at the temple praising God.

[SPEAKER_00]: This Christmas season, we rejoice.

[SPEAKER_00]: Not only because Jesus was born, but because Jesus accomplished what He came to do, He came to give His life for us, but He did not stay in the grave, He overcame death and rose again.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Bible says that the same spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and me.

[SPEAKER_00]: That means the same power that overcame death and the grave is the same power inside of you and me.

[SPEAKER_00]: When you believe that Jesus came and died and rose again, you become a follower of Jesus and he comes and lives inside of you.

[SPEAKER_00]: His Holy Spirit comes and makes his home inside of you.

[SPEAKER_00]: You are the house of God.

[SPEAKER_00]: The Spirit living inside of you produces fruit.

[SPEAKER_00]: not like the fruit you eat, but the fruit of the Spirit.

[SPEAKER_00]: The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control.

[SPEAKER_00]: Others will know that we are followers of Jesus by the fruit of the Spirit in our lives.

[SPEAKER_00]: Because Jesus conquered sin and the grave, you are a conqueror too, as His Spirit lives inside of you.

[SPEAKER_00]: We don't only experience his spirit living inside of us at Christmas time, but we experience it all year.

[SPEAKER_00]: We can have the spirit of Christmas living in us not just at Christmas time, but every day of the year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Dear Jesus, we are filled with joy to be on the winning team.

[SPEAKER_00]: You beat Satan and death when you overcame the grave.

[SPEAKER_00]: The power of God is real and strong and mighty.

[SPEAKER_00]: Nothing is impossible for God.

[SPEAKER_00]: We thank you that the same power that raised Jesus now lives inside of us.

[SPEAKER_00]: Help us to bear the fruits of the Spirit so that others might see your power changing us and causing us to look more like you.

[SPEAKER_00]: This Christmas help us to show love and joy, peace and patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness and self-control to others, and help us to walk by your spirit every day of the year.

[SPEAKER_00]: Amen.

[SPEAKER_00]: Today's scripture readings come from Luke chapter 24, verses 1 through 12 and 36 through 53, [SPEAKER_00]: Thank you for joining me today and I look forward to our time together for our last Advent episode tomorrow.