Part of the difficulty that some people have in embracing the whole counsel of God is that there is often seeming paradox in Scripture. One such paradox is that the Kingdom of God is both a present reality AND a future event. The question then becomes, “How can something be both present and future at the same time?” Trying to reconcile this mystery is absolutely essential to our understanding Jesus’ teachings and the whole New Testament. If you would like to learn more, this audio message addresses how to reconcile the Kingdom of God as both present and future by looking at what Jesus calls “The Mystery of the Kingdom.”
David Cwir - How is The Kingdom of God a Present Reality?
“The time is fulfilled” and everything that Jesus is, and did, and said was a proclamation that Jewish Messianic hopes and expectations are coming to realization in His ministry. All the scriptures on fulfillment suggest that for Jesus Himself, the Kingdom of God was a present reality. This fulfillment was demonstrated through the blessings of the future realities that have already come present and through Jesus’ engagement in the Holy War with satan. Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about how the Kingdom of God is a present reality at the following link:
David Cwir - Reconciling the Present and Future Reality of the Kingdom of God
What is the Kingdom of God? All the scriptures on fulfillment (e.g., Mark 1:15) suggest that for Jesus Himself, the Kingdom of God was a present reality in His own ministry. The mystery is that Jesus speaks of the Kingdom in two different ways: On the one hand, Jesus speaks of the Kingdom as a future event, but on the other hand, He also speaks of the Kingdom as a present reality. How can something be both present and future at the same time? Trying to reconcile this paradox is absolutely essential to our understanding Jesus and the whole New Testament! If you are interested, check out this audio message that expounds on some of the crucial teachings of Jesus that address this “already/not yet” Kingdom reality. You can listen or download it at the following link:
David Cwir - Where the King is, the Kingdom is
All of the gospels highlight Jesus’ baptism at the river as the absolute turning point in Jesus life. It is in that great event that we are told that there was the coming of the Holy Spirit and the voice from heaven. The voice from Heaven declared Jesus’ messianic destiny and reaffirmed for Him who He was and what He was about. The descent of the Spirit at His baptism marked Jesus off for His Messianic destiny and equipped Him for His Messianic task. What happened that day is the key to understanding Jesus' ministry, including His own radical message of the Kingdom of God. Check out this audio message if you would like to hear more about how this day in the life of Jesus ushered in the Kingdom of God.
David Cwir - The Time of God's Rule is at Hand
Understanding the Kingdom of God is absolutely crucial for understanding the teaching and ministry of Jesus (Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 4:23; Luke 4:43). Therefore, it is imperative for us to understand what the Kingdom of God means. Scripture tells us that Kingdom of God is in some way related to Jewish end time expectations and must be understood in terms of Jewish Messianic hopes. Check out this message if you would like to learn about the end time expectations that had arisen in Judaism before the time of John the Baptist and Jesus to provide a framework into which the New Testament concept of the Kingdom of God fits in. If you would like to learn more about the Kingdom of God, you can download this week’s sermon at the following link:
David Cwir - What is the Kingdom of God?
Everything about Jesus’ teaching and ministry has to do with the Kingdom of God. He speaks about it in every kind of saying (parables, admonitions, apocalyptic, beatitudes), and whenever the gospel writers summarize the ministry of Jesus they do so in terms of the Kingdom of God (Mark 1:14-15; Matthew 4:23; Luke 4:43). Yet the Kingdom of God is one of the most misunderstood concepts in the teachings of Jesus. If we are to “seek first His Kingdom” (Matthew 6:33) then it is essential that we understand what His Kingdom is. Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about the Kingdom of God, what it is, and what it meant to Jesus and the people living in His time.
David Cwir - This One thing is Needed: Intimacy with God
Jesus exhorts us all to be faithful during the time of His delay. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins in Mt. 25:1-13 emphasizes the need to stay connected with Holy Spirit to cultivate intimacy with Jesus. Through this parable, Jesus taught that it is foolish to neglect our intimacy with God during these times and that it is wise to cultivate it. We must keep our “lamps” filled with the oil of the Spirit! Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about the importance of cultivating intimacy with God along with some practical keys in how to do so.
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - The Key of David: A Man After God’s Own Heart
King David had such an intimate relationship with The Lord that he will forever be remembered as a man after God’s own heart: “God testified concerning him: ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do’ (Acts 13:22). If we want this to be God’s testimony of our lives when we meet Him face to face, then it would be good for us to ask the question: What was it that made David known by God as a man after His own heart? In this week’s message, I examine the life of David and discuss three major keys that made him a man after God’s own heart. If you would like to learn more about these keys from the life of David, you can download the message at the following link:
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - Understanding God’s Empowering Presence
From His conception to His resurrection, everything about Jesus Christ’s life and ministry was a result of the Spirit’s work: He was conceived by the Spirit (Lk. 1:35), He was led by the Spirit (Lk. 4:1), He was empowered to do ministry by the Spirit (Lk. 4:14-20; Acts 10:38), He spoke the Word of God by the Spirit (Jn. 3:34), He was raised from the dead by the Spirit (Rm. 8:11). Not only did Jesus delegate His authority to us, He also gave us the same power that He operated in through the Holy Spirit so that we could carry on His work until he returns. Check out this message if you would like to learn more about the Biblical mandate to live a Spirit-empowered life. You can listen to or download the message at the following link:
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - How to Know the Will of God
The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing, which is to be conformed to the image of Christ. As soon as Jesus was anointed by the Spirit, He immediately began being led by the Spirit (Luke 4:1-2). This is exactly what we are supposed to do as Christians: “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Romans 8:14). Jesus is our example of what it looks like to live life in the Spirit (Acts 10:38), and we are called to follow His example. Check out this week’s message for a Scriptural foundation on how to hear God’s voice, know God’s will, and be led by the Spirit:
David Cwir - The Sword of The Spirit (Prayer Keys from Paul the Apostle)
All three times the devil tempted Jesus, He used the shield of faith to extinguish the temptation and fought back with the sword of the Spirit (the word of God). If Jesus who was The Word had to take His stand on “It is Written…” how much more do we need to stand on “It is written…”? Check out this audio message to learn crucial keys from the prayers of Paul and the life of Christ on how to exercise the power and authority that Jesus bestowed upon all believers in a practical and effective way:
David Cwir - The Incomparably Great Power for Those Who Believe
As believer’s, Christ’s incomparably great power and authority belongs to us whether we realize it or not (Eph. 1:19). The value of our authority rests on the power that is behind that authority: God Himself is the power behind our authority! Believers who thoroughly understand that the power of God is backing them can exercise their authority and face the enemy fearlessly (Luke 10:19). But just knowing this isn't enough: It's knowledge acted upon that brings results. We have to do something with the authority that has been given to us. But what? Check out this audio message to learn crucial keys from the prayers of Paul and the life of Christ on how to exercise the power and authority that Jesus bestowed upon all believers in a practical and effective way.
David Cwir - A Biblical Basis for Divine Healing
Is it God’s will to heal the sick? Is the ministry of healing for all believers? If so, how do we heal the sick? In the Gospels, Jesus’ pattern was to preach that “the Kingdom of God has come near” and then demonstrate the reality of the Kingdom by ministering healing. In fact, the ministry of healing is such an important aspect of the gospel of the Kingdom that Jesus mandated that all of His disciples follow His example by healing the sick (Matthew 10:8). As followers of Christ, we need to know and understand our authority in Christ to heal the sick so that we can fully proclaim the gospel of Christ (Romans 15:19). Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about the Scriptural basis of divine healing and Scriptural principles about how to heal the sick.
David Cwir - The Prayer of Forgiveness (Mark 11.25, Mt. 6. 9-15, Lk. 11.4)
Ever wonder why Jesus tells us that Forgiveness is an important part of prayer? Jesus defines righteousness differently in the New Covenant: Everything we have received is a gift from God, and we must freely give unto others that which we have received. God accepts, forgives, secures, and loves us unconditionally, and we are now free to love people who wronged us the way God does; with unconditional forgiveness, kindness, and mercy. Ultimately, forgiveness is what lies at the heart of the gospel: Jesus dying for our sins is God's gracious heart of forgiveness. God granted us unlimited forgiveness and we are called to do the same “forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.” If you are interested in learning about the importance of forgiveness in the context of Jesus’ teachings on prayer, then you can download this audio message at the following link
David Cwir - Authority and the Prayer of Command
“How did Jesus pray?” In Scripture, Jesus’ prayers were often short, in the imperative tense of the verb (a command). This was especially the case when He was confronting the enemy and demonstrating the Kingdom of God (e.g., healing the sick). Jesus delegated His power and authority over the devil to all believers on the earth (Luke 10:19). But just knowing this isn't enough: It's knowledge acted upon that brings results! So, how do we exercise our authority in Christ? In the same way Jesus did: through the prayer of command in His Name (Mark 11:23). Check out this audio message if you would like to learn more about the authority of the believer and a Scriptural basis for the importance and effectiveness of the prayer of command:
David Cwir - Jesus Said: Ask, Seek, Knock
In one of His most extensive teachings on prayer, Jesus tells us that there are three crucial dimensions of prayer that are essential for getting answers. Check out this audio message to learn more about each of these three dimensions, and a Biblical basis for them that will revolutionize your prayer life if you implement them.
David Cwir - Ministering in the Power of the Holy Spirit
People can argue with words, but they can’t argue with an encounter! This is why Paul reminds us throughout Scripture that the message of the gospel is truth accompanied by experienced reality, “My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power” (1 Corinthians 2:4-5; see also 1 Cor 4:19-20; 1 Thess 1:4-5, Rom 15:17-19). Although the Gospel came in word (proclaimed truth), it did not come in word alone: God verified its truthfulness by a display of His power through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. You see this throughout Scripture as Paul’s Spirit-empowered word was regularly accompanied by Spirit-empowered miracles as well (e.g., Romans 15:18-19). It is this difference between Paul and us that is so radical that it explains a lot about our present condition in the West. We need to get back to Biblical Christianity and live like Jesus called us to live by the power of the Holy Spirit! If you would like to learn more about the importance on the ministry of the Holy Spirit, then check out this audio message at the following link:
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - Shamelessly Audacious Prayer (No Limits)
In one of Jesus' major teachings about prayer, He tells us that shameless audacity is an important key to getting them answered: “yet because of your shameless audacity he will surely get up and give you as much as you need” (Luke 11:8). Jesus also tells us that there are absolutely no limits with God when He declared that “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23). Check out this week’s message if you would like hear about the importance of believing God for the impossible, scriptural promises that will absolutely transform your life, and how to get breakthrough in your prayer life according to Jesus:
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - The Quest for the Radical Middle
There is a ditch on either side of the Path of Life. So, how do you stay on the path? The Bible is full of paradox and the truth is often found in the Radical Middle; which is the perfect balance between biblical truths in tension. The danger of not holding truth in tension is that we can end up in error and begin rationalizing away Scriptures that don’t conform to our understanding of the truth. God has these tensions intentionally in Scripture because “we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code” (Rom. 7:6). In other words, we rely on our relationship with Him and live by His Spirit, rather than by a written code. Check out this audio teaching to learn more about the Radical Middle and the importance of living your life in the Spirit, which is the key to staying on the Path of Life.
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
David Cwir - Storing Up Treasures in Heaven
Eternal rewards are a very important part of our eternal destiny. In fact, Jesus talked about eternal rewards more than any other person in the entire Bible. Why? Because “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:21). In other words, He knew that if we put the rewards before us as a goal for our life, that we would live for the eternal rather than for the temporal. Because of their importance, it should be one the passions of our life to take eternal rewards seriously and to know that if Jesus offered them, they are not irrelevant, idle, or meaningless: They are real and they mean a lot. If you would like to learn more about eternal rewards, why they are important, and how to invest in eternity, you can download this audio message at the following link:
*Please note that if you choose to listen to the message, it sometimes takes several seconds to start hearing the audio after you click on the play button. To download the file to your computer, simply click where it says "download" at the bottom right hand corner of the audio file.
