The Living Truth Fellowship

Stretching for the Lord

Who’da thunk that looking at a little word in the Bible like “stretch(ed)” would result in one of the simplest yet most powerful teachings you have ever heard? You don’t want to miss this one!

Biblically speaking, “faith” means trust, and the Word shows that the more faith we have, the more God and the Lord Jesus can do with, for, and in us. So how do we grow in faith?

In this electrifying teaching, John Lynn parallels growing in faith to stretching our muscles. If we do not stretch to the point of becoming uncomfortable, we will never expand our comfort zone. Ditto for increasing our faith; we must follow the examples of our Father and our Lord, each of whom stretched to the point of agony for our sake, and get out of our comfort zone for the sake of someone else.

Faith is the simplest thing God could require of man. It is how we access His power, and it is how we stand against the onslaught of the Enemy. Your faith can grow to the point that you do the works that Jesus Christ did. So get ready to stretch!

Tune In To God's Channel

Paul Knopf shares the Word, and the title of his teaching is "Tune In To God's Channel." Hearing the voice of our heavenly Father, who is Almighty God, is something we all greatly desire, and also often wonder about.

Paul addresses questions like: "Do you get static when you try to hear God's voice?" and "Do you know how to tune into God's channel?" This teaching shows you the characteristics of those in Scripture who listened well to God, and it will help you do the same.

A Mighty Fortress Is Our God

On the day after the USA’s national election, John Lynn’s teaching is titled, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God. We encourage you to join us and also invite your friends to watch and listen with you.

Of course, John’s teaching title comes from the name of the famous hymn written by Martin Luther, whose birthday will again be celebrated on November 10. It became known as “the Battle Hymn of the Reformation,” and he will read its inspiring words, which vividly reflect vital biblical truths.

No matter who wins any election, we know the Word of God says that all the systems of this world are under the influence of the Devil, and that he will eventually achieve his goal of a one-world government toward which he has been relentlessly striving since Genesis 10. But those working for him toward this end are fighting against OUR GOD, who is doing His best to buy us time to spread His Word.

Though we were born into a war zone and we live behind enemy lines, the GO(O)D NEWS is: WE HAVE THE VICTORY! And in the meantime, the Lord Jesus, our Commander-in-Chief has equipped us, and called us, to rescue as many people as possible, snatching them out of the fire. Let’s “redeem the time” God is giving us—together. This teaching magnifies both the finished work of our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the greatness of our God and Father.

Against All Odds

When you made Jesus Christ your Lord, your signed on to stand for Truth as he did, be persecuted as he was, and enjoy the rewards that he will enjoy. The extent to which you do the first of those is the extent to which each of the other two will also play out. Knowing the God he served was why Jesus totally trusted His Father all the way through the Cross. Knowing your God is the key to your faith touching His provision and allowing Him to be God for you.

The stirring account of a once-fearful man named Gideon leading God’s people to victory is filled with relevant insight as to how our Heavenly Father will work with us, patiently dealing with our weaknesses and fears. Knowing what each of us can do if we trust and obey Him, He has a vision for each of us that far surpasses how we see ourselves.

The record in Judges 6 & 7 shows us three steps to victory: 1) Get our spiritual priorities in order, 2) Stand together, heart-to-heart and shoulder-to-shoulder, 3) Fight the good fight. It also shows us how our courage can inspire those around us to “acquire the fire,” or re-kindle it.

The Biblical Motif: “This is War!”

Have you ever heard any of the following statements about God?

• He is in control of everything on earth.
• He either causes or allows all things.
• He can do whatever He wants.
• All things are part of His Master Plan.

If those statements are true, don’t you think that makes God hard to love?

Thank God that He has committed Himself to mankind in writing, telling us exactly what He will do and what He won’t do. He has also committed Himself to us in the person of Jesus Christ, the Living Word, who showed us what the will of God is in regard to evil and the human suffering it causes.

This teaching clearly shows that the theme and backdrop of Scripture is a cosmic war between God and the Devil, one that began long before Adam and Eve made the scene. It also shows why there is no specific reference to Satan in the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament). It shows what Jesus Christ said and did to reveal the Devil as the source of all evil, AND how he revolted against Satan’s sickening status quo on earth.

Let Us Pray: To Whom? What? Why? When? Where? How?

Other than knowing the Word of God, which defines every aspect of our spiritual lives, PRAYER is the “bottom line” of our walk with the Lord Jesus and our heavenly Father through this minefield known as “life.”

• But what is prayer and how do we pray?
• What is God’s goal for us in prayer?
• Why was Jesus Christ so committed to prayer?
• Why did the Apostle Paul say we should “pray without ceasing”?
• If God already knows what we need, why do we need to pray for things?
• Can we pray to both God and the Lord Jesus?
• Is there a best time or place to pray?
• What is the shortest and simplest prayer there is?

These are some of the questions this teaching answers from the Word of God. Prayer is really about comm-UNI-cating (becoming ONE with) God and the Lord Jesus Christ. It is a major key to intimacy with our Father and our Big Brother.

Dealing With The Sin That Dwells Within

The circumstances of life for most people in this fallen world are indescribably bad, and if they do not know Jesus Christ, what hope do they have? As Christians, we are not exempt from such circumstantial challenges. The difference is that we have The Hope of everlasting life in Paradise with lots of great folks, and the daily hope that God and the Lord Jesus will help us surmount life’s obstacles.

BUT, as Romans 7:17 informs us, each of us has a MAJOR PROBLEM: ”…the sin that dwells within us.” HUH??? Yep, we each inherited Adam’s self-dominated sinful nature, and it is gross.

This teaching will show you how to “reckon the old man dead and walk in newness of life.” To deal with the sin dwelling in you, you must diligently dig into the cesspool of self in order to identify and then behaviorally root out the nuances of sin that are woven into the fabric of both your nature (genetics) and how you were nurtured.

But that is a terrifying challenge for those who want to like Jesus because the sin nature is indescribably ugly, and it is relentless in its attempt to dominate our lives. I will not face it, meet it head-on, and plow through it unless I am certain of my RIGHTEOUSNESS IN CHRIST.

Don’t miss this most practical sharing about WHO YOU ARE IN CHRIST and the limitless grace of God in which you can live.

Patience: The Bottom Line of Love

Do you have a driver’s license? Do you ever have to interact with live humans? If the answer to either or both of those questions is “Yes,” you need patience. 1 Corinthians 13:4 shows that patience is the Number One quality of true love. After reading the last sentence, you may well be exclaiming, “Oh no, I’m sunk!” Well, John Lynn can readily identify with you, and in this teaching he shows the root of impatience and the godly basis of patience for the Christian. John sets forth the biblical definition of patience as found in four different Greek words translated as such, and he shows how you can relate to trials and afflictions so as to build patience. He shows both the short-term and long-term aspects of patience, and that knowing Jesus “has your back” is the key to manifesting this fruit of the spirit. This is a most practical and liberating teaching.

Eat, Drink, and Remember

This teaching sets forth one of the most practical keys given in the Bible as to how to maintain one’s fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ. It examines the comparison between eating and drinking physical food and “eating” and “drinking” spiritual food. It shows how the record in John 6 (“All you can eat!”) clearly lays the groundwork to understand what Jesus meant at “the last supper” when he told his disciples to remember him whenever they ate or drank. It shows how the early Church did this regularly at mealtimes, rather than in a special ceremony.

Life is Looking Up

God, the Author of life, designed man to live it looking up to Him for all good things. Satan, God's enemy, constantly tries to get people to focus on the circumstances around them and/or the weaknesses within them. The way we look to God is to focus on the written Word, which makes known Jesus Christ, the living Word.

What Is Faith

This is an enlightening exposition of one of the most critical and most misunderstood aspects of the Christian "faith." Despite much theology to the contrary, God is not running a giant puppet show, but rather works with us in a reciprocal relationship, and faith is the simplest thing He could require of us. Without faith on our part, God cannot do what only He as God can do. But when our "say-so" lines up with His "say-so" (His promises), Cha-ching!

Giving God Something To Work With

Jesus Christ separates Christianity from "religion" because he showed the world that God wants genuine, reciprocal RELATIONSHIP with human beings, to the end that we "co-labor-ate" with Him in achieving as many of His goals for mankind as possible. If, in regard to the untruths Satan promotes, we ask, "Why the lie?", and let Scripture answer the question, we will discover the practical disadvantage to our lives that comes from believing the lies.

The Holy Spirit: Who? What? When? How? Why?

One of the most critical, and most misunderstood, topics in Christianity today is "the Holy Spirit." Very few Christians understand the difference between (1) God, the Giver, the "Holy Spirit" and (2) the gift of holy spirit that He gives each person at the moment he is born again. This has led to rampant confusion in Christendom, with harmful effects to many sincere believers. The gift of holy spirit is not only a Christian's guarantee of everlasting life in the age to come, it is also his power source for living in this fallen world. This teaching answers all the above questions about this vital subject.

Heat Heart Hope

The Thessalonian church was born amidst great conflict during Paul's brief stay recorded in Acts 16. His ensuing letters to the brethren there are filled with great heart and pathos based upon the camaraderie he shared with them, even after being with them only a short while--21 days max. To give them hope, Paul addresses the critical topic of the coming again of Jesus Christ, and in so doing debunks some of the same errors still being taught in the Church today. He clearly delineates between the coming of Christ in the air FOR all Christians (the "Rapture") and the coming of Christ to the earth WITH all Christians at the end of the Tribulation and the beginning of the Millennial Kingdom. He plainly shows that the Christian Church, the Body of Christ, is now blocking the Anti-Christ from rising to power on the earth, and that Christ's rescue of all Christians must occur before that terrible time.

The Power Of An Indestructible Life

Jesus Christ is the lynchpin of God's plan to save all men who choose life over death. As such, he had to step into the abyss of death and trust God to raise him to everlasting life. Jesus based his trust upon the written revelation of the Old Testament, where he learned who he was, what his mission was, and what he would receive for carrying it out. Because Jesus faced and conquered death, He will one day raise from death unto life all those who have believed in him as the Redeemer of mankind. In the meantime, he is the Head of a worldwide Body of believers, each equipped to leave an impact similar to his own.

Were On A Mission From God

To what degree Jake and Elwood Blues were "on a mission from God" is suspect, but there is no question that the Body of Christ, composed of every Christian on earth, is on a mission from God. What is that mission, as defined by God and Christ, and how do we carry it out? This teaching elaborates upon two general "mission statements" given us by Jesus Christ and the Apostle Paul, and three more specific ones from the same source, as found in Paul's epistles. We will see how those three correspond to the essential doctrines of the Christian faith and to the triumvirate of faith, hope, and love. Has the Christian Church successfully carried out its mission, or has Satan so distorted its understanding of these critical doctrines to the degree that the vast majority of people on earth have yet to hear the Good News in its purest form? Tune in and find out.

Mortified By Death

Is the thought of death far and away the most repulsive thing you can think of? If not, you might want to re-consider your definition of that surprisingly misunderstood word. You might want to look more deeply into what GOD says about it, given that His favorite bumper sticker is the one we sell in our online store: DEATH SUCKS!

Jesus Christ was mortified by the thought of death, especially his own. That’s why he so agonized in Gethsemane. He realized that if he gave up his life and stepped into the bottomless abyss of death, he would no longer exist, unless God kept His promise to raise him from the dead. AND HE DID!

Early on, Satan offered mankind his definition of death: “No such thing” (Gen. 3:4). Sad to say, his original lie is “alive and well” in Christianity today, so much so that world-famous Christian leaders refer to death as a “graduation” or “going home to be with the Lord.” In fact, there is more “passing” going on at funeral parlors than in the NFL. Speaking of sports, athletic events often hinge upon which competitors’ dead relatives can provide them the most help, and you often see athletes pointing upward to thank them after a key play.

How and why does Satan’s original lie in Genesis minimize the accomplishments of Jesus Christ and dilute the glory of resurrection life? What are the practical consequences of believing that lie? How are the words “heaven” and “hell” used in the Bible? How does Hell actually freeze over? Join us for this enlightening and enriching teaching!

Jesus Christ’s Autobiography

Jesus Christ is the subject of the Bible from Genesis 3:15 to Revelation 22:21, but there are only four sections that could be called “biographical.” Actually, they are auto-biographical, as it was he who by revelation gave his four friends what he wanted them to say about his unique life.

Only in “The Four Gospels” do Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John take us up close and personal with The Man of God’s dreams, and ours. Thus it behooves us to study these records diligently, expecting our Lord Jesus to make himself known to us just as he did for those who walked and talked with him.

Why are there four different accounts of Christ’s life? What facet of Jesus’ life does each one emphasize? What is the key Hebrew word in the Old Testament that unlocks the answer to those questions?

As the announcer introducing each 1950’s TV episode of The Lone Ranger used to say, “Return with us now to those thrilling days of yesteryear.” Well, Jesus Christ was the true “Lone Ranger,” and as John Lynn expounds upon excerpts from each of the Gospels, your heart will be thrilled as the exploits of the Son of God come alive for you.

The True Lover of Your Soul

This teaching is money. It magnifies Jesus Christ, The Living Truth, who is your one and only true love, your everlasting Valentine. It was Jesus who defined love for mankind by showing us what he learned from his Father, God, who so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son.

• What does the Bible say about the relationship between God and Jesus?
• How was Jesus’ earthly ministry a “preview of coming attractions”?
• Why in the Old Testament does God refer to men (including His coming Son) as “gods”?
• Who will raise from the dead all people who have ever lived, judge them all, destroy the wicked, and bring to earth a restored Paradise—God or Jesus?
• How many times is the word “Lord” used in the Church Epistles, and how often does it refer to God?
• Why is Jesus God’s favorite subject?
• What is Jesus doing now, as “Lord” and Head of the Body, the Church? All these questions, and more, are answered in this thrilling exposition of the precision and magnificence of God’s wonderful Word.

Jesus Christ, Our Captain

The epistle to the “Hebrews” was written early on to formerly Jewish converts to Christianity. God’s goal was to show the Jews that the promised Messiah in the Old Testament had to suffer and die, and that Jesus of Nazareth was The Man of whom all the Messianic prophecies spoke.

As we go through some fabulous excerpts in Hebrews, we’ll see the focus on JESUS CHRIST as the perfect reflection of God’s heart, the supreme sacrifice, the mediator of a better covenant to Israel (and the high priest thereof), the ultimate example of faith, and the one who will help us stand for God amidst the trials of life.

The epistle to the Hebrews begins and ends with Jesus Christ, the Captain of our salvation. He is the one we follow to achieve maturity through faith-full obedience to the will of God no matter the circumstances or the cost. That is the theme of this teaching.

Jesus Christ is The Man, the Lover of our souls, our Player/Coach, our Mentor in the art of faith, and our CAPTAIN. He is the Lord of our past, our present, and our future. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.