Truth Encounter: Weekly Message Podcast

Needed-Shepherds (I Peter 5:1-7)

Dave Wyrtzen — 8 November 2009 19:30:28 GMT

With his hat pulled down, chaps protecting his legs, and a bandana around his neck—there’s something captivating about the cowboy moving slowly through his herd. Unlike the movie cowboys, real cowboys seldom gallop. They trot and then they walk. You have to move slow to take in every detail of the health of the herd. Sheep are a lot dumber and not nearly as glamorous to take care of, but the Apostle Peter calls for shepherds, not cowboys, to take care of Christ's sheep. Why?

Is It Worth the Cost? (I Peter 4:12-19)

Dave Wyrtzen — 1 November 2009 19:30:28 GMT

He borrowed someone else’s donkey just to make it to one of his biggest engagements. Jesus promises me that if I will follow Him I can count on being misunderstood by most religious leaders and viewed as an insignificant bother by political elders. I should expect to be lied about, cursed, and possibly even discarded along with the criminals. Faced with joining the rich and famous or this humble Servant, have you ever asked, “Why should I follow Him?”

The Surprise Attack (I Peter 4:1-11)

Dave Wyrtzen — 25 October 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Surprise attacks! Down through the centuries the element of surprise has played a powerful role in determining who wins and who loses on the battlefield. Today, you could be facing a formidable foe seeking to snuff out your life or the life of your family. You might be totally unaware of his designs against you, but Peter skillfully uncovers the plot of the evil one against us in 1 Peter 4:1-11.

Free From Harm (I Peter 3:13-22)

Dave Wyrtzen — 18 October 2009 19:30:28 GMT

A suspected terrorist pushed the button on what he thought would turn one of the glass towers in Dallas to rubble. Unemployment is at 10%, and Afghanistan is calling for more troops. If that weren't enough the regular flu and the swine flu scare us to death. What are you afraid of? In this week's Truth Encounter the Apostle Peter tells us not only how to conquer our fears but also how to use frightening times as a platform for bold witness.

Good Days Bad Days (I Peter 3:8-13)

Dave Wyrtzen — 11 October 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Do you ever come home and sigh—“Man, am I glad that day is over?” All of us have some good days and some bad, but let’s suppose there was a way to multiply the good ones. Could it be basking in the Hawaiian sun, alone—the perfect climate and no chance of getting into an argument? Want to learn more? Listen to our study of 1 Peter 3.8-13.

How Do You Handle a Woman? (I Peter 3:7)

Dave Wyrtzen — 4 October 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Men have been trying to figure out how to do this for years. Some follow false leads and fail miserably and others simply give up trying. The Apostle Peter, a Galilean fisherman, has had much to tell us about life reality and now he plunges into one of the deepest enigmas of human existence –How is a man supposed to handle a woman?

More Than Maybelline (I Peter 3:1-6)

Dave Wyrtzen — 27 September 2009 19:30:28 GMT

As a woman, do you really believe that a plastic surgeon can cut enough to make you beautiful forever? The Apostle Peter gets blasted for being a male chauvinist and on par with a Muslim conservative when it comes to what he says about the role of woman, but if you will just take 30 minutes, you might discover the most powerful kind of persuasion there is when it comes to dealing with a hostile audience. And it doesn't work just for ladies who want to influence their man.

That’s Not Fair (I Peter 2:18-24)

Dave Wyrtzen — 20 September 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Do you ever feel life’s not fair? Your simply are not getting a fair shake! You want to give your boss, your mom or dad or just someone a piece of your mind? Before your charge in with your fist clenched ready to throw a punch to defend yourself, take a good look at some strange, but in the long run, powerful advice about dealing with personal injustice.

Faith Comes By Hearing (II Timothy 3:11-15)

Dave Wyrtzen — 13 September 2009 19:30:28 GMT

What would it be like to actually hear God's voice? Moses experienced this at the burning bush and Israel heard God thunder the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai. What if I told you that you could have access to God's voice any time you want? This week discover where and how you can hear the voice of God.

Unsalted Nuts

Dave Wyrtzen — 7 Septebmer 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Pastor Terrance Ford is the Senior Pastor of Greater Macedonia Baptist Church in Dallas. He is married to Crystal and graduated from Dallas Seminary with a Th.M. in 2007. He is the founder of an evangelistic ministry called "Disciple for LIfe" and is a published author. The title of his message is "Unsalted Nuts" and he challenges us from Matthew 5:13 to be the salt that Jesus saved us to be.

Grandfather's Gift (Genesis 48)

Dave Wyrtzen — 30 August 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Maybe abandonment by your earthly dad has made you angry and spilled over into your relationship with your heavenly Dad. The life of Joseph may renew your trust in your heavenly Father who is waiting right now to give you all the love your heart was created for. It would be wise for us to go to the bedside of an aged grandfather not to receive a handout, but with open ears to hear what life has taught him about the true wealth of life.

Celebrate Christmas Away From Home (Genesis 47)

Dave Wyrtzen — 23 August 2009 19:30:28 GMT

The debate about health care intensifies and the threat of having to increase taxes threatens to derail almost any plan. When I initially read about Joseph's 20 % tax in Genesis 47, I used to think it was exorbitant. Now I believe I'd rather go back to God's 10% rule. Taxes are not all that Moses has on his mind in Genesis 47. Join us as we seek to discover how Jacob, Joseph's bereaved dad, finally found an incredible gift deep in the heart of Egypt.

The Family Reunion (Genesis 45-46)

Dave Wyrtzen — 16 August 2009 19:30:28 GMT

All of us know that family get togethers for birthdays and holidays should be times that we look forward to. Why are family reunions sometimes filled with such stress? The family in Genesis 45 is famous for its godliness. The father is one of the most spiritual men in the Old Testament, yet the inner dynamics of this household are a mess. For 20 years in the house of Jacob, Father's Days had turned to dreary drizzle and a bloody secret plagued his sons. Will this charade continue?

Jealousy, Pride, Or Self Sacrifice (Genesis 43-44)

Dave Wyrtzen — 9 August 2009 19:30:28 GMT

It could be that you have become infected with a green internal virus that will eat your heart out. If it’s been a while since you considered jealousy's potential for agony, listen to the truth about its effects on Joseph's family for more than 20 years.

Legacy Of A Guilty Conscience (Genesis 42)

Dave Wyrtzen — 2 August 2009 19:30:28 GMT

When the doors are closed, the masks come off and the foreboding of unresolved issues haunts every room. Unhealthy families can be unhealthy in a million different ways. Genesis 42 exposes a dysfunctional family who played the "Lets Pretend Everything Is Okay" game for more than 20 years. The Lord will not allow “family secrets” to remain secrets forever. He lovingly begins to take off the bandages so He can get at the infection.

Butcher, Baker, Destiny Maker (Genesis 40)

Dave Wyrtzen — 24 May 2009 19:30:28 GMT

The magic of computerized video has made it possible to mix real and manufactured images so that only the director knows for sure. This high powered technology is taking us into a new era, but human beings have been specialists in covering up what is really going on inside since the beginning of time. Most of us remember that Joseph ended up ruling over Pharaoh’s house, but few of us remember that his ascent to the throne began by a simple act of reading the faces of two fellow prisoners. As we go about our busy lives, are we too busy to look into eyes and see the down turn of lips, and take an hones look into another’s soul?

The Boss' Wife (Genesis 39)

Dave Wyrtzen — 17 May 2009 19:30:28 GMT

“Infidelity—It May Be In Your Genes” This was a TIME magazine cover story that preached it was to man’s evolutionary advantage to sow his seeds far and wide, but still had the audacity to close with a plea for us to act as “moral animals” –that is to act with foresight and judgment. No wonder divorce, child abuse, and fractured families infect in epidemic proportions. It is time to get back to some solid roots—a Biblical view that presents solid reasons for purity. Can a handsome young man resist the advances of an available, aggressive attractive woman?

Roots of the Messiah (Genesis 38)

Dave Wyrtzen — 10 May 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Amazing grace in the midst of violence and sex? Sounds like a section of the Bible that is not usually covered in a sweet, sedate Sunday morning urge to good living. The truth of the matter is we all tend to make messes in life and walk away from skillful principles, making serious mistakes. How does God relate to these prodigals and bring glory to Himself in the messes?

Joseph at 17 (Genesis 37)

Dave Wyrtzen — 3 May 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Homes are not about fairness! They are about grace! As long as you stay angry at your parents for all the mistakes they made--maybe favoritism, hypocrisy, work-aholism--you’ll never escape your childhood legacies. The truth is, no one has a perfect family and Genesis 37 takes us into the real world of family relationships. Contrary to popular opinion, the Bible tells is exactly the way it is.

It's Time to Pray (I Timothy 2:1-8)

Dave Wyrtzen — 26 Apr 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Job loss, threats of war, family crises, health issues: in the discouragement of the present crisis, have you found yourself muttering, What can I do? What can we do? It’s time to pray! No, don’t jump so fast to-- We need to do a lot more than just pray! We do need to do more than just pray. We need to act. But in 1 Timothy 2:1-8 the Apostle Paul commands that our first priority is to pray.

Resurrection Life Right Now! (Colossians 3:1-15)

19 Apr 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Psycho is just a movie, but in real life a lot of us are dragging around an old, decaying corpse and acting in a duel personality. This is crazy and produces deadly results in our lives and a stench in society. In Colossians 3 the Apostle Paul exhorts us to stop letting an old corpse stink up our lives. Instead, he challenges us to remember that resurrection is not just something that happened to Jesus on Easter Sunday. Resurrection power is available to transform our attitudes and actions today.

Seen a Ghost? (Luke 24: 36-48)

12 Apr 2009 19:30:28 GMT

From the present vampire craze among the young girls to the TV program, Ghost Whisperer, the paranormal and connections with spirits beyond physical life is definitely back in in our culture. Were the resurrection appearances of Jesus in the 1st Century just an early manifestation of these "I've seen a ghost" stories? Turn to Luke 24:36 ff and let's discover why a 1st Century doctor placed so much emphasis on a broiled fish.

Forgiveness in the Gospel (Matthew 26:26-30)

5 Apr 2009 19:30:28 GMT

The G-20 Economic Conference in London this week has riveted world attention. The Stock Market responded by going up. The world leaders returned home, and now we will all live happily ever after. Hardly! Global problems require global solutions. But do we even have a clue about what the real global problem is?

The Divine Divorce (Hosea 2)

29 Mar 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Nothing turned his wife away from her wandering, and as their case finally came up in the divorce court, it was not going to be friendly. His wife hated him, loved her new life style, and made it clear she wanted to get as far away from him as she could. "God hates divorce," but have you ever thought about the possibility that He hates it so much because He has experienced it? Turn to Hosea two and let’s listen to what an inspired Old Testament prophet has to say about God’s divorce case against Israel.

Unloading the Pain of Guilt (Psalm 32)

Dave Wyrtzen — 22 Mar 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Can guilt makes us physically ill? Psychology has demonstrated that that there is a connection between our emotions and our physical well-being, but few ever mention that there could be a connection between the effects of sin on both our body and our mental state. Can the pain of guilt be a good thing? What's the remedy when we actually have sinned? On this week's Truth Encounter an adulterer and a murderer testifies how he found relief from guilt.

Guilty Brothers, A Remorseful King, and A Sacrificial Ruler (Genesis 50; Exodus 10, 32)

Dave Wyrtzen — 1 Mar 2009 19:30:28 GMT

"I’ll never forgive you!" " You’re going to pay for this." " Why don’t you just let it go?" "Please, forgive me!" " How can I be forgiven and give forgiveness? Is there a way to restore relationship with the person you have wronged? Suppose they don’t want to let go of their resentment? Suppose they continue to pour out retribution against you. Today we begin a new series titled The Cross and the Empty Tomb: Forgiveness and Power for Real Change by going back to check out what Moses had to say about forgiveness as he introduces the subject for discussion at the heart of a powerful story about guilty brothers who are scared to death that it is pay back time.

Daniel: A Look Back

Dave Wyrtzen — 1 Mar 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Here are twelve chapters packed with great stories and mysterious prophesies. The point of it all is to answer the question-Who will be the King of the Mountain in the End? Want to know how to put the entire Book of Daniel together in a few minutes and discover the answer to this question?

Daniel: The Conclusion (Daniel 12:4-13)

Dave Wyrtzen — 1 Mar 2009 19:30:28 GMT

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks! Facebook was designed in 2004 ago as a social network for college kids. It’s the over 30 crowd who are its fastest growing demographic. See! You can teach a lot of old dogs new tricks, but the dog you can’t teach can be old or young. It’s the proud dog! The prophet Daniel concludes his prophecy with "but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand." Is Daniel saying that these folks never had a chance and that there is no point in trying to reach them? Let’s see if we can unseal some of the truth that Daniel sealed up when he put the clay closure on his parchment scroll.

Resurrection (Daniel 12:1-4)

Dave Wyrtzen — 22 Feb 2009 19:30:28 GMT

You're trying to serve Jesus, live according to His will, and yet everything in life seems to have turned out badly. You lose your job while a deceitful fellow worker gets a promotion. Your neighbor who parties looks great even at forty. You’ve faithfully worked out daily for years and discover at forty five that you have breast cancer. What does our Heavenly Father have to say to us when being part of His family doesn’t look like such a good deal? Turn to Daniel 12:1-4 and let's ask whether or not God will make things right in the end.

Angels and Demons: Michael vs. Antichrist (Daneil 11:36-12:3)

Dave Wyrtzen — 15 Feb 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Every good story has angels and demons--the good guys vs. the bad guys. For example, Dan Brown even titles his latest work to come to the big screen Angels and Demons. The catch is: How do you decide who is good and who is bad? God tells the ultimate Angels vs. Demons story in Daniel 11:36- 12:3 and He does know who is good and who is bad. Whose side are you on?

Becoming Teammates for Life (Eph. 2:1-10)

8 Feb 2009 19:30:28 GMT

Team work in our marriage is much more important than the teams we watched on Super Bowl Sunday. Often there is deadness in our marriages that all the psychological “brooms” in the world can’t sweep up or cure. In order to become teammates in eternal love we must face this terminal illness in our relationship and go to someone who has the power to raise the dead. Ephesians 2:1-10 reveals the only One who can give new life to the deadest marriage.

Intrigue, War, and God’s Hand (Daniel 11:1-35)

Dave Wyrtzen — 2 Feb 2009 03:15:25 GMT

Do you like war movies? From John Wayne in The Alamo to Tom Hanks in Saving Private Ryan, one thing I would never say about war movies is that they are boring. Filled with flags, canons, explosions, and life and death confrontations—how could they ever be boring? Yet when we turn to Daniel 11, a chapter filled with three hundred years of battles between the East and West and the North and South, it doesn't even give you the names of the Kings and Generals. Maybe God has a good reason not to tell the history of the world from Cyrus the Great to Antiochus Epiphanes in riveting dramatic narrative.

Stunned by an Angel (Daniel 10)

Dave Wyrtzen — 26 Jan 2009 03:15:25 GMT

When God's people blow it, how do you react? It's easy to sit around a table in a cafe and get into one of those downer sessions, "And they call themselves Christians!" "It's never been this bad!" "Back in the good old days!" Five hundred years before Christ, it was a bad time for God's people. Most of them had not returned to rebuild Jerusalem and the Temple. Those who did had fallen down on the job, and those still living in Babylon had simply joined the pagans. How did the Prophet Daniel respond and how did God respond?

Israelis vs Palestinians—The Core Problem (Daniel 9:20-27)

Dave Wyrtzen — 19 Jan 2009 03:15:25 GMT

The economic analysts describe the stench of poverty and corruption that plagues Gaza, political analysts sift through the history and catalogue the attempts at peace in the Middle East, but the angry cries to fight to the death continue. Few ask the deeper question raised by a 1st Century Jew named James, “What causes conflicts and disputes among you? Where do they come from?” The prophet Daniel answered this question in Daniel chapter 9. Down on his face Daniel confessed his sin and the sins of his people. God responded and sent Gabriel, a powerful angel, to reveal God’s answer to the problem of Jerusalem and His Jewish people. Let’s join Daniel on our knees in confession and listen to God’s answer.

Antiochus IV (Daniel 8:15ff)

Dave Wyrtzen — 24 Nov 2008 00:00:41 GMT

All it takes is three numbers 666 in a movie title and you’ve got a blockbuster. The mention of Antichrist conjures up foreboding visions of an ultimate, arrogant, violent tyrant, and in my own life time everyone from JFK to Krushchev and others were identified as this Man of Sin. A little less than 200 years before Jesus an Old Testament Antichrist already strutted across the pages of history. Daniel 8 spends only a few lines to describe the entire career of Alexander the Great but many verses to focus our attention on this little known Syrian. What does Daniel teach us about persevering through times when it seems as if God has disappeared from our history and it looks like evil is going to win?

Antiochus: The Old Testament Antichrist (Daniel 8:1-15)

Dave Wyrtzen — 16 Nov 2008 23:20:22 GMT

Animal fights rivet your attention, but the battle that Daniel saw between a ram and a he-goat predicted the result of a world war between Persia and Greece. Then he looked into the future of his Jewish people and saw the rise of a king who thought he could stop the holy sacrifices in Jerusalem and strut all the way to heaven. He was wrong. As we join Daniel to observe the hot war between ancient Greece and Persia, and the ensuing rise and fall of world powers, what do we learn about the conflicts between nations, and God’s point of view on the struggle?

The Ultimate Candidate (Daniel 7:15-28)

Dave Wyrtzen — 10 Nov 2008 00:14:41 GMT

I bet 90% of your conversations this week were about politics, and certainly the newscasts can’t stop speculating about the next U.S. presidency. But the most that Obama could govern in Washington is eight years. Daniel talks about a Candidate who will rule forever, and if you unite with Him, you, too, will rule with Him. What do we need to do to insure that we are on the winning side when the End comes?

The Man Who Will Promise You the World (Daniel 7:8-14; 20-28: 11:36-45)

Dave Wyrtzen — 19 Jan 2009 03:15:25 GMT

The Antichrist. Millions will applaud and follow him. Those who refuse to join the juggernaut of success will be eliminated. His claim to world dominion will present the ultimate challenge to the King of Kings, and each of us must choose who our champion will be—a humble servant riding on a common donkey or a powerful, gifted ruler riding a wave of power and materialistic promises. Daniel nine speaks of a humble Prince who will be cut off and have nothing and a successful, conquering prince who will be invincible and appear to have everything. You have to decide who you will give your ultimate loyalty to.

Jesus and the Beast (Daniel 7:10-14)

Dave Wyrtzen — 2 Nov 2008 23:15:06 GMT

I was raised fearing the Bear—Russia—and the British Empire was the Lion. Even our two political parties present themselves as an elephant and a donkey. The same thing was true in the Ancient World, and as we open up our Bibles to Daniel 7 to begin the prophetic section of the book, we are in the midst of a hurricane at sea. Looking out through the storm, four beasts emerge in succession out of the waves. Then our eyes are directed away from the tumult at sea to a sedate but fiery scene where a throne is set up, books are open, and judgment is pronounced.

Taming the Lions (Daniel 6:11-28)

Dave Wyrtzen — 26 Oct 2008 23:16:39 GMT

Old Adirondack bear traps are treacherous. So are the traps the Evil One sets against us when we spend personal time with God daily and then live openly for Him in the marketplace. Turn back to Daniel 6 which records the famous “Daniel in the Lions’ Den” story, and pick it up at verse 11. Daniel’s enemies have set their trap against Daniel. They have caught him in the act of disobeying the command to worship only the Persian King. It’s time to deliver their prey to death.

Sleeping With the Lions (Daniel 6)

Truth Encounter-Dave Wyrtzen — 12 Oct 2008 23:52:01 GMT

Do you ever feel like everyone is trying to take a bite out of your life? This week in Dallas many teachers lost their jobs. Many of my contractor friends haven't been able to start a new house in months and things aren't supposed to improve until Spring, if then. Several of my brothers and sisters in our church here in Midlothian, TX aren't worried about the financial crisis because their personal health crisis is far greater. Can you have peace and sleep in your lion's den? Daniel slept in his. How did he do it?

The Writings on the Wall (Daniel 5)

Dave Wyrtzen — 5 Oct 2008 22:46:11 GMT

Belshazzar was Nebuchadnezzar’s son. He should have learned that his father’s pride and defiant idolatry against the true God cost him seven years of sanity. Instead, in Daniel 5, we enter a Babylonian party where the sacred goblets from the destroyed Temple in Jerusalem are being used to drown the fear of the Babylonians and to praise their impotent gods on the very night when the Persian army was poised to end their revelry forever.

Madness on the Throne (Daniel 4)

Dave Wyrtzen — 28 Sep 2008 22:24:01 GMT

What a week! Does anyone in Washington or New York actually know what’s going on? It might all work out in the end for all of us tax payers, but if ever we needed to consider that maybe it is sheer madness to think that we are in control and that there is an expert somewhere who has the answers, this is the time. In the 6th Century BC Nebuchadnezzar believed he had the answers. He had built a powerful economic system and an invincible military machine. He believed he was King of the Mountain. Was he in touch with reality? Are we?

Bow or Burn (Daniel 3)

Dave Wyrtzen — 22 Sep 2008 05:49:57 GMT

"Toleration" can mean that you must accept all morals and spiritual viewpoints as equally valid. To actually believe that you are connected with the ultimate God who is there is the height of arrogance and pride. Apply this kind of thinking to the fiery furnace account in Daniel 3. Is it a progressive, contextualized understanding of how things have changed to go ahead and bow before Nebuchadnezzar's god, especially when you consider that the Temple in Jerusalem has just been burned to the ground and Babylon now rules the world? Listen and learn from Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

The Dream of Destiny (Daniel 2:24-49)

Dave Wyrtzen — 15 Sep 2008 01:53:37 GMT

Fear is a bad decision maker, and the fear that life as we know it will soon end is one of our greatest fears. The “gods” of earth, including the physicists, might be able to get some correct info about what happened soon after the beginning and even reveal the elementary children’s blocks God used to create this present time-space-matter world. What they can’t tell us is how history will end, and more importantly, who will sit on the throne in the last chapter. These are the questions that only God can answer, and He chose to do just that in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of destiny.

Reveal the Dream or Die (Daniel 2:1-24)

Dave Wyrtzen — 7 Sep 2008 22:33:45 GMT

We can be driving along a smooth road in life on a clear sunny day. The blue sky seems to stretch forever when suddenly we have a flat tire, storm clouds gather, and a blue sky turns to rain and then sleet. How do you react when you face life’s threatening storms? In Daniel 2 Nebuchadnezzar explodes in anger against not only Daniel, but all of his wise men and threatens to murder the entire lot. How did this young seventeen year old respond just out of Babylonian grad school? What can we learn about how to handle the situation when someone explodes in rage and threatens us?

The Attempted Brainwash (Daniel 1)

Dave Wyrtzen — 2 Feb 2009 03:04:46 GMT

As believers in the 21st Century, Daniel teaches us not to isolate ourselves from the world, or be assimilated by the world, but to bring redemption to our world by living out our faith in the world. This week you will face the “brain washing” pressures that Daniel faced. Pressure to give in to idolatry, to compromise your moral values, to go along with the “system.” Will you dare to be a Daniel?