A Few Minutes with God

Christian Harvest: Planting Seeds of Faith in a Hurting World What is a Christian harvest, and what part are we meant to play in it? Fall is harvest time. After the hard work of planting, nurturing, and tending, the crops come in. Felice Gerwitz loves the season, even where she lives, where everything stays green all year. There are fall decorations, changing leaves, and pumpkin everything. The spiritual harvest is the harvest of souls for Christ. As a young Christian, Felice wanted to share the good news and see the results. She soon learned that reaping the harvest was never her job. Only the Lord reaps. Our job is to plant the seeds and share the wonderful works of the Lord with a hurting world that is hungry for good news. In this episode, Felice turns to Luke 10, where Jesus sends out the seventy-two, two by two. Most of us can’t leave everything behind and go door to door. But there are other ways to labor in the harvest, and the first one is prayer. Felice tells how repair people working in her home opened up about walking away from church or from faith altogether. Instead of offering solutions, she asked if she could pray with them. Some rededicated their lives to God. Others said, “not right now.” All she could do was plant the seed. Felice also shares the story of an atheist who became a Christian. As a ten-year-old, she was pressured to “accept Jesus” by adults who used fear and threats. To her they seemed angry and judgmental, and that kept her away from faith for years. The lesson for us: invite with openness and love, never intimidation. Felice closes with Malachi 3 and the refining of our hearts. When we truly encounter Jesus, His love overflows and is too hard to contain. We are called to love, to listen, and to be faithful and bold witnesses, especially now, when so many people are sad, afraid, and confused, and ready to turn their hearts back to God. In This Episode You’ll Hear What a “Christian harvest” really means: the harvest of souls for Christ Why we plant the seeds, and only the Lord reaps the harvest Jesus sending out the seventy-two in Luke 10, and what that looks like today Prayer as the first way to labor in the harvest How Felice prays with people who share their struggles with faith An atheist’s story, and why fear and intimidation push people away from Christ Being refined like silver and gold (Malachi 3) Why listening is one of the greatest gifts you can give Why hard times are often harvest times, when hardened hearts turn back to God Ways to Labor in the Harvest Pray. Ask the Lord to use you, then watch for the opportunities He sends. Listen. You don’t need to have all the answers. Be open to hearing and discerning. Offer to pray with someone. Ask the Lord to heal the hurt in their heart. Invite, don’t intimidate. Share the faith with openness, love, and invitation. Be faithful and bold. We are witnesses to the faith, and God gives us the tools we need when we need them. Your turn: Who in your life might need a seed planted this week? Scripture Luke 10:1–5 (read on air) Jesus appoints seventy-two others and sends them ahead of Him, two by two. “The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few; so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.” (Luke 10:2, NABRE) Malachi 3:1–3 (read on air) The Lord comes as a refiner and purifier, refining His people like gold and silver. Memorable Quotes “It was not my job to plant and reap. Only the Lord can reap the harvest.” — Felice Gerwitz “In our hurting world, the people are hungry for good news.” — Felice Gerwitz “All I can do is plant the seeds.” — Felice Gerwitz “Being a good listener is a gift.” — Felice Gerwitz “Now is a time for people to turn back to God.” — Felice Gerwitz Connect A Few Minutes with God is part of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network. Show notes: AFewMinutesWithGodPodcast.com Visit Felice: AFewMinutesWithGod.com This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table. [add link] Join the A Few Minutes with God Facebook page to share your prayer requests and praise reports: https://www.facebook.com/AFewMinutesWithGod/ If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and leave a review so more listeners can find it. FAQ What is a Christian harvest? A Christian harvest is the harvest of souls for Christ. Believers plant seeds of faith by praying, sharing the good news, and loving others, and the Lord brings the harvest. Are Christians called to share their faith? Yes. As disciples, we are sent like the seventy-two in Luke 10. Today that often means praying for and with others, listening well, and inviting people to Christ with love rather than fear. The post Christian Harvest: Planting Seeds of Faith in a Hurting World appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

Have you ever thought of the Holy Family as your family? Sponsored by Eden’s Table; A three-tier, faith-rooted curriculum for Christian families, from the biblical foundations of plant medicine through terrain-based clinical herbalism. In a culture that so often dismisses, redefines, or even mocks the family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph still stand as the model God Himself chose. The Son of God was not born to a king. He was entrusted to a humble carpenter and his young wife, and raised in an ordinary home. That choice still speaks. In this episode, Felice Gerwitz begins with Isaiah’s prophecy of the shoot that sprouts from the stump of Jesse. While reading it with her family during evening devotions, one line stood out: “Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips.” It sent her straight to Ephesians 6 and the armor of God, where we are told to fasten the belt of truth around our waist. The Messiah Isaiah foretold is the fulfillment of that promise and our strength in the spiritual battle we face every day. From there, Felice looks honestly at what Mary and Joseph endured. Mary returned from visiting Elizabeth visibly pregnant before she lived with Joseph. She was scorned in her own town. Joseph had to decide what to do. Neither of them could have pictured what their yes to God would cost, and they gave it anyway. Felice shares five lessons she has drawn from the life of the Holy Family: dying to self, perseverance, understanding truth, responsibility, and faith. She invites you to make your own list, even if it has only one thing on it. She also speaks plainly about a culture that talks of “individual truths.” Truth is not subjective, she reminds us. It does not change. There is one truth: God came as a babe, in humility, for me, for you, and for all. Felice reflects on the Holy Innocents, on the meaning of the Magi’s gold, frankincense, and myrrh, and on how easily we look for our glory here instead of in the life to come. She closes with a prayer for an increase of faith and for grace to overflowing, grace we can pour out to the people around us. In This Episode You’ll Hear Why the Holy Family is a model for our families, not just a scene on the mantel The connection Felice found between Isaiah 11 and the armor of God in Ephesians 6 What Mary and Joseph faced when Mary returned from Elizabeth’s home with child Five lessons from the Holy Family: dying to self, perseverance, truth, responsibility, and faith A simple exercise: what can you learn from Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? Why truth is not subjective, and why “my truth” falls short The Holy Innocents, and why death is not the end The meaning behind the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh A closing prayer for increased faith and overflowing grace Five Lessons from the Holy Family Dying to self. Saying yes to God meant a huge disruption to the life Mary and Joseph had planned. Perseverance. They pressed on through hardship, including the journey to Bethlehem for the census. Understanding truth. They may have questioned, but they believed God would provide, and He did. Responsibility. Imagine being entrusted with raising the second Person of the Holy Trinity. Faith. The faith that surpasses all understanding. “That is the faith I want, that I crave.” Your turn: What would you add to this list? What speaks to your heart as you contemplate this most holy family? Scripture Isaiah 11:1–6 (NABRE) But a shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a bud shall blossom. The spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the LORD, and his delight shall be the fear of the LORD. Not by appearance shall he judge, nor by hearsay shall he decide, but he shall judge the poor with justice, and decide fairly for the land’s afflicted. He shall strike the ruthless with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Justice shall be the band around his waist, and faithfulness a belt upon his hips. Then the wolf shall be a guest of the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the young goat; the calf and the young lion shall browse together, with a little child to guide them. Ephesians 6:10–18 (NET) Finally, be strengthened in the Lord and in the strength of his power. Clothe yourselves with the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world rulers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavens. For this reason, take up the full armor of God so that you may be able to stand your ground on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm therefore, by fastening the belt of truth around your waist, by putting on the breastplate of righteousness, by fitting your feet with the preparation that comes from the good news of peace, and in all of this, by taking up the shield of faith with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit (which is the word of God). With every prayer and petition, pray at all times in the Spirit, and to this end be alert, with all perseverance and requests for all the saints. Memorable Quotes “We don’t think of the Holy Family in terms of our lives, and we really should.” — Felice Gerwitz “Truth is not subjective. It does not change. It always is.” — Felice Gerwitz “There is only one truth, friends, the truth that God came as a babe in humility for me, for you, and for all.” — Felice Gerwitz “He doesn’t lie. He doesn’t make unfulfilled promises. He came. He lived. He died. He rose.” — Felice Gerwitz “God’s Word is everlasting. It is our rock.” — Felice Gerwitz Closing Prayer My God, there is so much to be thankful for even in times of hardship, but we have faith, the faith that You give us. Please, God, increase my faith. That is the gift I ask for more than anything else. Bless my life with the abundance of Your grace. Give me Your grace to overflowing so I can pour out this grace to others. All that is wonderful and righteous is in You, my God, and I thank You for the gift of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Amen. Connect A Few Minutes with God is part of the Ultimate Christian Podcast Network. Show notes: AFewMinutesWithGodPodcast.com Visit Felice: AFewMinutesWithGod.com This episode is sponsored by Eden’s Table. Mentioned: One More Child by Felice Gerwitz, available on Amazon in print and Kindle If this episode encouraged you, share it with a friend and leave a review so more listeners can find it. The post Holy Family, Our Family: 5 Lessons from Jesus, Mary, and Joseph appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

Does your soul hunger for God? Do you feel that something is missing in your life? Are you unsettled? In this episode of A Few Minutes with God Podcast, we discover what it means to hunger for God and how you can feel your soul! Hunger For God Episode 44 Thanks to the sponsor, Eden’s Table. The choices we make each day are something we don’t think much about, we just do them. We are creatures of habit, I wake up each morning and expect to drink a cup of coffee, and sit for a few minutes as I wake up. We do things out of habit more so than actually thinking about it — and habits are formed with routine. We do the things that don’t affect our salvation either way — whether I drink a cup of coffee or not has nothing to do with how I feel about my relationship with God. But, if we take the time to think and contemplate life, often we feel that something is missing. That could be one of the reasons we keep our lives so busy–so we don’t have to think. Because if we do, we may find we are unsatisfied with an element of our lives. Why? Man was created to know, love, and serve God, but how do we love someone we do not know? Unless we spend time with God each day and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives, we will always feel unsettled… that there has to be more, and seek after pleasure in places that will leave us empty! When we think about hunger for God we think of food and drink. John 6:35 Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” If we come to Him… it is an invitation, and we know it is more than food and drink that our Lord offers up but the offer of everlasting life… we will never thirst. It is a call of eternity with God! John 7:37-38 “Now on the last day, the great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” Jesus is the living water, he came not only to feed the hungry as he did with the miracle of the loaves and fishes but to feed more than our bodies, to feed our souls. Our hunger for God goes beyond the physical which is why we seem unsettled when we are out of sorts with God. Ask yourself these questions: Have I spent time today with God in prayer? Have I listened to God today in quiet? Have I read from the Holy Bible? Have I journaled anything that comes to mind? Am I open to God’s leading in my life? Our soul thirsts for God in the everyday matters in our life, in our decisions in our feelings of despair and dismay. Psalm 42:2 “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?” Our soul thirsts for God whether we realize it or not, and we seek after something we can’t attain unless we understand this very fact — our love of God is sustained in prayer and when we feel out of sorts we should pray. Psalm 63:1 “O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” This journey is similar to when people talk about a “desert” experience. Being in the desert paints a picture of being lost and without water and something that would be harsh, yet this is similar to the state of our souls when we yearn for God and find ourselves lost in the desert of our own making due to our free will – those choices may seem right at the time but they leave us feeling empty. Self Reflection: How do I spend the majority of my time? What do I do daily that brings me joy? Is this joy short lived? Is there a purpose to my day? Do I feel happy when I head to bed at night? What are some things you can do differently each day to focus more on the end result – life everlasting with God than the here and now? There are always life circumstances that are important, work, family getting food on the table, what appears to be the simple and mundane can be done with joy if you have God in your life. Each day, each breath we take we can praise and give thanks to the Lord we serve. Hungering for God means filling our souls with every good thing, in the things we watch on TV, the internet, read, or listen to… are we putting things into our body that will help us grow toward love of God or things that will hinder our progress? When we seek after God all the things that previously seemed so important seem so little in comparison. It’s like the lady who loved her hair, it was her best asset — yet, when she found out she had cancer and would lose her hair, she happily shaved it off in an effort to combat the horrible feeling of losing it in pieces. Her battle with cancer was successful and when her hair grew back, more beautiful than before she didn’t even care that much. Why? Because she realized the preciousness of life and what appeared so important before was now a minor. If we change our priorities in life and put God first we can satiate the hunger! We will then grow closer to God and strive to live a life that is pleasing to Him. The things that were a priority become a footnote – many things still need to be accomplished daily but with God at the head, it all seems to work out for the better. Matthew 5:6 – Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. By hungering for God we also hunger for righteousness and happily, that is so much more satisfying! Let’s pray! I praise you and thank you Lord that any effort we place into seeking a deeper relationship with You is always rewarded so much more than we can imagine. I thank you for putting that hunger for God into my soul — for inviting me to seek you in a greater way! I ask you to help me make you a number one priority in my life, to help me to wake up early enough to pray each day, to help me to think of you last before I go to sleep at night, to help me to see all the ways you help me and are there for me each day. Help me to know you and love you more each day! Lord I ask you for the following intention in my life …. I thank you ahead of time for answered prayer, and I pray this in Jesus Name. Amen. The post Hunger For God: How To Feed Your Soul appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

Have you wondered if the Shroud of Turin is real? And why “Turin”? What does this have to do with the burial cloth reported to have covered our beloved Savior? In this podcast, your host, Felice Gerwitz, shares a personal experience. Shroud of Turin: What the Cloth Still Says About Jesus ~ Episode 378 The Shroud of Turin continues to speak powerfully about Jesus. Recently I visited the National Shroud of Turin Exhibit at the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe in Orlando. What I experienced there—and what my grandchildren experienced—went far beyond any documentary or article I had seen before. A Personal Encounter with the Shroud of Turin We entered a quiet room, watched a short video on the history and testing of the Shroud of Turin, and then stood before the displays. The atmosphere was hushed. People spoke in whispers. It felt as if we were standing before the crucified Christ Himself. The size of the nails, the replica of the Roman flagrum, and especially the helmet-style crown of thorns left a lasting impression. The crown was not a simple circlet. It covered the top of the head and forehead. A life-sized replica of the Shroud of Turin image and its photographic negative revealed the face with startling clarity. There was even a metal panel on which the actual Shroud of Turin had rested—a second-class relic for those who accept its authenticity. Ordinary means cannot explain the image itself, and that is the true mystery. It appears formed by energy from a body that was upright, hair hanging straight rather than spread out. Infrared studies show three-dimensional information. These details point beyond burial to the moment of the Resurrection. Who Is the Man of the Shroud of Turin? The wounds visible on the Shroud of Turin match the Gospel accounts with precision: scourge marks, nail wounds through the wrists, the side wound, and the injuries from a full crown of thorns. (Turin, Italy, is where the Shroud resides.) Isaiah 53:5 declares, “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that made us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.” John 19:40–42 and John 20:5–7 describe the burial in linen cloths and the discovery of the empty tomb. The Shroud of Turin invites us to hold the wounds, the burial, and the empty tomb together in humility and wonder. The Divine Mercy Image and the Face on the Shroud of Turin The first Divine Mercy image, painted in 1934 by Eugeniusz Kazimirowski under the direction of St. Faustina, bears a striking resemblance to the face on the Shroud of Turin. Neither the artist nor Sister Faustina had detailed knowledge of the Shroud at that time. The parallel continues to draw the attention of many who see the same merciful Savior in both images. This was something I didn’t know! An Invitation for Seekers and Believers The Shroud is an invitation to remember what the Savior of the world did for us! The Man of the Shroud of Turin, the Suffering Servant, the Risen Lord. Whether you come as a longtime believer or a seeker, the cloth still points to Him. Spend a few minutes with God this week reflecting on the wounds that healed us and the empty tomb that gives us hope. For More Study: National Shroud of Turin Exhibit: https://www.nationalshroudofturinexhibit.org/ Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Queen of the Universe: https://www.maryqueen.org/ Related Episodes from A Few Minutes with God Podcast Finding Joy On The Road To Calvary Examination of Conscience The Cost of Following Jesus Christian Strength Spiritual Grace From God The post Shroud of Turin appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.

The Kingdom of God can seem far away, and when we hear “The first shall be last,” this can be discouraging. In this episode of A Few Minutes with God, host Felice Gerwitz shares hopeful news: “The first shall be last” is a call to a joyful heart, not a threat hanging over those who already love the Lord. The First Shall Be Last And How To Avoid This Happening To You ~ Episode 377 A landowner hires workers at dawn for a denarius, the usual daily wage. He returns through the day, even at the eleventh hour — and hires more. When evening comes, every laborer receives the same pay. The first workers grumble. The landowner has not cheated them. He has kept his word, and he is free to be generous. How Does Matthew 19 Prepare Us for This Parable? This teaching is already echoing in Matthew 19:16-30. A rich man had kept God’s laws from his youth. He came to Jesus wanting eternal life. When he was asked to sell everything for the Kingdom, he turned away sad. He had followed so much — and still could not let go. Jesus said: “Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” (Matthew 19:24, RSV-CE) The disciples wondered who then could be saved. Jesus answered: “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26, RSV-CE) And He closed that scene with the same refrain that frames the vineyard: “But many that are first will be last, and the last first.” (Matthew 19:30, RSV-CE) Do we need to worry? No. The rich man trusted what he already had. The first laborers trusted what they had already done. In both places Jesus shows the same mercy: the Kingdom is God’s gift. What is impossible with men is possible with God. What Is the Parable of the Laborers About? This Gospel is about the Kingdom, not about keeping score. The vineyard is the Lord’s field. The denarius is eternal life, not a paycheck we calculate by the hour. The first workers can stand for those called early who then resent latecomers — tax collectors, sinners, and those the first group never expected to see as equals. The hours of the day can also be the seasons of a life: childhood, youth, the years of strength, and even old age. St. Gregory the Great taught that the landowner keeps going out because God never tires of calling. St. Augustine and others remind us that the wage is the same because the gift is the same: God Himself. The Good Thief received the same promise as those who followed for years. The last workers were not lazy. No one had hired them. If they did not work, they did not eat. God has an abundance to give. He is just, and He is generous. “Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity? So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:15-16, RSV-CE) The Good News If You Already Believe You do not need to fear that a lifetime of faith will be wasted because God is kind to someone who comes later. Heaven is a gift, not a contest. The years you have already spent with the Lord are themselves a blessing. When a sinner finds Christ, heaven rejoices. We are invited to rejoice too. Five Encouragements from This Episode Joyous: Be joyous knowing you are on the right path. Surround yourself with like-minded Christians who can encourage you. Listen to more podcasts like this one that can encourage and help you on your journey. Rest in this: the same Lord who called you is still calling others — and His generosity has not run out. Thank God that heaven is a gift, not a contest. Your years with Him are already a blessing. You are a believer. You are headed toward the Lord, who waits with an open heart. Spend a few minutes with God today, and ask Him to fill you with His joy — joy over your own calling, and joy over every soul He welcomes home. Related Episodes from A Few Minutes with God Unworthy of God — Mercy for the heart that feels it has no claim on His love. God’s Love Is Sufficient — Grace is enough when we cannot earn what we need. Living on Purpose: God’s Plan for Everyday Life — Ordinary days in the vineyard still matter. Christian Example — A life that lifts others up. Called to Be Saints — Embracing Holiness in Everyday Life — Holiness walked out one faithful hour at a time. The post The First Shall Be Last appeared first on Ultimate Christian Podcast Radio Network.