Alan Keith Wagner Podcasts

The parable of the prodigal son is a wonderful picture of God’s amazing grace & love! We can be God’s children, yet we can think like servants instead of sons & daughters. We can get resentful, feel entitled & make demands - or we can think like responsible family members. The Father provides generously for the children who are with him, but we los…

We need good governance in our lives. Some things we can't control, but some things we can - and we need to govern these things. This includes our faith, family, friendships, finances and future. We need to deal with lies such as: - I can't control anything, I can't change anything - There's no coming back from this - My life makes no difference to…

God has prepared good work for every one of his children to do; we can all be wonderfully used for his glory. The question is, will we do these things? Will we be “useful to the Master”? Our usefulness is determined by the condition of our heart - this directs our lifestyle. God looks into our hearts to see our character, values and priorities. If …

In days of uncertainty, insecurity & stress, it’s tempting to shrink back, retreat or hide. But this is not who we are as the children of God! Let’s not lose confidence because of circumstances! Our Father is God Almighty! Our priest is Jesus Christ! Our Lord is ever-faithful! Instead of shrinking back, let’s step out in faith! God has more for us!…

When we put our faith in Jesus, we received a new nature. But this new nature needs to mature for us to become the new creatures we are intended to be. If we would: -Be quick to listen (for what he is saying to you) -Be slow to speak (your own opinion) -Be slow to anger (take offense at God’s words) -Put God’s words into practice -Humbly submit to …

When we know who we are, we live accordingly! We are: -chosen by God and precious to him -Royal priests -citizens of the Kingdom of God -free from the dominion of the devil -secure in Jesus’ grip -good influences in our communities -Christ’s ambassadors Matthew 4:3&6, Matthew 27:40, 1 Peter 2:9-10, Colossians 1:13-14, John 10:28&16:33, Matthew 5:13…

When we put our faith in Jesus, we are not only rescued from sin and given new life as God's children, we are also made priests. Our primary duty as priests is proclamation (by word & example); we proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God & invite people to submit to the King. Our good lives and good works bear witness to the goodness of the Kin…

Jesus does not promise his disciples an easy time; he warns us that we will have trouble. Sometimes we may feel defeated - like the battle is lost. Sometimes we may feel disappointed - what we’d hoped & prayed for did not happen. Sometimes we may even feel like the devil has won. But it’s not over until JESUS says it’s over! And resurrection into e…

Jesus' miraculous feeding of over 5000 people demonstrates what Jesus can do when we give him what we have - even though it clearly is not enough. Jesus involved his disciples in the miraculous feeding; he offers us the privilege of being part of his miraculous work in people's lives. As we step out in obedience, Jesus takes our "not enough" and ma…

Jesus is a redeemer. He does not only pay the price for our sins, he also restores and transformsour lives! We may look at a person - or a situation - or ourselves - and think "this is beyond redemption; this is too far gone". But no person - and no situation - is "too far gone" for the redemptive work of Christ! Ezekiel 37:1-13, Acts 8:3, Acts 9:1…

God spoke in the past and he still speaks to his people - all of us! Mankind was not designed to live without the words that come from God - we need to hear from him. But stubbornness, disobedience, preconceived ideas and traditions can prevent us from hearing and obeying his voice. Hebrews 12:25, Revelation 2:7 & 3:22, Matthew 4:4, Isaiah 30:21, P…

In the Kingdom of God: -Greatness is not measured by our power, status, titles or recognition, but by our level of servanthood. -Leadership is not about position, power and control, it is simply another way to serve others. -All ministry is a form of service. -If we want to be great, we must learn the ways of servanthood! Mark 10:35-45, Matthew 23:…

Unity is a wonderful thing! Jesus prayed that we would be united - not merely for his sake or our sakes, but for the sake of the lost. Our unity points people to Jesus, the Lord and the Saviour! So let’s be people who build unity! Let’s do it for Jesus. Let’s do it for the lost. Let’s do it for each other. Let’s relate to each other in humility. Le…

Jesus called his disciples “the light of the world”. We are to "shine" - by how we live and what we teach. Our point of reference for what is right and wrong is found in the commands of God. Jesus taught his disciples to practice and teach these commands. We are saved by grace through faith in Jesus, but God's laws still teach us right from wrong. …

One of God's many amazing attributes is his compassion. He has shown this compassion to many people, including Moses, David, Elijah and the nation of Israel. Jesus also revealed God's compassion, both in his mission to seek and save the lost and in his general ministry. When we recognise God's compassion, we live with greater peace and confidence. …

We live in an age when we are used to quick or even instant results - but the Bible teaches us to wait on God! Waiting on God is a learning process and not always easy - but it has many benefits! Waiting times are often times when God matures our character and faith and teaches us new things. A delay does not mean that God did not hear us or pay at…

The journey of transformation into the image of Christ begins with our first decision to follow Jesus. For the journey to continue, we need to KEEP deciding to follow Jesus! Jesus told us to decide three things every day: 1 deny ourselves (today will be centred on Jesus, not me) 2 take up our cross (today I will embrace sacrifice & suffering for hi…

Like Elijah, we may be devoted to God and serve him will all our hearts, yet we don't see the results that we had hoped for. We may then feel disappointed, frustrated and even want to give up. Like Elijah, we can experience God's restoration - as we come to him, as we pour out our hearts to him and as we take time for rest and renewal. We’re not do…

The new-born child of God should not remain a baby, but grow up into maturity, reflecting more and more of the glorious image of Jesus. Two keys to this transformation are related to our thinking: 1. Think differently about your life: The transforming life is a life of worship. I no longer live for me, I live for Jesus. 2. Think differently about y…

Whatever our comforts or struggles, as God's children, we are God's treasure. Every believer is precious to God! We have experienced God’s deliverance, protection & provision, so can testify to his greatness & goodness. And we are called to live as a royal priesthood & holy people, proclaiming God’s worth & majesty through our lives. As we live God…

God transforms his children in a process whereby they steadily become more and more like Jesus. This journey of transformation begins with salvation, when we are born again, becoming new creations. To experience salvation, we need to believe that Jesus is who he said he is - both saviour and Lord - and respond by surrendering our lives to him and c…

There are many uncertainties about the year ahead, but we can be sure of this: God has promised us transformation! Our response must be firstly to believe him, and secondly to act accordingly. We should leave our past behind and run into our glorious future! This year, let’s “make every effort” to experience the glorious transformation that God has…

At Christmas we remember a series of events that took Israel by complete surprise: God somehow took on human form and was born to a young virgin. Some recognised him as royalty, yet he was born in a stable. So-called "sinners" loved him, but the religious leaders hated him. He lived a perfect life, but was executed as a criminal. He died and was bu…

We don't have to postpone our happiness and rejoicing for the new year! God has been with us - so let's give him thanks! Rather than being anxious about December, or next year, bring your concerns to the Lord in prayer. God is with us to give us peace that will guard our hearts and minds! 2 Timothy 4:7, Job 2:9-10, 2 Corinthians 2:14, Psalm 103:1-2…

Following Jesus is not always easy! It can involve difficult trials and tests. In those times, our faith and obedience will bring us into a closer relationship with God - and we will know his blessings. What a journey God has planned for each one of us! May we grow and develop Godly character in our difficulties! Joshua 24:2, Genesis 12:1-3, 1 Cori…

The Bible is likened to a razor-sharp sword and called "the sword of the Spirit". It cuts through to the deepest parts of our being! Handled well, it transforms lives; handled badly, it wreaks havoc! The apostle Paul gave great advice on "swordsmanship": - Value sound doctrine - Beware those who love to argue about words - Learn to correctly handle…

We live in confusing times, when every theory and opinion is presented as "truth". The Bible is described as "God-breathed", or "God's word", and it has stood the test of time over thousands of years. As we read it, we should ask (and trust) the Holy Spirit to lead us into the truth that we need to hear. When we know what God has said, we won’t be …

God is perfectly capable of rescuing us from any and every trial that we may face! But there may be times when, in his perfect wisdom, he chooses not to. The apostle Paul experienced God's mighty power to deliver - but he also experienced suffering that stayed. When suffering stayed, Paul discovered God's all-sufficient grace at work in him, sustai…

Jesus has come to set things right - to lift up the poor, the broken-hearted, the oppressed. He has opened the way for us to experience transformation, comfort, joy, provision, freedom and revelation. Having opened the way, he has chosen his followers to be his instruments of the ongoing work of restoration and rebuilding. We will be known as pries…

The grace of God, so powerfully demonstrated by Jesus, is truly remarkable! God values us highly - even though he needs nothing from us. We (and other people) may think that we have little value - but God values us enough to send Jesus to die for us! He offers forgiveness and reconciliation in return for the only thing we can give: a humble faith i…

Psalm 23 tells us that God is like a shepherd to his people. Jesus called himself "the good shepherd". For the follower of Jesus, this means that: - We can have a personal relationship with God as our Shepherd. - Although the presence of the Shepherd does not mean that danger and trials will be absent, it does mean that we can be assured and conten…

The Church is called "the Bride of Christ". Jesus has offered his hand in marriage and returned to heaven to prepare a place for his Bride. We are now in our time of preparation, getting ready for his return. The time of preparation has been very long because God is patiently waiting: - for people to respond to his invitation - for his messengers t…

The New Testament uses several images to describe the church. One such image is the Bride of Christ. Jesus is the Bridegroom and the church is his Bride. This image teaches us about our RELATIONSHIP with Jesus: - He loves us deeply and is completely committed to us. - His love has a clear goal - he is going to marry a beautiful, holy, radiant bride…

We are living in days of adversity, days of darkness. Yet there are opportunities in the adversity! The darkness around us is an opportunity to shine with the light of Christ! And the darker the darkness, the greater the impact of the smallest light! Because we have been rescued from darkness, we may want to avoid dark situations, but we are called…

Jesus is building his church - and he will not be stopped. He is also "shaking all nations" and revealing his glory. At the same time, the devil is angrily terrorising the world, and society is in moral decline. In these days we should: -Build with God according to his pattern -Embrace the shaking -Learn to receive from God Jam 1:19, Mat 16:18-19, …

Many of us think that there is "a right time and place" for ministry. But Jesus ministered when he was tired, under pressure, in stressful and painful situations, and even in his darkest hours. As his disciples, we should be ready to do the same. This makes sense when we know that God works for the good in all situations! So let's be ready to be us…

Jesus is altogether sufficient: he saves, perfects, completes, provides and strengthens! When we have him, we have everything we need! The Bible teaches us to be "rooted and built up in Christ". We do this when we: - Surrender our whole life to Jesus - Meditate on scripture (the Bible) - Spend regular time in God's presence - Surround ourselves wit…

Although we have freedom to make choices (even disobedient & foolish ones!), what God has ordained WILL happen. So we can always trust his promises, because no-one can stop him from doing what he has promised! Sometimes things seem to go very wrong & we may get despondent. But if God has promised to work for the good in our lives, we can be assured…

The Jewish Law, particularly the Ten Commandments, shows us what a holy, perfect life looks like. It also shows us how badly we need a saviour, because it reveals our inability to live this life! While holiness and perfection is not achievable through human efforts to obey the Law, it is achievable through Jesus! When we put our faith in him, he fi…

God has made mankind in his image and expects him to live a life that reflects this image. We could call that a holy life, or a perfect life. When God made a covenant with Israel, he gave them laws, including the Ten Commandments, to teach them what this holy or perfect life looks like. Jesus affirmed these laws, so they still apply to the Christia…

Jesus taught his disciples to pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." The Kingdom of God comes when the rule of God is established. And when God is ruling, things on earth start to operate as things in heaven do. The order of God is established! Salvation is about the forgiveness of sins, but it is also about a cha…

We can doubt God because of many reasons: difficult circumstances, incomplete revelation, worldly influences and unfulfilled expectations. We overcome doubt when we: pray persistently, have mercy on doubters, embrace the mysteries of God, believe God’s words and doubt our doubts! James 1:6, Matthew 11:2-6, 2 Peter 3:9, Luke 7:20-21, Luke 18:1-8, Ju…

It is impossible to serve two masters, because when they lead in different directions, we can only follow one of them. Jesus highlighted a master called “Mammon”, or money. John highlighted three other masters: pleasure, possessions, and pride. The good news is that if we are truly serving Jesus as our master, we will be unable to serve those other…

The Covid-19 pandemic has been like a massive storm, causing destruction & disruption world-wide. Yet God has been wonderfully present and has taught us many lessons. If we learn the lessons, they will help us to navigate any future storms that may come our way: -Storms affect good people -Work with the wind when it changes (keep in step with the S…

When a person puts their faith in Jesus, God adopts them into his family. And as we mature, we begin to show the family likeness - we begin to look like Jesus! We are a multi-national family, with brothers and sisters from every language, tribe and nation. When we understand this, we understand why Jesus commands us to go and make disciples of all …

Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: to love one another as he has loved us. He defined this love as laying down our lives for one another. The ultimate example of this love is his going to the cross for the sake of mankind. When we love like Jesus, we help others to see how Jesus loves them. This kind of love also enables us to live in unit…

King David was a mighty warrior and king, yet his psalms reveal a vulnerable inner world of tears, fears and insecure moments. The apostle Paul was used powerfully by God, but he too cried out to God for deliverance. Job was a man of faith and godliness, yet he suffered greatly and lamented bitterly. The godly are not exempt from hardship and suffe…

The Gospel - the good news about Jesus - has been preached for thousands of years and has transformed millions of lives. We could therefore expect the message to be well established and well received - but this is not always the case. Some think it foolish. Some find it offensive. But many believe and discover the power of God at work, reconciling …

God wants every nation to be transformed, as the people of the nation become disciples of Jesus. But although the salvation of the nations are his end goal, God starts by working with individuals. He starts with us. Transformation begins with the preaching of the good news about Jesus and continues as God, church leaders and each individual does th…

Jesus was called the "friend of sinners" - yet he preached an uncompromising message of turning from sin and living in authentic righteousness under God's rule. In isolation, his message may seem "unfriendly", but Jesus' actions and attitudes demonstrated such a deep love for those around him that his message was well-received. When asked why he ha…