Fountain of Life Podcast

S04E11: Generosity: Blessed to be a Blessing Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta When Peter lent Jesus his boat on Lake Genesaret to preach to the multitudes, Jesus responded to Peter's kindness with an act of generosity. After Peter obeyed Jesus's command to launch into the deep and let down his net for a catch, it resulted in a massive haul of fish. However, he faced a choice as often happens to us all, to either keep it all to himself or share the bounty. He chose to share, and there was enough to spare, in fact, there was more than enough for him and his fishing partners. God's blessings and generosity towards us is always more than enough, it always has room to spare because he expects us to be a blessing. In this episode, I discuss the dynamics of generosity and how it is a vital part of our walk with God. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E10: The Blessings of Obedience Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Our relationship with God has been variously described as that between a father and child, sheep and shepherd, bride and groom. In each of these descriptions, a vital requirement for reaping the full benefits of our relationship with God is obedience. In this episode I discuss how Peter's obedience to Jesus's instructions led to a bountiful catch of fish and ultimately a change of his destiny #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E09: The Alabaster Box: Responding to Extravagant Love Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta The characters in the Easter story remind us of the role of women in Jesus's ministry and in God's plan of salvation as a whole, beginning with Eve in the garden of Eden. At Easter, it took a woman with an Alabaster Box of very expensive perfume to show us how to respond to God's extravagant Love for humanity, which would be demonstrated in the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made, to pay the price of our Salvation. Her singular act of inexplicable love and devotion a week to the crucifixion of Jesus has memorialized her for eternity. In this episode, I discuss how the woman with the Alabaster box sets an example of how to respond to God's extravagant love for us. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E07: Embracing God's Grace Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Do we sometimes fall into the trap of being transactional with God, expecting a certain measure of reward for a measure of service? Have we felt bitter and angry with God because we feel we have not been fairly treated and we deserve more from Him compared with other believers based on our own standard of evaluation and judgement? When this occurs, it usually stems from a sense of entitlement and blindness to the very essence and meaning of God's grace. In this episode I discuss how Jesus used the parable of the Landowner and his laborers to teach us a vital lesson of grace and why we should never try to be transactional with God. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E07: Leaves without Figs Series: The Cursing of the Fig Tree Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Sometimes we wonder why Jesus went looking for Figs on a tree when it wasn't yet the time for Figs. What was it that attracted Jesus to this particular Fig tree and was it right that he ended up cursing the tree when he found nothing but leaves? These are some of the questions I address in this episode. I also discuss the broader implications of this miracle of cursing of the Fig tree to our faith as Christians. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E06: Importance of Interpersonal Relationships Series: THE HUMAN FACTOR IN MINISTRY Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta God considered Abraham a friend, and by the end of Jesus' earthly ministry He called His Disciples Friends, including Judas Iscariot. So, these divine friendships were regardless of the occasional human imperfections. These relationships carried over into the early Church and created an atmosphere of growth and impact of the early Church. Do we value and nurture relationships in our Ministry? In this Episode, I discuss how Jesus managed interpersonal relationships in His Ministry including dealing with conflict, insecurities and the challenges of growing a healthy team to support His Vision and Mission for the Church. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E05: The Importance of Structures and Processes Series: THE HUMAN FACTOR IN MINISTRY Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta God established order in creation through well defined processes and structures, and God maintains that order by His word. He did the same when He set up formal worship for the Jews under the old testament with the Levitical Priesthood. Therefore, it takes more than anointing and spiritual gifts to be successful in Ministry. In fact, we are only as successful as our supporting cast, structures and processes within our Ministry. If Jesus had a structure and he set up processes in His earthly Ministry, we can't assume that we would be successful without it. In this Episode I discuss how Jesus enforced order through well-defined processes as He MInistered and the lessons we can learn from how he went about Ministry to apply to our Ministry. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E04: Importance of physical and emotional well-being Series: THE HUMAN FACTOR IN MINISTRY Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta While here on earth, Jesus worked with a human team. He had to deal with their drama, trauma and generally the weaknesses of just being human. So, how did Jesus navigate the foibles of this motley human team of fishermen and tax collectors including his own family drama? What lessons can we learn from the Public Ministry of Jesus which we can apply to our own journey as servants in God's house? In this episode, I discuss how Jesus approached the physical and emotional well-being of his team. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E03: The Exemplary Prayer Ministry of Jesus Christ Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Guest: Apostle James Nii-Aponsah #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E02: The Essence Of Faith In Our Walk With The Lord Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Guest: Apostle James Nii-Aponsah None of us saw Jesus Christ while he was on earth and we have no empirical proof that heaven exists, still we invest a lifetime in our belief system as Christians. So, what drives us as believers in Jesus Christ to continue to have hope of salvation and eternal life? It is faith, the cardinal principle of Christianity. In this episode Apostle James Nii-Aponsah discusses the role and essence of faith in our walk with the Lord Jesus Christ. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S04E01: The Compassionate Shepherd Series: Lessons from the Public Ministry of Jesus Christ Jesus' public ministry teaches vital lessons in how we too can be effective in organizing and ministering to people. Although his ministry was in a different cultural setting and dispensation, he dealt with many of the challenges we face today in ministry including, dealing with people, organizing an effective team, addressing interpersonal conflicts in his team, managing personal relationships with immediate family and financial support, among others. In this episode I address how Jesus organized his ministry and the various lessons we can learn when we understand how he went about the human-related things in ministry. In this Episode I focus on the foundation of ministry, which is compassion towards the people God brings to us. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E18: Occupy Until I come Part 2 Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Guest: Rev. Prof. Spencer Duncan God has created us human beings for a purpose, so that we might bring Him pleasure in fulfilling His calling upon our lives by employing the services of our body, soul and spirit to their optimum. However, our difficulty is finding our position, office in ministry or specific tasks God wants us to perform, or worst, how to consistently be at our best. In this Episode, Rev Spencer Duncan guides us into the plan of God for our lives and how to find our calling in God, using the theme; Occupy Until I come, a theme of a parable Jesus used to teach God's purpose and expectation for His Children. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E18: Occupy Till I come Part 1 Host: Rev. Dr. Charles Zuta Guest: Rev. Prof. Spencer Duncan #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E17: How Victory moves through the gates Series: What Lies at the Gate When the disciples prayed for Peter's deliverance from death at the hands of King Herod, God answered their prayer. But when Peter came home to them, they left him standing behind the gate while they debated in unbelief whether it was really him or his ghost. Similarly, when the Prophet Elisha prophesied an end to the famine in Samaria as a result of the siege of the city, the lepers who sat at the gate brough deliverance out of courage and faith, but the Kings Steward who doubted Elisha's pronouncement died at the gate out of unbelief. Sometimes the answers to our prayers have either been left at the gates or died at the gates out of unbelief. In this Episode, I discuss how we can allow our victories to move through the gates, by exercising expectation and faith #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E16: The Voice of Mercy Series: What Lies at the Gate When the Angels got to Sodom and Gomorrah, they met Lot sitting at the gate of the city. That righteousness man has been tormented and exhausted by the evil of the people in the land. Similarly, Uriah the husband of Bathsheba slept for days at the gate of the Kings palace, not taking the bait that David laid for him, out of righteous intentions. For both King David and the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, what did they see in Lot or Uriah? Some of the things lying at our Gate, may represent the voice of God appealing to us to come into His mercy and kindness. In this Episode, I discuss how God uses our life circumstances to communicate His love, mercy and kindness to us and we need to pay attention. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E15: The Voice of Mercy Series: Christmas and New Year Series As we look forward to a New Year, top of our prayer lists for the New Year would be things which we want God to do for us. As important as that is, we need to remind ourselves that our eventual evaluation by the Judge of all the earth would be based on what we did or didn't do for God. Therefore, we need to revise our wish list to include what we would also do for God this New Year. In this Episode, I discuss three things which we can do for God this year and which should be on everyone's prayer list as we welcome the New Year. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E14: While the World Waits Series: Holiday Series We might never know why Jesus Christ, the promised messiah came when he did, but the Apostle Paul described the timing as 'the fullness of time'. So, why did God wait to send Jesus at that particular time in human history? Christmas and the advent of Jesus is therefore an exercise in waiting for all the characters in the Christmas story and indeed for all humanity. During Christmas, children learn to wait to open their presents at the right time, as do families also, having to wait to eat the Christmas meal at the right time. What is the value of waiting? In this Episode, I discuss how the characters in the Christmas story had to wait for the promises and how Christmas therefore teaches the vital lesson of waiting which is invaluable in our walk with God. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E13: The Cost of Indifference Series: What Lies at the Gate When Eli the Priest heard about the demise of his sons and the loss of the Ark to the Philistines, he fell from his chair, broke his neck, and died at the gate of Shiloh. His epitaph, if written by God, probably would read, 'here lies the man who was indifferent, apathetic to the things which lie at his door and honoured his sons more than Me'. On the contrary, when the Philistines set an ambush for Samson at the gate of Gaza, intending to kill him in the morning, Samson arose at midnight and took away the gate and its pillars to a hill top. Indifference to the things which lie at our gate could shape our destiny, our fights of faith and ultimately our walk with God. In this episode I discuss the cost of indifference to the things which lie at our gate. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E12 The Power of Choice Series: What Lies at the Gate When Peter and John made a decision to not ignore the lame beggar lying at the Beautiful gate as they went into the Temple to Pray, their interaction with him resulted in the first miracle performed by the early church, over 5000 souls were won, and they received an extraordinary manifestation of divine endorsement when they gathered the rest of the disciples to pray. On the contrary, when God warned Cain about sin lying at his door and he having the power to overcome it, his choice in response to God's warning sealed his destiny. It resulted in the first murder and he became an accursed fugitive. The things lying at our door may elevate us or degrade our relationship with God and they may shape our eternal destiny. In this episode, I discuss how the choices we make in handling the issues which lie at our gate may affects us. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships

S03E11: Addressing our Priorities Series: What Lies at the Gate When Jesus told the story of Lazarus, a diseased and hungry man lying at the gate of the rich man, the unspoken part of that story was why Lazarus ended up in heaven, and it wasn't because he was poor and neither did the the rich man end up in hell because he was rich. Their eventual destiny might have been more as a result of what they did or didn't do in their lifetime. The constant presence of Lazarus at his gate gave the rich man opportunity to influence his own destiny, but he failed. We all have things lying at our gate, things that only we can address and we have the resources to do so. In this series of episodes dealing with things lying at our gates, I discuss the relevance of addressing our priorities and the things which we should not ignore because they may affect our eternal destiny or that of others. #podcast #fountainoflife #RevCharlesZuta #relationships