One of the hard things about serving in ministry – no matter the level – is figuring out which part is God working through you and when you’re trying to do God’s work in your own strength. It’s easy to confuse the two, and it requires some soul searching to get it right. Pastor Mark’s teaching today will be covering the danger of trying to do God’s work in the flesh. You’ll learn that even a mighty man of faith like Moses can slip up at times. You’ll find out how to avoid this pitfall and to rely on the Holy Spirit more in your life.

Friday December 31, 2021

For generations, Christians have been told – mainly by people outside the Church, but even by some inside the Church – that they’re to leave their Christianity at home. Don’t bring that ‘religious stuff’ to their workplace. The problem with this attitude is that it’s not what God planned for those who follow Him. Pastor Mark’s teaching today will illustrate how God used people in all different kinds of positions in the Old Testament to get His work done. The thing they had in common was being used by the Holy Spirit.

Thursday December 30, 2021

Do you understand the power of God? You might say, “Of course not – He’s God, I’m just human!” And while that’s true on one level, there’s still another aspect of God’s power that people can understand. Ironically, it can only be understood by people when God’s power is working through their lives. And Pastor Mark, in his teaching today, will show you the urgent need for every Christ-follower to have God’s Spirit working in their lives every day. You’ll recognize that you can’t successfully live life any other way.

Wednesday December 29, 2021

Most people – whether they are serving Him or not – admit to the idea of a God the Father. They also accept the idea of Jesus, since there are records of His having been on the earth. The Holy Spirit, though, that’s a different animal altogether. Many religions contain a ‘spirit-like’ entity but generally, it’s an ‘it’, an undefined force – think Star Wars. But Pastor Mark will be teaching today about the Biblical concept of the Holy Spirit. You’ll discover that the Bible’s Holy Spirit is far different from everyone else’s ‘divine spirit’.

Tuesday December 28, 2021

Humans have a tendency to look at non-human things and to sometimes humanize them. What pet owner hasn’t talked to their pet, maybe revealing things they’d never tell another person? And there’s the history of religions who have as their focus a statue, or the trees or nature. Well, you’ll hear in Pastor Mark’s message today that Christ-followers don’t worship objects; they worship Persons. You’ll learn about the Person of the Holy Spirit. You’ll find out the ways He is a Person, and how other religions are wrong about Him.

Monday December 27, 2021

Mary’s pregnancy was a scandal. In that society, sex outside of marriage could’ve been a capital offense; death by stoning was the normal penalty for extramarital sex. It was kind of up to Joseph as to how this would be handled. As you’ll learn from Pastor Mark’s teaching today, God intervened on Mary’s behalf. Even though it seems Joseph was inclined to handle the matter out of the public’s eye, God had an even different plan for them. Their willingness to submit to God’s will despite the public humiliation is encouraging.

Friday December 24, 2021

Mary was a remarkable young woman. It seems she was a young woman of quality, which is why God chose her to give birth to Jesus. There are some who want to elevate her to an almost godlike status based on the fact of her being Jesus’ mom. Others, reacting to this, seek to deny her ‘specialness’. As Pastor Mark will be teaching today, both sides miss the mark. You’ll hear how she viewed herself, and how that view lines up with scripture. You’ll learn how her self-analysis is a good template for all people.

Thursday December 23, 2021

Western society is so used to kids having sex that the idea of waiting until marriage or being embarrassed for not waiting, isn’t even considered. But God – the Creator of sex – had and has quite a different viewpoint on sex. You’ll find out in today’s teaching by Pastor Mark what a remarkable couple Mary and Joseph were. You’ll learn from scripture how their personal integrity, which was a byproduct of their devotion to God, guided them and made them the suitable caretakers for God’s Son that they became.

Wednesday December 22, 2021

What about you? Have you been a follower of Jesus for many years? What would you say your faith level is? Do you think it’s where it should be? It’s hard to go through life with its ups and downs and maintain a consistently increasing level of faith. Pastor Mark’s teaching today will remind you that faith is like a muscle; it has to be continually exercised to keep it strong or to make it stronger. One of the ways God tests your faith is to throw challenges your way, as He did for Elizabeth and Zechariah.

Tuesday December 21, 2021

You probably know someone who was what you considered a strong Christian at one time but isn’t anymore. When you see them, maybe they try to avoid you. Or instead, they want to tell you how good life is now that they’ve gotten rid of all of that “God stuff”. They had an opportunity to follow God’s will for their lives or not. And just like your friend, the people in the story of the coming of Jesus had choices to make, too. Pastor Mark will teach you why doing things God’s way is so much better for you.

Monday December 20, 2021

Lessons for Living is the radio ministry of Pastor Mark Balmer of Calvary Chapel Melbourne.

Pastor Mark is my favorite teacher of the Bible. God  Bless him to lead us to the ultimate goal..... heaven 
Sincerely 
Diane Medley

Best teacher of the Bible

Pastor Balmer is a great Bible teacher, relating scripture in our daily walk through life with the Lord.

Great insightful, down to earth teaching

Lessons for Living

How much of what you worry about comes to pass? If you’re like most people, not too much of it. So why worry in the first place? It seems that that’s just the way we’re wired. Jesus knew this – that’s why He told us not to worry. He wants you to trust Him for the future, which is what can be the most concerning. Pastor Mark is teaching from the book of Philippians where the apostle Paul, who is in prison in horrible conditions, is encouraging his readers to trust God. Paul wants you to find your comfort in God’s care of you and to remember that your final destination is in heaven with Jesus.

Monday February 4, 2019

People around the world believe that God would never punish them for the life they led. After all, they weren’t as bad as that ‘other’ guy – they never killed anyone or robbed them, after all. They’re going to find out, however, that God’s standard is a whole lot higher. Pastor Mark will be teaching about what happens after the end of this world. You’ll find out about the two judgments – yes, two – and who will be judged in those judgments. You’ll hear about the judgement of Christ followers by Jesus, and what they’ll be judged about. And, you’ll find out how to have a good result in those judgments.

Friday May 1, 2020

For a long time, behavioral scientists have had the idea that people’s actions are determined by their environment. They believe that if you take someone from a bad living situation and moved them to a better living situation that the student will improve. Unfortunately this doesn’t solve the problem of what’s inside the men and women. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the problem of sin. He’ll be telling you that your frustration in trying to live your life properly stems from the nature you were born with. He’ll be telling you how to get away from doing the things that displease God and, instead, please Hi

Thursday April 30, 2020

When people think about the end times and Jesus’ second return, a lot of the focus is on what happens to people - and that’s understandable.  But one aspect that can be missed is what’s happening to the planet earth itself during this time. While the Antichrist is waging war and doing all of his evil, the planet will be suffering as well. Huge hailstones, earthquakes, oceans of blood! Pastor Mark will be teaching about God’s final judgment on man which will include the fall’s effect on the physical world. God’s going to make everything right, and it’s gonna be glorious!

Wednesday April 29, 2020

Over the years, people have asked the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Funny, though, the question of why good things happen to bad people doesn’t get asked very often. And sometimes Christ followers ask themselves the first question in some way when they go through trials they don’t think they “deserve”. Pastor Mark will be teaching about how the apostle Paul tackled this question. You’ll hear what the Bible has to say about such matters and where you fit into God’s scheme. You’ll also find out what God’s main reason for using hard times in your life is.

Friday April 3, 2020

When you look around the world, what do you see? Disunity and chaos. Lots of anger and angry people. And, sometimes, you see that same disunity and anger in the church. There’s recently been news of a major denomination agreeing to split up over a social issue – clearly not unity. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the need for Christ followers to be different than the world. You’ll hear that the church is expected to exhibit unity and respect, and to obey godly authority. You’ll learn that when God’s rules are obeyed that the church organization can be a light in the world’s darkness.

Monday March 23, 2020

It’s common knowledge that if you want to be able to compete athletically at a high level that you must provide your body with the proper fuel in the correct amounts. If you don’t do that, you’ll fall short of your goal. Pastor Mark will be teaching that it’s the same for the Christ follower. Christians need to ingest God’s word to make their spirits stronger and more able to resist the temptations of the world, the flesh and the devil. Pastor Mark will help you see the importance of reading scripture regularly, and you’ll learn how to live a life that’s always getting closer to God and benefiting others.

Monday March 2, 2020

You know, people say that they want folks to be honest with them all of the time, but most don’t like it when someone accommodates them. Sometimes the pure truth is the last thing people want to hear. As a Christ follower you understand that God’s truth about their life is something people just don’t want to talk about. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the need for people to hear the honest truth about their spiritual situation whether they’re believers or not. You’ll be reminded that because of His infinite love, God’s compelled to be honest with you so that you can be more like His son, Jesus.

Wednesday February 19, 2020

The rich and powerful like to congratulate themselves on their successes, don’t they? They have awards shows and other times of recognizing their “greatness” where they gather and pat each other on the back for how awesome they are. Pastor Mark will be teaching that success in God’s eyes is something quite different. He’ll show through Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians that this view of success is another way that God separates His thinking from the world’s thinking. You’ll find out that to have God’s success will mean a very different life for you than what the world tells you about their brand of success.

Monday February 17, 2020

Do you notice how easy it is for some people to lie, even to your face? Everyone just takes for granted that politicians – the people we entrust to run our governments – are mostly liars. Even clergymen are not immune from being looked at in this way. Pastor Mark will, in his teaching today, explain why this is the norm in the world. You’ll hear about the originator of lies and the creator of truth, and about the battle they’re waging on the earth. You’ll find out what your part in this war is, which side you were born into, and how and why you need to get on the winning side of the conflict.

Wednesday January 22, 2020

Prayer is one of the most misunderstood aspects of the Christian life. Those who want to mock believers talk of conversations with nothing or with oneself. Some Christians, on the other hand, want to make prayer in to some otherworldly experience, complete with weird music and visions. Pastor Mark will teach you what the Bible itself has to say about prayer. He’ll help you understand that, like many aspects of the life of the Christ follower, you need to know the right way to do things, which will help you avoid weird or wrong ways of doing the Christian life, which will make for a healthy faith.

Monday January 13, 2020

When things in your life take a turn for the worst it’s normal to wonder if God still cares about you. You might even think that God’s not on your side anymore. It’s possible that Jacob felt that way about losing Joseph. But as Pastor Mark will be teaching today, Jacob had lost sight of the bigger picture – that this nation that God had promised would develop from Jacob’s line had to survive. In Jacob’s almost twenty years of grieving for his son he might have become fixated on his loss rather than what he still had. You’ll be reminded in the teaching to focus on God and to discover His plan in the events in your life.

Monday December 16, 2019

Have you ever had someone ask you about your faith in Jesus? How did you respond? Were you satisfied with the answer you gave? Did you give them what you thought was a biblical answer or just some pseudo-Christian platitude? Pastor Mark will be teaching today about the importance of the followers of Christ to actually know what Jesus said. He’ll be reminding you that you are Jesus’ representative here on Earth. To be an effective and accurate ambassador for Christ, you need to be familiar with His teachings. The only way for that to happen is to read and absorb the Bible.

Monday October 7, 2019

Do you have trouble trusting God? I mean, really trusting God? For that new job that will provide income for you and your family; for the salvation of your wayward child – that kind of trust. Maybe you feel like God wants you to do something unconventional – can you plow through and obey despite the grief you think you might get from family and friends? Pastor Mark will be teaching about this kind of trust. He will also be explaining where this kind of trust comes from and why you can rely on God this securely in the first place. Listen in and find a deeper relationship with God.

Wednesday October 2, 2019

Many people complain these days that the legal system is weighted in the favor of those with privilege, whether that be race, financial status or inside connections. It’s understood that when men create the standard that corruption inevitably seeps in. So why would anyone expect it to be any different if men create religious systems? How do you decide who is right and who gets into heaven? Pastor Mark will be teaching about the alternative to man-based religion: the objective standard of God’s word. You’ll learn how it alone provides answers to how men can please God and get into His kingdom.

Friday September 20, 2019

The concept of prayer seems to be such a complicated thing for humans. Jesus made it look easy – it just seemed like conversations with His Father. So, why don’t prayers you hear (or say) sound as natural as Jesus’ did? You hear people speaking in King James English or talking in ways that sound well, weird. Maybe today’s teaching by Pastor Mark will help you. He will be talking about every person’s desire for a better relationship with God. He will be sharing about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Christ follower to help them communicate with and hear from God for wisdom in living their lives.

Monday September 16, 2019

It’s really easy to believe that once you become a follower of Jesus that everything’s going to be hunky dory, no more problems. You probably realized pretty quickly that this “Christian” thing was going to be tougher than you expected it to be. This is part of what Pastor Mark will be teaching about. Jesus demonstrated by the amount of time He spent in prayer that even Someone like Him had to have continual refills of the Holy Spirit. And you know that if He had to get refills that you most certainly do. Fortunately, the Holy Spirit has an unlimited amount of Himself to pour out on you.

Friday August 16, 2019

No matter what you do to keep healthy, no matter how many times a week you work out or watch what you eat, you are going to die. That’s the way it’s been since the fall of man, and it won’t change until the end of time. The one thing that won’t ever change is God. He was around before the world began and will be after it has been destroyed. Pastor Mark will be teaching about David’s significance to Israel and how, though a flawed man, he exemplified many of the qualities you would want to display in your life. He often sought and received God’s forgiveness, which is a good trait to cultivate.

Wednesday July 24, 2019

David was kind of in a pickle in his attempt to unite the twelve tribes of Israel. He needed to establish a capital city, but because of Joab’s murder of Abner, the northern tribes’ military leader, David needed to show that he wanted to be the king of all Israelis. Fortunately for him, God had the answer: Jerusalem. It was situated properly and was a good city to be safe in. Pastor Mark will be teaching that as David continued to follow God’s lead and do things His way, God continued to give David success. God wants to do the same for you; what it requires is for you to seek His advice and then follow it.

Friday June 21, 2019

Forgiveness is hard to give, even in what may be thought of as minor offenses. Forgiveness requires letting go of hurts – even small ones – and that’s something that most people have difficulty with. David’s commander, Joab, had a problem with forgiving Abner, who had killed Joab’s brother in wartime. Pastor Mark will be teaching about the dangerous consequences of unforgiveness. Although they might not result in actions like the one Joab took they may, nevertheless, result in your heart attitude going in the same direction; God does not differentiate between thought and action.

Wednesday June 19, 2019

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