Nikki Humphrey (00:00)
Who is Jesus? It's a question that has echoed throughout history. Was he simply a good teacher, a prophet, a miracle worker, a revolutionary? Or is he exactly who he claimed to be? The Son of God, the promised Messiah, fully God, and fully man? The answer to that question changes everything because Jesus just didn't come to give us better principles for living.
Hope Mangiafico (00:12)
you
Nikki Humphrey (00:28)
He came to rescue us from sin, restore our relationship with God the Father, reveal the very heart of God, defeat death once and for all, and invite us into a completely new life. Today, we're continuing our Godhead series by focusing on the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. We'll discover who he is, why he came, what he accomplished on the cross, and what he's doing right now.
Hope Mangiafico (00:43)
You
Nikki Humphrey (00:56)
and why surrendering your life to him is the greatest decision you ever will make. So open your heart and let's discover together why Jesus truly changes everything. Hi, I'm Nikki.
Hope Mangiafico (01:12)
Hi, I'm Hope. Welcome to Equipped Fellowship, where friends become family through Christ. We're two Jesus-loving friends on a mission.
to share personal stories, resources, and real talk about our triumphs, breakthroughs, struggles, and setbacks. Why? Because we believe you are called to live victoriously, and we're here to equip you with Holy Spirit-led tools and strategies to strengthen your faith, transform your mindset, and walk boldly in God's promises. Because here's the truth. You've been given great and precious promises by God. So grab your coffee, lean in, and let's grow together. It's time to step into everything God has for you.
Nikki Humphrey (01:50)
Yes, we are so excited that you chose to tune in today. Over the past two weeks, we've been exploring one of the most beautiful truths in our faith, the Godhead. One God, three distinct persons. God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit. In our last episode, we focused on God the Father, his unchanging character, his perfect love, his holiness, his mercy.
His desire to be known and have a real relationship with us. And today we are turning our attention to Jesus. And ⁓ I'm so excited. I'm so excited because there is no one like him. No one who has ever walked this earth has changed history in the way Jesus has. Kings have come and gone.
Hope Mangiafico (02:40)
you
Nikki Humphrey (02:47)
Emperors have risen and fallen and philosophies have faded. But for more than 2,000 years, lives are still being transformed because Jesus is still changing hearts. Yet here's what we want you to remember throughout this episode. Jesus didn't simply come to improve your life. He
Hope Mangiafico (02:47)
.
Nikki Humphrey (03:11)
didn't come merely to make ⁓
bad people good, he came to make spiritually dead people alive. And that's why understanding who Jesus is, not just what he did, is so incredibly important.
Hope Mangiafico (03:35)
And of course it's part of the Godhead. So it's like, yeah, we talked about God the Father. So Jesus is the next
thing to discuss, but one of the things that jumped out to me immediately when we knew this was the next topic was like, ⁓ I got so excited grasping the Father last week. And then this week, the first thing that I felt led to like share is like, and people I think know this, but like when you start settling this in you, every aspect of who Jesus becomes in your life becomes more alive and makes more sense. And that is the fact that he's not only the Son of God, but he was with God in the beginning.
Like, in the beginning because Jesus is the Word and John 1, 1 through 2 says, the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. And I just really wanted to like use that as our jump off point because that's why you can't separate it. He was part of the plan at the very beginning when you open up Genesis 1, 1.
It's incredible. And then you learn what he does for you and how he lived. And it just, woo!
Nikki Humphrey (04:43)
So excited because I had I had that too as first. It was just like he was already here. Like from the from the jump. And it's just like when you think about it, the one who calmed the storms created the storms. The one who healed blind eyes created sight itself. The one who stretched out his hands on the cross created the trees that form the cross.
It it's you can't wrap your head around it.
Hope Mangiafico (05:10)
But all I hear in that is redemption. That's all I can do because I can't wrap my head around other than like healing, redemption, bringing it all together.
Nikki Humphrey (05:20)
Yes.
Hope Mangiafico (05:22)
So powerful.
Nikki Humphrey (05:23)
And using it all for good.
Hope Mangiafico (05:26)
Yes. ⁓
Nikki Humphrey (05:28)
Even though it might not seem like it, it is. It's all for our good. He did it all for us.
Hope Mangiafico (05:35)
And that leads really well into the fact that we've discussed that they are one, right? That's what you had in the intro, but they're not the same exact person. They're those three distinct persons. And what I sat with when I thought about this, he is God embodied. And in John 10, 30, it says he is one with God.
And he can say that with confidence because this is kind of that going back to what you just stated, Nikki. He and God are in alignment together from the very beginning with all that creation we were talking about. And they had one goal in mind, which is bringing God's will to the earth, redeeming humanity and bringing them back home. That relationship Nikki's talked about. So that each person can encounter the Father and fulfill their purpose, which is so much bigger than.
any of us can ever realize. Also cannot wrap our minds around our purpose and our full identity. But we can get much closer because Jesus did exactly what Nikki said. He did all of this for us.
Nikki Humphrey (06:42)
Yes. And it was just like as you're talking about that hope. I imagine like a bridge. And Jesus is our our bridge. Like here's God and then here's us. And Jesus is the bridge that connects us. He's a connector. He's always bringing us closer to God. And like you said, your scripture, and then I had one from first.
Hope Mangiafico (06:52)
I that so I literally
⁓
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (07:11)
Timothy two five, which was almost the exact one, for there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the
man, Jesus Christ.
Hope Mangiafico (07:21)
Amen, I didn't have that scripture. That's amazing. And I literally as my third point said, he is our example and our bridge.
my gosh. And I guess using what you said about the bridge, like, and him being our example was I tied that together with him being our bridge is God spoke and created. We already kind of planted that in both the last episode and even as we started today. So he created both physical things, us, the earth, right, ocean, all the things, as well as the laws to help guide us, which you see that in the Old Testament with the Ten Commandments as an example.
And man could only do so many of these things and could only do them so well without a flawless example, which is Jesus Christ, who is God in the flesh. And he's not only the example to follow, he is the bridge that extends the Father's grace to us because since Jesus did live perfectly, that perfection is already seen in us. But we still need him as our example because without us improving how we live and
using him as our guide, we wouldn't be able to fully receive what Jesus came to earth for, died for, and resurrected for. So he's that bridge, he's that example, and we've said it other episodes, we can't stop there because then we're not utilizing all that, we're not utilizing the whole bridge.
Nikki Humphrey (08:50)
That's what I was gonna say, 'cause Camp Jesus is only on one side.
Hope Mangiafico (08:55)
Yes!
And I think, we mentioned it in previous episodes about the Camp Jesus and it's okay to stay there and live there, but you want to move forward. And as we're talking about it, like, I don't know, in my brain, I'm like thinking of what have I seen in my life by saying yes to leaving Camp Jesus and saying I want to
Take the step of faith and trust to step on that first plank of the bridge. Because the bridge is faith.
Do you want to be, you know, try? Do you want to be purified? Do you want to actually see the example and become the example because you can?
And I guess that's really that shifting question. Is he's our example, he's our bridge, do we want to actually become that too?
Nikki Humphrey (09:52)
Such a good question. But now I'm picturing the bridge as like one of those swaying bridges, like those suspension bridges. So it's not super easy to navigate across. It's rocky, it's unpredictable, depending on the wind and the weather and all the things. Like to move across the bridge takes commitment.
Hope Mangiafico (09:54)
It is.
Nikki Humphrey (10:19)
and faith and guidance and support and encouragement.
Hope Mangiafico (10:25)
Yeah
Nikki Humphrey (10:27)
And it's hard.
Hope Mangiafico (10:28)
It's so hard. Wow, this is just...
Nikki Humphrey (10:30)
Take that first
step 'cause it's gonna be shaky and wobbly and it's not gonna be perfect. But that's okay. That's that's God's grace. That's his reason.
Hope Mangiafico (10:39)
Yeah.
Well, as we're speaking about this literally Sunday, Sean and I took a German came into town. She's never been here. She's traveling by herself. He's like, Hey, hope I volunteered us to go to go show her the town. I'm like, OK. And we get on a swinging bridge that we have downtown. And she looks she goes, it's moving. And what's so fascinating, if we take this real example of a bridge to what Nikki just said,
I was like, I'm not even used to noticing anymore because what my eye sees is actually what's supporting the bridge in our town. It's these insane poles that have enough give to move actually with the storms that come, right? It's not actually frail, though it feels frail. And so I no longer even feel that bridge moving when I walk across it because I have become so comfortable with what the support is.
but she had never experienced it before and she immediately, it's moving. And that's our life. That first get up and go is the scariest because of what Nikki was saying. But then, fix your eyes on the Savior, that support, that comfort, who he says he is. And it's like you gain that confidence in who is the bridge.
Nikki Humphrey (11:59)
So good.
Hope Mangiafico (12:00)
more than it.
Nikki Humphrey (12:01)
And I think like to go back to the question you asked a few minutes ago, it's like why it made me think, ask it to myself, like, why did I make that first step?
Hope Mangiafico (12:11)
Yeah,
exactly.
Nikki Humphrey (12:14)
It's because like in Luke nineteen ten said, For the Son of Man came to seek and save the lost. I was so lost. I was so broken. I had given up on myself, life, everything. But I was just like, What did I have to lose?
Hope Mangiafico (12:22)
Yeah.
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (12:33)
to step out and quote unquote try God, try Jesus, see what it's that it's all about. And not everybody's story is like a rock bottom moment that they choose to step on the bridge. But for me, I was just like there was no other option. There was. I could not be here anymore.
Hope Mangiafico (12:41)
Yeah.
Yeah. Let's talk about the crying out because as you just said that
Nikki Humphrey (12:56)
But as soon as you step on the bridge, as soon as you call out to Jesus, he's running towards you to help you out along the bridge or to stabilize you.
Hope Mangiafico (13:15)
Not everyone's story is a rock bottom story. I was having a conversation with someone yesterday who literally would have said their whole lives they followed Jesus, they said yes to him at a young age, but it wasn't until they had a rock bottom moment in their 30s that it was like that cry out, I actually need the real thing. And I think that's the secret to really
Nikki Humphrey (13:36)
Mm.
Hope Mangiafico (13:43)
falling in love with your savior again, if you've already said yes to him, but maybe life happened, whatever, fill in the blanks, we all do, all that's different for all of us. But you have to have that heart cry because there is nothing else. And like Nagy said, okay, I'm willing to try Jesus, but while you quote unquote, try Jesus, it's actually from the depths of your heart where you're like, I need a savior.
That's that relationship cry.
Nikki Humphrey (14:09)
Yeah, and I wasn't expecting my whole life to change. I just wanted somebody to meet me right where I was at at my pain point. And that's what Jesus did for me, met me right there in my pain and brokenness. And I was
I've never experienced that in my life before. Like my late thirties. You know.
Hope Mangiafico (14:29)
One you carry it?
That's who he is. And if you carry that bridge analogy even further, it's like taking heaven and landing it with a bridge wherever you are.
And that's what's so cool. He's not a stationary bridge. ⁓ He closes the gap in those moments, no matter the age. Nikki has said so many times on the episodes, like, you know, it's never too late. And I think you have so many amazing stories about your own journey in life. And, and still even now, like as we were talking before the episode, like, man, God is not done with you. And I feel like you're, he's just starting to peel back.
on what all he's gonna do in your life. Then I'm like fired up about it. But here's the catch, he's always good, just like Nikki had already said too. He's always good, he works all things for good. But Nikki continues to pursue him, so those doors continue to open because even if she goes down a curlicue, because accountability plus the history and the journey with him, we come back for realignment. So he can continue to.
take her deeper or move to the next level on the bridge. We have a part to play. He opens the door. He opens the floodgate. He makes the bridge available.
But I feel like from what you were just saying, it's important to emphasize that heart cry and that saying yes, like that's our responsibility. He's done it all. We just have to, with the heart cry, say yes.
Nikki Humphrey (16:08)
Yeah. And go keep going after Jesus. Keep pursuing. Because again, at any time you can stop on the bridge.
Hope Mangiafico (16:20)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (16:21)
You can stop. You can white knuckle it in one spot and just ooh, you know, ride this way. Or you can continue to step out in faith, asking Jesus to intercede, to show you the next step, to go to God for you and make the way to the next step.
Hope Mangiafico (16:44)
Intercede, he's always at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf. It's like this beautiful chain reaction. We're not talking about Holy Spirit today, but it goes like Holy Spirit's interceding, then Jesus is interceding, and then you got God the Father. Like we've talked about the team before, like it is a team.
that you just have to say, want to be a part of that team.
Nikki Humphrey (17:06)
Yeah. And that's when you reach out, like Jesus, I'm scared, I don't know what to do. I'm confused. Like things are I'm not hearing anything.
Hope Mangiafico (17:10)
the
Nikki Humphrey (17:14)
Can you go to God? Go to God for me. Help me out.
Hope Mangiafico (17:18)
And that's a phenomenal segue to a note that I had that Jesus is a tangible example of God's love. So that's important to remember because we talked about how God has all this amazing love. We talked about it in the last episode. Or I would even say better said, instead of he's a good example of God's love, since God is love, he is the example of God himself. Full picture right there. But what's beautiful about Jesus is we can now see God in a new light.
and grasp the God of the Old Testament, for example, that people are afraid of. Well, now that we have this Jesus in the Bible to read about, we now have a better understanding of our Father as well because we can see everything through the lens of Jesus. And so with Nikki's example she just gave, Jesus, I'm scared, go to the Father. She can go directly to the Father because she said yes to Jesus, but we get to know the Father through Jesus more and more.
so you can hold on to Jesus and Jesus goes to the Father and then you get both and you get to know both intimately because you're running to Jesus. It blows my mind.
Nikki Humphrey (18:25)
Yeah. Yeah.
Hope Mangiafico (18:28)
But he's showing God's character right in front of us in those moments. He literally is the example of God.
Nikki Humphrey (18:36)
And if we keep thinking as the bridge, the connector, the way to God, it it
Hope Mangiafico (18:36)
Crazy.
Nikki Humphrey (18:43)
Highlights the importance of his role in the guy.
Hope Mangiafico (18:46)
Mmm. Yes. Yes.
Yes. Well, and you think about I said in the last episode, like, God said it, Jesus did it, and Holy Spirit gives the power to do it without someone, someone doing it in the middle. The sayings go nowhere. There's nothing to feed the power. So he is that middle part that completed God's will for humanity.
which is the greatest but of all time that we talked about in the but God episode.
Nikki Humphrey (19:23)
Yeah. And
What I wrote here complements what you just said is that one of Jesus' greatest missions on earth was revealing what God is really like. Kind of like what we were just talking about in John 14, 9 says, Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father.
Hope Mangiafico (19:37)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (19:42)
We want to know how God loves? Look at how Jesus was in the Bible. Wanna know how God forgives? Look it up in the Bible, how Jesus forgave people. Want to know how God responds to the broken? It's in the Bible. Look what Jesus did. Every mu miracle, every conversation, every act of compassion, every spoken word of Jesus reveals God the Father's heart. Jesus is God's love.
made visible.
Hope Mangiafico (20:12)
Yep.
Exactly. That tangible example. I had John 14, six, that he is the way and the truth and the life and no one comes to the father except through him. And so that's going back to your example where you're like, Jesus, I'm scared right now. Will you go to father for me?
She has said yes to Jesus and so now she has that direct access to the Father. I know we've said it about three different times in this episode, but He is the key to experiencing the Father.
And he's the only way. There are a million and 10 different belief systems out. As Nikki said in the intro, she said like philosophies fade or something. It's like none of those will stand the test of time. They're imperfect. They're incomplete.
but not Jesus himself and the truth that you read in the scriptures.
the whole Godhead.
And that said, he is also the only way we can do the things in life that actually really matter. I've like sat with this scripture a couple times because John 15, five says, am the vine, you are the branches. If you remain in me, I in you, and you will bear much fruit. Apart from me, you can do nothing. And that part is like, well, God, I've been operating for all these years without saying yes to Jesus. Now I get this new life because I said, yes, I was doing something. But the catch here,
Nikki was saying you can read about Jesus and see how he did things to understand the Father and you can also see his mission, his purpose. We can do things that lack a purpose. We can do things that don't build the kingdom, that don't fulfill the purpose that he has called us to. The key is he's the only way for us to do the things that actually matter in life and we all want to do things that matter.
But let's not, you know, what's the word I'm looking for? guess, toil. That's the formal term, I guess. Like just staying busy, just to be busy. He's the key to creating an impact to your neighbor, to your spouse, to the world. It's him.
Nikki Humphrey (22:22)
I need such a good example. And after we finished recording last week, you know, Hope and I were talking about something that was going on in my life. And it was just like, I thought the enemy was using a person against me. And it was just like that person is choosing not to embody the qualities that Jesus laid out for us in the Bible. And it hit me so different.
Hope Mangiafico (22:50)
you
Nikki Humphrey (22:51)
Because I could see the wounding in the person.
And it made me react more like Jesus, like heart to heart with that person, while creating boundaries and a safe distance for myself. But I saw it in a whole different way. Instead of battling the enemy, I had a heart of compassion towards that person. And it made me not to want to I usually wouldn't match this person's energy. And it made me want to be even more like Jesus.
Hope Mangiafico (23:22)
It's amazing.
And question for you, with that mindset shift, life becomes more enjoyable too, right?
Nikki Humphrey (23:33)
'Cause it doesn't matter. I know this person's on a different journey or a different place than I am. And that's okay. And they'll either realize it or not. They just stay camped out where they're at.
Hope Mangiafico (23:48)
And it helps you continue to live your life because you're not caught up in what the enemy is doing. And I think I've been distracted for years. And there were times that it was appropriate. But I had a conviction years ago that I was so caught up in what the enemy was doing that I wasn't fully walking out the love of God. I wasn't receiving his full love because I'm over here in the nitty gritty of the enemy when at the end of the day, get out of here. Let's connect heart to heart to the actual people, children of God.
and through that heart to heart connection, being able to see their full story and picture in their wounds, like you said, Nikki, peace just starts abounding and then you're the overflow of his character and their life might, you're like the open door to the more without you having to put up a fight.
Nikki Humphrey (24:34)
I saw this person at a distance yesterday and I fell at peace and I didn't feel distracted and my mind wasn't spinning and I wasn't like battling emotions and it was just all like
Hope Mangiafico (24:46)
Amen.
Nikki Humphrey (24:49)
And I could focus
what I needed to be focusing.
Hope Mangiafico (24:51)
⁓ enemy's so good at distracting us, which, but Jesus is the Prince of Peace, so calmness is the proof that you were tapping into the exact thing that you were supposed to be tapping into. Peace is our pursuit and we can do that because he is the Prince of Peace. That's not one of my points, but I think all of us would really appreciate walking beside the Prince of Peace.
That's so good. As you said that about that situation with that person, it made me think about the word hope because you're not necessarily hoping that this person will become your best friend.
But because of Jesus, we have hope and we have salvation, of course. But he allows us to have hope in all circumstances, both for ourselves and for the future of others. And I think that's really, really powerful and really cool because again, going back to your story of like, hmm, what was it that made me finally say yes, you needed hope.
and he is hope. Colossians 1.27 says, Christ in us is the hope of glory. 1st Timothy 1.1 says, the Lord Jesus Christ are.
Through his lens, nothing is lost.
every aspect of it.
Nikki Humphrey (26:13)
And it's when we start to lose hope. That's when we really spiral. Because you're grasping and you're trying and you're toiling and all the things that we just talked about, but on the opposite spectrum of it. Some of us when that happened, when we lose hope, we run away from God. We run away from Jesus. We run away from things that used to bring us comfort.
Hope Mangiafico (26:27)
Yes.
Well, here's what's interesting about what you just said. I've had this conversation, you would be familiar with this line because we heard this all the time in the way that we met, what you focus on you find. And I was just thinking as you're saying that, well, that actually makes a lot of sense. If you're losing hope, you're going to continue going towards what looks hopeless because you're looking at the lack of hope in your life. What you focus on you find, even if you want to avoid it.
And so there's that extreme value, and I don't know, Nikki, you might be able to help me process this thought, and why salvation of saying yes to Jesus is so important, because that hope, the Christ in you, the hope of glory is in you. So keep your eyes locked on him, and it will only be a momentary step back or turning away, because the depths of you is filled with hope.
You just have to tap into it.
But without him, the hopelessness becomes more hopelessness because what you focus on you find.
Nikki Humphrey (27:46)
And going way back to a up ⁓ an episode in the past, like we talked about like that dimmer switch inside of us.
Hope Mangiafico (27:53)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (27:54)
Like there's always that light inside of us that God put there. But are we going to keep in tough situations, are we gonna keep putting it out or are we just gonna keep turning it up?
Hope Mangiafico (27:57)
Brave.
Yeah. And in tough situations, think Nikki and I have made it very clear, no matter if this is your first episode or your 59th. But it's very evident and it's all in scriptures. I don't have any of them in front of me, but I read one this morning. It is the narrow way. It is not easy. You will be in valleys. And it's through experience of remembering that in the valley is where the growth comes.
where the flowers start to bloom, where the water runs, where the comfort comes. You don't need comfort on the mountains, which is often why some of the people that say yes to Jesus so late in life are because they were able to ride out all these mountains through hard work and white knuckling and efforts.
So we don't want to say, you know, like it's easy to just keep that switch going higher and higher. ⁓ I had, I said something to someone yesterday. I wish I could remember how it came out. It was the spirit. Cause I was like, that was good. It was like, basically like life feels so defeating, but you don't focus on that once you continue, like you start to focus on who your savior is. Because I could be in a dark room all day if I focus on all the problems that I am facing.
and he didn't say that we wouldn't face those.
But he's beside us. He's loving us. He's the Prince of Peace. And we come out refined by saying yes, like Nikki said. And that refinement is that light getting brighter and brighter. So it's a key. I used to think a brighter light meant better things happening in my life.
Nikki Humphrey (29:42)
Yeah, no, it's not
Hope Mangiafico (29:44)
Correct, it is not. It's actually me getting more refined. It's the fire getting brighter and brighter through the refinements.
Nikki Humphrey (29:55)
Yes, I had a lot of ⁓ to burn off.
Hope Mangiafico (30:00)
But, I mean, how I feel like for so long, even up until probably somewhat recently without realizing it, I thought that more light meant life gets easier.
You do have more joy because he is the joy, the joy of the Lord is my strength. You have these beautiful lasting fruits.
but it does not mean you're gonna look like what you would expect from a worldly perspective.
but you end up being okay with that.
which is pretty wild.
And that leads me to one more scripture that I had as I just said that. I like, is a perfect scripture for next. Okay, so I just stated that you become okay with what your world looks like, right? Because this is our purpose here. Again, it's bigger than we know, but at the end of the day, it's about the people. It's about the will of God on earth as it is on heaven, right? But here's the thing, 1 Peter 1, 3 through 5 says,
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to his mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you who are kept in the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." So no matter what is here on the earth,
by saying yes to Jesus, letting the refining to help that light come up. You remember that there are things incorruptible that are waiting for you in heaven.
You have an inheritance and you are not meant to be living in the dumps on this side of heaven because you have a very wealthy father and he wants you to prosper in every area. But at the same time, when you're in that valley and hardships, you can stay focused on the thing because one, you hopefully have a history of the love of God and encounters with him. But number two, remember, 1 Peter 1, 3 through 5 says,
There are things that will not fade away reserved in heaven just for you. Guys, I don't know what that looks like, but I know it's a lot better than anything that I have right now on this earth.
It's of Jesus. It literally says that it's through Jesus' resurrection from the dead that we have this inheritance.
It's so good. It's so exciting. You know, know there are streets of gold in heaven. So what can you, can you even imagine what that means for what we have as an inheritance? that's good.
Nikki Humphrey (32:36)
Yes.
piggybacking off what you did last week about God's characteristics remember
Hope Mangiafico (32:45)
Hmm.
Nikki Humphrey (32:46)
I had
This list and it says, What has Jesus done for us? Because of Jesus.
Hope Mangiafico (32:55)
Let's do it. I like it.
Nikki Humphrey (32:56)
there are with each one. Should I read the scripture?
Hope Mangiafico (33:01)
Sure, yeah, however you feel like.
Nikki Humphrey (33:03)
Okay. Because of Jesus, we are forgiven, Ephesians 1-7. We are justified, Romans 5-1. We are adopted into God's family. Galatians 4, 4 through 7. We are redeemed, Ephesians 1-7. We are set free from the power of sin. Romans 6, 6 through 7. We have peace with God, Romans 5.1.
We have direct access to the Father. 4.16. We have eternal life, John 3.16. We have hope. 1 Peter 1 through 3. We are made new, 2 Corinthians 5, 17. And that's just the beginning. You can we encourage you to dive into scripture to see what else Jesus has done for us. He has done it all.
Hope Mangiafico (33:39)
You
Nikki Humphrey (33:58)
And we are worthy of it all, just like that song.
Hope Mangiafico (33:58)
Yeah.
Nikki Humphrey (34:03)
Don't think for one minute that you're disqualified from any of these things that I just read. You are more than qualified because we are daughters of the most high king.
Hope Mangiafico (34:04)
Yes. Yes.
Nikki Humphrey (34:17)
And like hope said this is our inheritance.
Hope Mangiafico (34:19)
Yes. Yes, and we're co-heirs with Christ. So as we started this saying, he is the son of God, but we're co-heirs. So everything that is said about Jesus in scriptures is ours as well.
and
For me, something that is so important to emphasize for anyone listening that has been a part of the church and have been stuck because the church often has a tendency to emphasize how we are sinners saved by grace. And Nikki mentioned that we are saved from our sin. But also in the beginning of the episode, I think in the intro, Nikki mentioned we are given a new life.
You have a sin nature, you are not sin. And because of Jesus Christ as our example, you actually can fall out under the curse of sin in the name of Jesus Christ.
and you're worthy of it, you don't have to be trapped by all the gunk and the yuck. A sinner saved by grace means you're saved and you're renewed and you are new.
Nikki Humphrey (35:26)
It's
Hope Mangiafico (35:26)
If that's something that's kept you stuck and that takes time, I realize to change that mindset.
But that's because of the truth that you are a new creation that like Nikki said, you're worthy of it all.
and you're precious and I put somewhere in my notes I mentioned, I don't remember now where it was, but because of Jesus who was perfect, God sees us as perfection.
We're not in our perfect state right now, but he sees the finished product. Because he saw it when he made you.
a good father and a great savior.
And if you're not under the Savior right now, He's still saving lives today and He is happy to meet you, to drop His bridge down. Come chasing after you.
Nikki Humphrey (36:20)
He wants you to take that step closer. It's like, it's like a baby's first step. I feel like that's how Jesus is on the bridge, just waiting for you. Like, come on, you can do it. I don't care if you have to crawl here on your hands and knees. I don't care if you have to roll onto the bridge. Just get onto the bridge. And I'll help you. I'll stabilize you. I'll create a firm foundation.
So you can take that next step of faith with me.
Hope Mangiafico (36:53)
Amen, that is really what it is. And then we are little babies. And this whole time, Earth side, is you becoming an infant to maybe like, you graduate to being like a toddler. ⁓ But yeah, that's amazing.
I think that'll do it. What do you think?
Nikki Humphrey (37:15)
That'll do it.
Hope Mangiafico (37:17)
Thank you so much for spending this time with us today. Our prayer is that today's episode didn't teach you more about Jesus. We got lots of that. That it stirred a deeper desire to truly know Him. The more we know Him, the more we're transformed into His likeness. And the more our lives become a testimony of His grace. Next week, we'll conclude our Godhead series by exploring the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. We'll discover who He is, why Jesus called Him our helper,
and how he empowers us to live the life God has called us to live. Until then, remember these powerful words from the apostle Paul, for in Christ all the fullness of the deity lives in bodily form, which is Colossians 2.9. Jesus is not merely a reflection of God, he is fully God. He is the way, the truth, and the life. He is the lamb of God, the lion of Judah.
the bread of life. Oh man, we didn't even talk about that. The light of the world, the good shepherd, the true vine, the great high priest, the king of kings and the lord of lords. Fix your eyes on him, walk with him, trust him because when you have Jesus, you have everything. You truly need everything. Until next time, stay equipped, stay rooted in his word and keep becoming more like Christ.
one faithful step onto the bridge at a time. See you in the overflow.
