The Kubik Report

Steve Parker talks to Young Adults about the Prodigal Son

Steve Parker from Houston, Texas and I discuss the parable of the Prodigal Son, also called the Lost Son.  The lessons from this parable were the theme of the Young Adults Retreat in Townsend, Tennessee, in the Smoky Mountains.  Steve was one of the principal speakers at the event that took place May 24-27, 2024.
This parable offers more than meets the eye, with lessons for all ages about how God loves and pursues us. 
Steve Parker is a Christ-follower, husband, father of four, and soon-to-be grandfather. He serves as a Deacon in the Houston congregation of the United Church of God and is currently finishing a five-part sermon series entitled Live Valuably: Learning to Appreciate Yourself and Others as God Does. Professionally, he has been a hospice executive for nearly 23 years with sector expertise in patient experience, business development, and leadership. You can find him on social media at @storysparker where he contributes about storytelling, Biblical wisdom, and whatever book he is reading at the time.
We'd love your feedback on this podcast to 
vkubik@gmail.com
 

Ken Murray: Old Testament Prophecies of Christ

Ken Murray and I discuss just a few of the 333 prophecies about Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.  
70 of these O.T. prophecies were fulfilled in the last week of Christ's human life.   
These prophecies are specific enough that the mathematical probability of Jesus fulfilling even a handful of them, let alone all of them, is staggeringly improbable—if not impossible.  
Handout regarding this podcast

From Malawi: Joseph Mughohgo describes his new management role

Joseph Mughogho, who lives in Lilongwe, Malawi, has been our friend for about 11 years. He has served as an accountant for the United Church of God and is currently LifeNets Business Manager for northern Malawi. We have appreciated his professional and wise service to us all these years.  In April 2024, he and his wife were appointed as a couple to serve as Secretary General of the International Confederation of Christian Family Movements for Africa.  He will hold this position for the next five years.  The position is not full-time but will involve quite a considerable amount of travel to Zambia, Mozambique, Uganda, Cameroon, Nigeria among other places.  He will continue doing his work for LifeNets.
As a couple, they consider it an honor to serve through Family movements. The induction was conducted on 27th April 2024 in Lilongwe.  He asks for our continued prayers as they perform this task of strengthening families and marriages, vitally needed for Africa.  
In this podcast we carry on a  conversation about the importance of teaching family values. 
www.iccfm.org

Conspiracy! The Truth Shall Set You Free...

Today's episode features Tim Pebworth, United Church of God's Chairman of the Council of Elders and Director of French Speaking areas, who speaks on the subject of Conspiracies that so many, including devout Christians, can get caught up in.A recent USA Today article quotes University of Chicago political science professors Eric Oliver and Thomas Wood as saying that in any given year, roughly half of Americans believe in at least one conspiracy theory. Given the pervasive nature of conspiracy theories, Tim Pebworth examines what the Bible says about conspiracy theories. He challenges us to think critically about what we hear and see, asking hard questions about the motivations and intentions of those who promote these alternative theories. The sermon looks at what the ancient prophet Isaiah says about conspiracy theories, the interesting linkage to the ancient and modern philosophy of Gnosticism and how to evaluate these theories in light of Biblical teachings.

Elena Kubik talks to Grandpa about his recollections of first man on the moon in 1969

My 17-year-old granddaughter, Elena Kubik, interviewed me for an 11th-grade assignment.  I just loved the job that she did and would like to share this 14-minute interview with you.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Rebekah Drury: Help for navigating through grief

Rebekah Drury is a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor with the state of Ohio. She also has a Master of Arts degree in Professional Counseling from Liberty University. 
Rebekah and I discuss how to work through crises and tragedies that will come into our lives.  She is a Christian therapist and gives valuable insights for us to consider about inevitable events that will face.

Beekeeper Ken Murray discusses the amazing world of bees and honey

Ken Murray of Clermont, Queensland, Australia and I talk about the awesome world of bees, beekeeping  and honey.  As a registered beekeeper in his state of Queensland, Ken talks about the bee, what it produces and how he interfaces with it.  
Ken and Ruthie on the day of the podcast. 
Here are some other resources spoken of in the podcast:
Beyond Today articles: 
https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/beyond-today-magazine/honeybees-tiny-testimony-to-a-great-god 
https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/booklets/creation-or-evolution-does-it-really-matter-what-you-believe/the-scientific-evidence-in-the-eye-of-the-beholder 
https://www.ucg.org/beyond-today/belief-in-god-is-a-choice 
Photo attributes: Makro Freak, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons 

Victor Kubik: And Now, a Word From Our Sponsor

What does it take to be right with God and your fellow man?  What is the threshold of righteousness?  Is it perfection achieved by your efforts?  What part does Jesus Christ play in our being just before God.  I explore this in this episode.  
Download a worksheet that contains the 120 titles, names and metaphors of Jesus Christ.
 
 

With Gregory L. Thomas: Useful Stephen R. Covey nuggets for your immediate use.

Greg Thomas and I continue with our 14th podcast since August 2022 in Leadership.  Leadership is in large part honest, genuine behavior on our part.  That's what causes REAL adherents to your cause.  
Today we explore some of the most powerful ideas/statements from Stephen Covey and talk about how they can be immediately applied by you.  
Greg is a business consultant, author, keynote speaker, and a personal life coach that I got to know very well over a decade ago.  As a reminder, you can learn more about Greg’s training skills on his YouTube site. Simply type in “leadership excellence channel” on the YouTube home page “search” bar, and you will find him.
More about Greg Thomas at https://leadershipexcellencenow.com/about-greg-l-thomas/

Christian Passover Countdown with Ken and Vic

Ken Murray from Queensland, Australia and I talk about the awesome symbolism depicted by the events of the Exodus that embody the most important of Christian beliefs, purpose and ethics.  Before the Passover in the letters of Paul to the Corinthians we are admonished to EXAMINE ourselves before the Passover.  The countdown is on!  
Here is the link that I (Ken) mentioned, to my favourite Facebook Group that I administer, regarding “Bible Daily Reading …with commentary” at:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1067853697750375
We started with Genesis Chapter 1, on 1st January 2024 and now we are up to 1 Kings, chapters 14., 15, and 16, with commentary on each chapter, as of Wednesday April 3, 2024.
Other handouts in pdf:
Passover Purpose Sermon notes March 23, 2024
Passover checklist scriptures
Here is the link to our "Bible Daily Reading ...with commentary" as mentioned in our "Vic and Ken" podcast:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1067853697750375

HAITI Today, March 28, 2024 with Chuck Smith - Hard Times

UCG Pastor in USA and Senior Pastor in the Caribbean.  Chuck Smith and I talk about the current crisis in Haiti as March 28, 2024.  Gangs roam the streets.  But, the Church is still functioning in these serious times. 
Check out Chuck's Website at chucks.ucg.@gmail.com or you can call him at 615 848-7372

Tim Martens: "I Will Build My Church" How it's done in NW Arkansas.

Tim Martens started with a United Church of God congregation with only eight adults and two children. It has grown to 37 now. Tim has not been a caretaker; he has practiced his innovative skills to reach into his region in various ways discussed on this podcast. 
Here are links spoken of in the podcast: 
Facebook page for UCG-Northwest Arkansas (over 1,100 followers & now adding about one per day) 
https://www.facebook.com/Sabbath.NWA/   
 
YouTube video channel for UCG NWA (over 600 subscribers and adding one or two per week) 
https://www.youtube.com/@UCGNWA7   
 
BitChute video channel for UCG NWA (38 subscribers – surprisingly number of views without advertising) 
https://www.bitchute.com/search/?query=ucg%20nwa&kind=video&sort=new   
 
Rumble video channel for UCG-Northwest Arkansas (39 followers – with no promotional activity)
https://rumble.com/c/SABBATHNWA   
 
In 2023 we started using the UCG-NWA Facebook/YouTube model for UCG Estonia. 
 
Tim Martens has also set up a Facebook page for UCG Norway in anticipation of his visit to Scandinavia and Eastern Europe this summer. He knows several Norwegians who have attended the Feast in Estonia. My maternal grandfather was Norwegian. He hopes to visit his ancestral family farm near Stavanger, Norway, on this trip. 
 
 
 

Derrick and Cherry Pringle: Zambia - The drought, the Work, old relationships

Derrick/Cherry Pringle and I talked today, March 14, 2024, about conditions in this country.  Bev and I have traveled there many times and spent time with the Pringles, visiting the congregations he founded in the Copper Belt.  
Zambia is experiencing the worst water shortage and now drought in the 30 years that the Pringles have lived there.  
 

Mitch Moss: Clothing, Consulting, Character, Class, Christian

Mitchell Moss is a designer, writer, editor and photographer who lives in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He’s been writing on menswear for more than a decade, helping men discover the principles of how to dress well, feel great and express their style.
We focus particularly on menswear in this podcast, however Mitch Moss gives us a history and biblical narrative about clothing dating to the first animal skins used for clothing in the Book of Genesis through the regal display of attire in the Book of Revelation.
Find out more about Mitch at his website at menswearmusings.com

State of the Union: State of our Leadership - Microcast

Victor Kubik comments about President Biden's March 7, 2024 State of the Union Address to the Nation and which is ultimately heard around the world.  This message reflected the spirit of our leadership and the nation in a time when we desperately need to find out who we are and how we are blessed with the great nation that is now in sore distress.

Les Booth: Artificial Intelligence from Writing to Religion

Les Booth, Creative Collaboration Architect, and I continue discussing the explosive field of Artificial Intelligence (AI). In part one, we discussed what AI was, and now we delve into how it can improve your writing and how it can be used to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.     
AI has greatly changed how we do things and it's just beginning!

Twila Reynolds: Straight Talk About Our End of Life

Twila Reynolds and I talk about the inevitable moment coming to all of us: the day of our death.  
Twila Reynold is retired.  She spent most of her professional years in the commercial insurance industry.  But, later, she changed fields and worked in the administrative medical field, which has always interested her. When she began working at the VA Medical Center, she started as an Invasive Procedure Coordinator in the CT area. She later moved to Human  Resources, where she handled all the worker compensation claims for that facility.  
Twila directed me to the book Being Mortal by Atul Gawande. A PBS documentary by the same name is available on YouTube at 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQhI3Jb7vMg
Atul Gawande is a surgeon who explores the inevitable process of aging and ultimately death, and takes a critical look at how the medical profession does not yet have a firm grip on how to handle these processes well. He explores the birth of nursing homes, independent and assisted living facilities, and the various roles modern hospice programs can play to support those nearing the end of their lives. Gawande shares several stories of those who were adeptly aided through the process of growing frail as well as those were not so lucky. Finally, Gawande shares what he has learned about how each of us should approach our mortality as well as that of those we love.
 

With Gary Petty at the National Religious Broadcasters Convention 2024 in Nashville, TN

Gary Petty and our wives attended the National Religious Broadcasters (NRB) Conference in Nashville, TN, on February 22, 2024.   We met a lot of passionate people with ministries ranging from anti-abortion to anti-pornography to preaching a strong warning and repentance messages to the American people. We met with Russian workers on the Gospel News Channel with a message to the Russian people in their language.  We viewed several live podcasts by Eric Metaxas as well as visited with Washington Times Religion and Family reporter Mark Kellner and much more.  
NRB is a nonpartisan, international association of Christian communicators whose member organizations represent millions of listeners, viewers, and readers. We work to protect the free speech rights of our members by advocating those rights in governmental, corporate, and media sectors, and works to foster excellence, integrity, and accountability in our membership by providing networking, educational, ministry, and relational opportunities.
NRB equips Christian communicators to share the television, and digital platforms. It advocates for issues that matter to Christian communicators, including freedom of speech, online censorship, and technology access. 
www.nrb.org
 

Greg Thomas Leadership - Communication - self-talk, barriers, levels of listening

This will be our 13th Podcast together. Last time we started with a brand-new topic… effective communication. Since August of 2022,  we have been discussing an ongoing series of thought-provoking topics on the subjects of personal leadership development, and business leadership. Greg is a business consultant, author, keynote speaker, and a personal life-coach that I got to know very well over a decade ago.  As a reminder, you can learn more about Greg’s training skills on his YouTube site. Simply type in “leadership excellence channel” on the YouTube home page “search” bar, and you will find him.
In the past, we have spoken with Greg about a lot of interesting topics including Personal Leadership Development, Business Leadership, Servant-Leadership, How to Have a Fulfilling and Productive Day, and the common misconceptions about the Law of Attraction. 
https://leadershipexcellencenow.com
 
 
 

Tucker Carlson/Vladimir Putin Interview What Did We Learn? by Victor Kubik

What did we learn from this rare interview that Tucker Carlson did with Vladimir Putin. Who benefited?  Do we have a greater understanding?   Victor Kubik comments 
Also, is a reading of my article in the BEYOND TODAY magazine about the kind of person Putin is. 
Photo credit: 
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons