It's not unusual for the same challenge to resurface repeatedly. You think you've learned your lesson, conquered your fear, or forgiven someone, and sooner or later, the same issue shows its face, and you feel like you are back a square one. Yes, scripture teaches this is common. Rather than use all your energy to keep resisting the problem, how about using the "problem" as another stepping stone on the journey toward healing and transformation some things won't change, but you will. 2 Corinthia...
Jun 05, 2023•25 min•Ep. 177
Information is reasonable and necessary when we start off learning about God. Still, before too long, we can become very good at gathering information without putting much of it into practice. Growth, inner change, and transformation occur when our behavior changes; we need to access the Holy Spirit for any lasting change; otherwise, we keep doing the same things repeatedly. The Spirit is like the bridge between our head knowledge and our actual everyday living. Text Acts 2. Pentecost Pod 176...
May 28, 2023•30 min•Ep. 176
When life is unsettled, and we are waiting for things to change, most of us would not say we are living in joy. The whole experience of joy is often elusive. We manage, cope, and produce, but joy is something else. The first students of Jesus were marked by joy, which leads me to believe their focus was not on their present circumstances. Life lessons from the first followers of The Way. Pod 175 Text Acts 1:1-11 and Luke 24:44-53 Ascension.
May 22, 2023•25 min•Ep. 175
Place, purpose, and belonging are basic needs of every person. Everyone wants to know their place; why am I here? How should I spend my life? Everyone wants to know their purpose and, of equal importance, have a sense of belonging. If anyone one of these needs is missing, we feel unsettled and out of sorts. In his letter to his congregation, Peter wants them (and us) to know God has all these needs covered. You have to look in the right place. Text 1 Peter 2 Pod 174
May 14, 2023•25 min•Ep. 174
Why is it so hard for us to know what to do? Jesus said you can receive direction and wisdom from God, but listening takes practice. God leads only one Way, and once you know the Way, it gets far easier to recognize what is not God’s leading. Text is John 10 1-10 Pod 173
Apr 30, 2023•23 min•Ep. 173
It's when we are under high stress our weaknesses show. It's under increased pressure when God meets us in powerful ways to free and heal us so we become stronger through what we call "our failures." Text John 21:15-20
Apr 23, 2023•19 min•Ep. 172
Following Jesus' resurrection, life does not return to life as usual for Jesus' students. Much like us, the first followers of Jesus had to learn how to pick up the pieces when their hopes and dreams were shattered. The text is The Walk To Emmaus—Gospel of Luke 23. Podcast 171
Apr 17, 2023•25 min•Ep. 171
Jesus didn't just teach about courageous living. He modeled it. He didn't avoid the difficult things to say or do and expected us to do the same. Avoidance holds us back and keeps us trapped. Face the difficult thing, and I will be with you, He promised. The text is Matthew 21:1-11. Palm Sunday Pod 170
Apr 02, 2023•25 min•Ep. 170
God uses dreams, visions, friends, coincidence, circumstances, music, scripture, and a hundred other things to communicate with us. The ancient people were familiar with God using visions and dreams to speak to them. Today we will look at Ezekiel's vision of The Valley of the Dry Bones and hear a timeless promise we all need to hold onto, especially when we find ourselves in a place or position we would rather not be. Pod 169
Mar 26, 2023•26 min•Ep. 169
We Can't Rush Spiritual Growth. Understanding ourselves and God's work in our world is a lifetime endeavor. We will go through times of questioning, and the answers will not be forthcoming. Rather than ask why something is happening, Jesus teaches us to ask, "Where can I see God work in this situation?" Insight is needed to bring new clarity to everyday conflicts and dilemmas. The text is the Gospel of John Chapter 9. The Healing of the Blind Man. Pod 168
Mar 19, 2023•20 min•Ep. 168
It's helpful to recognize our personal biases. Jesus never used such language, but he constantly models the need to go toward people, conflict, or suffering we would rather avoid. He dragged his reluctant students more than once into uncomfortable situations where they felt pretty out of their depth. It's during times when we lack confidence clarity is found. The text is John 4, The Women At The Well Pod 167
Mar 12, 2023•27 min•Ep. 167
It doesn't seem fair that you can do all the right things and still be left wanting. You can't entirely secure what you think you need and want. Jesus taught that trying to do the right thing isn't the primary thing. Developing a trusting relationship with God is the first concern. Trust is the foundation for transformation and inner change, and God oversees that life project. Nicodemus tried to live a good life; he wasn't a bad person but was still unsatisfied. Like, Nico, we can spend a lot tr...
Mar 05, 2023•19 min•Ep. 166
Yes, we will be tempted because we are human. Even Jesus was tempted. Being tempted isn't always an enticement to do something wrong it could just as easily be avoidance, denial, minimizing, withdrawing, or procrastinating. Subtler forms of temptation are equally effective in breaking relationships, causing us to doubt God and giving us much inner turmoil. The text is Matthew 4. Which covers Jesus' response when being tempted. Pod 165
Feb 26, 2023•22 min•Ep. 165
One of the main struggles Jesus' disciples (and us) have is fear stops us from living the way God desires us to live. Fear of loss, change, health, dreams, death, and countless other things are familiar to us. Fear has a debilitating effect. Jesus addresses this in today's teaching. Matthew 16 The Transfiguration POD 164
Feb 19, 2023•27 min•Ep. 164
Since Jesus spoke a lot about relationships, he had to cover the topic of anger. We cannot live in this world without getting angry, nor would we want to, but there is a particular anger that is destructive to ourselves and others. We get stuck carrying anger when we excuse ourselves, deny it, or are unaware of our offense. Today we cover Jesus' wisdom on anger and what to do with it. Sermon on the Mount Part 3. Matthew 5:21-26 Pod 163
Feb 12, 2023•27 min•Ep. 163
Change must first happen within us before we can expect improvement in a troubled or complex relationship. Jesus taught extensively about preserving and protecting relationships. A beginning point is to check our motives. Pausing and taking inventory of why we decide on a particular action can redirect us and give us deeper insight into how to help rather than hinder a situation—part 2 of the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5 Blessed are the Pure in Heart. Pod 162
Feb 05, 2023•26 min•Ep. 162
Peace is something we all want. No one likes to be stressed, anxious, and overwhelmed with life. Jesus taught us a lot about our inner peace and our capacity to bring peace to those around us. Peace is certainly not something that drops from the sky. To be at peace with ourselves, other people, and our circumstances take intentional living. The text is, Blessed are the Peacemakers, from Matthew 5, The Sermon on the Mount Part 1. Pod 161
Jan 30, 2023•26 min•Ep. 161
Following Christ isn't about going anywhere; it's more about being or becoming the person God created you to be. Whatever situation we find ourselves in today, good, bad, challenging, miserable, or happy, the call is always the same. Model yourself after me. Let us look at this day, this situation, your life, as I would, Jesus said. That's following me. The text is Matthew 4. Pod 160
Jan 22, 2023•28 min•Ep. 160
Did Jesus get tired, hungry, or sad? Did he go through the assault of feelings we go through each day? Yes, the Scriptures teach us; however, unlike us, Jesus was very good at knowing how to replenish his energy. He taught that we could learn to do the same, but first, we need to know more about the Holy Spirit. John 1:29-42. Pod 159
Jan 15, 2023•18 min•Ep. 159
One theme that runs throughout the entire scripture is the promise of provision. It's the promise that God can be trusted and will not let you down. You will get what you need. The caveat is that the help does not come in advance, so an element of trust is involved. When we find ourselves in a place of unmet need, could it be that our timing is not the same as God's? The text is Matthew 2. The Magi Podcast 158
Jan 08, 2023•22 min•Ep. 158
Guidance from God doesn't necessarily have to be full of mystery and confusion. In the Christmas story, Joseph changes his mind, taking his life in an entirely different direction. He is open to change. He's flexible, and he is not afraid to reconsider his decisions. When you begin to second guess a decision, could this be God nudging you to reconsider? Matthew 1:18-25 Podcast 157
Dec 18, 2022•20 min•Ep. 157
We filter everything through our perspective. It's a habit that comes naturally to us, and it's a habit that needs to be broken, according to Jesus. We can second-guess ourselves and doubt our actions and decisions even when we are right on track. The greatest prophet that ever lived, Jesus' cousin, John the Baptist, struggled with self-doubt. Jesus' advice to his cousin, John, is the same advice he would give to each of us. "Don't take things personally." Don't take offense. Why? Because most o...
Dec 11, 2022•22 min•Ep. 156
Certain things happen in our life, and they often take us off guard and become teaching moments we never forget. It can happen during a time of transition or a time of loss. Teaching moments can come on the heels of significant failure or confusion. They are events that stop us in our tracks and cause us to reassess our lives. In Jesus' day, this was the task of the prophets. Prophets disrupt the peace because when we are in a state of imbalance, it's a perfect moment to be open to the new way G...
Dec 04, 2022•22 min•Ep. 155
Pondering how you live and what you are spending your time on is a worthwhile practice. Jesus teaches us that since it is so easy to get off track and get bogged down by all the wrong things, it's good to reassess and make necessary changes when we sense something is either missing or out of balance. The text is Matthew 25. It's the first Sunday of Advent. Pod 154
Nov 27, 2022•23 min•Ep. 154
Unsurprisingly, healing people was a big part of what Jesus did in the short time he spent here on the earth. He healed people physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I think it's safe to say that whatever brokenness we have, God desires to address the multiple levels of brokenness in our lives and our world. In today's teaching, Jesus reminds us of a spiritual practice that can easily be neglected when we are overwhelmed by the things in our lives that are not going according to our plans. Th...
Nov 20, 2022•22 min•Ep. 153
It makes little difference to Jesus which side of the line we put ourselves on. We all know people who are quick to give their opinions whether we want them or not. We also know people who are so quiet we have no idea what they think. Some of us chastise ourselves because we should have spoken up, while others cringe when they play back a conversation in which we said too much. Jesus' answer to everyone is to learn the path of meekness. Blessed are the meek. Matthew 5 Pod 151.
Nov 06, 2022•22 min•Ep. 151
A true authentic spiritual life leads to inner freedom, Jesus teaches. This kind of inner freedom draws out the very best of us. From experience, we know we don't suddenly get freed up from all our fears, anxieties, and bad habits overnight. However, Jesus insists, "I've come that you might have life," and it's a better life than we ever dreamed possible, but first, a few changes need to be made. Text is John 10 Podcast 150
Oct 30, 2022•22 min•Ep. 150
We criticize others because we are impatient. We don't tolerate those who behave differently from us. We expect people to act as we would, and when they don't, we become angry. Getting stuck in the endless loop of criticism and anger is easy. It often begins in small ways, but before long, it takes on a life of its own. Jesus addresses criticism in, The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector. Luke 18. Pod 149
Oct 23, 2022•22 min•Ep. 149
Yes, there will be times of discouragement, Jesus teaches. There will be times when prayers and heart desires are unfulfilled. The good of prayer is not dependent upon the outcome. If you pray so that circumstances will change, you set yourself up for discouragement. Luke 18. Pod 148
Oct 07, 2022•20 min•Ep. 148
Yes, it is possible to live without resentment, Jesus teaches. You have what it takes to learn how to live without carrying around a lot of past offenses, betrayal, and disappointment. It's about learning how to use your faith to propel you forward. Life was challenging to the first listeners, who complained they needed more faith. More faith isn't the answer; Jesus reminded them and us. It's more a case of learning how to use what we have. The text is Luke 17, Episode 147
Oct 01, 2022•18 min•Ep. 147
