Welcome to another episode of our podcast, today we dive deep into the heart of faith, unity, and the power of genuine connection. In John 17:20-23, Jesus prays not just for His disciples, but for all who will believe in Him through their message. He prays for unity, that we may all be one, just as He and the Father are one. This prayer is repeated three times, emphasizing its importance. But there's a catch. While Christ desires unity, He can't make it happen for us. We are the ones who must ch...
Sep 23, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 164
Today, we're going to explore a passage that many of us might be tempted to skim over—Matthew chapter 1. Now, I know what you're thinking: "All those names! It's like reading a phone book!" And you're right; it can be daunting. But I want to encourage you to slow down and let these names stir your memory. Each name represents a story, a life, and a lesson from the Old Testament. As we look at this genealogy, remember that it signifies the completion of the Old Testament. These names are not just...
Sep 18, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 163
In today's episode, we will explore a topic that often sparks lively discussions and deep reflections: the use of instrumental music in worship. It's a subject that touches on our practices, our traditions, and our desire to honor God in all that we do. You might have encountered questions or even debates about why we adhere to acapella singing, and today, we'll delve into the heart of this matter. Our guiding principle is simple yet profound: we seek positive authority from the Scriptures. Inst...
Sep 16, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 162
Welcome back to another episode, today we're diving into living a life of true freedom in Christ. Let's start with a powerful reminder from 1 Peter 2:16, where Peter tells us, "As free men, do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bond slaves of Christ." This might sound paradoxical at first, freedom and bondage in the same breath, but it gives us the essence of Christian liberty. Freedom is not free; it is the ultimate test of responsibility. In our society today, many misu...
Sep 12, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 161
Welcome to today's podcast, "Conservative in a Changing World." In our world that's constantly shifting, it's easy to feel like we're losing our footing. But today, we're going to explore why holding onto conservative values, rooted in the teachings of Jesus, can provide us with the stability and direction we need. Our culture is always changing, and that's nothing new. From the days of ancient Israel to the present, societies have drifted from the moral compass God set for us. Yet, it's in thes...
Sep 11, 2024•36 min•Season 2Ep. 160
In just a few moments, we’ll be reading from Jeremiah 38, starting at verse 17. So, if you have your Bibles handy, go ahead and turn there now. But before we get into the scripture, I want to ask you a question: Have you ever felt afraid, insecure, or uncertain about the future? Have life’s problems ever rocked your boat a little bit? If so, you’re not alone. We’ve all faced various health issues, employment concerns, economic uncertainties, and more. From wars and terrorism to gas prices and th...
Sep 10, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 159
Today, we start our journey in Exodus 34:14, where it says, “For you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” Jealousy is a word that often carries negative connotations. We don’t typically celebrate jealousy or see it as a virtue. In fact, it’s usually something we try to avoid. But what if I told you that God’s jealousy is something entirely different, something pure and righteous? As we delve into this topic, we’ll see that God’s jealousy is not abou...
Sep 09, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 158
Imagine that you've just cashed a check for $100, and you're holding five crisp new $20 bills. You head out with a friend, enjoying a meal and good conversation. But when it's time to pay, the cashier runs a pen across one of your twenties and declares it fake. It's a frustrating moment, isn't it? Now, think about this on a spiritual level. Just as counterfeit money can slip through the cracks, so can counterfeit faith. There are those who look and sound like Christians but aren't truly living t...
Sep 06, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 157
You might wonder, do your beliefs really matter? Is it crucial to adhere strictly to what the Bible says? Well, I believe the best way to answer that is to let the Bible speak. Our goal is to read God's will and find His answers to our questions. We don't want to rest our hope on the ideas or opinions of men, but rather, we seek to understand what the Bible has to say. In this lesson, we'll be running through a series of verses. Don't worry, I promise to keep an eye on he clock, so we won't go p...
Sep 05, 2024•25 min•Season 2Ep. 156
In today's episode, we explore our common longing for a better existence, a desire that unites us all. We'll delve into the complexities within Christianity itself, where differing interpretations and teachings can lead to confusion. From debates about women's roles in the church to the necessity of baptism, and even the acceptance of various lifestyles, the landscape of modern Christianity can seem like a maze. But amidst this confusion, we must remember that our ultimate goal is unity and trut...
Sep 04, 2024•30 min•Season 2Ep. 155
In today's episode, we'll be exploring Jeremiah 42. This passage is a reminder of the importance of seeking God's guidance and being willing to follow His direction, even when it's challenging. We'll see the people of Jeremiah's time, living in fear of Nebuchadnezzar, approach the prophet with a desperate plea for divine intervention. Imagine the scene: the commanders of the forces, Johanan the son of Kareah, and Jezaniah the son of Hoshaiah, along with all the people, both small and great, come...
Sep 03, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 154
Welcome, today we delve into the seven stages of love. Love is a wonderful adventure that continually unfolds as we grow, offering new insights and deeper understanding at every turn. We all start our lives as needy infants, completely dependent on those around us. This is a natural beginning, but our ultimate goal is to evolve from this initial stage to a place where we mirror God's love in its fullness and holiness. Each stage of love comes with its own set of challenges and, I would say, adve...
Sep 02, 2024•28 min•Season 1Ep. 153
You may have heard about the strength required to throw a punch, but today, we’re exploring the resilience it takes to withstand a punch and press on. It reminds me of a quote from a philosopher of our modern era, Rocky Balboa, who said, “It’s not about how hard you can hit, but how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” There’s truth in these words, a truth that life itself teaches us, if we’re willing to learn. In the Gospel of Mark, chapter 6, verse 48, we find a powerful lesson on a ...
Aug 29, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 152
It’s easy to feel adrift, lost amidst the waves of uncertainty and the storms of trials. But fear not, for we have been given a map, a compass, a Northern Star that shines brighter than any confusion or doubt. I’m talking about God’s Word. It is the cornerstone, the bullseye, the central axis around which our entire existence revolves. It is not just a guide; it is the very essence of direction and purpose for our lives. As Jeremiah 10:23 reminds us, it is not within man to direct his steps. Our...
Aug 28, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 151
Have you ever felt like you’re walking a tightrope, trying to balance the weight of the world with the call to walk the straight and narrow? You’re not alone. We’ve all been there, thinking, “I’ll never get this all figured out.” And guess what? That’s perfectly okay. We’re human, we stumble, and sometimes we fall. But it’s in the getting back up, in the confessing and the striving, that we find our strength and our growth. In this podcast, we’re diving deep into the essence of forgiveness, into...
Aug 27, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 150
Today, we are diving into a key element of spiritual and personal development, starting with the Jesus’ teaching in Luke 16:10, where Christ illuminates the path to greatness, not through grand gestures, but through steadfastness in the smallest things of life. Imagine, if you will, a ladder stretching towards the heavens. At the top are figures of awe-inspiring faith and success. Yet, understand that they did not simply appear there; they climbed, rung by rung, from the very bottom where we all...
Aug 26, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 149
In today's episode, we reflect on a powerful verse from 2 Thessalonians 2:15, where Paul urges us, "...to stand firm and hold fast to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter." This isn't just any tradition; it's the apostolic tradition, the pure message delivered in the first century, untainted by the passing of time. We live in an era where 'change' is often dressed up as 'progress,' tempting us to abandon our foundations for something seemingly better o...
Aug 23, 2024•26 min•Season 1Ep. 148
Today we begin with the story of Nebuchadnezzar, a story that unfolds in the heart of everyone sooner or later. Nebuchadnezzar’s heart is brimming with satisfaction over his achievements. He brags, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” Yet, in his moment of glory, he teetered on the edge of ruin, pride was tempting him. God saw the pride lurking in Nebuchadnezzar and had warned him. He did not lis...
Aug 22, 2024•26 min•Season 2Ep. 147
In this episode, we’ll focus on the silver lining of life’s challenges, those spiritual pains that weave resilience and hope into our being. We’re learning to crucify the flesh, as Paul taught, to step out on faith, because our faith is not a refuge to hide in but is a power that fuels us in the storms of life. Our faith is a living, breathing testament that rises above this temporary life empowering us to press on in our imitation of Christ. It’s about shedding the weight of worldly entanglemen...
Aug 20, 2024•29 min•Season 2Ep. 146
In this episode, we’re going to explore the power of faith. The kind of faith that turns the impossible into the possible. It’s easy to feel like our personal battles are the most challenging we’ve ever faced, and in many ways, they are. But we can take comfort in knowing that humanity has faced trials since time immemorial. Now, there’s a paradox in carrying our own weight. It’s a clear Bible teaching, yet we’re also called to encourage one another. And that’s what we’re here for; to face our b...
Aug 19, 2024•34 min•Season 2Ep. 145
Today we're going to learn how to embrace our uniqueness, our diversity, and our unity in Christ. We're going to see how God created us in his image, but also gave us different talents, abilities, experiences, and perspectives that make us who we are. We're going to discover how we can use these gifts to serve God and others, and how we can avoid the pitfalls of comparison, envy, pride, or conformity. And we're going to challenge ourselves to be better Christians today than we were yesterday, by...
Jul 30, 2024•33 min•Season 2Ep. 144
Welcome to another podcast where I share with you some insights from God's word and how they apply to our lives. Today, we're going to talk about patience. Patience is one of those virtues that we all need, but we often struggle to cultivate. Especially in our modern world, where everything seems to be fast-paced, instant, and demanding, we can easily lose sight of our eternal perspective. We can get frustrated, discontented, and anxious when things don't go our way, or when we don't see the res...
Jul 29, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 143
Today I want to share with you a sermon I recently presented about the difference between the individual and the congregation. I made two main points that I hope will challenged you to think about your role as a Christian and as a member of a local church. I use three passages from the New Testament to show that there are things that God expects from us as individuals, but not as a church, and vice versa. I also talk about how we can support any political candidate we want as private citizens, b...
Jul 28, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 142
You can become stronger in your spiritual life. Spiritual training is like physical training, progress follows training in faith and holiness. Let’s look at six steps to follow and enjoy greater spiritual strength. 1. Feed on every word that comes from God's mouth. This means reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible, as well as listening to godly teachers and preachers. 2. Pray without ceasing, have constant communication with God, expressing your needs, desires, praises, and confessions, ...
Jul 27, 2024•32 min•Season 2Ep. 141
The most important goal of a Christian is to grow in our relationship with Christ and become more like Him. This means that we learn from bible example and close the gap between us and Him. The closer we are to Christ, the more we can resist the temptations of Satan. Bible examples, beginning in the book of Genesis and going forward are a rich source of information to use in our discipleship. This podcast will give you insight into using bible examples to grow stronger in your imitation of Chris...
Jul 26, 2024•22 min•Season 2Ep. 140
Christ is our greatest source of satisfaction and hope in life. Many modern examples of the so-called successful show that worldly success, wealth, and pleasures are not lasting or fulfilling. Christ is greater than the manna that fed the Israelites in the wilderness. Christ will feed our hearts when we surrender our little agendas and shallow expectations to God, and embrace the training that comes from God. As one grows in this process, he or she discovers the paradox of peace and sacrifice in...
Jul 25, 2024•28 min•Season 2Ep. 139
It is scary to trust God in the midst of difficulties, but it is the best option for people that want to enjoy life and reach heaven. In this podcast we consider examples such as Daniel, Abraham, and Paul, who faced hardships and dangers but remained faithful to God. I invite you to follow these example and embrace the joy and peace that God offers, even when things are not going according to our own plans.
Jul 24, 2024•31 min•Season 2Ep. 138
Change is a challenge for Christians. In this podcast, we look at biblical examples that encourage us when we face times of change. When we make deliberate effort, based on Scripture, we move forward with greater ease. However, we must not be complacent or deceived by Satan. We must persist to work out our own salvation, thus, we learn that Christianity is not just about the initial conversion, but about a lifelong journey of transformation.
Jul 23, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 137
Guest speaker, Don McClain, leads us into the topic of patience, based on the epistle of James in the New Testament. Don empowers us to be patient in the face of trials and tribulations, and to trust in God's promises and judgments. He uses examples from the Bible, such as the farmer, the prophets, Job, and Jesus, to illustrate the value of perseverance and endurance. He also warns against the negative consequences of impatience, such as anger, dissatisfaction, pessimism, and quitting. He gives ...
Jul 22, 2024•38 min•Season 2Ep. 136
This podcast inspires Christians to be passionate about the truth of the Bible and to live according to it. We will use various scriptures to support our points and to motivate us to pursue righteousness, avoid sin, and focus on living our best spiritual life. I will also emphasize that being a Christian is a growing process that requires constant effort and growth.
Jul 19, 2024•27 min•Season 2Ep. 135
