Shows Main Idea – A church member sent me an email because they are struggling with what she called a “lack of community” in her local church. She is one in a long list of emailers talking about this problem, and while there are several angles to a local church’s lack of community, I’m only dealing with one in this episode: the church’s leaders. This episode will be dicey, but I want to carefully navigate through it because a church’s leadership is the most critical aspect of all when talking ab...
Jan 22, 2023•35 min
How many ways does the Lord have available for Himself to help us mature into Christlikeness? Most folks would say the Bible, prayer, church, and close friends. They are correct. Those essential means of grace are for growing us up into Christlikeness. Here’s another. Consider that the Lord would permit sin in your life to rattle your cage for Jesus. What do you think about the redemptive purposes of sin, as opposed to the non-redemptive goals of evil? Mable struggled with this concept. Read Her...
Jan 19, 2023•35 min
Grumbling is a minor sin, but like tiny breadcrumbs leading you somewhere, the complaining person shows you the practical condition of their heart. The grumbler might not perceive what their words are saying about them or their need for a gospel recalibration, but you must know this to help them. My friend, Biff, is one of those undiscerning complainers. Perhaps this case study will provide insight into how to care for him or any other person with a grumbling, complaining spirit. Read Here: http...
Jan 17, 2023•37 min
Shows Main Idea – Anton Krecic started Seven Weeks Coffee Company because he saw a need that nobody was fulfilling. He merged his love for coffee with a passion for the pro-life movement. Seven weeks is typical when a mother hears her child's heartbeat. The child is the size of a coffee bean. Seven Weeks Coffee gives 10% of its sales to pro-life centers around the country. Listen to Anton describe his passion and what God is doing with it. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-445-in...
Jan 15, 2023•51 min
Working through pain is part of the human experience. Problems come and go as sparks fire fly upward. Trouble and trials began with the fall of humanity, and they will not go away until Christ comes to rescue us. The great news is that we can solve our problems, assuming we start at the right place. Did you know there is a unique first step to solving your concerns and that it flows out of your worldview? Here’s the key idea: How you begin problem-solving will determine how things end for you. R...
Jan 12, 2023•34 min
True freedom is only found when the singular opinion that governs your mind and conscience is the Lord’s. When His evaluation is the only one that holds sway in your heart, you are walking in the highest form of liberty. This posture before the Lord is how Jesus lived. Others did not manipulate him, nor was He governed by their approval or disapproval. No person could coerce Him, intimidate Him, or manage Him because His sole reference point was the will and perspective of His Father. Read Here:...
Jan 10, 2023•23 min
Shows Main Idea – “How do you answer a friend who is not a Christian but searching when she asks why God let my baby die? The grief is seemingly insurmountable, and not having a relationship with God adds a layer of complexity. I’m unsure what to say to her other than to be a friend. What would you say to her? What advice do you have for me?” This question is one of the most difficult ones to answer, but we know God’s Word has an answer, and I want to share with you five things to help this dist...
Jan 08, 2023•37 min
To say that God is all you need reduces your life to a “you and God in a silo,” which might sound nice if you’re prone to spiritualize everything while not factoring in reality. Spiritualized sloganeering typically fails the eye test in real-world dynamics. For example, you must have friends if your aim is to live out the grander purposes of the gospel. I’m not speaking of needing friends in an inverted “what can you do for me” way, but a worldview of friendship that minimizes loneliness as a si...
Jan 05, 2023•38 min
The most crucial relationship in your life is God. The most practical way to experience Him is in a community of like-minded believers who are intentional about helping each other mature in their relationships with Him. To know God better means your primary relationships should provide you with contexts to deepen your experience with Him (1 Corinthians 10:31). If your essential relationships do not give you that kind of care, you should consider changing your closest network of friends (Matthew ...
Jan 03, 2023•41 min
Shows Main Idea – A reader asked, "How do you deal with people who claim to be Christians, yet they are brutally invasive with their tactics by forcing religion down someone's throat and condemning the other person based on their past experiences and choices? There is only one way for secondary preferences in their view, and this person is the sole arbiter of what is right and wrong. Let me give you an example of what I'm saying." Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/respond-unkind-chr...
Jan 01, 2023•36 min
To fully release your vulnerable and intimate soul to another person, you must know the individual is trustworthy and will lovingly steward all of your inner truth. This quality in a marriage is one of a husband’s most critical leadership requirements as he leads his wife in proper communication habits. We build our most vital and profound relationships upon trust, which is why we love God so much. Trust is why we share with Him our deepest and darkest thoughts; we know He will never condemn us ...
Dec 30, 2022•34 min
A lady wrote, asking me how to help her and her husband. He recently left for another woman, and she's in desperate straits, not knowing what to do about it or what her role should be in restoring their marriage. She's hurting but is maturing while in her desperate crucible. I gave her eight things to think about, and though I am dealing with a husband who left a wife for another woman, you can change the genders, and the content will apply to the husband who has lost his wife. Show Notes: https...
Dec 25, 2022•36 min
We are relational beings because God created us in His image (Genesis 1:26). God, who has always belonged to a Trinitarian community, made us in such a way that we desire to belong to a reciprocal community (Genesis 2:18). Made in the image of God means, in part, that you have similarities to God (James 3:9). One of the most intrinsic qualities that the Lord put into us is a desire to commune with others—those who are like us. The challenge, of course, is securing those trusted relationships whe...
Dec 22, 2022•34 min
What is the most trustworthy indicator of a person who has authentically changed? How can you know—as much as one can understand objective, practical transformation? “He said he changed but did he?” Many folks have asked this question, and thankfully, Paul gives us our answers. But first, let me tell you a story. You know who they are: our friends, Biff and Mable, the couple who represent the best and worst of us. They make an excellent case study to help us understand authentic change in a pers...
Dec 20, 2022•39 min
Shows Main Idea – A reader asked, "When a leader falls, the church bags him up and throws him out. Can you comment on how to respond to a fallen Christian leader?" I assume there is hyperbole in the question to make a point because some churches are outstanding in how they care for those leaders captured by sin. However, the question is valid, and I will explore this essential issue that could come to any local church. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/respond-fallen-christian-leade...
Dec 18, 2022•37 min
When most folks think about giving, they automatically default to money. It makes sense because money is vital to living well in God’s world. But if money is the only thing we think about regarding giving, we will miss out on some of the most incredible life experiences we could have. God is calling all believers to a level of generosity that touches every sphere of our lives, not just our finances. When we get to this generous place with our walk with the Lord, we are about as Christlike as we ...
Dec 15, 2022•34 min
God’s salvation is a gift that we must steward, though managing His salvation does not imply we can lose it, an impossible feat. But we must share it with others. Suppose we do not steward God’s salvation by extending His gift to others. Who knows, God might go to extraordinary lengths to get our attention to motivate us to think differently about the gift. Jonah was one of God’s children who refused to steward salvation well, and the Lord did go to terrible lengths to turn Jonah in the right di...
Dec 13, 2022•36 min
Shows Main Idea – Sometimes, a person does not want to receive counseling because they are afraid to share their story. The complexity of shame, guilt, and fear incarcerate them. Though they know you can’t help them without knowing the truth about their lives, the inhibition effect is forbidding and captivating. To counsel well means you must know and do specific things, so how do you build that trust, so a person opens up to you? Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/counsel-person-bel...
Dec 11, 2022•34 min
How do you help a teen with a porn problem? This podcast discusses the issue with porn and how to help anyone struggling with addiction. One of our members asked a specific question, "I've had the opportunity lately to counsel a teenage boy struggling with pornography. He is aware of the inappropriate, sinful nature of this and has displayed some guilt and remorse. The parents want to be involved in helping him through this. The dad is a stepdad." Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/h...
Dec 05, 2022•40 min
Merry Christmas, everyone. The holiday season is the best time of the year, especially when our focus is Christ as we celebrate His birth and what it means to us. The Christmas season is a snapshot of what our ministry is about, sharing the practical message of Christ globally. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/we-are-less-than-four-feet-from-6-64-billion-hearts/ Will you help us to continue providing free content to the world? You can become a supporting member here rickthomas.net/recurring...
Dec 03, 2022•21 min
On the radio today, a well-known pastor says that Christians should not describe themselves as "sinners saved by grace" but "saints who occasionally sin." If we define ourselves as the first, he says, "What a dangerous, miserable way to live." As Christians, how much focus should there be on the reality of daily sin versus the spiritual reality of our identification with Christ and His holiness dwelling within us? What does this practically look like in daily living?" – Supporting Member Show No...
Nov 27, 2022•37 min
Shows Main Idea – What is the relationship between mental illness and suicide? Is that the best way to ask my question? If not, how would you frame the problem of a person who commits suicide? What does the Bible say? I deal with many desperate people who are Christian and non-Christian, and the normalization of suicide over the past few years has created not just an interest in self-harm but an acceptable solution to commit suicide. What are your thoughts? – Supporting Member Show Notes: https:...
Nov 20, 2022•39 min
There are two large groups of people in America today. They are the winners and the losers. The happy and the sad. The glad and the mad. The hopeful and the fearful. Which one are you after an American election? What does the state of your heart reveal about your faith? Regardless of our camp, there is probably work to do in our hearts. For the victorious, the temptation is smugness and high-fives that look down on the losers. For the losers, the temptation could be despair and anger. The electi...
Nov 15, 2022•8 min
Shows Main Idea – If a person in your church lives a sinful lifestyle and is a leader, how should I respond to that person? Should I sit under their teaching and leadership? Should I separate from sinners in the church? A lady asked, “I know I am to engage sinners for redemptive purposes because that is what Christ did to me. I don’t want to separate from them but influence them with the gospel. But what about the ongoing sinfulness of someone in your church?” Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee....
Nov 13, 2022•40 min
One of the problems with some marriages is a lack of respect from the wife for the husband. A proper probing question follows: what does that mean? Is her lack of respect the entire problem in the marriage, or are there other complexities that might contribute to her lack of respect? There are always complexities in relational conflict, but why do some folks focus only on one track in a two-track marriage? It appears these eisogetes are extracting Paul’s words about respecting the husband and mi...
Nov 08, 2022•23 min
Shows Main Idea – “I’m thinking of a person who is not concerned with the kingdom of God and is more concerned with a kingdom of self, especially a person who does not have a gospel-centered motive. They have a lot of pride and are not easy to teach. They want a certain way and do not consider God’s will. How do you counsel a self-righteous person?” – Doug Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/counsel-self-righteous-person/ Will you help us so we can continue to provide free content to ...
Nov 06, 2022•38 min
Boys and girls are different. You cannot say that aloud or the culture will cancel you. But it’s true, and when it comes to the act of love in reciprocal relationships, the different ways they respond to each other are fully displayed. God made Adam a unique male and Eve a unique female. This news is not new for the believer. However, knowing these differences is vital, especially when a boy meets a girl. Understanding how the genders react to love provides wisdom while potentially saving a coup...
Nov 03, 2022•37 min
Being reproved or rebuked is tough stuff. Nobody enjoys it. I don't! When someone comes along pointing out a flaw in your life, it's typically a tense moment because it cuts against the grain of our Adamic hearts. To be willing to have others speak into your life is one of the high marks of Christian maturity, making it a great time to ask a few tough questions to examine our Christian maturity. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/six-tough-questions-that-examine-your-christian-maturity/ Will ...
Nov 01, 2022•33 min
As we head into the holidays, this is the most mission-critical season of the year, and we ask the Father to provide our financial needs for the proceeding year, 2023. Thankfully, a donor has stepped up, saying they will give us $50K if one, two, or more folks do similarly. I shared this news with our supporting community, and several have committed to praying and fasting during this vital season. Will you pray about this fantastic opportunity? For those who cannot donate at that level, will you...
Oct 30, 2022•9 min
Shows Main Idea – Just curious if you might flesh out the differences between capacity versus character issues. I assume we would expect a response to God’s truth in whatever capacity someone could respond. I wonder what you think about a person unable to process truth because of diminished soul issues; thus, their behaviors reflect those compromised soul issues. It would help me understand this problem a bit better. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/respond-people-different-charact...
Oct 30, 2022•39 min
