Shows Main Idea – In this interview, Rick talks to Miriam Grossman, MD, a board-certified in psychiatry and the sub-specialty of child and adolescent psychiatry. Before gender ideology was on anyone’s radar, she warned parents about its falsehoods and dangers in her 2009 book about sexuality education, “You’re Teaching My Child WHAT?” Dr. Grossman’s practice currently focuses on gender-distressed young people and their parents. She believes that every child is born in the right body. Dr Grossman...
Nov 18, 2023•1 hr 3 min
Let us go ahead and level the playing field: we are all clueless to some degree. We all need help. We all need grace. It does not matter your demographic; we need God’s grace and mercy. We are grace-dependent creatures, which is a cross-elevating, ground-leveling truth that motivates us never to judge anyone uncharitably. Perhaps a few illustrations about this universal clueless problem would be helpful. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/how-to-care-for-clueless-people/ Will you help us to c...
Nov 16, 2023•34 min
Everybody loves to experience God’s mercy when we behave poorly. The alternative is the Lord’s corrective displeasure. When there is a crime, our impulse is to hope for something we don’t deserve. Have you considered applying the same perspective for your enemies, those folks you dislike? “Blessing for me but not for thee,” the cry of the spiteful heart. Perhaps this notion strikes you as odd, so I’ll illustrate it with my friends, Biff and Mable. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-proble...
Nov 14, 2023•31 min
Shows Main Idea – There are two competing authorities in our culture today that present the pathway to transformation. The secular psychological community put forth the DSM as the authority to transform your life, while the Christian believes the Bible is the world's transcending, authoritative psychology book that brings peace and change to the soul. The one you choose will determine the course and quality of your life. Rick compares the two in this webinar while making a persuasive case for Go...
Nov 11, 2023•1 hr 4 min
A throne addiction is when a person refuses to allow God to be the King of their life; they will not relinquish their throne to the only rightful authority to our lives. The addict to the throne has fully bought into the first lie of Satan—you can be a god (Genesis 3:5). After the fall, humanity came with a pre-wired craving to a throne addiction. We call it total depravity, which is why we must be born a second time (John 3:7). The bad news is that becoming born again does not insulate us from ...
Nov 09, 2023•31 min
God is a God of second chances. Have you ever heard that expression? It is one of those things we like to say about God. It is a Christian cliché that we cherish because we understand the need for and benefit of getting a second opportunity. We came into the world needing a second chance; God gave us the gospel: Christ died for our sins (Romans 5:12). Without a second shot, we would be eternally divorced from God, but the good news does not stop. After regeneration, we need repeated second chanc...
Nov 07, 2023•31 min
Shows Main Idea – Rick interviewed Dr. Daniel R. Berger II, the founder and director of Alethia International Ministries (AIM), where he continues to write and speak around the world in churches, organizations, medical communities, and at various counseling and teacher's conferences. He is also an experienced pastor, counselor, school administrator, and the author of many books, which focus on biblical counseling, biblical phenomenology, practical theology, education, parenting, and the history ...
Nov 04, 2023•1 hr 2 min
How do you think about the trouble in your life? I counsel a lot of Christians who have a lot of adverse things happening to them. In a way, they are modern-day representations of Jonah—their difficulties are swallowing them up. One of the things I want to communicate to my friends in trouble is how they need a bigger vision of who God is, especially when life is stormy. Did you know that anything God does to you or allows to happen to you is because He loves you? Read Here: https://lifeovercoff...
Nov 02, 2023•31 min
What do you think about when a storm comes into your life? When things are dreadful, how do you wrestle through what’s happening to you? Where does your mind go? I suppose most of us succumb to the temptation to focus more on the storm happening to us than the God of the storm. It makes sense: the storm is more real and nearer to us than the Creator of storms. God is out there, but the storm is right here, as our self-reliant spirit kicks in. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/when-god-hurls-...
Oct 31, 2023•32 min
Shows Main Idea – Rick interviewed Dr. Daniel R. Berger II, the founder and director of Alethia International Ministries (AIM), where he continues to write and speak around the world in churches, organizations, medical communities, and at various counseling and teacher’s conferences. He is also an experienced pastor, counselor, school administrator, and the author of many books, which focus on biblical counseling, biblical phenomenology, practical theology, education, parenting, and the history ...
Oct 28, 2023•1 hr
The heart of the gospel is about loving difficult people. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. His death on the cross for undeserving people is the primary example that teaches us this grand imitateable truth of loving our friends and foes well (Ephesians 5:1). Christ does not ask us to do things He is unwilling to do. He became the tested and sympathetic Savior, giving up His life for those who did not deserve such love (Hebrews 4:15), making Him the reason we should not forget this transforma...
Oct 24, 2023•58 min
Shows Main Idea – Rick interviewed Lucas Miles, a trusted voice in the American church who has consistently addressed some of the most challenging topics in theology, politics, and culture. He hosts The Epoch Times’ Church & State with Lucas Miles, which was named the 2023 “Program of the Year” by the National Religious Broadcasters organization. Lucas has been syndicated in articles across both political and religious news outlets, such as Newsmax, The Blaze, FlashPoint, Fox News, The Washi...
Oct 21, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Forgiveness is the exclusive domain and the divinely given privilege of the redeemed. Non-Christians cannot be free from sin because they are children of the devil, and God will not forgive any transgression until they become children of the light. Believers, however, can experience release from all their transgressions through forgiveness. This divinely granted gift is the means of grace that allows us to have relationships as God intended, bringing us to the all-important question: How do you ...
Oct 19, 2023•33 min
During the six months, I worked with Mable, I began reorienting her life toward a God-centered way of thinking and living. The process was not easy, and there were a few setbacks. Perseverance was vital, as well as her humility. God does provide His empowering favor to the humble. Though Mable did struggle with rebuilding her theological foundation, identifying her faulty worship structure, and applying the gospel practically, she stayed the course, appropriated God’s grace, and experienced Divi...
Oct 17, 2023•33 min
Shows Main Idea – This practical webinar about parenting our children will help any parent, empty nester, or soon-to-be parents learn how to release their children into the culture where they will eventually live. Parents want them to live less under our guidance and governance and more under God's direction and authority. Take notes and learn essential insights about parenting our children from zero to adulthood. Show Notes: Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You ...
Oct 14, 2023•1 hr 4 min
I have a friend who lived in open adultery for eighteen years. He was not a Christian and was not shy about his lifestyle. His wife, like Mable, knew most of his sins. My friend’s wife chose to honor God by staying in the marriage. She did not have to because she had biblical grounds for divorce, but she decided to stick it out, which the Bible does not prohibit. There is no doubt that God gave her supernatural grace to persevere through her husband’s many sins. He finally repented of his sins i...
Oct 12, 2023•31 min
When a marriage grows cold, and only one spouse is willing to work on it, that spouse must juxtapose two Biblical responsibilities: being free in Christ while working on the marriage alone for the advancement of the gospel. Paul said in Philippians 1:12, reflecting upon his prison sentence, “I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has served to advance the gospel.” I wanted Mable to have a firm grip on the gospel, how it can free her in the prison of her marriage while releasi...
Oct 10, 2023•32 min
Shows Main Idea – Rick interviewed Hollywood actor Kevin Sorbo, known for his roles in Hercules, Left Behind, and God's Not Dead. His latest movie is Miracle in East Texas. Kevin is a Christian and outspoken about what is happening in our culture. He talked to Rick about his passion for America and desire to make a difference in our culture through Christian moviemaking and advocacy for conservative changes. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-483-interview-with-kevin-sorbo-hollywo...
Oct 07, 2023•49 min
When a person does not trust God, there are three primary reasons. I call these our faith-killers. We cannot trust God if we are angry with Him. We cannot trust God if we are afraid of Him. We cannot trust God if we do not know Him well. Mable had a hard time trusting God, which positioned her to succumb to a self-reliant worldview and practice. If we’re not going to trust the Lord, we must trust ourselves, making us self-sufficient. I wanted Mable to see these things, so I dismantled each faith...
Oct 05, 2023•32 min
Once Mable understood the gospel, I began to walk her through how she should respond to Christ. The gospel is God’s most extravagant outpouring of His love to the world. There is nothing more profound that the Father could have done to prove His love to us than execute His Son on the cross. The gospel is God’s final and complete answer to the question, “Is God good?” He is good. He is profoundly good. Unfortunately, though Mable told me that God is good, there was an objective disconnect between...
Oct 03, 2023•31 min
Shows Main Idea – Judd T. Saul started Equipping the Persecuted Ministry in 2011 after God led him to Nigeria to see the devastation happening on the ground to our brothers and sisters in Africa. The mission is to protect, rebuild, and strengthen families in both body and spirit. Equipping the Persecuted can respond with resources necessary after an attack within 24 hours. They provide medical aid, food, and a prayer team to comfort victims. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-482-...
Sep 30, 2023•59 min
A common rebuttal to the need theory concept is that we need love. I understand the perspective, but the truth is that we need a relationship with God; if we have that, and our relationship with Him is proper, our demands on other humans to meet our cravings for love should not control us. If we are practically realizing and resting in the gospel, we can turn the tables on all our relationships; rather than being deficient takers, we can be abundant givers. We can love others rather than expect ...
Sep 28, 2023•31 min
Have you ever wondered how it is possible to believe the right things yet do the wrong things? It happens regularly—at least to me. I am in situations where I have the opportunity to do the right thing. Sometimes, I make the wrong choice in those moments—even when I know what the right decision should be. A wrong response creates a gap between what I know to do and what I actually do. My orthodoxy says one thing; my orthopraxy reveals another. If you are like me, there is a gap between what you ...
Sep 26, 2023•34 min
The most significant trap that tripped up Mable was that her desire for marriage and companionship had morphed into something God never intended. She had gotten caught up in the self-centered craving for perceived needs, as popularized by our culture. She saw the good God offered her through the lens of contemporary Christian literature rather than through the lens of Scripture. “Love Languages,” “Love and Respect,” “His Needs, Her Needs”: these are some of the books and buzzwords that are bandi...
Sep 26, 2023•31 min
Shows Main Idea – Rick and Lucia Thomas answer a stack of questions from our Life Over Coffee community. They address marriage conflict, communication, anger, dating, introversion, parenting, functional atheism, confronting others, and much more. You’ll love their interaction and the practical application of the gospel in their lives as they share with you things they have learned as a couple imperfectly following God. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-481-rick-and-lucia-answerin...
Sep 23, 2023•59 min
After a couple of sessions of getting to know Mable, I began to ask her specific questions regarding her fundamental understanding of theology and how that theology worked out practically in her life. I knew that if I could uncover what she believed about God and how she applied her understanding of God to her life, I would start to understand how she had gotten to this place in her life and marriage. The answer to every issue that she would ever encounter, including her current marriage problem...
Sep 21, 2023•31 min
I met Mable at a conference, where she approached me with a soft-bound copy of my Help! My Marriage Has Grown Cold booklet in her hand. She said that God had transformed her life and marriage through this little booklet. She asked me to sign it, which I gratefully obliged. The storyline is about a lady who decided to work on her marriage despite her husband's unwillingness. I hope many more couples find the same hope and help as Mable did as they read and apply what I have written. Read Here: ht...
Sep 19, 2023•32 min
Shows Main Idea – Marriage is a long-term, forever relationship with no escape clause. I realize there are biblical reasons for divorce, but it’s not how things should be. Typically, when there is a divorce, it’s because the couple has done something to kill their marriage. A gentleman wrote me a few years ago in tears. He saw my graphic about ten ways to kill your marriage and said he did all ten. Here are those ten things, and I wrap up with ten ways to bless your marriage. Show Notes: https:/...
Sep 16, 2023•59 min
A happy home does not just happen. Like all good things, you must have a plan and be willing to execute hard work (Luke 14:27). The good news is that Christians have the schematic for happiness, which begins with confession and forgiveness. The crucial concern centers on whether we’ll do the hard work of confessing our transgressions and forgiving each other. The couple that understands this path to reconciliation and practices it will not stop until they become the beneficiaries of a happy home...
Sep 14, 2023•32 min
Shows Main Idea – Into the Light is a teaching documentary on freedom from pornography that walks through the change process from bondage in sin to freedom in Christ. Jacob Valk and John-Michael Bout are the creators. Rick Thomas sat down with Jacob to talk about why he and John-Michael created this teaching documentary, Jacob’s life in Canada, his migration to Southern Seminary, and future aspirations as they serve the body of Christ with more world-class instructional videos that address sexua...
Sep 12, 2023•1 hr 14 min
