God Centered Life on Oneplace.com

Is Christianity part of a well-rounded life, something that makes our time here richer? Or is there a more intrinsic reason, something that should be woven into our 24/7, giving us purpose? The question of “why” is front and center in this study. Acts 1:1-11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What if we changed the way we thought about the book of Acts? Perhaps you think of Acts as accounts of historical events from which we can learn and be inspired. In today's study, we're going to be challenged to pull away from a “then” mindset, and adopt a “now” mindset, maybe even finding ourselves in the middle of the action. Acts 1:1-11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've seen it. Crossing the finish line, the racer is looking around to see where the others are. Life can be like that. As we get closer to the end, we're looking around to see how we've done in our version of “living well.” Is there a different way to look at finishing for those who long to serve God? We'll explore the idea of finishing well in today's study. Psalm 134 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

I want to be just like…. (fill in the blank). Is being like those around me the same as unity? If we all dress alike, does that make us unified? And if appearance is not at the core of unity, what is? We'll look at these questions today. Psalm 133 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What comes to mind when you hear the word “church”? Do you have positive thoughts? Do you look forward to getting together with other believers? Church is just one of the places where God's people should… be experiencing unity. And further, that unity should be joyful! We'll explore these ideas in our study today. Psalm 133 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may have memories of Sunday School and singing the admonition to not “be a doubting Thomas.” Doubt is bad! Or is it? Could it be that doubt can be the beginning of a journey? Could it be that doubt is when we start asking the really important questions? We'll explore the beneficial path to overcoming doubt in our study. Judges 6:1-32 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Anticipation is a powerful force. This can be even more so when you anticipate something for years. But when what is anticipated doesn't happen, how do we manage that disappointment? Even more so, what if what we're lacking appears to have been promised by God? We'll look at those questions today. Psalm 132 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there a link between humility and maturity? Does one “grow up” to be great? Or, perhaps, is a humble spirit a bigger indication of maturity? What does an attitude of “others-ness” tell us about ourselves? These questions will be explored in today's study. Psalm 131 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Humility, and How I Achieved It” …a title that would only realistically be found in the humor section. So, how do we authentically aspire to do great things for the kingdom without believing our own press? How do we excel at humility? We'll explore this topic today. Psalm 131 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you've ever found yourself in front of a judge, being “let off with a warning” is a good thing. But what if, in addition to letting you go without consequences, the judge hands you a very generous gift? Turning to our study, do we undervalue the freedom from guilt offered to us? Let's explore that question. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've seen it, right? Someone trying to push a beach ball under the water? Regardless of how much effort is put into it, that beach ball will find its way back up. Could it be that we do the same thing with guilt? And is there such a thing as good guilt? We'll wrestle with these questions in this study. Psalm 130 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When creating a superhero for your blockbuster script, Item #1 on your “to do” list is to give that hero a fatal flaw. It's harder to relate to characters, heroes or otherwise, who have no weaknesses at all. Our study today helps us relate to a longstanding hero of the Old Testament, and in doing so, aims to encourage us. Judges 6:1-32 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

So very simple, and yet so very hard! Want to be free from your past wounds? Forgive the one who wounded you. Easy, right? Not likely. But as we'll explore in this study, doable and certainly worth the effort. Psalm 129 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We live in a world that energetically encourages us to “define,” whether it's ourselves, our situation, or perhaps our destiny. Has that mindset crept into our view of God? Do we base our “understanding” of God on our past? Can a Biblical view of God help us overcome past wounds? Tough questions are addressed in this study. Psalm 129 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When was the last time you daydreamed about your church? Not a typical activity, right? But if we read in Scripture that God loves his church, calling it the bride of Christ, wouldn't it make sense to picture its growth and effectiveness? This study will challenge us to “imagine.” Act 2:42 - 47 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What kind of anticipation, if any, do you feel when you wake up Sunday morning? Has church attendance fallen into a routine for you? Perhaps not as exciting as you'd like it to be? Let's take a look at how we might reignite our church experience. Act 2:42 - 47 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Options. Having choices is a good thing, right? But will society's hunger for options completely kill off traditional views of marriage and family? And what would be the consequences of this shift? We'll explore these very relevant questions in this study. Psalm 128 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A dramatic and truly violent incident portrayed in our study may feel off against our perception of Christianity. But could this be an invitation to review the justice of God? Are we being invited to refresh our understanding of the wrath of God? We'll explore yet another unusual story from the book of Judges. Judges 4:1 - 5:31 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peace, tranquility, a sense of serene calm, and family. Perhaps for you “one of these things is not like the others.” Does the Bible have anything to say to us when our family is driving us batty? Let's find out. Psalm 128 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You've heard the phrase “Children are a blessing from God.” We're not questioning that. But what happens when those children, blessing though they may be, come across as a challenge, part of the daily grind? We'll look at this question amongst others in our study today. Psalm 127 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

No one is exempt. We all have those days where the one place you want to be is somewhere other than where you are. What does the Bible offer us on days like this? Is there a solution to daily drudgery? We'll look at those questions in this study. Psalm 127 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the relationship between community and joy? Is it harder to be joyful if we're navigating life by ourselves? This is just one of the practical questions we'll look at in our pursuit of joy in this study. Psalm 126 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever observed a serious mood washing over a conversation when religion or faith or God is mentioned? What if the exact opposite was true? Would it be surprising? Would it be more inviting? This study will explore the sometimes rare emotion of joy. Psalm 126 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Bible tells us to love our enemies. Today, we'll look at a passage that celebrates the killing of an enemy. How does this narrative fit into the bigger picture? And what, dare we ask, is the application we're to take from this passage? Judges 4:1 - 5:31 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever presented someone with a challenging situation, asking for their help, and had them reply “No problem, I know somebody.” Connections can be a quick source of resolution for problems we face. Even more so in the spiritual realm? We'll explore that idea in today's study. Psalm 125 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever meet someone who seemed overly peaceful despite current situations? Maintaining a happy personality while the world around them burns? Could it be they're ignoring reality, or are they somehow in possession of a sense of security while fully understanding what's happening? We'll look at the difference between the two approaches in this study. Psalm 125 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you felt a divide between your spiritual world, and heading into traffic? Your time in God's word is rich with hope and promise. And then you read the news. What does it look like to take the tranquility of time in God's presence and overlay that on the reality of a violent world? We'll look at that relevant question today. Psalm 124 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is it harder to “let God be God” when bad things happen to us? What does our response to injustice tell us about our reliance on God? Challenging questions that we'll look at today. Psalm 123 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is there a disconnect when the folks who claim to follow a loving and forgiving God aren't loving and forgiving? Should we perhaps take a look at the word “follow” and ask what that really means? We'll head that direction in this study. Psalm 122 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“The Mold”—Do you fit in? That mold can be societal, occupational, familial, or even religious. Does God have a mold He wants us to fit in? Or can He use us without requiring us to look like everyone else? We're diving into that question today. Judges 3:7-31 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“I love God. It's his people that are hard to take.” Ever thought that? In our study, we're going to explore the connection between God and his Church. What do we learn about ourselves when we evaluate the relationship we have with his people? Psalm 122 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why do bad things happen to good people? Why do bad things happen to Gods' people? When the Bible says we'll be protected from “all harm,” how do we receive that statement while sitting in the emergency room waiting for news? Challenging question in the focus of this study. Psalm 121 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you go to the doctors' office with a problem, the last thing you want is a cliché. Do we settle for clichés when we need help from God? Do we really believe God will help us? Tough questions that we'll look at in this study. Psalm 121 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Compounding interest from the bank? That's good! Compounding injury from careless words? That's bad, and likely to spread far more quickly than we might be aware! Continuing our pursuit of truthful and compassionate words in today's study. Psalm 120 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What's the likelihood that you would be surprised after doing an exhaustive “labels inventory?” How do you label yourself? Does that label require effort, or is it tooling along just fine in your subconscious? And what actions might you be taking as a result of that label? We're in pursuit of the truth about ourselves in today's study. Psalm 120 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perhaps you've thought about the unusual collection of skills and occupations that Jesus invited in his disciples during his time on earth. In this study, we'll continue looking at the interesting characters used by God in the book of Judges. And just maybe, there's something that you've considered to be a “disqualifier” in your life. Is it time to take another look at that? Judges 3:7-31 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Love is easy!” Is it? “I don't feel love anymore so clearly I'm not loved.” But how much should we trust feelings when it comes to assessing love? What happens at the intersection of love and truth? Real love is the focus of our pursuit in today's study. John 17:24-26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

T-shirts are great at forming tribes. Your sports team, your love of cats, your favorite band, your passion for surfing. Catch a glimpse of someone with that t-shirt, and you recognize a kindred spirit. What if all Christians wore t-shirts identifying themselves? Would we all get along? Jesus specifically prayed that we would. Let's find out why. John 17:20-23 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The higher the winds, the more ropes you need to tie down your tent. Could we say that the societal winds currently battering the church are as strong today as at any period in the past? So, what are the “ropes” that keep the church anchored? We'll look for firm foundations in a turbulent world in today's study. John 17:17-19 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is holiness maxed out when we climb to the top of a mountain, isolate ourselves, and spend all week praying? Nothing wrong with prayer, and spiritual retreats can have great benefit. But real life typically requires us to live in the middle of everyone and everything. How do we make the most of this spiritually? We'll look at that question today. John 17:14-16 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perhaps you've heard the phrase “In the world but not of it” and thought this is simply an admonishment to stay out of bars and not do stuff that Christians aren't supposed to do. But what does Jesus mean when he refers to the world? Is it possible that even “good Christians” don't quite have this figured out? We'll look at that question in this study. John 17:14-16 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Perhaps you've experienced it—you're blissfully carrying on with a set of beliefs that you've grown up with. Then suddenly, you're faced with a direct challenge to those beliefs, a test, if you will. And as a result, you now have to deconstruct those beliefs to see if you really do… believe them. We'll explore the value of tests in this study. Judges 2:6 - 3:6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are we getting ahead of ourselves? The study is called “Secure Joy.” But what about just simple joy? How about an occasional dose of joy? Maybe any kind of joy seems a long shot right now. Our study today looks squarely at what's promised in the Bible, and how to experience more of it. John 17:12-13 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is this even a doable goal? We're told that we believers should be unified. But not just generic, all on the same page kind of unity. We're told that we should have the same kind of cohesive connection that is shared within the Trinity. Is this even possible? We'll look at this challenge in our study today. John 17:11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Take your pick!” It's a great option in the fresh produce section of your favorite grocery store that we shouldn't take for granted. But has that “choose the best option” mentality crossed over into the church? Have Christians become consumers? We'll look at this question today. John 17:9-10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a major theme of the societal dialog; “Be who you are.” There are so many ways we try to establish our identity. It might be our occupation, education, clothes, music, socioeconomic class, or even the church we attend. But what does the Bible put forward as the intended core of our identity? We'll look at that question in this study. John 17: 6-8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What makes your day? How about recognition, being acknowledged, being rewarded for doing a great job? Our study today looks at something that can be the far more satisfying alternative to our pursuit of honor and glory. John 17:4-5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's a time-tested alibi, “Well, that's how I was raised.” Paraphrase this and it often comes out, “It's my parents' fault.” But do we latch onto this on the positive side as well? Can we surf off the faith of the generations coming before us? Or does that faith make it harder for us to personally believe? Challenging questions addressed in this study. Judges 2:6 - 3:6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In the midst of hundreds of minor daily questions, there are those times when we pause and wrestle with the biggies. This study does just that. Josh Moody refers to John 17:3 as “one of the most stunning verses in the whole Bible” and will use it to offer five steps that help us understand what life is really all about. John 17:3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maybe you've felt it. You're reading about, hearing about, or even meeting a believer who simply comes across as Teflon-coated. Nothing seems to get them too terribly bogged down. “What do they have that I don't have?” “How do they manage to stay out of the mud?” Our study today may just have the answer as we reveal “The Great Missing Ingredient.” John 17:1-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The concept of an idol… small statue on a shelf, right? In days gone by for sure. But what might an idol detector point to in our everyday lives today? And what is the danger of idols? We'll look at these questions today. 1 John 5:6-21 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices