Podcast by St. Mark Houston
Whether you're wrestling with feeling too busy, struggling with fear, or wondering if God still loves you despite your failures, this message offers hope and encouragement rooted in God's unchanging faithfulness.
This message breaks down the biblical concept of goodness as a fruit of the Spirit, sharing personal stories (including a hilarious gas station mishap) and practical wisdom. The good news? Even when we fall short, Jesus gives us His goodness. Through faith in Him, we can reflect that goodness to a world that desperately needs it.
Featuring the powerful story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, the German Lutheran pastor who fled to safety in America in 1939 but immediately returned to Nazi Germany to serve persecuted Christians, this message challenges comfortable Christianity and calls believers to show kindness to those who have nothing to offer in return, not because it benefits us, but simply because of who we are and whose we are in Christ Jesus.
We can't wait 20 seconds for an elevator without getting impatient, so how are we supposed to understand God's patience that spans lifetimes and generations? This message explores God's patience; not surface-level niceness, but the transformative patience that leads to repentance and redeems broken people. The sermon covers the difference between mercy and grace, explains why God works through flawed people like Abraham and Jonah, addresses forgiveness without reconciliation, and unpacks why Christ hasn't returned yet. It includes practical teaching on identity in Christ and living faithfully while waiting for His return.
In a world filled with GPS navigation and instant directions, we've forgotten what it means to plan our journey. But when it comes to finding peace, do we really know where we're headed? This message addresses real-life struggles like busyness, comparison culture, relational pain, and the search for meaning. Whether you're dealing with anxiety, grief, or simply the chaos of modern life, you'll find biblical wisdom and hope for your journey toward true peace.
Explore Jesus's incredible promise that His followers will be known for their full, overflowing joy - a promise no other religious leader or spiritual guru has ever made. But this isn't the fleeting happiness our culture chases. Biblical joy is defined as a deep, resilient confidence in the goodness of God - a spiritual buoyancy that keeps us afloat no matter what tries to pull us under. Drawing from John 15 and John 16, this message reveals how Jesus's joy, rooted in His death and resurrection , creates an "unsinkable" people who can face evil, tragedy, and heartbreak while proclaiming they belong to someone stronger. Whether you're struggling through grief, chasing after things that don't satisfy, or simply wanting to understand what true joy looks like, this message offers hope and practical wisdom for finding the joy that no one can steal.
Ever notice how the music you listen to while running changes your pace, endurance, and even the path you take? In this powerful message, we explore how the Holy Spirit works like a divine soundtrack in our lives, one we can choose to turn up or tune out. Drawing from Galatians and the example of Christ's sacrificial love on the cross, this message challenges us to move beyond convenient, conditional love to the kind of selfless, others-oriented love that changes hearts.
What if the "peace" you're chasing is actually keeping you from real peace? This message challenges our modern understanding of what it means to have peace in chaos. Whether you're seeking escape through products, experiences, or substances, discover why the peace Jesus offers is fundamentally different from the tranquility the world sells.
We've all heard the advice: "Just forgive yourself." But what if that well-meaning counsel is actually keeping you trapped in cycles of guilt and shame? Drawing from the story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery (John 8), this message unpacks the profound difference between trying to heal ourselves from within versus receiving true healing from the outside. Whether you're carrying deep regret from past mistakes or struggling with daily feelings of unworthiness, this message offers hope rooted not in your ability to fix yourself, but in Christ's finished work on your behalf.
The question that haunts us all: "Am I enough?" In our social media age, we're bombarded with conflicting messages about self-worth and identity. This sermon cuts through the cultural noise to reveal what God's Word actually says about who you are. Discover the profound truth that you're valuable enough for God to die for, yet broken enough to need saving - and why that's the best news you'll ever hear.
Ask Anything - Questions Answered: How do we know the Bible is true? What is the new heaven and new earth and how does it differ from the current heaven? Where should Christians draw the line when drinking? How should Christians engage with politics without idolizing a party or politician? Can unbaptized children go to heaven? In your view, what's the most important distinction between LCMS theology and other Lutheran bodies, and why does it matter? How can I repair a broken relationship with my wife? Why would the God of love allow awful things to happen to people while using his name as a reason to do so?
Ask Anything - Questions Answered: How do we know the Bible is true? What exactly is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? Saying that Jesus had an evil spirit? How can Jesus be God if he says that his Father knows things that he doesn't, such as when He will return? Are Mormons Christians? How do we know what's in God's will for us? When Jesus descended into hell, were people saved because of seeing Him? Is there a “right” worship style? Why do some say there is? What's the deal with the age of earth (young vs billions) and dinosaurs How can we best justify God's goodness when suffering is so prevalent across the world?
Popular culture tells us to "put yourself first" and "follow your heart," but what does Scripture say? In this thought-provoking message, we explore how these seemingly positive phrases can lead us astray when taken to extremes. Discover Jesus's radical teaching about true greatness - that to be first, you must be last. Learn why our hearts can't always be trusted and how Christ gives us new hearts to guide our decisions. This isn't about self-neglect; it's about finding the biblical balance between caring for yourself and serving others.
What if endurance isn't about powering through, but about sitting under life's weight while looking to Jesus? This powerful sermon from Hebrews 12 challenges everything we think we know about endurance and reveals the life-changing difference between glancing at Jesus versus truly looking to Him.
A sermon about discovering God's presence and purpose in life's uncomfortable "middle places." Through the story of Jonah, we explore how God's grace meets us in our seasons of waiting, struggle, and uncertainty.
The Mystery of Marriage - St. Mark Houston
The Bible: Inerrant, Authoritative, and Our Foundation - Matt Popovits by St. Mark Houston
The Fundamentals - St. Mark Houston
The Fundamentals - St. Mark Houston
The Fundamentals - St. Mark Houston
The Fundamentals - St. Mark Houston
Crushing It: Pride - St. Mark Houston
Crushing It: Pride - St. Mark Houston
A Fresh Start with God - St. Mark Houston
A Fresh Start with God - St. Mark Houston
A Fresh Start with God - St. Mark Houston
A Fresh Start with God - St. Mark Houston
His Gospel is Peace - St. Mark Houston
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