The Daily Devotional Podcast with Zach Maldonado

What better way to start the week than knowing that we are in Christ and that He is our righteousness, redemption, wisdom, and sanctification!  

In this episode, we examine why God came down as a baby. We hope you enjoy this look into the Christmas story. Merry Christmas!

What does 1 Corinthians 3 mean? And what about 2 Corinthians 5:10? Will we be judged based on our deeds? And do good works matter? 

In this episode, Zach and Grace take a closer look at some of the verses that talk about judgment day. If we're all getting the same reward, then how do our works play into the final judgment? We'll see that we're not rewarded because of our works; instead God judges our works to see which ones will last for eternity. As we saw a few episodes ago, we can have confidence, not fear, on the day of judgment.

In this episode, Zach shares a few stories about how he used to view God. In this short episode, you'll be encouraged to see God as a loving friend who is for you.   

In this episode, Zach and Grace share a few thoughts on thanksgiving and being grateful. They look at various passages that encourge us to be thankful and what that looks like. Happy Thanksgiving! 

The popular notion in Christian circles today is that we're saved by grace but rewarded by works. Many people claim that how we live on earth will determine how much we enjoy of heaven. These people speak of varying degrees of enjoyment and varying degrees of rewards.However,  Scripture never uses the plural word rewards to talk about what we will get. Instead, the singular word reward is used. Further, God has one way of dealing with His people—unconditional grace. Further, the apostle Paul considered everything else worthless next to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). His only goal was Christ (Philippians 3:14). In light of this, how do we understand reward?

Many of us have been taught that when we appear in front of Jesus on that day, there'll be a movie of our life for all to see. But is this what Scripture describes? And how does understanding our total forgiveness change the way we understand judgment? 

On this week's episode of the Enjoying God Podcast, Zach opens for a Community Bible Study group.  Zach follows the study of the group by discussing the parting of the Red Sea.  He goes into detail on remembering the resurrection.  No matter what you go through, you can always remember Christ died and rose again for you.  Take a listen! 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting believers of something Jesus has taken away? What is the unworthy manner in the Lord's Supper? In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about what the Spirit is doing in our lives, the Lord's Supper, and more!   

What is repentance? Is it healthy to feel sorrow and regret when we sin? What does it mean to grieve and quench the Holy Spirit?  Zach and Grace discuss these questions and more! 

In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about James 5:15 and Hebrews 10:26. Does James 5 say we're not forgiven? And does Hebrews 10 teach that willful sin cannot be forgiven? 

Are there two types of forgiveness? Does God forgives us totally in heaven, but daily on earth? And how do we enjoy God's forgiveness of us?     

Do we need to ask God to forgive us each day? What does the Lord's prayer mean in light of our total forgiveness? 

Some say that we need to confess our sins or ask for forgiveness in order to stay in fellowship with God. But the false idea that Christians can lose fellowship with God is based on a low view of God's punishment. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), not a lesser punishment—like loss of fellowship. In this episode, we share what the New Testament teaches on this important issue. 

Perhaps the single most misunderstood verse in the New Testament is 1 John 1:9. This verse has caused centuries of believers to doubt whether they were really forgiven. Even though there are dozens of verses that speak of our total forgiveness in Christ, this one “proof text” has confused many of us. And I believe once we look at the context of this verse, we'll discover that the truth always sets us free.

The New Testament shouts to us that we're completely forgiven and that this forgiveness is solely tied to Jesus and His shed blood. In this episode, Zach and Grace look at what the New Testament says about our forgiveness as well as addressing questions such as, "Does Grace give us a license to sin?" "What about the unforgivable sin?" "Is the whole world forgiven?" and much more.

What does the New Testament teach about our forgiveness? Are we partially forgiven or totally forgiven? Did the cross work or do we need to add to it? In this episode, Zach and Grace walk through many verses that show how God forgives, why His work was enough, and why we're totally forgiven! 

Are we saved by being baptized in water? In this episode, Zach and Grace discuss this question as well as proof texts some use to suggest that we are saved by water baptism. They also discussed how one is saved and what it means to be saved by Jesus alone. 

Reading the Bible can feel daunting, frustrating, and weird. But God wants us to know that the Bible is accessible. In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about some tips and things to help you read the Bible and what to know as you approach reading Scripture. 

This week Zach and Grace talk about navigating pain, suffering, and loss. Specifically, what Scripture says and what Jesus is doing in the midst of it all. They also discuss the recent loss of Grace's Aunt and Zach's Dad and the love Jesus has for us.

In this week's episode, Zach and Grace talk about the authority and trustworthiness of Scripture. Tackling questions like, hasn't the Bible been changed or proven false? Isn't the Bible filled with errors or contradictions? Is it really historically reliable, or is it outdated and irrelevant?

In this episode, Zach and Grace answer this controversial question. They take a deep dive into the passages that assure us of our salvation and the verses that seem to suggest one could lose their salvation. 

In this episode, Zach and Grace discuss Roe v Wade and what the Bible says about this topic and how to understand what it means to be pro-life in light of a biblical worldview. 

In this message from a few years ago, I talk about seeing Jesus in three of my favorite stories of Him in the gospels! I hope this encourages you!  

The stories in the Old Testament are a shadow. They point to something beyond themselves. They point to Christ. In this message I gave a few years ago, journey with me as we look at some Old Testament stories that point to Christ. 

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. I hope you enjoy this message I gave a few years ago as it reveals God's amazing grace!  

Is there evidence for God's existence? And how is Jesus greater than religion and any other thing this world offers? In this message, Zach Maldonado shows us the evidence for God's existence and the good news of the gospel.

In this message on Matthew 11, Zach Maldonado shares the heart of Christ for us. Life is painful and hard and tiresome, but Jesus is not. He is gentle and humble with you. Trusting Jesus is easy and light, not difficult or burdensome.

A Father's Day message I gave to City Church New York titled, "Your Father Is Pleased." There are many lies we believe about God the Father. We think He's mad, distant, and the cause of our pain. But what if He's pleased, close, and our great comforter?

If God is good, then what about suffering? How do we navigate suffering and doubt and how does Jesus bring comfort to us?  

How do we hear Christ in us? How do we discern truth from error? In this message delivered to On Mission Church, I share the truth about God, and how to hear from him!

The search is over, you're complete in Christ! So many of us are searching and seeking for something we already have in Jesus. In this message on Colossians 2:10-14, discover the good news of what you already have. | A message I did at ThreeLife Church in LaGrange, Georgia.

A message I preached recently in Chicago from my book, Jesus Is Better.

who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, 28 and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God. 29 For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake, 30 engaged in the same conflict that you saw I had and now hear that I still have.

15 Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. 16 The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. 18 What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.Yes, and I will rejoice, 19 for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, 20 as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain. 22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell. 23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. 24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith, 26 so that in me you may have ample cause to glory in Christ Jesus, because of my coming to you again.

 I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel, 13 so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guardand to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. 14 And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear.

It is right for me to feel this way about you all, because I hold you in my heart, for you are all partakers with me of grace, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. 8 For God is my witness, how I yearn for you all with the affection of Christ Jesus. 9 And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment, 10 so that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, 11 filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, 4 always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, 5 because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now. 6 And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

We are starting a study through Philippians. In this episode, we look at the first two verses. 

We can have bold confidence with God. 

The Spirit is your comforter and counselor, not your condemner and convictor. He bears witness to all God says and has done!

Hebrews 10 reveals to us that we've been made holy, perfect, and forgiven -  once and for all!

Ephesians 1:3 tells us that we are blessed with every spiritual blessing. And then Paul explains what this means in verses 4-14. Don't miss all you have in Christ!

We need God's grace every day. There is no greater message we need to know than the cross and resurrection. 

Some people question the validity of a miracle like the resurrection since it seems to contradict the laws of nature. But when science cannot explain something, such as the beginning of the universe, the existence of dinosaurs, or some historical event, it looks to the evidence. In the scientific world this is called “inference to the best explanation.” The miracle of the resurrection doesn't violate the laws of nature because it was God who supernaturally acted. If God really is the Designer of this universe, then God can intervene when He chooses. Professor of Mathematics at Oxford University, John Lennox, illustrates it this way: To argue that the laws of nature make it impossible for us to believe in the existence of God and the likelihood of his intervention in the universe is plainly false. It would be like claiming that an understanding of the laws of the jet engine would make it impossible to believe that the designer of such an engine could, or would, intervene and remove the fan. Of course, he could intervene. Moreover, his intervention would not destroy those laws. The very same laws that explained why the engine worked with the fan in place would now explain why it does not work with the fan removed.

Often, people wonder how there can be so much evil if God exists. But those who reject God because of evil have to borrow the biblical concept of good and evil in order to know evil exists. Simply put, the existence of evil is proof since God is the standard of good. God can exist without evil, but evil cannot exist without God. Evil is like rust on metal. You can have metal without rust, but you cannot have rust unless there's metal. Evil is only realized and seen in the context of good. That is why when something evil is done, we call it immoral, unjust, or dishonest. So, evil doesn't disprove the existence of God. It actually points to an objective good that exists in this world, because we all recognize objective evil (murder, rape, etc.). Therefore, there has to be objective good. And if there is objective good, then there's a God. 

Christianity is both inclusive and exclusive. Inclusive in the fact that anyone can join. Exclusive in the fact that there's only one way to God, through Jesus, and you have to say yes. 

Jesus experienced all the emotions we will ever feel. He can truly help us in our doubt.