The Truth Over Trend Podcast

Did you ever wonder how a bunch of uneducated, untrained ordinary fishermen become extraordinary men? They were so bold even in the midst of persecution, yet continued to testify about Jesus. So much so, that others perceived they had been with Jesus. When was the last time people noticed that you were with Jesus? Tune in for today’s discussion on the power of a witness.     

Have you ever been asked to give your testimony? Many people think a testimony  is something that needs to be grand like being saved from drugs or surviving some traumatic event. Not so! We are all called to be witnesses of God’s character, which means we should all be able to testify to what God has done in our lives. It’s not always what you’ve been through, BUT what He has kept us from. We are to be God’s mouthpiece and if we were called to the witness stand would we be equipped to testify to His work in our lives?  

Have you ever heard statements like this: “It’s great how everything worked out for them.” Or “Boy it must be nice to have that type of overnight success." Or how about, “That marathon runner was really lucky to make such good time.” It’s amazing how its human nature to discount God’s hand in moving in our lives or to underestimate the preparation that goes into reaching a goal. Stay tuned as Matt and Mom explore this topic on today’s program.

Do you pride yourself in keeping the words that you say? How are you making out with the resolutions you made this year? What outside circumstances and hindrances tend to get in the way of your verbal commitments? Today’s show will highlight a sure fire way to be resolute in your word and discuss how to throw away the quit-option.   

JANUARY--THE MOST MOTIVATIONAL MONTH OF THE YEAR! IT IS THE TIME WHERE NEW BEGINNINGS ARE BIRTHED, NEW GOALS SET, NEW RESOLUTIONS OUTLINED, AND A FRESH NEW PERSPECTIVE  SOUGHT. IT’S THE QUICK FIX MONTH. ON TODAY’S SHOW MATT AND MOM DISCUSS THE VERACITY OF OUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTIONS AND WHY SO MANY FIZZLE OUT SHORTLY AFTER. “YOU ARE WHAT YOU KEEP,” SO THE QUESTION REMAINS—HOW DO WE KEEP THEM? THERE IS A WAY…

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN FEELINGS OF OVERWHELMING SADNESS PERVADE YOUR SOUL DURING THE HOLIDAYS? ANYONE WHO HAS EXPERIENCED GRIEF KNOWS THAT THIS TIME OF YEAR CAN BRING SUCH A CONFLICT OF EMOTIONS. HOW WILL I DO IT?  WHAT CAN I DO TO GET BY? I JUST DON’T FEEL LIKE PARTICIPATING! WE HOPE YOU JOIN US FOR TODAY’S SHOW AS WE WILL OFFER SOME PRACTICAL TIPS ON HOW TO GET THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS BY REFOCUSING YOUR PERSPECTIVE, AND CREATING SOME NEW TRADITIONS AS YOU NAVIGATE IN YOUR "NEW NORMAL".

WHILE THIS TIME OF THE YEAR CAN BE A VERY SPECIAL TIME; IT CAN ALSO BE AN EXTREMELY HARD TIME FOR THOSE WHO ARE EXPERIENCING TRAGEDY, GRIEF, OR LOSS OF ANY KIND. THE HOLIDAYS CAN MAGNIFY OUR SADNESS BECAUSE IT HIGHLIGHTS THE DEFICIT OR LOSS ONE MIGHT BE EXPERIENCING. STAY TUNED AS ANDREA DISCUSSES THE LOSS OF HER OLDEST SON TEN DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS. HOPEFULLY YOU WILL RECEIVE THE GIFT OF HOPE THROUGH THE WORD OF GOD AND THE PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF IT IN REAL PEOPLE’S LIVES.  

ARE YOU GETTING INTO HOLIDAY MODE OR ARE YOUR CIRCUMSTANCES CAUSING YOU TO DREAD THE NUMEROUS UPCOMING GATHERINGS? TODAY’S SHOW IS GOING TO EXPLORE HOW TO BE THANKFUL WHEN LIFE HAS TAKEN A TURN FOR THE WORSE. 

NO ONE COULD ROUSE A CROWD QUITE LIKE JESUS. HIS REVOLUTIONARY TEACHING TURNED THE WORLD’S ACCEPTED IDEAS UPSIDE DOWN. TODAY THE DISCUSSION CONTINUES ON THE STORY OF TWO SONS—ONE WINDS UP IN THE PIG PEN; THE OTHER STAYS CLOSE TO HIS FATHER. HOWEVER THE SURPRISE TWIST IS THAT BOTH SONS WERE EQUALLY LOST..THIS SHOW IS A REMINDER THAT GOD LOOKS AT THE HEART.  

EVERYONE WANTS ‘GOOD CHILDREN.’  IT’S SO NATURAL TO EVALUATE OUR CHILDREN’S LIVES BY THE WORLD’S STANDARDS OF SUCCESS:  GOOD STUDENT, HARD WORKING, ATHLETIC, SMART, NEVER IN TROUBLE...THE MARKERS GOES ON AND ON.BUT IS IT POSSIBLE WE CAN BE LOOKING AT THE WRONG RETURNS IN EVALUATING SUCCESS, ESPECIALLY IN LIGHT OF GOD’S ECONOMY?  THE STORY OF THE TWO LOST SONS (ONE SUCCESSFUL; ONE NOT) SERVES AS THE FOUNDATION OF TODAY’S DISCUSSION.  

THERE’S NOTHING HARDER THING THAN WATCHING A LOVED ONE STRAY AND HAVING NO POWER TO HELP THEM.  ASK ANY PARENT WHO IS DEALING WITH A PRODIGAL WHAT THEIR EMOTIONAL AND MENTAL HEALTH IS LIKE.  WAITING IS SUCH A HELPLESS FEELING.  TODAY’S EPISODE WILL TOUCH AN EMOTIONAL NERVE AND ENCOURAGE ANY PARENT WHO HAS–-OR IS--WAITING BY THE WINDOW FOR THEIR CHILD TO RETURN.

HOW CAN SOMEONE WHO EXTENDS GRACE AND MERCY BE CONSIDERED PRODIGAL? HOW DOES THAT APPLY TO WHAT WE HAVE COME TO KNOW AS THE "PRODIGAL SON" STORY? HAVE YOU EVER DEALT WITH A PRODIGAL CHILD? WAS IT DRAINING?  DID YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY UNDERSTANDING THEIR CHOICES? TUNE IN FOR SOME RAW DISCUSSION ON THE TRUE MEANING OF BEING "PRODIGAL".  

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BEAR ONE’S CROSS? MAYBE NOT WHAT YOU THINK! THE WORLD’S DEFINITION OF BLESSING IS THE ALLEVIATION OF SUFFERING OR DESPAIR. HOWEVER, THE LORD PRESENTS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT VIEW.  TODAY’S SHOW WILL TOUCH ON A VARIETY OF THEMES FROM HYPER-GRACE TO CROSS-BEARING TO WHY A HASTY MARRIAGE? TUNE IN...  

DO YOU BELIEVE THAT GOD WILL SOMETIMES USE PAINFUL EXPERIENCES TO CLEANSE AND PURIFY HIS CHILDREN’S LIVES?  WOULD AN ALL -LOVING, FULL OF GRACE FATHER ACTUALLY ALLOW DIFFICULTY INTO OUR LIVES AS A WAY OF TESTING OR REFINING US?   TUNE IN TODAY AND CHEW ON THESE AND MANY MORE QUESTIONS RELATED TO THE CHARACTER OF THE GOD OF THE BIBLE.

DO YOU HAVE PAIN IN YOUR LIFE? IF SO, DON’T WASTE IT! OWN IT! IT’S AMAZING WHAT GOD CAN  PULL OUT OF US WHEN WE SURRENDER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO HIS WILL. ON TODAY’S EPISODE MATT TALKS ABOUT HOW PRISON ISOLATION CAUSED HIM TO HONE IN TO MANY BURIED TALENTS THAT HE NEVER KNEW HE HAD. BUT GOD KNEW! IS THERE A SECRET TO A HEART CONTINUING TO BEAT JOYFULLY THROUGH PAIN? LISTEN IN AND PRAYERFULLY YOU WILL PICK UP SOME HOPE.

CONSIDER THE ODDS OF A SHEPHERD BOY DEFEATING A TRAINED WARRIOR FIGHTER WITH A SLING SHOT AND A STONE; OR HOW ABOUT THE CHANCES THAT A CITY’S WALLS COULD COME TUMBLING DOWN FROM THE BLOW OF LOUD TRUMPETS?  FLASH FORWARD to 2015....A YOUNG MAN LEAVES PRISON, AFTER ALMOST FIVE YEARS AWAY, AND HE IS ENTRUSTED WITH BEING THE TEAM LEADER OF STUDENT MINISTRIES IN A THRIVING CHURCH. IN GOD’S ECONOMY, ALL OF THIS MAKES PERFECT SENSE BECAUSE EVERY TIME WE SAY YES TO GOD, HE OPENS LIMITLESS DOORS OF OPPORTUNITIES. A MUST LISTEN!

Do you believe that “God is willing to make much of Himself through a man or woman who allows Him to do so?”  And more importantly--do you live that?  Today’s show delves into the importance of honing our gifts and talents in spite of our circumstances. Matt shares all the opportunities that God has allowed upon his release--and interestingly all of them were honed while in the darkness of prison. What message and mission has been set in your heart? Are you willing to accept the opportunity to serve God (with no strings attached) and to show Him off in all that He has entrusted to you?    

WEEK 2 OF OUR ANNIVERSARY SERIES HONES IN ON THE UNEXPLAINABLE: HOW CAN GOD USE OUR FAILURES, OUR BROKENNESS, OUR SHAME, AND OUR DISAPPOINTMENTS FOR HIS GLORY? EVEN THOUGH THE WORLD MAY SAY YOU DON’T DESERVE A SECOND CHANCE, THE CREATOR OF THE WORLD--SOVERIGN GOD--REJECTS THAT. MATT WILL CONTINUE TO SHARE ALL THAT HAS TRANSPIRED SINCE HIS RELASE FROM PRISON.  AND HOW GOD TRULY DOES BRING BEAUTY FROM ASHES WHEN WE SURRENDER OUR CIRCUMSTANCES TO HIM. WHAT IS YOUR PRISON DOING FOR YOU?

THIS WEEK WILL BEGIN AN ANNIVERSARY SERIES ON ALL THE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS THAT WANDERING MINDS WANT TO KNOW ABOUT NAVIGATING A DARK EXPERIENCE.  MATT WILL SHARE HIS INNER THOUGHTS  ON HIS FIRST YEAR OF FREEDOM. HEAR HOW MATT’S MINDSET IN PRISON FOLLOWED HIM OUT OF PRISON. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT WHAT HIS HARDEST ADJUSTMENT WAS TO REAL LIFE. THIS SHOW WILL HIGHLIGHT REFLECTIONS ON THE THINGS WE TAKE FOR GRANTED IN EVERYDAY LIFE AND HOW DEPRIVATION AND ISOLATION CAN POSSIBLY BE GOOD FOR US. TUNE IN...

HOW SECURE IS YOUR EMOTIONAL MAN OR WOMAN? WHAT RULES YOUR RESPONSES TO LIFE’S MANY CHALLENGES? HOW DO YOU RELEASE YOUR ANGER WHEN SOMEONE PRESSES YOUR BUTTONS? IN TODAY’S SHOW WE CONTINUE THE EXPLORATION INTO OUR HEARTS BY ASKING "IS THERE A PROPER CHANNEL FOR ANGER," AND IF SO, "WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE AND HOW DO WE TUNE INTO IT?"