Podcasts about Charles Spurgeon

How to Improve EVERY Aspect of Your Life: An Interview with J.R. Briggs (Episode 297)   Proverbs 11:24 (MSG) The world of the generous gets larger and larger; the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.   *Transcription Below*   J.R. Briggs (DMin) possesses four passions: following Jesus, equipping and investing in hungry kingdom leaders, growing fruit on other people's trees, and creating good kingdom mischief. In short, his calling is to partner with people who are called to follow Jesus while they lead others.   In 2011 he started Kairos Partnerships, an organization committed to help leaders overcome their unique leadership challenges through leadership coaching, consulting, speaking, and writing.   For more than 15 years, J.R. served in pastoral roles in mega-churches, church plants and house church networks. Since starting Kairos Partnerships, he has served and invested in ministry leaders in over 40 denominations throughout North America. In addition to ministry leaders, he has invested in a wide variety of leaders, including business owners, college presidents, military leaders, Division 1 basketball coaches, and non-profit directors.   He serves as a guest instructor in the Master of Arts in Spiritual Formation program at Friends University and the Master of Arts in Leadership program at Taylor University. He has lectured, taught and spoken at over a dozen colleges, universities, and seminaries around the U.S.   He also serves as the Director of Leadership & Congregational Formation for The Ecclesia Network and as a National Trainer & Strategist for Fresh Expressions U.S.   In addition to writing several books on a wide variety of topics, he has also published articles in Christianity Today, Huffington Post, Preaching Today, American Bible Society, N.T. Wright Online, Missio Alliance, and Relevant Magazine.   He hosts the Resilient Leaders podcast.   J.R. and his wife Megan have two sons and live in the greater Philadelphia area. J.R.'s Website J.R.'s Book   Thank You to Our Sponsor: Leman Property Management   Questions and Topics We Cover: Can you contrast Jesus' teaching with field trips to the way we structure a typical Sunday morning in America?  Will you also share how you arrived at asking yourself two questions that have opened numerous doors for you? Once we put this into practice for ourselves, how can we begin to cultivate it in our children as well?   Other Savvy Sauce Episode Mentioned: 219. Training Our Children in Biblical Financial Stewardship with Matt Bell   Connect with The Savvy Sauce on Facebook or Instagram or Our Website   Gospel Scripture: (all NIV) Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”   Romans 3:24 “and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”   Romans 3:25 (a) “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.”    Hebrews 9:22 (b) “without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”    Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”    Romans 5:11 “Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”    John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”   Romans 10:9 “That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”    Luke 15:10 says “In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.”   Romans 8:1 “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”   Ephesians 1:13–14 “And you also were included in Christ when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. Having believed, you were marked in him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God's possession- to the praise of his glory.”   Ephesians 1:15–23 “For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”   Ephesians 2:8–10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God‘s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.“   Ephesians 2:13 “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far away have been brought near through the blood of Christ.“   Philippians 1:6 “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”   *Transcription*   Music: (0:00 – 0:09)   Laura Dugger: (0:12 - 1:44) Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, where we have practical chats for intentional living. I'm your host, Laura Dugger, and I'm so glad you're here.   Leman Property Management Company has the apartment you will be able to call home, with over 1,700 apartment units available in Central Illinois. Visit them today at lemanproperties.com or connect with them on Facebook.   J.R. Briggs is one of the most intriguing humans I've encountered, and it's hard to sum up his bio, as he's had so many experiences in his past through various pastoral roles, and then he became the founder of Kairos Partnerships, where he invests in leaders. He's also a podcast host, in addition to his work as an author. His most recent book is The Art of Asking Better Questions, and it's summed up in the intro, where he writes, "I have a bone-deep conviction that all of us need to ask more questions and better questions. Doing so can change your life and the lives of those around you." So now we get to actually learn how to make this happen with my guest, Reverend Dr. J.R. Briggs.   Welcome to The Savvy Sauce, J.R.   J.R. Briggs: (1:44 - 1:45) Thanks for having me. I'm looking forward to this, Laura.   Laura Dugger: (1:46 - 2:00) Well, I'd love to go back and first hear a little bit more of your origin story. So, do you attribute your love of questions and your skill for asking great questions more to nature or nurture?   J.R. Briggs: (2:01 - 5:04) That's a fantastic question. No one has ever asked me that, Laura. So, right off the bat, well done. I love good questions like this. I think it's a little bit of both, and I'm not just wimping out on that answer. Here's what I mean.   I grew up in a wonderful home, still great friends with both my parents, and my parents, especially my dad, they were great question askers, and I saw them model this really well in the home. And I think in previous generations, it was, you know, kids are to be seen but not heard. That was not how my parents operated. They very much said, "You know what, we want to know what you think." And so, dinner times were great. Even hearing the way, especially my father would ask questions of people in the lobby at church or our neighbors, or we'd be at some party, and the way he would ask questions, I would just listen and say, "Wow, this is fascinating, the kind of conversations that are happening because of this."   So, modeled really well, but also observed a lot, and more is caught than taught. And I observed my parents doing this really well. And I thought, these are really fun conversations to just eavesdrop in on as a kid. And then also, I began to notice that there were people that were really fun and lived inspiring lives, and they asked great questions. And I noticed the people that had, that lived really small, uninspiring lives, I realized they weren't asking very many questions. And I began to say, "Well, which kind of person do I want to be? I kind of want to be in the first group. Well, what's the difference? These people are asking questions, regular questions, quality questions." And I thought, "Ooh, I need to pay attention to this and actually lean in to do this more."   So, I often learned how to do it too. So, there was the nature piece, the nurture piece, or the nurture, the nature piece there, the nurture piece, I did study. I'm kind of a nerd. And so, I would watch people who ask great questions and say, "Why was that a good question? What did they do? Why did they ask it that way? How did they know to ask that question as opposed to something else?" And so that was really helpful.   But then I began to notice as I read my Bible, I got a red-letter edition of my Bible and began to notice how many red question marks there were. And I began to take a pen and circle all of the red questions, question marks that Jesus asked. And I thought, "Wow, the way the truth and the life, who had all the answers, yet he asked a ton of questions." So that sent me on a deep dive that eventually I studied. And my doctorate, my dissertation for my doctorate was on learning to equip leaders to ask better questions in the way of Jesus. And so, using him as that model. So, there's a very long answer, Laura, to a very short question, is it nature or nurture? I really believe it's both. And I hope I can continue to learn in my own life until my last breath to how to be a better question asker, because it's that powerful.   Laura Dugger: (5:04 - 5:57) Mm-hmm. I agree with that. And I love the humility in that response. Also, as you share it, it reminds me of a scripture from Proverbs 11:24, the Message version, which I believe previous guest Matt Bell had shared this as it relates to finances. But J.R., I hear it through your lifestyle of generosity with questions. And the verse says, "The world of the generous gets larger and larger. The world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller." So, I love how you illustrated that. But you're also the first person that I heard articulate this beauty of asking questions for connection rather than just for information. So, can you explain more of why questions are such a generous gift and an offering of hospitality?   J.R. Briggs: (5:58 - 8:36) Mm-hmm. Yeah. Well, one of the things that really hit me, I touched on this earlier, that Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, the second member of the Trinity, who knows everything. Why would he ask so many questions? Well, he also said, "I only do what I see my Father doing." What did he see his Father doing? If you look in the Old Testament, God asks a ton of questions too. So, I said, "Wait a second. Okay. The all-knowing, all-powerful God of the universe, why does God ask so many questions when he already knows the answer?" And that drove me to say, maybe it wasn't just for information.   And I began to think about Adam and Eve in the garden and say, when he says, "Where are you?" It wasn't because God didn't know. And it wasn't a geographical question as much as I think it's a relational and theological question that he wants Adam and Eve to answer. And so, as a result of that, I said, "Why then would God do that?" Well, God already knows, but he desires connection with us. And then I thought, "Ooh, yeah, that isn't just God to us. There are times where I ask questions of my kids when they were younger, or of other little kids at church, where I know the answer already, but I'm asking it as a way of building trust and shared story and connection with them."   And I thought, yeah, there's real connection when it comes to questions. And when we do that, when we offer our full selves, the French philosopher, Simone Weil, she said, "Attention is the rarest and purest form of generosity." And as a result of that, that's the hospitality piece. And I think, let's not forget that the word hospital is in the word hospitality, that our questions and our attention can actually be a form of healing that we offer to other people. When we think of hospitality, we often think of, I don't know, making a fresh pie or laying out doilies and sweeping the house before someone comes over. That can be part of it. But the real definition of hospitality is making new people feel comfortable in new situations. And so, what do good questions do? They help people who might feel new or an outsider feel like they're an insider. And I believe that's one of the beautiful benefits of questions where people say, "Man, thank you. No one has ever asked me that." Or "I feel seen. Wow, you really want to care. You care enough to know what I'm thinking." That is an unbelievable gift that we can give to others as a form of hospitality.   Laura Dugger: (8:36 - 8:55) And I think that illuminates what you even say up front in your book, that you do believe that these questions can change our life and the lives of those around us, and especially through this powerful book that you've written. So, can you elaborate on that claim?   J.R. Briggs: (8:56 - 10:33) Yeah, the dimensions of your life expand or contract depending upon the questions that you ask. So, when we refrain from asking good questions, our world gets smaller. And when we start to ask better questions, and more frequently, our worlds begin to expand. And so, what I tell people is we don't have a shortage of information. We have a shortage of wisdom and curiosity and wonder. And so, what we need to kindle in that is that desire for and that ability to ask the right questions at the right time for the right reason to the right people.   And if we want more information, we should just Google it. But if what we're after is wisdom and connection and engagement, we need questions. And questions are, I think we all would admit, Laura, questions are important. I don't think that we would realize just how powerful they actually are. And so, the goal of the book was to unleash and wake up the sleeping giants that exist and say, this can be used for good. There's so many, again, we don't have a shortage of information. But asking good questions is a lost art. And the goal is to try to help people realize its power, that it's more accessible. They're free. They can be used at any time. They don't have a shelf life. But we just need to cultivate the desire for it and then have some skills to lean in, because it really can be such an unbelievable gift. The questions that we ask often reveal the values that we hold. And so that's another way that we can press into that as well.   Laura Dugger: (10:34 - 10:49) Okay, so let's say that the desire is there. Maybe for all of us, probably the skill is a little lacking. How can we begin to get a little bit better at this or just get started with asking better questions today?   J.R. Briggs: (10:49 - 14:18) Yeah, well, we got to start, Laura, by admitting that there are a lot of obstacles that exist that our culture puts in front of us to make it hard to do that. One is we're in an attention-seeking age, right? I mean, the joke says enough about me, what do you think about me? And so, because we live in the social media, look at me, look at me reality that we're in, it's really hard because questions are the opposite. I'm putting the spotlight on you rather than on my own life. But we also are in a culture of great efficiency, and so questions feel inefficient. They feel really inefficient, like it slows things down. How many of us have been in a meeting and we're about to get up and someone says, "Any questions?" And someone, "Oh," and we just say, "No, no, no, we were just about to leave, you're slowing us down." And so that in the business world and in sales, that's the number one thing is questions. We got stuff to do and things to sell. But if we can just slow down, it's better.   But those are some of the obstacles that exist. So, if we're assuming we have curiosity, we have wisdom, we have humility, and we have courage, which are the four components. If those are there, then there are some things that we can engage in that can help us and several practices, like the simplest practice we can do when we hear a good question, write it down. A lot of people feel like two things. They have to come up with all the questions themselves. You don't. I love questions. I'm pretty good at questions, but I don't generate all my questions. I've read them on billboards or heard them on a podcast or overheard somebody in line at Starbucks behind me. And you go, "Man, that's a really good question. Write it down." We think we're going to remember later, Laura, and that's the second thing. We won't. We have to write it down. And I just encourage people, open up the notes section of your phone and just have something on there that says great questions. When you hear of one, think of one, read of one in a good novel, write it on the list. You can always return to it later. So, just awareness, number one, that my radar is up, listening for good questions, can be a great start.   And then also just to reflect later to say, "What was the best question I asked today or in that conversation or in that meeting or over dinner with my family? What was the best question I asked?" So, that's a little bit of reflection, but also preparation. Anytime we go into a meeting, anytime we go into any sort of connection, even if it's coffee with a friend, to always see if I can come with two questions ahead of time. Now, sometimes I write them down, sometimes I don't. I may not even get a chance to ask them, but just coming prepared where I say, "Oh, I'm meeting with my friend, Sam. Oh, Sam's dad just had significant surgery. So, here's an important question. Sam, how's your dad doing? And how are you doing as you care for your dad?" It's a little bit of preparation. It's not an hour. I'm just spending five minutes on my drive to the coffee shop to say, "My first question is going to be, Sam, how's your dad? And how are you doing caring for your dad?" So, just a little bit more thought. It doesn't require three times the amount of effort. Sometimes it's just five or 10% more effort and intentionality that can improve our question asking.   Laura Dugger: (14:19 - 16:29) So much thoughtfulness there. Appreciate that.   And now a brief message from our sponsor.   With over 1,700 apartment units available throughout Pekin, Peoria, Peoria Heights, Morton, and Washington, and with every price range covered, you will have plenty of options when you rent through Leman Property Management Company. They have townhomes, duplexes, studios, and garden style options located in many areas throughout Pekin. And make sure you check out their newest offering; the McKinley located in Pekin is a new construction addition to their platinum collection. Featuring nine-foot ceilings, large spacious layouts, beautiful finishes such as quartz countertops and garages, you won't want to miss this outstanding new property.   In Peoria, a historic downtown location and apartments adjacent to OSF Medical Center provide excellent choices. Check out their brand-new luxury property in Peoria Heights, overlooking the boutique shops and fine dining on Prospect. And in Morton, they offer a variety of apartment homes with garages, a hot downtown location, and now a brand-new high-end complex near Idlewood Park. If you want to become part of their team, contact them about open office positions. They're also hiring in their maintenance department. So, we invite you to find out why so many people have chosen to make a career with them. Check them out on Facebook today or email their friendly staff at leasing@lemanprops.com. You can also stop by their website at lemanproperties.com. Check them out and find your place to call home today.   Clearly J.R., Jesus has been a role model for asking questions. So, can you contrast what you describe as Jesus's field trips that he takes his disciples on versus the way that you view Sunday mornings in a lot of churches in America? Can you kind of contrast those two?   J.R. Briggs: (16:29 - 18:42) Yeah, oftentimes when I'm talking to pastors or leaders, faith leaders, I remind them of this. But yeah, Jesus loved to take his listeners on three field trips, three kinds. First one, he took them on physical field trips. We see that where Jesus says, "You know, look at the birds of the air, look at the lilies of the field," or "Look at the woman putting in two mites in the temple treasury." Life is a classroom. And so, he loved taking people on literal field trips.   Number two, he took them on emotional field trips by telling them stories, not in abstract ways of thinking, but the kingdom of God is like a woman kneading dough. It's like a fisherman who caught fish. It's like a father with two sons. And I think we're wrapped up in that when we watch a good movie, and we cry and laugh and we're scared. Those are all because a beautiful story did something to us. It took us on some sort of emotional field trip.   And then third is a mental field trip, which we're talking about here by asking questions. Jesus asked a ton of questions. And as a result of that, got people thinking in new ways. Now, if the way, the truth and the life, if anyone had the right to just give answers, it would be Jesus. But instead, he chose to ask a lot of questions. And so those three field trips, literal by going on walks, getting outside of a classroom, the mental field trip of asking questions and the emotional field trips of telling stories. Jesus did that all the time. Once you know that and you read the gospels, you'll see it everywhere.   The problem is, as you were referring to, Laura, on Sunday mornings, what do we do? We sit people in a church in pews. Almost all of the teaching or formation happens in the same room. Instead of telling stories, we give abstract information. And instead of asking questions, we just give answers. And then we sit around and wonder, "Why is no one changing?" And my gentle encouragement is, what would it look like if we actually learned to teach others the way Jesus actually taught? Imagine that. So, it's a bit of a stretch because culturally we're kind of drawn in to the way we've always done it in church. And yet oftentimes Jesus did almost the opposite of the way in which we teach today.   Laura Dugger: (18:44 - 18:55) And so, if you see that as an opposite, do you have any practical ideas of just a small tweak that we could make on Sunday mornings to be more like Jesus?   J.R. Briggs: (18:56 - 20:32) Sure. I always try to say, is there any way I can get people's bodies or their hearts up out of the seat? So, "Hey, I want you to stand up and turn to the person next to you." Or, "Hey, we're going to move around the room." Some of you say, "What? We would never do that at our church." And I would say, take a risk. Jesus did all sorts of things that surprise people. So, how can I get their hearts and their bodies up out of their seat? Number one.   Number two, can I tell a few more stories than I have in the past in my teaching or preaching or Sunday morning? And then also, can I engage with questions by asking them questions at the beginning? Can I leave them with some reflection questions in the bulletin or on the website the next week? Or can I actually have them asking questions of each other or of the text itself? And so oftentimes, why do I feel like I'm the one that has to speak the whole time when I'm preaching? What if instead I allow them to ask questions of each other, of God, and even of myself? And sometimes when I preach, I allow the last five or 10 minutes for people to ask questions about the text to myself and everyone else. Now, is that a change? Yeah. Would that freak out some churches? Maybe. But it can be a way that people walk away and say, "Wow, I learned, I was engaged, I was formed, and I encountered God in a new way that I haven't in the past." Which is the whole goal, that we don't just learn more about the Bible, is that we know the God of the Bible. That's the whole point of why we gather together as a church.   Laura Dugger: (20:33 - 20:46) And that would be so memorable. But also, as you're speaking about stories, are you willing to share the story of one of the times that you asked a question, and it turned out better than you could have ever asked or hoped for?   J.R. Briggs: (20:47 - 22:27) Yeah. I could think of several, but sometimes just asking people, "Why is that?" Just as a follow-up. It's amazing what can spill out. And I go, "Oh, that confronted my biases. That confronted my assumptions and what I thought about them." And so sometimes just asking some of that has been incredibly helpful to just ask that follow-up question.   I won't tell the whole story that I recounted in the book, but oftentimes when there are tears, it was Charles Spurgeon that said that tears are like liquid prayers. And so, when people are showing some emotion, I sometimes will say to them, even if they're not a follower of Jesus, even if they're not religious, "I'm curious. It's been said that tears are liquid prayers. Can you put words to the prayers that your face is praying right now?" And I've had some of the most unbelievable conversations where people can identify the prayers that their face is praying. And even in my own life, where I just step back and go, "Why am I, why was I so moved by that novel? Why was I so moved by that movie? Or what just happened in front of me? Or why, where are these tears coming from?" As Frederick Buechner said, we'd be best to pay attention to our tears. And so that question of what are the liquid prayers, can I put words to the prayer that my face is praying has been an unbelievably meaningful and eye-opening thing for me and also with people that I've been with.   Laura Dugger: (22:29 - 22:37) Will you also share about how you arrived at asking two questions that have opened numerous doors for you?   J.R. Briggs: (22:38 - 25:21) Yeah. Yeah. When I was in college, I had the privilege of studying in Israel for the semester. This is fall of my junior year. Absolutely loved it. And our class was on a four-day field trip up around the Sea of Galilee. One night I was down by the lake and happened to notice as the sun was about to set that there was a big fishing vessel that had just come in. And I had always wanted to go fishing on the Sea of Galilee, not just take a boat, not just see fishermen, but like be on the boat and fish with fishermen. I don't even love fishing myself, but I just wanted to experience what Jesus and his disciples experienced on the lake.   And there was a big industrial ship that came in. They brought in their day's catch. And I thought, "Oh, I should ask them if I can go fishing with them." And Laura, and then, you know, the realistic brain in me said, "Why would they ever allow a college, American college student and a study abroad program to go fishing with them tomorrow?" And I had these two questions that hit me, Laura. "Well, what's the worst they could say? No, or heck no, or get out of here. You're crazy." And number two, "Can I handle that? If they were to say that." Those two questions, I thought, "You know, I can handle it now. Let me ask what's the worst he could say. Let me ask."   So, I went up and I said, "Excuse me, can I talk to your captain?" And they said, "Menachem is over here." So, I introduced myself to him and I said, "Menachem, I've always wanted to go fishing on the Sea of Galilee. I'll pay you $50. If I can go fishing for the day, use me as, as I mean, any work me to death. If you want, like I'm here, I just want to." And he looked at me, he said, "I don't want your money." He said, "Join me tomorrow morning at 6 a.m. And you can come fishing with us." And I walked away and went, "Unbelievable. My dream is coming true." And I had an unbelievable day, but I realized I can't say no for someone else. What's the worst they could say? No. Can I just ask and handle it if they said no? Yep, I can handle it. Those two questions, Laura, have shaped me immensely throughout my lifetime. I've really, I've done that in a lot of different ways. And a lot of times people say no, and I can handle that. But a lot of times people said yes. And some doors have opened simply because I asked. And I actually think of that verse often, Laura, where it says you do not have because you do not ask. It's not name it and claim it prosperity gospel. But we just have to realize that sometimes we just need to ask to put ourselves out there and see what people say.   Laura Dugger: (25:23 - 25:55) That is so good. And I have applied those questions since reading that in your book, even as I reach out to ask you if you would do two recordings. So, I'm so grateful that that you said yes, I'm delighted that today's not our only conversation. But I'm curious also, J.R., when you had that experience, a lot of us may not ever get to go fish on the Sea of Galilee. So, did you learn anything that brought the Bible to life or anything about Jesus or anything that you can share with us from that incredible experience?   J.R. Briggs: (25:55 - 27:37) Oh, there's so many, but I'll limit it to one. When we started out that morning, the sea was so calm. I mean, it was like glass. It was beautiful. The sun was rising, not a cloud in the sky. And it was great. But I've always wondered these like storms. You know, the Sea of Galilee is not a sea. It's a lake. It's 10 miles by six miles. It looks like a harp. And that's why it's called Lake Kinneret. In Hebrew, that means harp. So, it's harp lake is the way that we could call it. But I thought it's still a lake. How can there be storms that would have professional fishermen that would be screaming, thinking they were going to die? How is that possible?   Well, wouldn't you know it, Laura? As beautiful as it was, the clouds rolled in. And then later that afternoon, there was a squall of a storm. I have never been in more intense in my life. And it happened right there. Now we're in a maybe two-ton, three-ton fishing vessel. But even that, we had to go below deck because it was so brutal. The waves, the wind, we couldn't see more than 10 feet in front of us. And I thought, "Ah, now I get it. If I'm just in a wooden boat with my fellow, you know, disciples here, I can see why this could get a little panicky." And that was, I think, a little God wink for me to be able to experience both the peace and calm, but also this treacherous storm and go, "Ah, now I won't read my Bible the same again when I hear about the, you know, the disciples freaking out with the storm or seeing Jesus walk on the water approaching them." So, that's one of many, but that sticks out to me a great deal that I got to experience a very intense storm.   Laura Dugger: (27:38 - 28:27) That is so incredible. Even just going back, so those two questions that you were willing to ask led to this incredible experience. And now people from around the world get to benefit from the lessons that you learned at that time. So, I think you're giving us so much encouragement for asking questions.   Guess what? We are no longer an audio only podcast. We now have video included as well. If you want to view the conversation each week, make sure you watch our videos. We're on YouTube and you can access videos or find answers to any of your other questions about the podcast when you visit thesavvysauce.com.   What happens to our brain or within our brain when we're asking or being asked a question?   J.R. Briggs: (28:28 - 30:19) Yeah, this was an incredibly fun part of the research for me was what does this do neurobiologically to us? And so, what neurologists have found is when they put nodes all over your brain to kind of see how the brain activity happens, when you're given information, your brain lights up. But what they found is when someone is asked a question, your brain explodes like fireworks, the synapses that are firing, and it just lights up like crazy, like fireworks in the night. And one of the things they said, as much as we think we can multitask, we can't. We do a lot of switching, task switching, but not multitasking. But they said what happens is they use the word hijack. You can hijack someone's brain when you actually are asking a question of someone, even if it's for two seconds.   And so, if I were to ask your listeners, Laura, "What are the color of the shoes you're wearing right now?" Whether your listeners liked it or not, I just hijacked their brain for a split second there, and they went, "What are the color of my shoes?" And so that's immense amount of power to, quote unquote, hijack someone's brain. So, we need to use that power wisely. But it's an immense amount of power that we can have when we ask someone a question, not just give them an answer, which I love when current neurobiological research matches up with scripture and with the way Jesus taught. How did Jesus teach? A ton of questions. What happened? He engaged with people. They participated with him. They were forced to learn and be participants, not just talking theoretically about faith. And I thought, isn't that just like Jesus? He knew how our brains are wired. And so, he uses questions as a way of maximum connection, challenge, engagement, and formation.   Laura Dugger: (30:20 - 30:43) Wow. And you've cultivated, like you say, this holy curiosity. So, I am curious for you, J.R., when you're in a conversation and you find yourself asking question after question, have you been in a situation like this where they don't reciprocate, they don't ask any questions back? And how do you handle that internally and externally?   J.R. Briggs: (30:44 - 32:41) Yeah, it's hard because we live in a culture that hasn't modeled that well to ask good questions. And sometimes it's been hard. And I admit that sometimes there's a sense of loneliness. When I have a lunch meeting and my wife will say, "How was your lunch meeting today?" We have a code word where I say either waiter or waitress. And it means the waiter or waitress came and took my plate away because I was done with my meal before they had taken one or two bites of their food. And oftentimes that happens where we leave a meal and we realize, "I don't think I was asked a single question this whole lunch." Or we go to a dinner party, no one asked me a single question. And that can be really hard.   And I love asking people questions. And it's not like I'm just ramming it down their throats to ask question after question like Elf with his brother walking through Central Park where he's just rattling off question after question. I was giving pause, I was taking a bite of my food, allowing them to ask a question or two, and they never did. And sometimes people say, "Well, I don't really know, I'm not good at questions." And I say, one of the simplest things you can do is what I call the way question, W-A-Y. It's just to say, "What about you?" I've been talking. What about you? To just hit the ball back over the net and to allow us to engage in some conversational pickleball. It's been on my side, let me hit it. Now it's on your side and you hit it back. That's how all healthy relationships exist. And so, it's been a little disappointing at times to realize you can go, and I'm sure you and others have experienced that. That's really hard. And to have people that can just say, "What about you? What do you think? Have you ever experienced that?" Or "I have another question for you." That's how healthy relationships are cultivated when there's that back and forth in conversation.   Laura Dugger: (32:42 - 32:51) Okay. And so, if we want to cultivate that back-and-forth conversation, can you just share a few more tips for ways that we can level up our questions?   J.R. Briggs: (32:52 - 34:24) Sure. Yeah. There's a unique, almost universal principle when it comes to question asking. If you ask a generic unthoughtful question, you will almost always get a generic unthoughtful answer. "How are you?" "Fine." "How's your weekend?" "Good." But if you ask a thoughtful, specific, engaging question, you almost always get a thoughtful, specific, engaging answer. It's as predictable as a communist election. It's amazing how that works, where we can just, if we can just level up.   So, if a lazy question would be, "How was your weekend?" I encourage people to say, what would 10 or 15 percent of a more thoughtful, specific, or focused question be? So, you could say, "Of your whole weekend, how would you describe your weekend in two or three adjectives?" That's a little bit different than just, "How was your weekend?" Or, "Hey, how are you doing?" That's good. You might say, "What has been the most interesting thing about your day so far?" It just takes a little bit more intentionality. When you ask it that way, you won't get the fine, good. You'll get the, you know, "I had a really interesting sales meeting today at 10 a.m. You know, I bumped into my neighbor, and we had the best conversation at the mailbox." Those are the kinds of answers you get because we ask the more specific, thoughtful question. We'll get more specific and thoughtful answers. So, that's what I encourage people to do. Just level up to be just a little bit more pointed by 10 or 15 percent and see what happens.   Laura Dugger: (34:26 - 34:40) Okay. So, hopefully we're all going to put this into practice. But then also, if we have children in our home, what can we do to be teaching them this same goal of reciprocity and asking great questions?   J.R. Briggs: (34:40 - 37:02) Yes. I'm so glad you brought this up, Laura. There's so much that we can do. I try to do this. We try to do this with our kids when they were younger. Our kids are 19 and 16 now and we still engage in good questions with them. But when they were little, we would do things. I would crawl into bed with each of them at bedtime and we would do question of the night. And so, I would say, "You get to ask dad any question you want and then I get to ask you any question that you want." And so, age appropriate, you know, what's your favorite ice cream color or ice cream flavor or your favorite color? But sometimes they would pull out some really fascinating ones. Like one time, my youngest son said, "Dad, what does God smell like?" And it just made me laugh. I just thought, what a great question from a five- or six-year-old about that. And so just being intentional there at bedtime has been really good.   Car time is really important. And I really try to see if I can ask some questions that I can't ask in other places because now I've got their full attention. We're in the car together. And even as my sons are now older, when they're in the car together, something about staring out the windshield together to be able to talk through some things has been really good. It could be about school, could be about life, could be something trivial, but to know that this is a place where we can talk. And so, car time, bedtime, and the last one I'll give is dinner time. We have a big chalk wall next to our dining room table. And we'll just randomly put up questions, thoughtful questions. And then we'll sometimes say after prayer, "Okay, boys, when they were little, you know, you each get to pick one question off the wall that we talk about tonight." And it just became a real easy way. And you can make up one if you want, or there are questions here. We also found a deck of cards that actually had questions on each one. It was like a questions deck. And so, we'll say, "Great, like you can pick off the wall, you can make up your own, or just pick a question that's in the deck." And just doing that where everybody got a chance to share around the table became such a way, such a rich conversation but a way to remind them questions are okay, encouraged, and a wonderful part of being a part of a family.   Laura Dugger: (37:03 - 37:32) Those are such great ideas. I love that and that we can implement some of that right away. But as we're starting to wind our time down together, I would love to hear one more story about a time that a question dramatically changed the outcome of a friendly gathering that you write about on the back patio of a Capitol Hill home in Washington, D.C. Yeah, I remember reading this story, Laura, and I was so moved.   J.R. Briggs: (37:32 - 39:52) I was moved to tears that I ran over to my wife and I said, "Listen to this story." And we both just sat there crying. Yeah, these families were on the back porch on a wonderful summer evening enjoying some stuff on the grill. And all of a sudden a gunman came up behind one of the teenage girls and held a gun to her head and said, "Nobody move, give me your money or I'm going to shoot." Everyone froze, rightfully so, the terror that they experienced. And one woman just blurted out the first thing that came to her mind. She said, "Why don't you sit down and have some wine with us?" Which is not something that has ever come to my mind if someone were to walk in and rob me. And sure enough, he put his gun in his belt and sat down and had some wine. And he said, "Boy, this is really good wine." And I said, "Why don't you enjoy some more to eat?" And then afterwards, she said, "Can I give you a hug?" And the guy was totally startled. Yeah. And then afterwards, everyone else decided to give him a hug. And as they enjoyed food, you know, they're all tense and not sure what to do or what's going on. At the end, he said, "Can I have a group hug together?" And then he slipped out the back and even the glass, the wine glass that he had, it wasn't even broken. He just set it up right behind the back gate.   And I just was so moved by that. Like, "Do you want a glass of wine? Do you want a hug?" Not things that would come to my mind, but it was so jolting and surprising. I think it humanized him. And before he left, the robber said, "I think I've come to rob the wrong house tonight." It's amazing what a question can do. That was a question of immense hospitality. You're welcome here. That's the last thing that this robber ever expected. So, I just love that story. I love that story because it reminds us once again how powerful questions actually are.   Laura Dugger: (39:53 - 40:09) And I think it illustrates at the heart of questions is love. And that motivates so much of the work that you get to do, J.R. So, can you just share a little bit more about the work you do get to do and share how we can be connected after this conversation?   J.R. Briggs: (40:10 - 41:07) Sure. Yeah. I've been a pastor for 15 years, but in 2011, I started what's called Kairos Partnerships. And it was passionate about leaders because leadership can be lonely, overwhelming, and sometimes leaders feel ill-equipped. And so actually our organization was started based on three questions. Who pastors the pastor? Who leads the leader? Who shepherds the shepherd? So, we work with some pastors, but we work with all sorts of entrepreneurs and businesspeople and Chick-fil-A operators and college presidents and division one men's basketball coaches, anyone who's following Jesus, but leading others. And so, we do that through coaching, through consulting, through writing, speaking, spiritual direction. And so, our team, I have a wonderful team, and the team really walks alongside of leaders who are wanting to be equipped so they can lead with clarity and confidence moving forward.   Laura Dugger: (41:08 - 41:27) I love that. Well, we will put a link to your website and the show notes for today's episode, but J.R., you may be familiar. We are called The Savvy Sauce because savvy is synonymous with practical knowledge. And so, as my final question for you today, what is your savvy sauce?   J.R. Briggs: (41:28 - 42:03) One of the prayers that I pray regularly is, "Lord, would you grant me wisdom, courage, and compassion?" And all three of those are important because if I have wisdom and courage, but no compassion, I'm careless. If I have wisdom and compassion, but no courage, I'm riskless. And if I have compassion and courage, but no wisdom, that can be reckless. But if I have wisdom, courage, and compassion together, that's priceless. And so, I just try to pray that regularly because I say, "Lord, I want to be a wise, compassionate, courageous person for you." And I would encourage your listeners to pray that prayer for wisdom, courage, and compassion as well.   Laura Dugger: (42:05 - 42:20) Those are great words that I would use to describe you, J.R. And you are humble and warm and engaging. And I have greatly appreciated your book. I've already told people it's my favorite book that I've read in recent history.   J.R. Briggs: (42:20 - 42:22) So, thank you.   Laura Dugger: (42:22 - 42:31) Well, thank you. That's very kind of you. Yes, very easy to compliment it. But thank you for being my guest, and I look forward to hosting you again next time.   J.R. Briggs: (42:31 - 42:33) Sounds great. Looking forward to that as well.   Laura Dugger: (42:35 - 45:49) One more thing before you go, have you heard the term gospel before? It simply means good news. And I want to share the best news with you, but it starts with the bad news.   Every single one of us were born sinners, but Christ desires to rescue us from our sin, which is something we cannot do for ourselves. This means there's absolutely no chance we can make it to heaven on our own. So, for you and for me, it means we deserve death, and we can never pay back the sacrifice we owe to be saved.   We need a savior, but God loved us so much. He made a way for his only son to willingly die in our place as the perfect substitute. This gives us hope of life forever in right relationship with him.   That is good news. Jesus lived the perfect life. We could never live and died in our place for our sin.   This was God's plan to make a way to reconcile with us so that God can look at us and see Jesus. We can be covered and justified through the work Jesus finished. If we choose to receive what he has done for us, Romans 10:9 says, “that if you confess with your mouth, Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”   So, you pray with me now. Heavenly father, thank you for sending Jesus to take our place. I pray someone today right now is touched and chooses to turn their life over to you.   Will you clearly guide them and help them take their next step in faith to declare you as Lord of their life? We trust you to work and change lives now for eternity. In Jesus name we pray.   Amen. If you prayed that prayer, you are declaring him for me. So, me for him, you get the opportunity to live your life for him.   And at this podcast, we're called The Savvy Sauce for a reason. We want to give you practical tools to implement the knowledge you have learned. So, you're ready to get started.   First, tell someone, say it out loud, get a Bible. The first day I made this decision, my parents took me to Barnes and Noble and let me choose my own Bible. I selected the Quest NIV Bible and I love it.   You can start by reading the book of John. Also get connected locally, which just means tell someone who's a part of a church in your community that you made a decision to follow Christ. I'm assuming they will be thrilled to talk with you about further steps such as going to church and getting connected to other believers to encourage you.   We want to celebrate with you too. So, feel free to leave a comment for us here. If you did make a decision to follow Christ, we also have show notes included where you can read scripture that describes this process.   And finally, be encouraged. Luke 15:10 says, “in the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.” The heavens are praising with you for your decision today.   And if you've already received this good news, I pray you have someone to share it with. You are loved and I look forward to meeting you here next time.

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“The deepest problems of modern life derive from the claim of the individual to preserve the autonomy and individuality of his existence.” ~Georg Simmel (1858-1918), German sociologist, philosopher, and critic “Faith does not eliminate questions. But faith knows where to take them.”~Elizabeth Elliot (1926-2015), missionary, author, and speaker “Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.”~Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983), Dutch survivor of a Nazi death camp “The condition of the Psalmist's mind was complex—he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind.... It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him.”~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London pastor “Stand fast in the faith, and love one another, all of you, and be not offended at my sufferings.”~Reported to be the last words of Perpetua (c.182-c.203), a 22-year-old noblewoman and new mother, killed for her Christian faith in Carthage (modern-day Tunisia) “Loving God—really loving Him—means living out His commands no matter what the cost.”~Charles Colson (1931-2012), attorney, political advisor, convicted felon, advocate for prison reform, and midlife convert to Christ “…reason is not king in human beings, the heart is. Therefore, to change your actions, you must change your desires. But your desires will change, only if the Holy Spirit who wrote the Bible also writes his laws on your heart.”~John Ashley Null, theologian at Humboldt University Berlin and North African Bishop “The faith of the church must be tried by God's word, and not God's word by the church; neither yet my faith.”~Jane Grey (1537-1554), English noblewoman and very brief de facto monarch of EnglandSERMON PASSAGEPsalm 56 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths. A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath.1 Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;  all day long an attacker oppresses me;2 my enemies trample on me all day long,   for many attack me proudly.3 When I am afraid,   I put my trust in you.4 In God, whose word I praise,   in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.   What can flesh do to me? 5 All day long they injure my cause;   all their thoughts are against me for evil.6 They stir up strife, they lurk;   they watch my steps,   as they have waited for my life.7 For their crime will they escape?   In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8 You have kept count of my tossings;   put my tears in your bottle.   Are they not in your book?9 Then my enemies will turn back    in the day when I call.   This I know, that God is for me.10 In God, whose word I praise,   in the Lord, whose word I praise,11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.   What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;   I will render thank offerings to you.13 For you have delivered my soul from death,   yes, my feet from falling,  that I may walk before God   in the light of life.1 Samuel 21 10 And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. 11 And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances,         ‘Saul has struck down his thousands,          and David his ten thousands'?” 12 And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. 13 So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. 14 Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? 15 Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

  Host: Dan Panetti   As I talked about in the podcast, I'm reading Flowers from a Puritan's Garden by Charles Spurgeon where Spurgeon is diving deep into the illustrations of the great Puritan pastor and writer Thomas Manton. I've enjoyed so many of the great lessons that Spurgeon has shared in this book and I want to share them with you as you continue to mature as a godly man! I can't encourage you enough to be reading good books as part of your growth plan - God's Word is first and foremost, but make sure you are adding some other great books to challenge and encourage you in your walk!   T4M guys - just a reminder that Training4Manhood is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) ministry and you can make donations either via Zelle (info@training4manhood.com) or by visiting the Training4Manhood website.

Charles Spurgeon increasingly inhabited the paradox of which he preached in this sermon: “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2Cor 12:10). How can a man be weak and strong at the same time? How can he be made strong out of his weakness? To answer this question, Spurgeon first turns the words the other way up, and makes them into a warning of sorts, exposing the pretended strength of the strong, whether that is unbelievers who imagine that they can save themselves, or believers who are resting in their own imagined excellences. So the high-minded are humbled, before Spurgeon flips his text into the right orientation and asks about the ‘when' and the ‘then' of the verse, asking especially how the weakness of the saints brings us to Christ, and brings Christ to us, in such a way as to glorify the Lord, as empty self seeks the fulness of him who fills all in all. Are you feeling your weakness? Are you weary and washed out in the way? Then do not pretend to be anything else, and do not try and find strength in yourself, but cast yourself upon Christ and find in him the strength which he alone supplies. Read the sermon here: https://www.mediagratiae.org/resources/a-paradox-sermon Check out the new From the Heart of Spurgeon Book! British: https://amzn.to/48rV1OR American: https://amzn.to/48oHjft Connect with the Reading Spurgeon Community on Twitter! https://twitter.com/ReadingSpurgeon Sign up to get the weekly readings emailed to you: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts-1/from-the-heart-of-spurgeon. Check out other Media Gratiae podcasts at www.mediagratiae.org Download the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Charles Spurgeon increasingly inhabited the paradox of which he preached in this sermon: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2Cor 12:10). How can a man be weak and strong at the same time? How can he be made strong out of his weakness? To answer this question, Spurgeon first turns the words the other way up, and makes them into a warning of sorts, exposing the pretended strength of the strong, whether that is unbelievers who imagine that they can save themselves, or believers who are resting in their own imagined excellences. So the high-minded are humbled, before Spurgeon flips his text into the right orientation and asks about the 'when' and the 'then' of the verse, asking especially how the weakness of the saints brings us to Christ, and brings Christ to us, in such a way as to glorify the Lord, as empty self seeks the fulness of him who fills all in all. Are you feeling your weakness? Are you weary and washed out in the way? Then do not pretend to be anything else, and do not try and find strength in yourself, but cast yourself upon Christ and find in him the strength which he alone supplies.

Charles Spurgeon increasingly inhabited the paradox of which he preached in this sermon: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2Cor 12:10). How can a man be weak and strong at the same time? How can he be made strong out of his weakness? To answer this question, Spurgeon first turns the words the other way up, and makes them into a warning of sorts, exposing the pretended strength of the strong, whether that is unbelievers who imagine that they can save themselves, or believers who are resting in their own imagined excellences. So the high-minded are humbled, before Spurgeon flips his text into the right orientation and asks about the 'when' and the 'then' of the verse, asking especially how the weakness of the saints brings us to Christ, and brings Christ to us, in such a way as to glorify the Lord, as empty self seeks the fulness of him who fills all in all. Are you feeling your weakness? Are you weary and washed out in the way? Then do not pretend to be anything else, and do not try and find strength in yourself, but cast yourself upon Christ and find in him the strength which he alone supplies.

Charles Spurgeon increasingly inhabited the paradox of which he preached in this sermon: "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2Cor 12:10). How can a man be weak and strong at the same time? How can he be made strong out of his weakness? To answer this question, Spurgeon first turns the words the other way up, and makes them into a warning of sorts, exposing the pretended strength of the strong, whether that is unbelievers who imagine that they can save themselves, or believers who are resting in their own imagined excellences. So the high-minded are humbled, before Spurgeon flips his text into the right orientation and asks about the 'when' and the 'then' of the verse, asking especially how the weakness of the saints brings us to Christ, and brings Christ to us, in such a way as to glorify the Lord, as empty self seeks the fulness of him who fills all in all. Are you feeling your weakness? Are you weary and washed out in the way? Then do not pretend to be anything else, and do not try and find strength in yourself, but cast yourself upon Christ and find in him the strength which he alone supplies.

Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more "Christianity is a Person, not a system" - https://youtu.be/1-02nnh5Das?si=8-p2u1cxfCS2Uo4I Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

In this episode, the hosts examine Charles Spurgeon's sermon “Walking in the Light of the Lord,” preached from Isaiah 2:5: “O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” The discussion begins by placing a widely shared Spurgeon quote about the Jews back into its original sermon context, then expands into a challenging Bible study on Israel, the church, the Gentiles, Zionism, dispensationalism, prophecy, and Christian political influence.The hosts read Isaiah 2:1–5 and consider whether the passage points to the millennial reign, the future restoration of Israel, and a time when the nations will seek the teaching of the Lord. They discuss the distinction between natural Israel and the spiritual people of God, the grafted olive tree, the rejection of the Messiah, and Spurgeon's call for Christians to pray for the conversion and ingathering of the Jewish people.A major question runs throughout the episode: What does it actually mean to “bless Israel”? The conversation compares modern political and military support for Israel with the biblical call to seek a people's true good through repentance, salvation, and faith in Jesus Christ. Passages and concepts include Genesis 12, Numbers 22–24 and Balaam, Numbers 24:9, Galatians 3, Jacob and Esau, covenant blessings and curses, the birthright, and the Messiah as the fulfillment of God's promise to Abraham.The episode also explores whether politics flows downstream from culture, how churches shape political narratives, Donald Trump's populist movement, the Epstein files, propaganda, MKUltra, and the tension between political power and the local mission of the church. In the final section, Spurgeon's sermon turns toward evangelism, the joy of seeing converts come to Christ, the meaning of blessing God, free will, Christian service, house-church fellowship, new converts, spiritual zeal, Luke 5 and the old wine, and the danger of becoming lukewarm inside religious institutions.How should Christians think biblically about Israel without surrendering discernment to either political extreme? Share your perspective in the comments.Patreon (Watch Live episodes, early & ad free): https://www.patreon.com/NephilimDeathSquadWebsite & Merch: https://nephilimdeathsquad.comListen/Watch:Audio Podcast: nephilimdeathsquad.carrd.co/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@NephilimDeathSquadX: https://twitter.com/NephilimDSquadInstagram: https://instagram.com/nephilimdeathsquadFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/share/1AscxBNoH4/ Contact: chroniclesnds@gmail.com TopLobsta:X: https://twitter.com/TopLobstaInstagram: https://instagram.com/TopLobstaMerch: https://TopLobsta.comRaven:X: https://twitter.com/DavidLCorboInstagram: https://instagram.com/ravenofndsCredits:Intro Animation: @jslashr on XMusic: @Dallas_spitfire on X | https://gmbpod.com/ Listen to full intro music here!https://m.soundcloud.com/gmbsounds/nephilim-death-squad?utm_source=mobi&utm_campaign=social_sharing Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.☠️ Nephilim Death Squad — New episodes 5x/week.Join our Patreon for early access, bonus shows & the private Telegram hive.Subscribe on YouTube & Rumble, follow @NephilimDSquad on X/Instagram, grab merch at toplobsta.com. Questions/bookings: chroniclesnds@gmail.com — Stay dangerous.

How does the gospel transform a single life into a testimony that points countless others to Christ? Together we are reminded that our hope is found not in human eloquence or ability, but in faithfully looking to Jesus Christ and proclaiming Him to others. From Spurgeon's dramatic conversion through the simple preaching of Isaiah 45:22, to his lifelong ministry centered on the cross, we see that the power of God rests in His Word and Spirit. As we consider Christ's command to "go to offenders," we are challenged to pursue those who have offended us with humility, forgiveness, and a longing for restoration, reflecting the Shepherd who seeks His wandering sheep. Even amid suffering, criticism, depression, and physical affliction, Spurgeon's life testifies that God's grace is sufficient. May we likewise rely on Christ, live out His commands with love, and seek to make our lives not only a testimony of what we say, but of what we faithfully do for His glory.

"God's Providence" by Charles Spurgeon.

"God's Providence" by Charles Spurgeon.

Welcome to Episode 285 of The Burning Bush Podcast, where we share the message of the Bible while enjoying a good cigar. In this episode we're reading the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 with commentary from the notes in the Charles Spurgeon Study Bible, and I'm featuring the Umbagog by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Toro 6x52.Charles Spurgeon Study Bible: https://csbspurgeonstudybible.csbible.com/Umbagog by Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust Toro 6x52: https://www.dunbartoncigars.com/marca/umbagog/Listen and subscribe at: https://www.theburningbushpodcast.comYouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xuUIvnTwNsmlHN2fxlidI6Zhgt-GPB7&si=t0IqlNyWtCYOiSwHRumble: https://rumble.com/user/SteveMcHenryEmail: steve@theburningbushpodcast.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTCash App - http://cash.app/$StevenJMcHenryVenmo - https://www.venmo.com/u/Steve-McHenry-3Paypal - http://paypal.me/SteveMcHenrySend me a MessageTreats-N-Truth MinistryHelping those in need through the love & grace of God.Groundworks MinistriesPromoting the "chapter-a-day" reading of God's Word.The Burning Bush Merchandise StoreGet your Burning Bush Podcast swag here!Logos Bible SoftwareA digital library and Bible study platform for in-depth study, sermon prep, and academic research.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

James Tour is not your average university professor - not only is he a professor of three different fields (chemistry, materials science, and nanoengineering) at Rice University in Houston, Texas, but he's also started 17 companies, has many hundreds of patents, and has written over 850 scientific publications. However, those achievements are not what he's most excited about; rather, it's sharing his deeply-rooted faith and seeing thousands over the years coming to Jesus, including one of his Nobel Prize-winning colleagues. It's a stunning interview!▶️ Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/rX2iMmmD8mwJesus and Science Foundation: jesusandscience.org Dr. Tour's website: jmtour.comYouTube | Facebook | Instagram | X.comDr. Tour's weekly email newsletter.He has read the book ‘The Gospel Focus of Charles Spurgeon by Steven J. Lawson over 50 times, so maybe it's worth reading likewise!---

Nephilim Death Squad goes live from The Standard Coffee Shop in Lady Lake, Florida, for a chaotic Brohemian Grove 4 preview and audience Q&A featuring David L. Corbo, TopLobsta, and Straight Bible host Matthew Hepner. The crew breaks down the Brohemian Grove VIP experience, livestream access, the general admission schedule, live music, creator roundtables, the Nephilim Death Squad game demo, after-hours meetups, drinks, and the long list of Christian, comedy, and conspiracy personalities expected throughout the weekend.The conversation moves from event planning into serious Christian questions about grief, loss, prayer, and trusting God when life does not make sense. The hosts discuss the need to experience grief rather than suppress it, along with biblical ideas connected to 2 Timothy 1:7, Romans 8:28, Proverbs 3:5–6, John 1:1, and 2 Timothy 3:16. They also preview a live roundtable Bible study with Ed Mabrie and Laura Baker focused on intimacy with God, hearing God's voice, prayer, deliverance, and audience Q&A.Other topics include the Action Bible, The Message Bible, Smith Wigglesworth, Charles Spurgeon, apostolic succession, Orthodox Christianity, Jay Dyer, Andrew Wilson, and the claim that salvation is available only through the Orthodox Church. Dr. Heather Lynn and Owen Benjamin are discussed in connection with an upcoming Brohemian Grove conversation examining occult cannibalism, ancient religious practices, blood rituals, and speculation surrounding Charlie Kirk.The Q&A gets stranger as the crew debates whether clouds could be frozen and dropped, Brandon Biggs' vision of water powering an AI-based beast system, mysterious underground Florida water, inner-earth theories, and the meaning of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. Along the way, the audience fuels the show with Super Chats, jokes, event questions, and BroGrove predictions.What part of the Brohemian Grove lineup or biblical discussion stood out most to you? Share your thoughts in the comments.► Subscribe for more Biblical analysis, Christian worldview discussions, and conspiracy research through a Biblical lens.Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere podcasts are available.00:00 Intro and Brohemian Grove 4 Setup02:26 Fasting, Prayer, Patreon, and Livestream Access04:15 Demonic Pigs, Legion, and the Viral Pig Video05:24 BroGrove Questions, Tickets, Posters, and Library Access10:01 Coping With Grief and Loss Through Christian Faith14:20 Audience Super Chats and BroGrove Comedy24:20 How Brohemian Grove 4 Differs From Last Year29:18 BroGrove 4 Schedule, Performers, and Creator Lineup31:44 Occult Cannibalism and Charlie Kirk Speculation41:25 The Action Bible and The Message Bible45:14 Deliverance Prayer With Laura Baker49:52 Smith Wigglesworth, Charles Spurgeon, and TPUSA57:05 Raven and Matt Discuss Friendship and Criticism01:00:08 Spanish Springs and BroGrove Afterparty Plans01:05:03 Fan Gifts, Event Access, and Livestream Tickets01:10:41 Andrew Wilson, Jay Dyer, and Orthodox Salvation01:15:21 Fasting, Prayer, Community, and Supporting the Show01:18:52 Matt Hepner Leads the BroGrove Bible Study01:26:49 Hearing God's Voice and Intimacy With the Lord01:31:38 Frozen Clouds and Weather Weapon Theories01:37:06 Brandon Biggs, the AI Beast System, and Florida Water01:38:09 BroGrove Drinks and the Twin Towers Sangria Story01:43:55 Tattoos, Event Logistics, and Final Super Chats01:45:44 Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and Rejecting God's Word01:46:23 ClosingBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/nephilim-death-squad--6389018/support.☠️ Nephilim Death Squad — New episodes 5x/week.Join our Patreon for early access, bonus shows & the private Telegram hive.Subscribe on YouTube & Rumble, follow @NephilimDSquad on X/Instagram, grab merch at toplobsta.com. Questions/bookings: chroniclesnds@gmail.com — Stay dangerous.

Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more "Christianity is a Person, not a system" - https://youtu.be/1-02nnh5Das?si=8-p2u1cxfCS2Uo4I Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

The Religion That Promises Heaven, but Despises the Cross.Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more "Christianity is a Person, not a system" - https://youtu.be/1-02nnh5Das?si=8-p2u1cxfCS2Uo4I Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

Brian opens reflecting on what to do when life doesn't unfold the way we hoped — leaning on God's unchanging faithfulness even amid disappointment and regret. He wades into WNBA guard Sophie Cunningham's comments on biological males in women's sports and the swift cultural backlash she received, lamenting the loss of civil disagreement in public discourse. A study claiming "true love" requires a six-figure salary gets pushback from Brian, who shares his own experience marrying young and broke. He shares a moving Gospel Coalition piece on the recently uncovered story of Charles Spurgeon's father's imprisonment for debt, and how God used that family failure to shape one of history's greatest preachers. Brian also digs into a fascinating trend piece on young adults ditching smartphones for "dumb phones" to reclaim their mental health and attention, a Relevant Magazine interview with Louis Giglio on how our earthly fathers shape our view of God, a simple "Bible before phone" spiritual discipline from Tyndale House, Tim Chalis on tasting heaven, and closes with a Charles Stanley devotional on the power of praise.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How can an infant—devoid of cognitive reasoning, language, or the ability to process the preached Gospel—be born again? Across centuries of church history, Puritans, Particular Baptists, and Reformed giants like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield wrestled with this profound theological enigma. Rejecting both the error of baptismal regeneration by infant baptism, and the myth of natural innocence, these theologians pointed to something far more awe-inspiring: a sovereign, unmediated work of the Holy Spirit who transforms the soul beyond the reach of human intellect. Join us in this episode as we journey through the 1689 London Baptist Confession, historical debates, and the mechanics of divine grace to discover how God secretly regenerates the most vulnerable among us, proving that salvation is, from first to last, entirely of the Lord.

How can an infant—devoid of cognitive reasoning, language, or the ability to process the preached Gospel—be born again? Across centuries of church history, Puritans, Particular Baptists, and Reformed giants like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield wrestled with this profound theological enigma. Rejecting both the error of baptismal regeneration by infant baptism, and the myth of natural innocence, these theologians pointed to something far more awe-inspiring: a sovereign, unmediated work of the Holy Spirit who transforms the soul beyond the reach of human intellect. Join us in this episode as we journey through the 1689 London Baptist Confession, historical debates, and the mechanics of divine grace to discover how God secretly regenerates the most vulnerable among us, proving that salvation is, from first to last, entirely of the Lord.

How can an infant—devoid of cognitive reasoning, language, or the ability to process the preached Gospel—be born again? Across centuries of church history, Puritans, Particular Baptists, and Reformed giants like Charles Spurgeon, John Gill, Charles Hodge, and B.B. Warfield wrestled with this profound theological enigma. Rejecting both the error of baptismal regeneration by infant baptism, and the myth of natural innocence, these theologians pointed to something far more awe-inspiring: a sovereign, unmediated work of the Holy Spirit who transforms the soul beyond the reach of human intellect. Join us in this episode as we journey through the 1689 London Baptist Confession, historical debates, and the mechanics of divine grace to discover how God secretly regenerates the most vulnerable among us, proving that salvation is, from first to last, entirely of the Lord.

Introduction: Why Are We Doing This? (Psalm 90): Because TIME IS SHORT . (Ps 90:1-12) Because GOD IS GOOD . (Ps 90:13-15) Because THERE IS WORK TO DO . (Ps 90:16-17) Hint: Highlight blanks above for answers! Gratitude - Part 2 Jeff Miller / Taylor Brown Download Audio Transcript Paster Jeff00:00Open up your Bibles with me please to the book of Psalms. And we will be looking at the 90th Psalm. I can think of a couple reasons now why we need a building on that property. Both of them pretty evident today, right? Alright, let's get into God's Word together. Pray for me please.Paster Jeff00:30A sermon in three acts. So you pray for Pastor Rich and Pastor Taylor. All right? And we all will pray for you. All right? Let's pray. Father in heaven, as we turn to your word now, I just pray for all of us that our hearts are open to receive what it is that you've taught us through your eternal word. Thank you, Father. Thank you for All that you have so richly blessed us with, but most of all, Father, for the salvation that we find in Christ, because otherwise we would be so lost and hopeless. Father, I thank you that you have left us a guarantee of your love for us, the provision of salvation, the means by which eternal life can be restored, Father. And I pray that you would help us all to just Zero in now in your word. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Amen. I love the kid sounds, by the way. Not a distraction up here. Don't let it distract you. It's a sign of life. I love it. Alright? I told you before when I hear kids making noise, in my mind I just hear, Amen! Amen! Amen! That's how I hear that. So it just encourages me, alright? Psalm 90. Let's take a look.Paster Jeff02:00This is a prayer of Moses, the man of God. Verse 1, Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Again, this was written by Moses. And I thought, what an appropriate place for us to land today after this last series that Pastor Taylor took us through.Paster Jeff02:29The Psalm that was actually written by Moses. And look at what he says again in verse 1. Look close. Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. That's really a funny statement when you consider what was going on when Moses wrote this. You could say that Israel was between homes.Paster Jeff02:59Right? What is home? Anyways, I was thinking about that a lot as I was preparing for this. All the places I lived. I grew up in Shakura. Moved to Ohio for school where I lived probably a half a dozen different places during my years in Ohio. Then moved back to Butler where I lived on Locust Street and then on North Street and then on Pearl Street.Paster Jeff03:29And then we moved to Renfrew, Prospect, Chicago, back to Prospect, then to Economy, and now in beautiful Zillian Opal. Every time I moved, I swore it was the last time I was ever going to move. So I stopped doing that. But what is home? What is it? I think about the church, right?Paster Jeff03:59met at the meeting room in Pantera Bread. Lo these many years ago. Then we were in a man's basement. He knew. He was there. Then we met in the chiropractor's office. Marshall Middle School. Then 12330 Perry Highway Suite 100. And then almost 414 Klein Road, but right back to 12330.Paster Jeff04:29Perry Highway Suite 100. What is home? Well, if you're a believer, there's no place on earth that's ever really going to feel like home. Because earth is not our home. Wherever we are, wherever we are, that's what Moses is talking about here. Lord, You have been our dwelling place.Paster Jeff04:59Church, our dwelling place isn't this office building or even Klein Road or wherever the Lord has. Our dwelling place, Church, is the Lord. Wherever geographically that is, He is our dwelling place. Well, if this isn't our home, and if the new church building isn't something any of us are going to enjoy forever, then why are we...Paster Jeff05:29Why are we going to joyfully and gratefully go after the work of this church building? Why?Paster Jeff05:40So what's the point? Well, there's three points actually. Here's the first one that Moses reminds us this. Time is short.Paster Jeff05:52Time is short.Paster Jeff05:55Look at verses 2 through 6. He says, For the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting, you are God.Paster Jeff06:08You return man to dust and say, Return, O children of man.Paster Jeff06:14For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday, when it is past, or as a watch in the night.Paster Jeff06:23You sweep them away as with a flood.Paster Jeff06:26They are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning. In the morning, it flourishes and is renewed. In the evening, it fades and withers. Time is short. Oh, not for God, right? He made that clear. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God. When God revealed to Moses what His name is, He said, his name is I Am. And that tells us everything we need to know about God. God's not I was, like you should have seen me in high school. I was in shape and good looking. No, no, God's not the I was. And God is not the I will be. Right? Like, you know what, Moses, I might not look like much now, but I'm exercising and I'm on this paleo diet.Paster Jeff07:26and I just did a juice cleanse and I'm seeing a good chiropractor and I'm going to be something great. No, no, no. He's not the I will be. He is the I am. He is the I am in Moses' day and he is the I am today. And Moses points out here, God is from everlasting to everlasting, but I think it's pretty obvious he says we are not. He says we're not.Paster Jeff07:56around you, you and I are here and gone. Right? Gone like what he tells us in verse 5. He uses three pictures here. First of all, he sweeped them away as with a flood. Could you imagine? Some of you can. Then he says, they're like a dream. I love that image. Have you ever, this happens to me all the the time. Have you ever had one of those dreams that seem like they take place over the course of like days or weeks and then you wake up and it's only been like, you've only been in bed like an hour? Has that ever happened to you? He's like, that's what man's like. We think this is like such a long thing, but it's over quick. He uses another image here that shouldn't be lost on us. He says, we're like grass. We're renewed in the morning. We flourish. We grow.Paster Jeff08:56in the evening we fade.Paster Jeff09:00We wither.Paster Jeff09:02Why is life so short?Paster Jeff09:05He tells us, look at verse 7.Paster Jeff09:07He says, For we are brought to an end by your anger.Paster Jeff09:13By your wrath, we are dismayed.Paster Jeff09:17You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins, in the light of your presence.Paster Jeff09:23For all our days pass away under your wrath. We bring our years to an end like a sigh. The years of our life are 70, or even by reason of strength 80, yet their span is but toil and trouble. They are soon gone, and we fly away.Paster Jeff09:53the power of your anger and your wrath according to the fear of you. Why is life so short? He just basically very poetically sums it up just as one concept. It's the curse of sin. It's because of sin that life is short. God promised Adam, the first man, if you sin against me, God literally says, dying you will die. You're going to get old and wear out and die. Dying you will die.Paster Jeff10:22It's an act of judgment from God on a world that's rejected Him.Paster Jeff10:30You're like, so what's the point?Paster Jeff10:33Why would Moses bring this up?Paster Jeff10:36Verse 12 is Moses' point.Paster Jeff10:39He says, so, this is his prayer to the Lord, should be ours.Paster Jeff10:43So, teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.Paster Jeff10:55Teach us to number our days. Okay, so the Bible says that we should number our days. So let's obey, shall we? How many days do you have left on this earth? How many days? Well, we'll take Moses' average here, right? Did you notice he says, in verse 10, 70 or 80. So we'll take the average, which is 75. All right, thank you, accountants. So if we take Moses' average, 75. Now that's just the average. This is an exercise, right? I did the math for you. Okay, so if you're 50, I'm not going to ask you to raise your hand with your age or anything like that, right? Okay, so So if you're 15 years old, you're sitting here today and you're 15 years old, do you know how many days you have left on this earth? 21,900. All right? If you're 25, you have 18,250. If you're 35, you have 14,600 days left on this earth. If you're 45, you have 10,950 days left on the earth.Paster Jeff12:21If you're 55, you have 7,300 days left on the earth. And if you're 65, you have 3,650 days left on the earth. And if you are 75, you're done. Anything over that is borrowed time.Paster Jeff12:54That's really not the point, is it? I don't think Moses was calling us to some numeric exercise, was he? Here's the point. Moses is not asking that God helps us consider when we may die, but that God helps us consider how we live our short lives. You see, We don't know the number of days that each of us have, but it's knowing that our days on the earth have a number. We just don't know what it is. I mean, what if you don't make the average? I mean, our family's high score is 73. Both of my parents died at 73. What if you don't make the average?Paster Jeff13:52What if your number of days left is 30? Would that change the way you live August? What if the number of days left is 7? Would that change your week? What if the number of days you have left is 1? How would you live today? Because wisdom says, make the most out of however many days I have left. And I will remind you that time is like money. If you're not deliberate in how you spend it, it's going to be gone, and you're not going to know where it went. So this church building that we've been talking about, building, church, this is one way that you can make the most of your short days.Paster Jeff14:52by praying, by giving, by serving. Because we live in a day when more and more people... No, it's always been that way with people. The thing that concerns me is we live in a day when more and more churches, churches are rejecting the Word of God, rejecting the love of God, rejecting the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And this church building, Is our flag in the ground where we say not here? Not here.Paster Jeff15:32If we learned anything when we studied Jesus' parable of the talents, He's given every one of us resources and opportunity to use in this short time that we have on this earth.Paster Jeff15:43And the Bible says He's coming back.Paster Jeff15:46And He wants to see what we did with what He's entrusted to us.Paster Jeff15:53And that's one of the things that gets me excited about this church building. When the Lord returns, I want to be able to point to that building and say, here, this was for you. This was for you. This is what we did with the opportunity and resources that you gave us. Jesus, this is what we did. We established a place where your word was not going to be denied, where your word was not going to be compromised, but it was going to be preached, It was going to be lifted up. We were going to train other people how to preach your word. This is a place where missionaries were sent out. Because though the last, excuse me, though the first Adam, the first Adam brought sin and death, the Bible says the last Adam. Jesus Christ, through His death and resurrection, brought forgiveness and life.Paster Jeff16:51to share this good news.Paster Jeff16:55Teach us to number our days.Paster Jeff16:58That we may get a heart of wisdom.Paster Jeff17:03Our time is short.Paster Jeff17:05So let's wise up.Paster Jeff17:07Let's make the most of them.Paster Jeff17:09Pastor Rich.Pastor Rich17:11So as Jeff said, why are we doing this?Pastor Rich17:15Why are we seeking to build this new place of worship?Pastor Rich17:18Because God is good.Pastor Rich17:21God is good. Look at verses 13 through 15 with me. Return, O Lord, how long? Have pity on your servants. Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us and for as many years as we have seen evil. Verses 1 through 12 impressed on us that life is brief.Pastor Rich17:50So the question is, what should we do with this short, momentary, vapor of a life that has been granted to us? Jeff's statistics hit home. I'm not 35. Yeah, how should we spend it? Should we spend it worshiping ourselves, seeking comfort, material gain, wealth, fame, and a name for ourselves?Pastor Rich18:20Eat, drink, and be merry since tomorrow we die. Now Psalm 90 reminds us that satisfaction is not found in any of those things. Rather, satisfaction is found only in the Lord himself. Verse 14 says, Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love that we may rejoice and be glad all our days. See, to be satisfied is to be filled up. The image is a full stomach, right? After a good meal, When you're satisfied, nothing else is needed. You're completely content. We all know that that satisfaction is temporary. It doesn't last. That's why Moses cries out to God that you, Lord, you be our satisfaction. Satisfaction in the Lord is permanent because he is eternal.Pastor Rich19:19He is the I Am. This image is similar to that of Psalm 23.1 where David writes, the Lord is my shepherd. The Lord, Yahweh, the I Am is my shepherd. Nothing I lack. Well, how about you? Are you satisfied in God and God alone? Or do you need other things to be satisfied? And when you don't have those things, what do you do?Pastor Rich19:49Do you become resentful toward God and grumble and complain? What do you think you deserve? What causes you to complain against our good God? You know, I've thought a great deal about Pastor Taylor's sermon from last Sunday and the infectious disease of complaining. Complaining stems from ingratitude, and the sermon really challenged me to be thankful about everything. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to be thankful to God for everything, every event, every circumstance in life. Because if I'm spending my time being thankful for everything, I'll have very little time to complain about anything. I'm thankful for how things turned out this morning. This rain was an opportunity to complain and grumble and like, man, nothing ever goes right. Nothing ever works.Pastor Rich20:49And I'm thankful. I'm thankful. Everybody is here. I'm thankful for the folks who showed up here, set the auditorium, got ready to worship. And here we are lifting our voices in praise to God. Amen. I want to be thankful to God in ways that show that I am really thankful with my whole heart, thankful in ways that honor him and glorify him because he is good.Pastor Rich21:19I ought to do that. Why? Because as we begin to be thankful for everything, we will see how incredibly generous God is toward us. And as we see how generous God is, we will indeed rejoice and be glad all of our days. He will indeed make us glad for as many days as he afflicted us. And why were we afflicted?Pastor Rich21:49Why are we afflicted?Pastor Rich21:51Because we complain instead of praise.Pastor Rich21:56Remember, this was a song of Moses, so he could have written it in response to any one of the many times the people grumbled and complained against God and felt his stern discipline.Pastor Rich22:09So we should instead praise and give thanks.Pastor Rich22:14Well, what exactly has God so generously given each one of us? There are gifts that every one of us here has in equal, overflowing, abounding measure. I don't have more of these gifts than you do. You have these same gifts in equal measure as Peter, James, and John, as much as George Whitefield, Charles Spurgeon, and Barnabas over in Thailand. The real question is, how much do you lay hold of these good gifts with a grateful heart? The psalm tells us the first and most important gift that God has generously bestowed on us is himself. When you have him, you have all you need to be satisfied. We are assured of his presence with us. It's why Moses says, satisfy us with your steadfast love. That is, Lord, your fill us with who you are lord a god merciful and gracious slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness keeping steadfast love for thousands forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin how intently do you seek to know him you are in christ if you have confessed him as your Lord and Savior. He abides in you. Are you gratefully abiding in him? Second, he is generously giving you life and breath. He sustains you. You have the privilege of this brief life to enjoy him, to enjoy his creation and all the things he has created. You have the privilege in participating in rest and work, enjoying food and drink, days and seasons.Pastor Rich24:09Rain and sun and sea is handiwork in everything around you. And in Christ, we're going to enjoy all these things forever. Third, you have the joy of loving and being loved generously. In your salvation, you are placed into perfect relationship with the triune God who overflows with steadfast love.Pastor Rich24:38And you're in a new relationship to every person. And in such relationships, you can extend grace and mercy and love to others. You can seek forgiveness and grant forgiveness. We are made new for the purpose of generously living out the gospel in real time with real people. That time is brief. So be thankful for it and generous with it.Pastor Rich25:07Fourth, he has granted you citizenship in his glorious kingdom. He has delivered you from the domain of darkness and transferred you into the kingdom of his beloved son. Moreover, he has given you authority to rule with him here in this world in the midst of his enemies. And how do we rule? We rule by sharing the gospel of Christ, seeing enemies converted into children of God and seeing them become.Pastor Rich25:37are brothers and sisters in Christ.Pastor Rich25:41And yes, because he is a good father, he has given you all you need.Pastor Rich25:47Is there anyone here who truly lacks anything?Pastor Rich25:52There may be plenty of worldly and material things that you want, and you know, you may have even convinced yourself that you need these things.Pastor Rich26:02But the reality is that we individually and collectively are among the wealthiest people who have ever lived on the face of the earth. God has indeed shown us his steadfast love and dealt with us all, every one of us here, generously. So what kind of people then ought we to be? We ought to be grateful, thanking God profusely for all he has put into our hands We ought to strive to lay hold of the full and abundant life we have in God our Savior. We ought to be generous toward God and toward others with the same level of generosity that he has bestowed on us. We should be generous towards God and others with our time. Generous towards God and others with love. Generous towards God and others with the resources that God has generously bestowed on us.Pastor Rich27:02We should be gracious in showing mercy, generous in extending grace, and generous in showing hospitality. Our Father has been so, so good to harvest for nearly 15 years. He has been exceedingly generous to us for all that time. Just look around you. And if we had been at the property this morning, there would be so much to see and thankful for.Pastor Rich27:32But look at his generosity and the evidence of his desire to use harvest for his glory. To use you and your generosity for his glory. We are doing this because he is good. And he wants you to join him in this endeavor. There is more to do. And Pastor Taylor is going to tell us about that. Parents and children, don't worry. As the third preacher this morning, I know it's my job to be short.Pastor Taylor28:02I'm going to try my best. So why are we doing this? First, because time is short. Second, because God is good. And thirdly, and finally, because there is work to do. Moses has a final request of the Lord in verse 16. He says, let your work be shown to your servants and your glorious power to their children. In other words, God, do what only you can do. Be at work in our lives. Be at work in the lives of others. You know, growing up, dads can seem very mysterious to their children. Especially when they are gone for eight or more hours of the day going to a place called work. You don't know what they do at work, but you know it's very important. You know that it's a very big deal. Very often, my kids will get sad when I have to go to work. They'll say, oh, why are you going to work, dad? I'll ask them questions. Do you like eating? Do you like wearing clothes?Pastor Taylor29:02Do you like not living outside? Yes. Then I have to go to work. For 40 years, my dad was in the orthopedic sales business. He would sell replacement hips, knees, shoulders, and other equipment. He would be a consultant in the operating room, and the doctors could ask him questions as they did the surgery. And as a child, none of those things really made sense to me. My dad's job was a big mystery.Pastor Taylor29:32changed in third grade when my dad came in for career day to explain what his job was. And my dad did more than just that. He brought a small pair of scrubs, a mask, and a beeper for me to wear. Kids, if you don't know what a beeper is, find someone older and ask them about it. After I suited up, my dad had me hold and hand out replacement joints to my classmates. My dad was so happy to include me, and I felt so cool to be included. As long as I live, I'll never forget that day because I got to be a part of my dad's work. For a very short time, I was in the orthopedic sales business. I got to see my dad at work and join him in his work. Do you know that we get to see our heavenly father at work? We get to join him in his Our dad is at work all the time and his work isn't a mystery. We're told in scripture what this work is. Our dad is in the salvation business. He is in the business of changing lives both now and forever. We have been recipients of our dad's work. We have been saved. We have been forgiven. We have been transformed. We have been changed. We've been given a church family to belong to.Pastor Taylor31:01We have been recipients of our dad's work. But even more than that, we get to join our father in his work. We get to be co-laborers with our dad. Did my dad need me all those years ago? I think he could have explained his job perfectly well without me. My dad didn't need to use me, but he wanted to use me.Pastor Taylor31:31need to use us. No. He doesn't need me. He doesn't need you. He doesn't need Pastor Jeff, Pastor Rich, Brian Behe, Justin Katie. He doesn't need anybody or anything. He is 100% self-sufficient every single way. He doesn't need to use us, but he wants to use us. It's a good feeling to be needed. It's an infinitely greater feeling.Pastor Taylor32:01to be wanted.Pastor Taylor32:03Do you truly believe that God wants to use you?Pastor Taylor32:07That He desires to use you?Pastor Taylor32:11God wants to include you in His work of saving the lost.Pastor Taylor32:15Of spreading the good news of Jesus Christ.Pastor Taylor32:17Of building this church.Pastor Taylor32:19Of sanctifying His people.Pastor Taylor32:21We have been called into the family business.Pastor Taylor32:25We are in the business of seeing our Heavenly Father save sinners and change lives.Pastor Taylor32:31There is no greater calling. There is no more meaningful work. There is no better job in the entire world. But we cannot do our dad's work in our own power. We desperately need his help. We need to pray the words of Moses in verse 17. He says, Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us and establish the work of our hands upon us. Yes! Establish the work of our hands. What we build will crumble unless God sustains it. What we achieve will fade away unless God blesses it. It's easy to look at a massive project like building this building and be overwhelmed. It's easy to think, well, how's this going to happen? There's so much money to raise. There's so much How is this going to happen? You know, I know exactly how it's going to happen. God will make it happen. He will be at work in and through us like he always has been. God is at work behind the scenes and through you as well. Instead of falling back into fear, let's lean forward in hope. Let's boldly and passionately pray for the Lord's gracious favor.Pastor Taylor33:52And that word for favor in verse 17 can also be translated as approval, delight, or beauty. A proud dad delights when his children try their best. A proud dad approves when his kids make an effort and do not phone it in. A proud dad smiles when his kids work hard and do not give up. It's like Moses praying, Lord, smile upon the work of your people.Pastor Taylor34:22Let's pray the same exact thing this morning. Lord, smile upon the work of Harvest Bible Chapel. Smile upon this building project. Smile upon our effort to build a bigger space where more people can worship you, encounter you, and learn about the good news of Jesus Christ. So let's pray right now that we would get to work and that God would establish the work of our hands. Father, we thank you so much for who you are. We thank you so much for all that you do for us.Pastor Taylor34:57As Pastor Rich already said, we so often complain when things don't go according to plan.Pastor Taylor35:02Instead, let us always give thanks because you are always at work.Pastor Taylor35:06You're always doing something that we can't see.Pastor Taylor35:10You are always changing lives.Pastor Taylor35:11You are always doing amazing things behind the scenes.Pastor Taylor35:17Lord, from a human standpoint, I don't know how this building project is going to work.Pastor Taylor35:21I don't know how all the details are going to come together. But the great thing is I don't have to worry about that because you have it all figured out. You will make it happen, Father. You will bring about what you want in this building project. We trust you because you are the I Am. From everlasting to everlasting, you are God. We thank you that you don't need us, but you choose to use us anyway. We ask all this in Jesus' name. Amen.Pastor Taylor35:51So before we close, I want to read verse 17 again. Let your work be shown to your servants and your glorious power to their children. We seek to put up this new building for the sake of our children. For the sake of the next generation encountering the glorious power and life-giving work of our great God. We want a safe place for our kids to be kids. To have fun. To have joy in the Lord. And to be trained for the work of God themselves. So we're actually going to put the kids to work right now. So kids, come forward. You're actually going to be singing for the entire church. So if you're able to sing, come forward kids and get ready to sing our song. Hey, that was fantastic, guys.Paster Jeff36:53Don't you think they should do that song with you? And by the way, if you're like, that's kid stuff. Remember Levi's sermon on Wednesday night? Unless you have the faith of a child, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. We are all called to have this kind of excited faith that is so joyful at what the Lord is doing.Paster Jeff37:21So let's stand. Let's all be VBS kids right now, alright? Small Group DiscussionRead Psalm 90What was your big take-away from this passage / message?BreakoutPray prayers of specific things you are thankful for.

The sermon urges believers to reject modern theological compromises and cultural drift by returning to the foundational truths of Scripture. Drawing on Charles Spurgeon's historical struggle against liberal theology, it highlights the danger of gradual spiritual decline within the church. The preacher emphasizes that true restoration requires stopping, examining one's walk with God, and actively pursuing the old paths of biblical authority, fervent prayer, and holy living. It warns that mere religious activity without doctrinal fidelity leads to barrenness, while obedience brings lasting rest for the soul. Ultimately, the message calls for personal repentance and a renewed commitment to Christ-centered worship and service.

Welcome to Episode 284 of The Burning Bush Podcast, where we share the message of the Bible while enjoying a good cigar. In this episode we're reading the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4 with commentary from the notes in the Charles Spurgeon Study Bible, and I'm featuring the Partagas Y Nada Más Santiago Toro 6x52.Charles Spurgeon Study Bible: https://csbspurgeonstudybible.csbible.com/Partagas Y Nada Más Santiago Toro 6x52: https://www.partagas.com/cigars/#y-nada-masListen and subscribe at: https://www.theburningbushpodcast.comYouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xuUIvnTwNsmlHN2fxlidI6Zhgt-GPB7&si=t0IqlNyWtCYOiSwHRumble: https://rumble.com/user/SteveMcHenryEmail: steve@theburningbushpodcast.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTCash App - http://cash.app/$StevenJMcHenryVenmo - https://www.venmo.com/u/Steve-McHenry-3Paypal - http://paypal.me/SteveMcHenrySend me a MessageTreats-N-Truth MinistryHelping those in need through the love & grace of God.Groundworks MinistriesPromoting the "chapter-a-day" reading of God's Word.The Burning Bush Merchandise StoreGet your Burning Bush Podcast swag here!Logos Bible SoftwareA digital library and Bible study platform for in-depth study, sermon prep, and academic research.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more "Christianity is a Person, not a system" - https://youtu.be/1-02nnh5Das?si=8-p2u1cxfCS2Uo4I Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

Share this program with a friend or family member at www.joniradio.org!  --------Thank you for listening! Your support of Joni and Friends helps make this show possible. Joni and Friends envisions a world where every person with a disability finds hope, dignity, and their place in the body of Christ. Become part of the global movement today at www.joniandfriends.org. Find more encouragement on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.

Our 4th and final NT norm is the centrality of prayer in the life of the early church. Listen in as we share 4 "P" observations on prayer - It was a Priority; It Preceded the filling and work of the Spirit; It was the church's response to Persecution; and it was Personal and Persistent. 4 P's: 1-Priority. Begins the book of Acts—“All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers" (1:14).  In Ch. 2, the church was praying when the Holy Spirit filled them.  Acts 2:42- he church was devoted to prayer. It was one of the first things that marked them out—alongside the apostle's teaching, breaking the bread, and fellowship. Acts 6: We see the priority of prayer even more strikingly when the apostles single out prayer alongside of the ministry of the Word as their primary responsibility. “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” “I stand here to confess frankly that from my inmost heart I attribute the large prosperity which God has given to this Church vastly more to the prayers of the people than to anything that God may have given to me. I know it is so.” - Charles Spurgeon 2-Precedes the filling and work of the Spirit.  Acts 2 begins with the believers all together in one place, praying. And we know what happened next—the sound from heaven like a mighty rushing wind, filling the house where they were.  Acts 4- The believers are gathered together praying in the midst of persecution—praying specifically for boldness. “And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness" (4:31). Acts 13- The prophets and teachers of the church in Antioch were gathered and they were worshipping the Lord and fasting. Just then the Holy Spirit calls out Barnabas and Saul. And after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.  These are pretty pivotal moments in the history of the gospel—especially in Chapters 2 and 13. And we see that God's people had been devoting themselves to prayer in the time leading up to these great events—these experiences of the Spirit's work. Prayer had paved the way for these people to respond when the Spirit showed up.  3-Persecution- Prayer was the church's consistent response to persecution. Acts 4- Peter and John have just been threatened by the high-priestly council. "When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord. . .” (4:23-24). Their immediate reaction to the threat of violence from the ruling authorities was to pray. And hear what they prayed: “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”  Acts 12- Peter is in prison and miraculously rescued by an angel of the Lord. When he is rescued, it says “he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.” Again, the response of the church to the persecution of her people is to pray.  Acts 16- Paul and Silas in prison. “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” In the midst of persecution, we find these two workers praying and singing hymns.  Prayer is what we do when we are persecuted. It is the response of God's church to the threats and persecutions. In each of these moments, God miraculously answered. 4-Personal and Persistent. In Acts, we don't get much details about the personal prayer lives of the apostles. Many references are to the church praying corporately. However in Paul's epistles, we find Paul talking about his own prayer life all over the place – way too many to reference, will just name a few- Eph. 1:16- "I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers…" and we see his personal prayer for the Ephesian believers.  Eph. 3:14-19. Paul's prayers were important enough for him to write out for them and for us. A few examples from 1st Thessalonians: 1 Thess. 1:2- "We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers." 1 Thess. 5:17- "Pray without ceasing." 1 Thess. 5:25- "Brothers, pray for us."  Paul was not voicing prayers for believers every moment of every day. He was sometimes preaching the gospel; he was sometimes sleeping; he was sometimes eating or traveling. But he had such a habit of prayer that he described it as day and night, constant.  Eph. 6:10-20- Paul teaches us that we are in a spiritual battle and prayer is an essential weapon. Paul commands us to take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. The Word, The Spirit, and constant prayer. As we've found these 4 NT norms, we have seen in a new way for us how intertwined they are. The Word bears fruit by the power of the Spirit. The Spirit honors and responds to the preaching of the Word and obedience to the Word and prayer. Prayer is what invites the Holy Spirit to work in our lives, and there is no real prayer without the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Prayer was seen as part of the work of the church. It was at the center of their ministry. We have a saying among our teams here that prayer is the greater work. We believe that because we ultimately believe that this work we're doing is His work. It doesn't move forward unless He moves and the Spirit grants repentance and life. Paul said, “I planted, Apollos watered, but God gives the growth.” Prayer is an admission of our helplessness and a plea for God to do what only He can do. That's why we see the early church devoting themselves to it. Prayer was necessary to them—it was just a part of their lives, and of their gathering together. If you are listening and feel like you're a terrible pray-er, don't give into discouragement or paralysis or accusations --- just start! Read a good book on prayer. Make sure you're spending daily time with God alone in the Word and in prayer. Use your drive or shower to pray. Post a prayer list by your bathroom mirror and pray as you brush your teeth. Set a timer for a certain time each day. 12:12, 3:10. And ask God for help!  This concludes our series on NT norms – daily ministry, the Word, the Spirit, and prayer.  

Welcome to Episode 283 of The Burning Bush Podcast, where we share the message of the Bible while enjoying a good cigar. In this episode we're reading the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3 with commentary from the notes in the Charles Spurgeon Study Bible, and I'm featuring the Gurkha Nicaragua Series Toro 6x54.Charles Spurgeon Study Bible: https://csbspurgeonstudybible.csbible.com/Gurkha Nicaragua Series Toro 6x54: https://gurkhacigars.com/product/nicaragua-series/Listen and subscribe at: https://www.theburningbushpodcast.comYouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xuUIvnTwNsmlHN2fxlidI6Zhgt-GPB7&si=t0IqlNyWtCYOiSwHRumble: https://rumble.com/user/SteveMcHenryEmail: steve@theburningbushpodcast.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTCash App - http://cash.app/$StevenJMcHenryVenmo - https://www.venmo.com/u/Steve-McHenry-3Paypal - http://paypal.me/SteveMcHenrySend me a MessageTreats-N-Truth MinistryHelping those in need through the love & grace of God.Groundworks MinistriesPromoting the "chapter-a-day" reading of God's Word.The Burning Bush Merchandise StoreGet your Burning Bush Podcast swag here!Logos Bible SoftwareA digital library and Bible study platform for in-depth study, sermon prep, and academic research.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Apologetics, Debate, Bible Discussions, Evangelism, and much more "Christianity is a Person, not a system" - https://youtu.be/1-02nnh5Das?si=8-p2u1cxfCS2Uo4I Discerning the fruits of the Spirit vs the fruits of self - Mark 7:5-23 "The mystic fruit bowl" - https://youtu.be/kw7QiLQMQ_M?si=356Fx_r9ohUeTLwjThe Deity of Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Salvation - https://www.youtube.com/live/gquqBQIL_0U?si=7zmPLi1X0CcW-v7f(Discussing discipleship) Bible study on Luke 9:60-62 "Let the dead bury the dead" - https://www.youtube.com/live/BkWtkOrEs-Q?si=y-zyqNGfWi3kzVu2To know more on how to be saved, what are the requirements and such, please see our playlist on the Gospel and Eternal Security (assurance of salvation) - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL3pJdCnnwrEeCQOCTTmDW1GjUYxpd44DG&si=_rT-lThl0klHt5Cd Our Ministries Website - https://christiancoffeetime.ca/ 1John 5:20) "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life."

Episode Title: Be Anxious for Nothing — Overcoming Affliction and Renewing the Inner Man Welcome to For Zion's Sake, hosted by Sheldon N. Volk (Shelley) and June (Juni). In this episode, Shelley and Juni continue their exploration of overcoming anxiety, taking a closer look at how believers can cultivate righteousness and maintain eternal perspectives during heavy trials. From the midnight praises of Paul and Silas in a Philippian jail cell to timeless, convicting wisdom from Charles Spurgeon, learn how to stop losing heart when life gets heavy, shifting your gaze from temporal afflictions to the eternal weight of God's glory. Key Takeaways: The Spiritual Focus Deficit: A reminder that the original Greek root of anxiety means "turning in another direction." Worry pulls our gaze away from the Creator and anchors it firmly onto the problem. Midnight in the Prison Cells: A powerful examination of Paul and Silas in Philippi (Acts 16:25-30). Instead of giving way to panic or anxiety over their chains, they immediately weaponized prayer and praise at midnight, triggering a supernatural breakthrough. Renewing the Inner Man Daily: Juni breaks down 2 Corinthians 4:16-18, sharing how even when our physical bodies or situations are decaying, our inner man is daily renewed when we look past temporal, visible issues to eternal realities. Spurgeon on Fretful Folly: Highlighting Charles Spurgeon's classic message Do Not Worry, Shelley shares how anxiety is both needless and useless. Just as a bird sings without two grains of barley to its name, heirs of heaven are called to trust a Father who easily commands the bottles of heaven. Sustained Through the Burden: Standing firmly on the promise of Psalm 55:22—realizing that if we genuinely cast our heavy burdens onto the Lord, He guarantees He will sustain us and keep the righteous from being permanently moved. Featured Bible Passages: Philippians 4:6 — "Be anxious for nothing..." Proverbs 12:25 — Anxiety in the heart causing depression versus a good word making it glad. Psalm 28:2, 6 — The Lord hearing the voice of urgent supplication. Psalm 119:170 — Asking for deliverance according to God's word. 1 Peter 5:7 — Casting all anxiety upon Him because He cares for you. Psalm 37:3 — Trusting in the Lord and cultivating faithfulness. Romans 4 — Abraham hoping against hope without his faith wavering. Acts 16:25-30 — Paul and Silas praying and singing hymns in prison, leading to the jailer's salvation. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 — Momentary light affliction producing an eternal weight of glory. Psalm 55:22 — "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you..." Connect & Support: Get in Touch: We love connecting with our community. Write to us with prayer requests, questions, or updates at: For Zion's Sake, P.O. Box 244, Kannapolis, NC 28082. Online Resources: For more teachings, digital archives, and up-to-date ministry insights, check out our website at shellyandjunevolk.com. This radio broadcast is made possible through the generous sponsorship of the Psalm 127 Fund. Put a stake in the ground today, cast out fear, and may the Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace! Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Title: Be Anxious for Nothing — Finding Strength and Faith in the Promises of God Welcome to For Zion's Sake, hosted by Sheldon N. Volk (Shelley) and June (Juni). In this powerful episode, Shelley and Juni dive deep into the spiritual anatomy of anxiety and worry, exploring how it drains our daily strength and pulls our focus completely away from God. Pulling wisdom from the original Greek and Hebrew definitions, timeless quotes from faith heroes, and the ultimate template of faith found in the life of Abraham, this episode offers a practical blueprint for turning your anxiety over to the Lord and walking in supernatural peace. Key Takeaways: The Definition of Anxiety: In Greek, anxiety literally means "to turn or be drawn away in a different direction." When we focus entirely on our overwhelming circumstances, we inadvertently turn our eyes away from God. The Weight of Worry: In Hebrew, anxiety translates directly to being "heavy laden" or weighted down. Scripturally, a heart heavy with anxiety is a direct catalyst for situational depression (Proverbs 12:25). The Danger of Carrying Tomorrow: Reflecting on powerful insights from Charles Spurgeon and Corrie ten Boom, the Volks remind us that worry doesn't empty tomorrow of its sorrow—it simply empties today of its strength by trying to carry two days' loads at once. Surrendering the "All": Applying the life-changing perspective of missionary Hudson Taylor: when we completely hand over our plans, families, work, and lives to God, there is simply nothing left for us to fret over. The Abraham Template: A study of Abram's immediate, unanxious obedience to leave his homeland (Genesis 12:1-4) and his unwavering posture of "hope against hope" regarding God's promise of a child (Romans 4:17-21). Even when human reasoning said it was impossible, he grew strong in faith by cultivating God's faithfulness. Featured Bible Passages: Philippians 4:6 — "Be anxious for nothing..." Proverbs 12:25 — Anxiety in the heart causes depression, but a good word makes it glad. Psalm 28:2, 6 — Crying out for help and blessing the Lord who hears our supplications. Psalm 86:6 — Giving ear to prayer and taking heed to the voice of supplication. Psalm 119:170 — "Let my supplication come before thee; deliver me according to thy word." 1 Peter 5:7 — Casting all your anxiety upon Him because He cares for you. Psalm 37:3 — Trust in the Lord, do good, dwell in the land, and cultivate faithfulness. Genesis 12:1-4 — God's unconditional covenant with Abram and his immediate departure. Genesis 15:1-6 — The promise of a biological heir and Abram's counting of the stars. Romans 4:17-21 — Believing in hope against hope and growing strong in faith without wavering. Connect & Support: Get in Touch: If you have been blessed by this message, have a testimony to share, or would like to send a prayer request, please write to us at: For Zion's Sake, P.O. Box 244, Kannapolis, NC 28082. Online Resources: Access previous broadcasts, articles, and ministry updates anytime by visiting our official website at shellyandjunevolk.com. This program is lovingly sponsored by the Psalm 127 Fund. Until next time, may the Lord bless you, keep you, and give you his perfect peace!Support the show: https://shellyandjunevolk.com/product/partner-with-us-psalm-127-fund/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Every political debate eventually comes down to one question: "Says who?" Todd explains why Christians must ground every argument in God's authority—not history, culture, or public opinion. Segment 1 • Why Todd says Stephen Miller's argument ultimately falls short. • The one question every political debate must answer. • Why Christians can't ultimately appeal to history, culture, or tradition. Segment 2 • What sin Todd says is fueling so much of today's cultural conflict. • Who actually decides what's "good," "normal," and "beautiful"? • Why our battle isn't ultimately against people—it's against rebellion toward God. Segment 3 • The one phrase that explains nearly every rebellion in Scripture. • What Noah, Babel, Pharaoh, and the book of Judges all have in common. • What happens when a society rejects God's authority. Segment 4 • Why Christian parents shouldn't make themselves the ultimate authority. • Charles Spurgeon on the only authority that matters. • How "Thus saith the Lord" should shape every area of a Christian's life. ___ Thanks for listening! Wretched Radio would not be possible without the financial support of our Gospel Partners. If you would like to support Wretched Radio we would be extremely grateful. VISIT https://fortisinstitute.org/donate/ If you are already a Gospel Partner we couldn't be more thankful for you if we tried!

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“It takes courage to love, but pain through love is the purifying fire which those who love generously know. We all know people who are so much afraid of pain that they shut themselves up like clams in a shell and, giving out nothing, receive nothing and therefore shrink until life is a mere living death.”~Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962), diplomat, activist, and longest-serving U.S. first lady “The condition of the Psalmist's mind was complex—he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind.... It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him.”~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London pastor “The Psalter is the prayer book of Jesus Christ in the truest sense of the word. He prayed the Psalter and now it has become his prayer for all time.”~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), theologian-pastor, executed for his opposition to the Nazis Question 1: What is the chief end of man?Answer: Man's chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever. Question 2: What rule has God given to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him?Answer: The Word of God, which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, is the only rule to direct us how we may glorify and enjoy him. Question 3: What do the Scriptures principally teach?Answer: The Scriptures principally teach, what man is to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.~Westminster Shorter Catechism (1647) “Don't bother to give God instructions; just report for duty.”~Corrie ten Boom (1892-1983), Dutch survivor of a Nazi death campSERMON PASSAGE Psalm 56 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths.A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. 1  Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;  all day long an attacker oppresses me;2  my enemies trample on me all day long,  for many attack me proudly.3  When I am afraid,  I put my trust in you.4  In God, whose word I praise,  in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me? 5  All day long they injure my cause;  all their thoughts are against me for evil.6  They stir up strife, they lurk;  they watch my steps,  as they have waited for my life.7  For their crime will they escape?  In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8  You have kept count of my tossings;  put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?9  Then my enemies will turn back  in the day when I call.  This I know, that God is for me.10 In God, whose word I praise,  in the Lord, whose word I praise,11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;  I will render thank offerings to you.13 For you have delivered my soul from death,  yes, my feet from falling,  that I may walk before God  in the light of life.

Welcome to Episode 282 of The Burning Bush Podcast, where we share the message of the Bible while enjoying a good cigar. In this episode we're reading the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2 with commentary from the notes in the Charles Spurgeon Study Bible, and I'm featuring the Plasencia Alma Del Campo Tribu 5x52.Charles Spurgeon Study Bible: https://csbspurgeonstudybible.csbible.com/Plasencia Alma Del Campo Tribu 5x52: https://www.plasenciacigars.com/collection/alma-del-campo/Listen and subscribe at: https://www.theburningbushpodcast.comYouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xuUIvnTwNsmlHN2fxlidI6Zhgt-GPB7&si=t0IqlNyWtCYOiSwHRumble: https://rumble.com/user/SteveMcHenryEmail: steve@theburningbushpodcast.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTCash App - http://cash.app/$StevenJMcHenryVenmo - https://www.venmo.com/u/Steve-McHenry-3Paypal - http://paypal.me/SteveMcHenrySend me a MessageTreats-N-Truth MinistryHelping those in need through the love & grace of God.Groundworks MinistriesPromoting the "chapter-a-day" reading of God's Word.The Burning Bush Merchandise StoreGet your Burning Bush Podcast swag here!Logos Bible SoftwareA digital library and Bible study platform for in-depth study, sermon prep, and academic research.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

Alan Skorski recently interviewed ordained Minister and Heritage Foundation Visiting Fellow, Luke Moon, who returned to Heritage following the Tucker Carlson fiasco last year, in which President Kevin Roberts initially refused to distance the think tank from Tucker Cralson, following his interview with Holocaust denier, racist groyper, Nick Fuentes. During the interview, Moon said that he had several conversations with Carlson, who sought his counsel on how to shed the “antisemitism” label. After advising Carlson on the necessary steps needed to redeem himself, “Tucker doubled down on his antisemitism,” according to Moon. Luke returned to Heritage as a Visiting fellow to combat antisemitism, from both the right and left. Moon spent last decade focusing his attention on raising awareness about persecuted Christians in the Middle East and encouraging Christian support for Israel and the Jewish people. During the interview, Moon spoke about the Marxist/Islamist alliance. While taking about Wisconsin Gubernatorial candidate and other DSA candidates, the frequent refrain is, " "None of us are free until Palestine is free." Moon asks, "Why is it important for the DSA activists and candidates to declare this idea? It is because the liberation of Palestine means the end of Israel. And Israel is a stand-in for God. To destroy Israel is to destroy God which would bring about liberation from God's commands and expectations." Israel is the living testimony that the God of the Bible makes promises and keeps them. You cannot look at a reconstituted Jewish state in the ancient homeland — after two thousand years of exile — and call it a coincidence. It is a provocation to every worldview that denies a sovereign God who acts in history. Karl Marx was once asked who he hated the most in Britain and his answer was a British preacher named Charles Spurgeon. Spurgeon was a revivalist preacher who was leading thousands of working-class people to faith and taking away Marx's army. Marx hated him for it. Similarly, the Islamists demand total submission to Allah. The God revealed in scripture, particularly through Israel and the Church, is a rival truth claim that must be suppressed. When Islamists come to power, the churches and synagogues are destroyed. The ones that aren't destroyed are turned into museums or government-controlled PR outlets. Back in 2014, when I started advocating for Christians in the Middle East, there were over 450,000 Christians in Iraq. Twelve years later, there are less than 185,000. There are more Christians in Israel than Iraq. Alan Skorski Reports 16JULY2026 - PODCAST

QUOTES FOR REFLECTION“The Psalter is the prayer book of Jesus Christ in the truest sense of the word. He prayed the Psalter and now it has become his prayer for all time.”~Dietrich Bonhoeffer (1906-1945), theologian-pastor, executed for his opposition to the Nazis “As long as you have not yet reached Christ, the divine word has only one piece of advice for you: ‘Come nearer; you are not yet in a place of security.'”~Augustine (354-430), North African church leader and theologian “When you are being pursued and certain ones are perpetrating slander….do not succumb to weariness, but being confident in the Lord and hymning him, recite the things in [Psalm 56].”~Athanasius (c. 296-373), theologian and church leader, in his “Letter to Marcelliuns” “The condition of the Psalmist's mind was complex—he feared, but that fear did not fill the whole area of his mind.... It is possible, then, for fear and faith to occupy the mind at the same moment. We are strange beings, and our experience in the divine life is stranger still. We are often in a twilight, where light and darkness are both present and it is hard to tell which predominates. It is a blessed fear which drives us to trust. Unregenerate fear drives from God, gracious fear drives to him.”~Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892), famed London pastor “God hath so great compassion on his servants in trouble that he reckoneth even the steps of their wanderings and pilgrimage, and numbereth all their tears, and keepeth the count thereof, as it were in a register; and therefore every troubled servant of God, when he looks upon his sufferings, should look upon God also taking as particular notice of his troubles as he himself can do.”~David Dickson (1583-1662), Scottish pastor and theologian “…is it fair for a loving God to sit on His throne in Heaven and let us struggle and suffer on our own? …It makes perfect sense to me that God decided to come among us, live like us, and die a horribly painful death after being tortured. This is a God I can love with all my heart. A God who sets an example. A God who has bled and whose heart has been broken. This is who Jesus is to me. I don't pretend that I understand the Holy Trinity. But I understand love and sacrifice. I understand faithfulness.”~Marina Nemat, author of After Tehran: A Life Reclaimed, former political prisoner and inaugural recipient of the European Parliament's Human Dignity Award (2008)SERMON PASSAGEPsalm 56 (ESV)To the choirmaster: according to The Dove on Far-off Terebinths.A Miktam of David, when the Philistines seized him in Gath. 1  Be gracious to me, O God, for man tramples on me;  all day long an attacker oppresses me;2  my enemies trample on me all day long,  for many attack me proudly.3  When I am afraid,  I put my trust in you.4  In God, whose word I praise,  in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can flesh do to me? 5  All day long they injure my cause;  all their thoughts are against me for evil.6  They stir up strife, they lurk;  they watch my steps,  as they have waited for my life.7  For their crime will they escape?  In wrath cast down the peoples, O God! 8  You have kept count of my tossings;  put my tears in your bottle.  Are they not in your book?9  Then my enemies will turn back  in the day when I call.  This I know, that God is for me.10 In God, whose word I praise,  in the Lord, whose word I praise,11 in God I trust; I shall not be afraid.  What can man do to me? 12 I must perform my vows to you, O God;  I will render thank offerings to you.13 For you have delivered my soul from death,  yes, my feet from falling,  that I may walk before God  in the light of life.

How to Bless the Lord Jonathan Parnell Download Psalm 103,Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. 6 The Lord works righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed. 7 He made known his ways to Moses, his acts to the people of Israel. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. 13 As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. 14 For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children's children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments. 19 The Lord has established his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom rules over all. 20 Bless the Lord, O you his angels, you mighty ones who do his word, obeying the voice of his word! 21 Bless the Lord, all his hosts, his ministers, who do his will! 22 Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion. Bless the Lord, O my soul!Notice, right away, that this psalm opens and closes the exact same way:Verse 1 opens with “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”Verse 22 closes with “Bless the Lord, O my soul!”The exact same words are at the beginning and the end, and this tells us the purpose of this psalm … the purpose of Psalm 103 is that we would bless the Lord …That's what we're gonna talk about this morning, but first things first, I need to explain what it means to “bless the Lord.” It might feel a little odd to talk about us blessing God because we want God to bless us! What's the difference?Well, when we ask God to bless us, we're asking God to give us something good. We have a need, and we want him to provide — spiritually, physically, whatever it is — we want to receive something good from God. That's what it means for God to bless us.Now it's not like that when we bless God … because God does not need anything. We cannot give God anything good because he already possesses every good. All we can do is acknowledge that. So, when we bless God it means we speak of his goodness. We don't give him something good he doesn't already have, but we testify to how good he is. To bless God basically means the same thingas to praise God. We are speaking well of God.And this morning, my goal is to tell you howto do that. This is a how-to sermon. I wanna tell you how to bless the Lord, and it's fairly simple — you have to do two things:Learn who God is.Remember what you learn.That's it. Learn who God is and remember what you learn.That's how you bless God, and now let's see this in Psalm 103 …1. Learn who God isThis is the heart of the psalm. It's verses 6–19 where David, the psalmist, plainly tells us who God is. That's what David's doing. He saying: This is who Yahweh is! This is what he's like! This is his character! And David's description is glorious. We just heard it read. Many of us know this psalm well. It's one we've come back to time and time again. In my Bible, I've highlighted it and re-highlighted and marked it up. I've read from Psalm 103 for our call to worship on Sundays countless times over the years. It's just so good — Charles Spurgeon, our favorite British preacher from the 1800s — he says that Psalm 103 is “one of those all-comprehending Scriptures which is a Bible in itself.” … That's true.And as “a Bible in itself” Psalm 103 tells us three truths about God that are especially important. And if we would learn who God is, we gotta know these three truths.First: Learn that God is merciful and gracious. This is verse 8:“The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”And that's a quote from the Book of Exodus, Chapter 34, in one of the most famous episodes in the Bible's storyline … Israel has rebelled against God, and God is ready to wipe 'em out and start over with Moses, but Moses intercedes for the people, and God hears him. Then God directs the people to leave Sinai, but Moses needs some assurance that God will be with them. So he prays, “Please show me your ways” (Exodus 33:13). And God answers that prayer — and we know this is what David is thinking about because he says in verse 7 that God “made known his ways to Moses…”Well, what did God do?In Exodus 34, God passed before Moses and proclaimed to him:Yahweh, Yahweh, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love… (v. 6). And this sentence about God is repeated all throughout the Old Testament. The prophet Jonah quotes it (Jonah 4:2); the builder Nehemiah quotes it (Nehemiah 9:17); the psalmists quotes it over and over again.If you had to capture who God is with one summary statement — like if you could only say one sentence about what God is like in relation to creation — this is it … He's merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. And some of us have heard this so many times before we're not really moved by it. This is where we might need to slow down and understand that for God to be this it means the converse cannot also be true … think about this … if God is merciful and gracious, he is notharsh and stingy. If he's slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, he is notquick-tempered and tight-fisted — He doesn't sit in heaven and ration out his grace with little pinches: “Here's a little for you, no more today.” … or “Already give enough here, come back next year.” No! None of that! That's not how God is. He tells us in his word that he is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. Learn that.Second: Learn that God always acts according to his character. Verses 9–10 comes after verse 8 to tell us what this kind of God looks like in action … And in this case, David is talking about God's actions toward his people.He's not talking about every human to ever live, but this is about “those who fear [God]” (we see in verses 11, 13, 17). David is talking about those who “keep [God's] covenant” (v. 18). In New Testament language, he's talking about believers — these are men and women, and boys and girls, who are united to Jesus by faith. Understand, that God's people — Christians, us — we're sinners. There is no sugarcoating sin in this psalm. David mentions sin, iniquities, transgressions — all these words are used. The people of God, Christians, are sinners, but get this: God does not deal with Christians according to their sins. That's not what defines the relationship. When God thinks about his people, their sin is not what's on his mind … neither is their success! Some Christians might think that God is lucky to have 'em, but God has never thought that. Whatever a person's assessment of themselves might be, learn that when God acts, when he moves toward his people, it's because of his character and he always act consistent with his character. This means that God always acts like God! He never acts “out of character.” He is never arbitrary, never capricious, never random. And this is why he can be trusted! What a God! He always acts according to his character. Learn that. Third: Learn God's heart for his people.We see this in verses 11–14, and what's amazing about it is that David doesn't just give us statements here, but he gives us pictures. We're supposed to use our imagination, and not just ‘know' this, but get a real sense of it. So he starts with the heavens in verse 11. The heavens are high. We can all see that. We can have our feet grounded here, and we can look up in the sky, above the clouds, and it's just blue, and we don't know where it ends. There's no ceiling. It's endlessly high. And as high as that sky is, that's how strong God's love is toward his people. In verse 12, the east and west are a long ways apart. From where we see the sun rise to where the sun sets, that's a wide expanse that stretches across the heavens. East keeps going one way and west keeps going another. And as far as that vastness is, that's how far God has removed our transgressions from us. And notice, in these first two images, David is calling us to look into the bigness of creation — into the height of the sky above, and the width of the sky east to west. But then, in verse 13, he takes from vastness to nearness … He directs our eyes from looking up high to looking at home … Verse 13: “As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him.”I've said this before, there are no perfect dads, but I can promise you, for every father in this room, if their kids asked them for bread, they wouldn't give them a stone … if their kids asked for a fish, they wound't give them a snake (see Luke 11:11–13). We know how to give good gifts to our children, and dads, we love giving to them … we love putting our arms around our kids when they need us … we love looking them in the eyes when they seek our attention … we love defending them from every danger … we love making them laugh with our jokes … we love cheering on their growth … we love being dads — And to think that God is like that toward us! God is a good Father to us. That is his heart toward his people. Learn that.Learn who he is.That's the first thing if we wanna know how to bless the Lord.Learn that he is merciful and gracious, learn that he always acts according to his character, and learn his heart for his people. Learn who he is. But secondly …2. Remember what you learn.Learn who God is, and remember what you learn.And for this, we're gonna go back to verse 1, but before we do that, I want to carefully introduce this next part, because I think this topic is a really big deal in the Christian life. And I would even say, in terms of useful skills in the daily Christian life, this might be the most important. And I'm calling this a “skill” because I don't think it's a natural ability. You have to learn this, and practice it and develop it. And listen, I wanna be really honest with you about it … life is hard enough, but if you don't know how to do this, life will be even harder.Here it is: The skill istelling yourself the truth. It's being able to tell yourself the truth. Because, look: you can know who God is! You can have a great theology and tons of knowledge. You can learn a lot of truth, but when it comes to remembering what you've learned and putting your knowledge to actual work in your life that means you gotta tell yourself the truth.That's what David says. Verse 1. He says: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!”You see who he's talking to here? He's talking to himself. David addresses himself, he speaks to his own soul, and he tells himself to bless the Lord, and then he says, verse 2:“Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits …”To “forget not” is another way to say remember. So David is directing his soul to remember the benefits God has given him. He's saying: Remember, soul, all the ways God has been good to you. Have you ever talked to yourself like this?We've heard the saying before, “Count your blessings” — but you ever actually counted your blessings? David starts naming them … verse 3:God forgives all your iniquity, soul. God heals all your diseases. God redeems your life from the pit. God crowns you with steadfast love and mercy! God satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagles!David is taking the truth of who God is — that he explains in verses 6–19 — and he applies it to himself and speaks it to himself.What is true for the people of God in verses 6–19, is true for David personally, and he says it. He remembers what he's learned by telling it to himself.Now, here's the question: why doesn't every Christian do this all the time? Because it's not easy. What's easy is passively listening to the voices around you. Consider how this works.When David counts his blessings in verses 3–5, he's not exhaustive — he could say thousands and thousands of things — but I do think David is comprehensive. He counts five benefits that are the five categories that encompass human existence.These five categories, in order, are:sinsufferingdeatheternityjoyWe all live within these five categories, and so, what happens if we passively listen to the voices around us?First, for sin … If we passively listen, we're gonna hear that our sin is our story. We're gonna think that we are our failures and that we are most truly who we are when we're at our worst. I know some of you hear that all that time. You've repented, you've trusted in the cross of Christ, but you still struggle with constant guilt and shame. You can't be passive here.Tell yourself the truth, that God forgives all your iniquity — he has removed your sin as far as the east is from the west.Second, for suffering … The “diseases” in verse 3 have in view the diseases Israel experienced as judgment in the Old Testament. These diseases were curses the people brought upon themselves because of their sin, and they knew it. They knew when their suffering was judgment in the old covenant. But it's not that way anymore in Christ. But sometimes we can think it is! It's so easy for us to think, when we suffer: “This must be God repaying me for my iniquities! God does deal with me according to my sin! I'm cursed!” Christian: no, you're not. You might still get sick. Bad things will happen. But Christian, you are not condemned. You are healed from every curse. No sickness has the final say. Tell yourself that.Third, for death … If you passively listen, it's all despair — we're all just headed toward this dark abyss and everything is stupid, and we are worthless little dots good for nothing.I was driving the other day, through a neighborhood, and I thought: Everybody around here is gonna die … one day I'm just gonna die. And I got kinda sad about it. See I was passively listening. But hey, soul, God redeems your life from the pit!One day you will be raised from the dead. You will live forever. Tell yourself the truth.Fourth, for eternity … Because we will live forever, what we do now, in this life, matters. None of this is pointless. We do things now that have eternal consequence. And look, the worst of social media makes you forget that. It is used by the enemy to devour your attention and time, and the subtext is that you have nothing better to do. But yes you do! One day, in the new creation, you will receive a crown. You ever think about that? Jesus is gonna put a crown on your head. How many of us live like we're wearing crowns? Tell yourself the truth and go touch grass.Fifth, is joy …Verse 5: God will satisfy you with good, now and forever. God will do this, not the things we chase in this world. We are bombarded by empty promises. And how many times do we buy the lie that if “we just had this” or “tried that” then we'd finally make it. Then we'd be happy. No! … Tell yourself the truth: God is your satisfaction. God alone can fulfill the longings of your soul.Do you see how this goes? Tell yourself the truth. That is how we remember what we've learned. We take the truth of God that we've learned and we tell it to our souls like David is doing here.I mean this very practically. If this has not been a habit for you, you can start doing this today. If you don't know where to start, just memorize Psalm 103, verses 1–5.What David says to himself, you, as a Christian can say to yourself — and you can say it with even more certainty because of Jesus. We have learned more of who God is today than David knew when he wrote this. David says that God knows our frame, that he remembers that we are dust … but we know that God actually became dust like us. The eternal God became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus took on our frame, our weakness, our humanity, and he went to the cross.That's why God doesn't deal with us according to our sin — he dealt with Jesus according to our sin. Jesus was crowned with thorns so that we could be crowned with mercy. Jesus was raised from the dead to redeem our lives from the pit. Look, every blessing we receive from God comes to us in Jesus. He is how we bless the Lord. He is the goodness of God given to us. And so here's the sermon in summary: How do we bless the Lord? Learn Jesus, and remember him. Truly.And that's actually the mission of our church. We are here to make joyful disciples of Jesus who remember his realness in all of life. That's what brings us to the Table. The TableJesus has given us this Table to help us remember him together. The bread represents his body, and the cup represent his blood, and when we eat and drink, we are saying to our souls, and to one another, that Jesus is our hope. That is why this Table is for Christians. Brothers and sisters in Christ, let's receive him again this morning and give him thanks.

Welcome to Episode 281 of The Burning Bush Podcast, where we share the message of the Bible while enjoying a good cigar. In this episode we're reading the New Testament book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1 with commentary from the notes in the Charles Spurgeon Study Bible, and I'm featuring the Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Toro 6x52.Charles Spurgeon Study Bible: https://csbspurgeonstudybible.csbible.com/Alec Bradley Double Broadleaf Toro 6x52: https://alecbradley.com/cigars/double-broadleaf/Listen and subscribe at: https://www.theburningbushpodcast.comYouTube: https://music.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2xuUIvnTwNsmlHN2fxlidI6Zhgt-GPB7&si=t0IqlNyWtCYOiSwHRumble: https://rumble.com/user/SteveMcHenryEmail: steve@theburningbushpodcast.comSUPPORT THE PODCASTCash App - http://cash.app/$StevenJMcHenryVenmo - https://www.venmo.com/u/Steve-McHenry-3Paypal - http://paypal.me/SteveMcHenrySend me a MessageTreats-N-Truth MinistryHelping those in need through the love & grace of God.Groundworks MinistriesPromoting the "chapter-a-day" reading of God's Word.The Burning Bush Merchandise StoreGet your Burning Bush Podcast swag here!Logos Bible SoftwareA digital library and Bible study platform for in-depth study, sermon prep, and academic research.Instacart - Groceries delivered in as little as 1 hour.Free delivery on your first order over $35.Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEDisclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the show

The "sinner's prayer" has become a familiar part of evangelism in many churches. After a gospel message, people are often invited to bow their heads, repeat a prayer, and are then told that if they sincerely meant those words, they have been saved.Many Christians have seen this approach used in youth events, church services, and evangelistic outreaches. But is this the pattern we find in Scripture? Should leading someone in a sinner's prayer be part of our evangelism?The prayer itself is not necessarily the problem. The concern is how it is often used. While there is nothing inherently wrong with expressing faith through prayer, there are several dangers that can arise when the sinner's prayer becomes the focus of evangelism.1. Jesus and the Apostles Never Used ItThe first thing to notice is that neither Jesus nor the apostles used the sinner's prayer as a method of evangelism.Think about Jesus' conversations with Nicodemus, Zacchaeus, and the Samaritan woman. There is no example of Jesus inviting someone to repeat a prayer after Him in order to be saved. Instead, Jesus often challenged people in unexpected ways. He told Nicodemus that he "must be born again," (John 3:3) a statement that left him confused and asking questions. He told the rich young ruler to sell his possessions and give to the poor (Mark 10:21). To the Samaritan woman, He said, "Go, call your husband." (John 4:16).These were not easy responses. Rather, they exposed the condition of each person's heart and showed the impossibility of saving themselves through their own efforts.The same pattern continues in the book of Acts. After Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, the people asked, "What shall we do?" Peter did not respond by leading them in a prayer. Instead, he called them to "Repent and be baptized...for the forgiveness of your sins" (Acts 2:38). Baptism was the outward expression of repentance and faith. Likewise, the criminal on the cross never prayed a sinner's prayer. He simply said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” - Luke 23:42-43Throughout the New Testament, there is no example of Jesus or the apostles asking someone to repeat a specific prayer in order to receive salvation.2. It Can Become a Ritual Instead of FaithAnother danger is that the sinner's prayer can easily become a ritual. In cultures with strong religious traditions, many people are accustomed to thinking that performing the right ritual brings them closer to God. It is easy for the sinner's prayer to become just another religious act. Instead of trusting Christ, people may begin trusting that they said the correct words. Many believers can remember wondering, "Did I pray it correctly?" or "Did I say the right thing?" Those questions reveal that the focus has shifted from faith in Christ to confidence in an action.Our goal in evangelism should always be to lead people to faith, not to confidence in a religious ritual.3. It Can Minimize Repentance and FaithWhen Jesus began His ministry, His message was clear: Repent and believe - Mark 1:15These two responses appear repeatedly throughout the New Testament. Repentance is more than simply acknowledging that we are sinners or repeating a prayer. It is a change of heart that turns from unbelief to faith in Christ. It is recognizing who God is, understanding our sinful condition, and turning to Christ in faith.As J.D. Greear writes in Stop Asking Jesus into Your Heart:Repentance is not simply praying a prayer that acknowledges our sinfulness and asks for forgiveness. Nor is it walking an aisle, signing a card, or giving a public testimony. Repentance is not fundamentally a motion of the hands, mouth or feet. It is a motion of the heart in which we abandon our posture of rebellion and adopt one of submission toward Christ.Charles Spurgeon also described repentance as a true change of mind that includes the Holy Spirit's work of exposing sin and producing hatred for it. When evangelism centers primarily on getting someone to pray, repentance can easily become an outward action instead of an inward change of heart.4. It Can Oversimplify the GospelAnother concern is that the sinner's prayer can reduce the gospel to a few memorized phrases.The message of Christ is rich and deep. Throughout the Gospels, Jesus taught the same gospel, but He approached different people from different angles, applying God's truth to their specific circumstances. Good evangelism does the same.Rather than rushing someone to repeat a prayer, we should help them understand who God is, who they are before Him, and how the gospel speaks directly to the deepest problems of life. The better we know the gospel ourselves, the better equipped we will be to explain its richness and apply it to the people we are speaking with.5. It Can Give False AssurancePerhaps the greatest danger is giving someone assurance of salvation before there is genuine faith.Many people remember raising a hand, walking forward at a meeting, or praying a prayer years ago. Yet when asked about the gospel, they show little understanding of who Christ is or what He has done. Their confidence rests in an event rather than in Christ Himself.One example came during an outreach to disabled refugees in Odesa. Many of those attending had backgrounds in New Age beliefs or spiritism and did not yet have a clear understanding of the gospel. At the end of the meeting, a guest speaker asked everyone who wanted to go to heaven to raise their hand. Most of the room responded, and they were immediately assured that they were saved.Experiences like this demonstrate why we should be careful. The gospel often takes time for people to understand. Rather than giving quick assurance based on an outward response, we should patiently teach the gospel and encourage people to place their faith in Christ alone.Is the Sinner's Prayer Wrong?None of this means the sinner's prayer itself is wrong. A prayer that includes confession, repentance, and faith can be a perfectly appropriate response to the gospel. The problem is not the prayer itself, but believing that the prayer is what saves.Salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ—not through repeating certain words.When someone demonstrates genuine faith and a clear understanding of the gospel, praying together can be a wonderful way for that person to confess their faith to God. But the prayer should express the faith that already exists; it should never become a substitute for it.As we share the gospel, may our focus remain where Scripture places it: calling people to genuine repentance and faith in Jesus Christ, while carefully avoiding anything that could lead them to trust in a ritual rather than in the Savior.

Have you ever felt God asking you to take on something more? Sometimes His pivots don't require us to leave where we are—they simply ask us to trust Him with greater responsibility. Though the path may seem overwhelming, God faithfully equips those who are willing to follow His leading.In this episode, Tracie and Abigail share the inspiring story of Vernon Charlesworth, who answered God's call to lead Charles Spurgeon's orphanage while continuing to faithfully preach where God called him and to care for his own large family. Through his willingness to embrace God's unexpected pivot, hundreds of orphaned children found hope and faith in Christ, and generations have been encouraged by the timeless hymn Shelter in the Time of Storm. His story reminds us that when we surrender our plans to God's greater purpose, He can multiply our influence far beyond what we ever imagined.If you know of someone who can be helped by listening to the Abundant Living Podcast, please share this episode with them. Please let us know what you think by rating and reviewing this podcast in your podcasting app! We love hearing from our listeners, whether through comments on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our Instagram ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠or messaging us on our website, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠christianladiesfellowship.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. You may also apply to be a part of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠our private Facebook group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, but be sure to answer all the questions and agree to the group rules when you click to join.You can also email Tracie directly at tburns@immanueljax.org. Thank you for being part of this uplifting and encouraging community of ladies who want to live abundantly for the Lord!

To introduce a modern audience to the classic theme of spiritual warfare, this bibliography traces a robust, historically rich trajectory that spans over three centuries—beginning with the massive, foundational strategy manuals of 17th-century Puritans like John Downame and William Gurnall, mapping the deep psychological and pastoral care found in the soul-diagnosing "cases of conscience" by Pike and Hayward, and culminating in the vivid, fiercely practical 19th- and 20th-century expositions of Charles Spurgeon and Dr. D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones. Far from being a relic of abstract, archaic mysticism, this enduring body of literature functions as a brilliant, clinical handbook for the human soul. By masterfully distinguishing between the internal vulnerabilities of our own hearts and the external, highly adaptive "wiles" of a defeated but persistent adversary, these authors provide contemporary readers with a timeless blueprint for vigilance, mental resilience, and an unwavering reliance on the all-sufficient triumph of Jesus Christ.

The Christian life is not measured by how deeply we feel, but by whether our sorrow over sin leads to genuine change. In the first sermon in our summer series, Charles Spurgeon calls us to examine whether our repentance is producing obedience or simply another emotional moment.

A Charles Spurgeon sermon, edited for brevity and clarity. First preached April 24, 1881.

David Guzak writes; “This psalm is simply titled To the Chief Musician. A Psalm of David. Charles Spurgeon rightly said regarding the title of this psalm,“The dedication to the chief musician proves that this song of mingled measures and alternate strains of grief and woe was intended for public singing, and thus a deathblow is given to the notion that nothing but praise should be sung.” We have no definite marking place in David's life for this psalm because he was so often in trouble. It resonates with deep and personal trust in God in the depths of difficulty.Psalm 31 is a good one to memorize – for all who walk this earth will suffer and need words when there are no words. (Jesus did tell us; *“In this world you will have trouble, but take heart, I have overcome the world.”*) In Psalm 31 David calls out and names his deep distress alongside truths that enable him to take heart in the midst of the pain. One of the common traps set for us is to believe that God has forsaken and that His love has failed. David's cries and pleas for help are based on the reality of God's unchanging and unfailing love – a love that exists outside of and on a completely different plain than David's troubles.  The pattern David gives for our own impossible circumstances, crises of faith, sickness, distress, depression, despair and death is this: “this is *how things are*, this is *who You are Lord*, *please move* according to the character I know is true of You but do not see, *for the sake of Your name lead and guide me, free me from the traps that are set for me*.” While we wait for the Lord's deliverance, and especially for those for whom the wait is long, do take heart – none of this can last forever. Jesus has overcome and He loves us. His mercy is new every morning. He is a strong fortress and able to save.Prepare for this week's teaching by reading Psalm 31-------To help us keep God's word planted deep into our hearts we encourage you to memorize a Psalm over the Summer. (The children in Grace Airways will be memorizing all of Psalm 23. We are confident that by hiding God's word in your heart in this way will bear fruit that will last all throughout your life.

What if a forgotten Christian book from 1898 held one of the clearest explanations of your identity in Christ ever written?In this episode of Greater Than Podcast, Elijah Murrell sits down with Bible teacher and author Tony Cooke to discuss the remarkable story behind In Christ Jesus—a forgotten classic written by Arthur T. Pierson, the very man that Charles Spurgeon asked to fill his pulpit during a season of illness.Why did this message resonate so deeply over a century ago?And why do so many believers today still struggle with guilt, shame, condemnation, and feelings of unworthiness?Tony shares powerful insights on union with Christ, identity in Christ, renewing the mind, and why understanding who you are in Jesus changes everything.In this conversation you'll discover:✅ The forgotten 1898 book In Christ Jesus✅ Arthur T. Pierson's connection to Charles Spurgeon✅ Why so many Christians struggle with identity✅ What it means to be "in Christ"✅ Breaking free from guilt, shame, and religious performance✅ Renewing your mind with biblical truth✅ Why understanding your identity in Christ changes everythingIf you've ever battled thoughts like:• "You're not enough."• "You have to earn God's love."• "God could never use someone like you."this episode is for you.Get Tony's bookhttps://tonycooke.org/product/in-christ-jesus/

In the fifth and final episode of their June series, Greg and Nathan conclude by highlighting two pastors who have profoundly shaped their faith in very different ways. Nathan turns to Charles Spurgeon, the legendary "Prince of Preachers," whose Christ-centered preaching and timeless writings continue to encourage believers around the world. Greg shares about Matt Smith, reflecting on the blessing of serving alongside him in local church ministry and the impact of his faithful shepherding. As always, Greg and Nathan begin with a brief biography of each pastor before discussing what they admire most about their ministries and how God has used these men to strengthen their walk with Christ. Join Them as they wrap up this special series by celebrating the lasting influence of faithful pastors, both close to home and across the centuries.

Pastor Jeremy Walker joins David Wollen from south of London for a conversation about the life and legacy of Charles Spurgeon.

In an effort to enlarge on books that have been influential to me, I thought that I would just walk through the video of the walk-through of Paul Washer's library and enlarge on his comments to just add additional information. Some background information, and a couple of comments from Charles Spurgeon's Commenting and Commentaries.

Today On The Eric Metaxas Show, Eric gives an update from the Revolution book tour after his book hits #1 on multiple bestseller lists and #2 on the New York Times list despite outselling Jill Biden's book in BookScan numbers. Then Eric talks with Larry Taunton about his recent trip to the UK, Speakers' Corner, radical Islam, Tommy Robinson, Laurence Fox, the Unite The Kingdom rally, Nigerian Christians, Britain's need for Christian revival, and why the future of liberty depends on returning to God. They also discuss Larry's upcoming book on Karl Marx and Charles Spurgeon, and why serious Christianity has always been the bulwark against socialism and tyranny. Chapter CEO- Cobi Blumenfeld Gantz joins to discuss his company and how they help people navigate the jungle of medicare.⭐ ORDER NOW:Revolution: The Birth of the Greatest Nation in the History of the World