Podcasts about if christ

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 ·(If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.)

We're continuing our series on Union and Communion, and today we're going straight into one of the passages that inevitably comes up whenever we have this conversation.John 15.Jesus says: "Abide in Me."And the question is obvious.If union with Christ is the starting point, why does Jesus tell us to abide?If Christ is our life, why does He tell us to remain?Hester Ministries⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Present Truth Academy ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Rorschach God⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

When life gets to a point where we are exhausted, run-down, beyond our capabilities, and uncertain, how are we getting filled back up? Perhaps the greatest fallacy is believing that we are in control of our life after we gave it to Christ. If Christ is the Lord, and our Lord, then who's battle is it that we face in this life? If it is Christ's, shouldn't we just let Him fight this? Our response should always be worship; worship is for God, and the way that we experience how great our God is. This truth magnifies the victory we have in Christ!

Does the New Testament require baptism by full immersion, or can baptism also be performed by pouring or sprinkling? In this episode of Catholic Answers Live, Brayden Cook responds to major Protestant objections to the Catholic understanding of baptism. He explains what baptism washes away in infants, whether Paul's comparison between baptism and circumcision supports infant baptism, and what Mark 16:16 teaches about the necessity of baptism. Brayden also examines whether Cornelius receiving the Holy Spirit before baptism proves that regeneration occurs apart from the sacrament, whether the thief on the cross disproves baptismal necessity, and whether Scripture requires personal belief before baptism. Finally, he addresses how Catholics can say baptism washes away sin while also affirming that it is Christ's blood that cleanses us from all sin. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 03:29 – Where does the New Testament authorize pouring or sprinkling instead of immersion?   11:50 – If infants have committed no personal sins, what sins does baptism wash away—and where does Scripture say that Adam's guilt is removed through infant baptism?  16:45 – Is the Catholic comparison between baptism and circumcision (Col. 2:11–12) really valid, or does the new covenant require conscious faith rather than mere physical descent?  20:55 – If baptism is necessary for salvation, why does Mark 16:16 say that the one who does not believe is condemned, rather than the one who is not baptized?  25:05 – Cornelius received the Holy Spirit before he was baptized (Acts 10:44–48). Doesn't that prove he was already regenerated and saved before baptism?  36:40 – The thief on the cross was promised paradise without being baptized (Luke 23:39–43). Doesn't that disprove the claim that baptism is necessary?  46:10 – Don't Jesus' words, “Whoever believes and is baptized” (Mark 16:16), establish the biblical order: personal belief first, baptism afterward?  51:21 – If Christ's blood cleanses us from all sin (1 John 1:7), why does the Catholic Church claim that baptism washes away sin? 

No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Our text today is 1 Peter 3:13-17: Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil. — 1 Peter 3:13-17 Christians don't fear having faith. They fear talking about it. What if someone asks a question I can't answer? What if I say the wrong thing? What if I look foolish? What if someone challenges what I believe, and I don't know what to say? Peter, who often said the wrong thing, understood that fear. He wasn't writing to believers enjoying a culture that accepted them. He was writing to Christians who were suffering because of their allegiance to Jesus. Their faith had become costly. The pressure to keep their faith to themselves was growing. Into that setting, Peter says: "Have no fear of them, nor be troubled, but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy..." I love the order of Peter's instruction. He doesn't begin with arguments and tactics. He begins with worship. Before he says, "Always be prepared to make a defense," he says, "In your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy." Devotion comes before defense. Before you answer questions about Jesus, settle who Jesus is to you. If Christ is truly Lord of your life, you don't have to fear people or their opinions. You don't need their approval. You don't have to win every argument or have an answer to every objection. Your confidence comes from him, that was 1 Peter 1. The strongest defense of your faith begins with the deepest devotion to your Savior. Then Peter says: "Always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you..." The Greek word translated "defense" is "apologia," from which we get the term "apologetics." It refers to giving a reasoned answer or formal defense for what you believe. But Peter immediately adds something our culture often forgets: "...yet do it with gentleness and respect." This is because truth without gentleness becomes harsh. And gentleness without truth becomes compromise. Peter calls believers to both. You don't have to be combative to be courageous. You don't have to be rude to be faithful. And Peter knew exactly what he was talking about. This is the same Peter who once stood around a charcoal fire and denied even knowing Jesus because fear got the better of him. He knew what it felt like to stay silent. He knew the regret that followed. But he also knew restoration. Years later, the man who once feared questions now tells believers: Be ready. Don't be afraid. Honor Christ. Speak with gentleness. You see, you may not have an answer to every question. You may not know how to respond perfectly in every conversation. But if Christ is Lord of your heart, you don't have to be afraid. Besides, the goal isn't to win every argument. It's to faithfully point people to Jesus. Spiritual courage isn't having all the right words; it's trusting Christ enough to speak the ones you have. And sometimes the most powerful testimony isn't that you had every answer. It's that people saw both spiritual conviction and kindness come through the same person. DO THIS: Think of one person who regularly challenges your faith or who needs to hear about Jesus. Pray for an opportunity to speak with both courage and gentleness the next time the conversation arises. ASK THIS: What fears keep me from talking openly about my faith? Is my confidence rooted in my knowledge or in Christ Himself? How can I grow in both conviction and gentleness when discussing spiritual matters? PRAY THIS: Father, help me honor Christ as Lord in my heart. Give me courage when opportunities arise to speak about my faith. Help me respond with both truth and gentleness, trusting You with the outcome. Use my words and my life to point others to Jesus. Amen. PLAY THIS: "Christ Be Magnified."

Our Daily Scripture Readings and Reflection: Jesus announces his mission clearly: to bring good news to the poor, liberty to captives, and freedom to the oppressed. Frank Pavone reflects on why that mission necessarily challenges Christians to defend unborn children. If Christ calls his followers to stand with the vulnerable and free the oppressed, we cannot overlook those who are completely defenseless in the womb. The fight to free the unborn from abortion belongs at the heart of Christian mission.

“Perfect Love Casts Out Fear”1 John 4:16-18No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Grace, Apostleship, and the Obedience of Faith | Romans 1:5 Romans 1:5 shows what flows from the risen Christ: grace, calling, gospel mission, the obedience of faith, and the glory of Christ among the nations. In this episode of Romans: The Gospel That Changes Everything, Dave Jenkins explains that Paul received grace and apostleship through Jesus Christ our Lord. Paul's apostolic office was unique and foundational to the early church, but the grace that saved Paul also sent him into gospel ministry. This text helps us understand the obedience of faith. Christians are justified by faith alone in Christ alone, apart from works. Yet the faith that receives Christ produces a new direction of life marked by obedience, repentance, holiness, and joyful service to the Lord. Listen or Watch Grace Comes Through Jesus Christ Paul did not earn his calling, deserve mercy, or make himself acceptable before God. Christ confronted him, saved him, and called him. The same is true of every believer. Forgiveness, justification, adoption, eternal life, and perseverance all come by the grace of God through Jesus Christ alone. Grace leaves no room for boasting. It humbles sinners, produces worship, and moves Christians to tell others about the Savior who has shown them mercy. Grace Calls Christians to Serve Christ Paul's apostleship was a unique office given by the risen Christ. Christians today do not possess that apostolic office. Still, the principle remains: grace does not leave God's people idle. The grace that saves also calls believers to faithful service. We do not serve Christ in order to earn His acceptance. We serve because, in Christ, we have received His grace. Our homes, work, gifts, relationships, time, and resources belong to the Lord. The Gospel Brings About the Obedience of Faith The obedience of faith does not mean that sinners earn justification through obedience. We are justified by faith alone in Christ alone. But genuine faith receives Christ as Lord and begins bearing the fruit of obedience. Christ is the ground of our confidence and righteousness. As we look to Him, we fight sin, submit to Scripture, repent when we fail, and follow Him in the daily details of life. The Gospel Is for All the Nations The gospel is not limited to one people, language, nation, or culture. God is gathering a people for Himself from every tribe, tongue, people, and nation. Because Jesus Christ is Lord over all, the church must proclaim the gospel among all the nations. Some Christians go, others send, give, pray, and faithfully speak of Christ to the people God has placed around them. The gospel that saves us is the gospel we are called to carry to others. Everything Is for the Name of Christ Paul's final purpose is clear: “for the sake of his name.” Grace, ministry, missions, faith, obedience, and salvation all exist for the glory of Jesus Christ. The goal of Christian ministry is not to make our name great. It is to proclaim the name above every name. If Christ is known and honored, He is enough. We have received grace so that we might live for the One who gave it. Key Scriptures Romans 1:5 Genesis 12:3 John 3:30 Romans 16:26 Continue the Romans Series Follow the verse-by-verse Romans: The Gospel That Changes Everything series at Servants of Grace, and subscribe to the Servants of Grace YouTube channel for biblical teaching and resources.

What does it mean to care for creation? For many Christians, environmental concern feels like a political addition to the Gospel. But as Asst. Bishop Kevin Francis Donlon argues in this tract, creation stewardship is neither new nor partisan—it flows directly from the doctrine of the Incarnation. If God became flesh, then matter matters. If Christ sanctified the physical world, then we cannot treat it as disposable. Drawing on patristic voices, the Book of Common Prayer, and Anglican heritage, this meditation retrieves a forgotten thread: that caring for creation is inherent to the Church's mission, not optional activism. From Irenaeus to Hildegard, from Chalcedon to Romans 8, Bishop Donlon shows how the ground beneath our feet belongs to the same God who entered it in Jesus Christ. Listen as we recover an ancient faith for a burning world—and discover why ecological faithfulness is fundamentally Christological. "The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof.

Send us Fan MailDaniel 9 has been turned into a fear factory for a lot of Christians, but we're convinced it was never meant to do that. We sit down for a Scripture-first conversation that keeps pulling the lens back to the same place: Jesus Christ, His blood, and the finished work of the cross. If your prophecy chart requires skipping over the Messiah to get to a future seven-year tribulation, we think it's worth asking a hard question: who does that interpretation actually magnify?We walk through the “seventy weeks” timeline and why the popular “gap theory” feels forced when you read Daniel's words carefully. Along the way, we talk about why Daniel 9:24's six purposes matter for everyday faith: making an end of sin, making reconciliation for iniquity, and bringing in everlasting righteousness. This isn't abstract theology. If Christ has already reconciled us to God, and if His righteousness is credited to believers, then we don't live on spiritual layaway waiting for some future event to make the gospel true.We also address a modern distraction that keeps showing up in Christian spaces: self-appointed prophets, apostles, seers, and “God told me” claims treated like unquestionable authority. We argue God has given His Word, calls us to study it, and invites accountability in fellowship rather than spiritual celebrity.We close with a focused question from Daniel 9 itself: what does it mean to “anoint the most holy”? Our answer is simple and Christ-centered. If you want prophecy that produces peace instead of panic, press play, then subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailIf Daniel's “70 weeks” has a countdown, why do so many teachings treat it like a pause button? We dig into Daniel 9:24–27 with one driving question: what does it actually mean “to finish the transgression,” and can anything be more wicked than what happened at the cross?We start by slowing down and getting specific. “Sin” is true, but it can be vague, so we trace the argument that the prophecy points to a climactic transgression: the moment humanity, after generations of rebellion, lays hands on the innocent Son of God and crucifies him. That isn't just history for “them” to own; we talk about Christian humility and how our sin is bound up in why Jesus went to the cross at all. If Christ truly said “It is finished,” then Daniel's first goal can't be waiting on a future event.Then we pressure-test the popular dispensational framework, especially the claim of a future seven-year tribulation tied to Daniel 9:27. We walk through the logic problems, including the odd idea of calling it “seven years of tribulation” while also claiming the first three and a half years are “peace.” We compare that with the Prince of Peace preaching the gospel of peace, and we track the “midst of the week” to Jesus' ministry from roughly age 30 to his crucifixion around 33. Finally, we unpack the covenant language as the new covenant in Christ's blood, the end of sacrifice and oblation, and the movement from law to grace, ending with a striking Genesis picture of fig leaves versus God's covering.Subscribe for more Bible study conversations, share this with a friend who loves prophecy, and leave a review. What do you think “finish the transgression” means in Daniel 9?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Have you ever felt like you're constantly trying to declutter your life, only to find new forms of “stuff” piling up, leaving you feeling just as burdened as before? We chase freedom, but sometimes, don't we find ourselves strangely comfortable in what Pastor Steve calls “silken chains,” subtly trapped by schedules, fears, or even our own wealth? If Christ set ... Read More

 “Fear for the Next Generation”Matthew 16:13-18No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Today, Pastor Jack teaches us that rejecting Christ isn't really about the evidence at all. It's a decision made from the heart. If Christ is real, then we're accountable to Him, and that's exactly what He's calling us to embrace.

Angel teaches from Luke 14, John 6, and 1 Corinthians about Jesus as the Bread of Life and the real spiritual significance of communion. This message calls us to stop treating what is holy as common, stop striving for what only Jesus can provide, and receive the life, presence, and fellowship available in Him.HIGHLIGHTS0:00 - The Invitation to the Great Banquet3:57 - Growing Up Around a Crowded Table5:59 - Wait for the Host6:42 - The Guest of Honor Is Already Here8:04 - His Presence Is Not a Bonus9:49 - What the Early Church Believed10:34 - Teach Us How to Pray11:09 - Give Us Our Daily Bread13:04 - The Supreme Substance of Bread15:42 - Jesus, the Bread of Life17:30 - The Last Supper18:06 - Participation in Christ18:42 - Discerning the Body20:39 - The Devotion of the Early Church22:22 - Manna in the Wilderness24:26 - What Heaven Calls Precious25:35 - The Story of Tarsicius28:15 - His Body Was Broken for You31:08 - You Want the Bread, But Do You Want Jesus?32:29 - Abiding in Christ33:53 - How Welch's Became Communion Juice34:54 - A Hard Teaching35:31 - Christianity Is Accessed by Faith37:21 - What Communion Means38:21 - John Wesley's Communion Controversy40:25 - When Communion Hurts Instead of Heals41:52 - The Cup of the Lord43:27 - Stop Collecting Manna44:35 - Are You Tired? Come and Eat46:06 - Is There Life in You?49:15 - The Marriage Supper of the Lamb50:34 - We Will Eat With Our LordSCRIPTURES REFERENCEDLuke 14:15-24 - The parable of the great banquetEphesians 1:17-20 - A prayer for wisdom, revelation, and enlightened heartsLuke 11:1-4; Matthew 6:9-13 - "Give us each day our daily bread"John 6:1-15, 47-69 - Jesus, the Bread of LifeLuke 22:14-20 - Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper1 Corinthians 10:16-22 - Participation in Christ and one body1 Corinthians 11:27-32 - Discerning the bodyActs 2:42 - Devotion to teaching, fellowship, prayer, and breaking breadExodus 16 - Manna in the wilderness1 Corinthians 15:14-19 - If Christ has not been raised, faith is futileHebrews 12:24 - The blood of Jesus speaks a better wordIsaiah 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24 - By His wounds we are healedRevelation 19:6-9 - The marriage supper of the LambPlan Your Visit to SALT Church:https://www.saltchurches.com/Ways to Support the Ministry:https://www.saltchurches.com/givingSubscribe:https://www.instagram.com/saltchurches/Subscribe @saltchurchNC Connect with Parker + Jessi Green:Instagram Parker / https://www.instagram.com/parkerrichardgreen/Instagram Jessi /https://www.instagram.com/jessi.green/Websites https://www.saltchurches.com/https://www.jessi-green.com/https://www.saturateglobal.com/#prayer #bible #biblestudy #saltchurch #revival #parkergreen #jessigreen

“Don't Fear a Bigger, Broader, and Bolder Gospel”No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Send us Fan MailEvery branch that bears fruit, he prunes, so that it may bear more fruit. Most of us have heard John 15 preached before. This episode slows down on one word most people skip past: abide. In the Greek it's meno, the same word used to describe staying, remaining, and enduring, and it's the same word Jesus uses for Himself remaining in the Father. Abiding isn't a feeling, it's a decision to stay.From there this episode digs into something easy to miss: the difference between logos (the eternal Word, Christ Himself) and rhema (the spoken, active word), and how Hebrews 12:24 ties directly back to Genesis 4, where Abel's blood cries out from the ground. In Hebrew, that word is plural. It's not just Abel's blood crying out, it's the entire lineage that never got to be born, crying out for justice. But Christ's blood speaks a better word than Abel's ever did. Not justice. Mercy.Scripture referenced: John 15:1-11, Hebrews 12:24, Genesis 4:10"If Christ's word abides in you and his blood is still speaking over you, that's not a memory. That's the ground you're standing on right now."Subscribe so you don't miss the next one, leave a rating and review, and share this with someone who needs a firmer foundation.Dwelling Place Lithia Lithia, FLSupport the show

Send us Fan MailDaniel 9 has launched a thousand prophecy charts, but we're not interested in chart-building for its own sake. We want to know whether the “seventy weeks” is actually meant to drive Christian end times expectations, or whether modern dispensationalism has stretched the text into a timeline that forces a pre-tribulation rapture, a future seven-year tribulation, an Antichrist figure, and a long list of events that must happen before Jesus can return.We trace the roots of dispensationalism through John Nelson Darby and C.I. Scofield, then ask the question most systems try to dodge: does dividing history into dispensations imply different ways of being saved? We push the panel to answer plainly, because if we can't explain salvation clearly, we won't explain the gospel clearly. The conversation keeps circling back to the same anchor points: justification by faith, saved by grace through faith, and Hebrews 11 as a lens for understanding Old Testament believers.From there we move into eschatology and the urgency of the word “imminent.” If Christ's return is truly imminent, what teachings quietly cancel that by requiring a sequence of future events? We examine common claims like a secret rapture, a tribulation period, 144,000 end-times evangelists, and a literal thousand-year earthly reign, and we ask whether those ideas fit with the hope of Christ's any-moment return. We close with a sober thought about God gathering the last of Christ's sheep and why that keeps us watchful without making speculation the center of our faith.If this conversation sharpened your thinking, subscribe for more, share it with a friend who loves prophecy debates, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway. What do you believe makes the return of Christ “imminent”?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul makes a bold claim: if there is no resurrection from the dead, then the entire Christian faith falls apart. In today's reflection, Andy explores the cultural and theological background behind Paul's argument, including the Jewish debate over resurrection and why the early Christians were so focused on Christ's return. Paul insists that the resurrection isn't a peripheral belief—it is the foundation of Christian hope. If Christ has not been raised, our faith is futile. But if Christ has been raised, then death is not the end, and we can live this life with confidence in the life that is still to come. Andy reflects on what it means to live fully in the present because our ultimate hope is found in eternity.Join us for our daily reflections. In 10 short minutes, we'll dig a little deeper into Scripture and help us better understand God's Word.You can read today's passage here.Click here if you'd like to join our GroupMe and receive this each morning at 7:00 a.m. CST. You can watch this reflection in video form and subscribe to my Substack here.

“Gather Your Thoughts”No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorEphesians 4:23, Romans 12:2We live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Send us Fan Mail“They shall never perish.” That sentence forces a decision: either Jesus is giving a firm promise to real people, or He's offering a fragile hope that collapses the moment we stumble. We open with John 10 and keep asking the same question from every angle, because it's the question underneath the eternal security debate: what is “eternal life” if it can end, and what does it say about Christ if His sheep can be lost?We then connect perseverance of the saints to something many Christians rarely consider day to day: Jesus' present-tense ministry as our great High Priest. Hebrews says He lives to make intercession, and we take that seriously. If Christ's intercession is effectual, then salvation is not a cooperative project where we “finish the job” by our own strength. It's a new covenant reality secured by the Son's blood, upheld by the Father's unchanging purpose, and sealed by the Holy Spirit who does not abandon His temple.We also tackle the passages people bring up when they fear their name can be erased from the Book of Life. We walk through key texts and argue that Revelation 3:5 reads as an emphatic promise, while other warning passages address covenant realities and outward profession rather than the revocation of eternal election. The goal is not to dodge hard verses, but to read them with the whole testimony of Scripture, so assurance of salvation rests where it belongs: on the immutable faithfulness of the triune God.If you've ever asked “Can I lose my salvation?” or if someone has used that question to unsettle your peace, this conversation is for you. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs steadiness, and leave a review with the verse you most want us to unpack next.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

“Fear Not: The Lion Has Overcome”No More Fear: Living Life with a Living SaviorRevelation 4:1-5:14We live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Send us Fan MailTwo kingdoms, two outcomes, and no middle ground. We open Romans 8:10–13 and follow Paul's logic as it tightens the divide between the realm of the flesh and the realm of the Spirit. If Christ is in you, the body is “dead because of sin,” yet the Spirit is life and the same Holy Spirit who indwells believers now is the guarantee of the future bodily resurrection. That's not a side doctrine. It's a cornerstone of Christian faith and a bedrock for Christian assurance. From there we hit Romans 8:12 and the question of obligation: yes, we are debtors, but not to the flesh. The old master brought corruption and death, so it has no rightful claim to rule us. We talk through why believers can still live as if the flesh has authority, how fear and law-based thinking keep people stuck, and why Scripture leaves no room for a “dual dominion” where Christ shares the throne of the heart. Then we slow down on Romans 8:13 and one word that almost never gets airtime: mortify. We define mortification of sin as a work of sanctification where the regenerate believer, through the power of the Holy Spirit and by faith in Christ, continually puts to death remaining corruption so sin no longer reigns. That changes how you think about perseverance of the saints, security of salvation, and the daily fight against temptation. If you've ever wondered what real change looks like beyond self-help, this is a clear and hopeful map. If this helped you, subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find these Romans 8 sermons and teachings. What part of mortification do you most need to understand right now?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan Mail“Where are you?” hits differently when you realize God isn't asking for information. We start in Genesis 3 with Adam and Eve learning evil by transgression and then seeing, by contrast, what they had lost. Shame follows fast, and so does hiding: among the trees, behind fig leaves, behind our own hand-made cover-ups that still leave us exposed. From there we connect the Garden of Eden to Romans and the purpose of God's law. The law can name sin and make it known, but it can't justify us or give us the power to earn righteousness. That's where the gospel of Jesus Christ comes into sharp focus: Christ obeys what we cannot, bears the penalty we deserve through penal substitutionary atonement, and credits believers with His righteousness through imputation. We talk frankly about sanctification being real and progressive, while our acceptance before God is complete because we are in Christ. We also tackle assurance and eternal security head-on. If Christ truly finished the work, what would it mean to say salvation can be lost tomorrow? Where would the Holy Spirit go? Why would grace be smaller than sin? Finally, we return to Genesis 3: God's voice walking in the cool of the day, the gardener coming near, not with a sword but with cords of love. Subscribe for more Bible-centered conversations, share this with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What line or image from the conversation stayed with you most?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

If Jesus makes no difference in our lives, then why would anyone serve Him? If Christ-followers live just like those who are unsaved, why would anyone follow? We would all readily acknowledge that we are not perfect; only Jesus is perfect, but wouldn't you agree that Jesus changes those who believe in Him?Main Points:1.  I believe one of the questions people around us are silently asking is, “Does Jesus make a difference in your life?” Unbelievers are watching, often without us noticing, and they are wondering, “Is she different? Is he different, now that He is a follower of Jesus?” 2. When we place our faith in Jesus and confess Him as our Lord and Savior, His Spirit comes to reside within us. God's work of sanctification begins. To “sanctify” means to set apart. God is at work in our lives to set us apart from the unbelieving world by helping us to be like Jesus in our character. 3. By the Holy Spirit, and with our cooperation, God will change us. He will change our attitude, our conversation, our choices, decisions, reactions, and our lifestyle. He will change our desire, our dreams, and our ambitions. Before our relationship with Christ, we lived only for ourselves; now we live for God and His glory.Today's Scripture Verses:Philippians 2:13 - “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.”Romans 12:1-2 - “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”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.”Quick Links:Donate to support this podcastLeave a review on Apple PodcastsGet a copy of The 5 Minute Discipleship JournalConnect on SocialJoin The 5 Minute Discipleship Facebook Group

Send us Fan MailA church can have the right reputation, the right vocabulary, and the right “amen” crowd and still be spiritually asleep. We sit with Jesus' warning to the church of Sardis in Revelation 3 and ask the uncomfortable question that follows every line: are we actually awake, or just good at looking alive?We talk about what “lazy Christianity” looks like in real life: drifting from prayer, avoiding worship, dodging service, and convincing ourselves we're unusable because our problems feel too big. Then we push back on the modern instinct to fix spiritual decline with novelty. The call is simpler and harder: return to the truth you already received, hold fast to the Word, and repent. We also dig into the shock of Christ's “thief” imagery, not to stir panic, but to press readiness and honesty. If Christ visited today, would our private life match our public image?Hope runs through the warning. Jesus names a remnant, “a few” who have not defiled their garments, and He promises white garments, fellowship, and lasting honor to those who overcome. We unpack what that means, why repentance is a gift of grace, and how humility sounds more like “I'm broken, and God is merciful” than spiritual bragging. We close with assurance around the book of life, clarifying why this promise steadies true believers while exposing empty profession.Subscribe for more Bible-centered conversations, share this with someone who needs a wake-up call, and leave a review that tells us what part challenged you most.Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

What if prayer, fasting, confession, and Holy Communion are not assignments from a strict schoolmaster but the ordinary practices of life in our Father's house? Reflecting on Galatians 3:23–4:5, this homily invites us to see the Christian life as a journey from guardianship to sonship, from preparation to fulfillment, and from obedience to loving communion with God. --- Galatians 3:23-4:5 In today's Epistle, Saint Paul says something that has puzzled Christians for centuries. He tells us that "before faith came, we were kept under guard by the Law." Then he says that "the Law was our tutor"—our guardian—"until Christ came." That naturally raises a question. If Christ had to come, then why did God give the Law in the first place? Was the Law a mistake? Did Christ come to replace what God had already done? Not at all. Saint John Chrysostom says Paul isn't criticizing the Law. He's defending it. The Law accomplished exactly what God intended it to accomplish. The problem wasn't the Law. The problem was thinking that the Law was the destination instead of the journey. Perhaps an example will help. Imagine someone saying, "Elementary school is useless because you can't become a doctor unless you go to medical school." Well, of course you can't. But that doesn't make elementary school a failure. It was never meant to produce physicians. It was meant to teach you to read, to write, to count, to think, so that one day you could become something greater. You don't despise elementary school because you've graduated from it. You honor it because it accomplished exactly what it was designed to do: it prepared you for something greater. That is exactly what Saint Paul is saying. The Law was God's elementary school—or, as Paul says, the guardian who escorted His children until they were ready for Christ. It taught His people who He is. It taught them holiness. It taught them justice. It taught them mercy. It taught them that sin separates us from God. It taught them that sacrifice is necessary. It taught them to long for redemption. Every commandment, every sacrifice, every feast, every priest, every prophet was preparing Israel for Christ. The Law was never the destination. It was preparing God's people for the One who is. That's why Paul calls it a guardian. The Greek word is paidagōgos. It doesn't mean a classroom teacher. It refers to the trusted servant who escorted a child to school, watched over him, corrected him, and protected him until he became an adult. The guardian had an important job. But no loving parent intended for the child to remain under the protection of the guardian forever. The goal was maturity. That is exactly what God was doing with His people. The Law guarded Israel. It preserved them. It protected them from idolatry. It formed them into a people through whom the Messiah would come. And when Christ came, the time of preparation gave way to the time of fulfillment. That is why Paul goes on to say something astonishing. He does not merely say that Christ forgives us. He says that "God sent forth His Son... so that we might receive adoption as sons." Notice how much greater that is. God's purpose was never merely to produce well-behaved servants. His purpose is to raise sons and daughters. He doesn't simply pardon sinners. He adopts us as His children and welcomes us into His household. That is why the Christian life is so much more than rule-keeping. Rules can regulate behavior, but they cannot create love. They can restrain evil, but they cannot heal the heart. Only Christ can do that. Through the Holy Spirit, He writes God's Law upon the heart. Only the life of Christ dwelling within us can make us into the kind of people who naturally love what is good. This is why Orthodoxy speaks so often about salvation – theosis – as a process and a way of life. God's purpose is not simply to forgive sinners. His purpose is to unite us to Christ so completely that we begin to share His life. As Saint Athanasius famously said, "God became man so that man might become god"—not by nature, but by grace. That is what Saint Paul is describing. We are no longer merely subjects obeying a king. We are children living in our Father's house. And that changes how we understand the Christian life. Many people imagine Christianity as an endless list of religious obligations. Pray. Fast. Confess. Attend services. Receive Holy Communion. Read the Scriptures. Give alms. Sometimes it can even feel exhausting. But what if we've misunderstood all of it? What if these are not assignments given by a strict schoolmaster? What if they are the ordinary practices by which children grow into the likeness of their Father? A child becomes part of a family in a single moment. But learning to speak like the family, to think like the family, to love like the family, takes years. So it is with us. The moment we are united to Christ, we truly become God's children. But growing into that reality is the work of a lifetime. As we discussed last week, that is why we return to church week after week. Why we pray the same prayers. Why we fast. Why we confess. Why we receive the Holy Mysteries. Not because we are trying to earn God's love, but because we already have it. These are the ordinary means by which the Holy Spirit forms us into the people God created us to be. Again, little by little, almost without noticing it, our desires begin to change. The sins we once loved begin to lose their attraction. The virtues that once seemed difficult begin to bring joy. We become more patient, more merciful, more truthful, more generous—not simply because we are trying harder or following more rules [even Orthodox rules], but because Christ is living His life within us. But this also comes with a warning. It is possible to remain spiritually immature. It is possible to spend years in the Church and still prefer the security of the guardian to the intimacy of the Father's house; to imagine that God is keeping score instead of raising a family; to measure our faith by checking boxes rather than by growing in love. Saint Paul calls us beyond that. He calls us into maturity. Into sonship. Into freedom—not the freedom to do whatever we please, but the freedom to become what we were created to be. And if we were to keep reading beyond today's Epistle, Paul brings his argument to its beautiful conclusion. He says, "Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, 'Abba, Father!'" Abba. That is the goal. Not merely that we obey God. Not merely that we fear God. But that, in Christ, we know God as our Father, and by the Holy Spirit we begin to love Him with the very love of the Son Himself. That is the fulfillment toward which the Law was always pointing. That is the life into which Christ has brought us. So let us not become discouraged if the road sometimes seems long or the growth seems slow. No child becomes an adult overnight. Formation takes time. God is patient, and He is faithful. As Saint Paul says elsewhere, "Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, let us press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." For this is the good news of today's Epistle. The Law brought God's people to Christ. Christ brings us to the Father. And the Holy Spirit patiently raises us into the mature sons and daughters we were created to become. That is the Christian life—not merely obeying God's commandments from the outside, but gradually becoming the kind of people in whom those commandments are fulfilled by the life of Christ Himself, until we can truly call upon God with confidence and joy, "Abba, Father."

Fear of God: We have a problem!No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

If Christ is in us, His grace will faithfully change and transform us.

"The World is Ending! Don't Be Troubled"No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

“What is schism and heresy?” These concepts are explored alongside questions about the nature of sin and forgiveness, including how a priest forgives sins. The discussion also touches on the implications of making a slasher movie, the fate of souls after death, and the role of guardian angels, providing a comprehensive look at these important topics. Join the Catholic Answers Live Club Newsletter Invite our apologists to speak at your parish! Visit Catholicanswersspeakers.com Questions Covered: 02:15 – What is Schism and Heresy? 18:23 – Is it objective grave matter to make a slasher movie? 30:30 – How does it work for a priest to forgive sins? 32:35 – My atheist friend is asking where are people who have died? If Christ hasn't come to judge yet then they couldn't be in heaven or hell. 38:30 – Would it be a stretch to say that Saint Paul might have wrote the first few chapters of Hebrews, with one of his followers finishing it after he was executed? 46:15 – What happens to your guardian angel when you die? 49:13 – Why do Catholics believe in no divorce when Jesus says that there is an exception for sexual immorality?

"Trusting the One Who Tasted Death"Hebrews 2:9-18No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Paul is sitting in a prison cell, chained like a criminal, and he still sounds unshakable. That's the tension we lean into as we walk through 2 Timothy 2:8–13 and hear the command that keeps everything centered: “Remember Jesus Christ.” Not a vague spiritual reminder, but a clear fixation on the risen Savior and promised King, the offspring of David who fulfills God's plan and defeats death itself.We talk about why the resurrection is not a footnote to the cross, but the engine of Christian hope. If Christ stayed in the grave, the gospel collapses. Because he is risen, the story is different, and it changes how we face suffering, disappointment, and seasons where life feels confined. Paul's line lands with force: “the word of God is not bound.” Our circumstances can shift overnight, but Scripture stays living and active, and God keeps moving his mission forward through ordinary people in ordinary places.We also dig into why endurance has a purpose: “for the sake of the elect,” so that others may obtain salvation with eternal glory. That's why believers give, go, pray, and live in ways the world may call strange. The passage ends with a trustworthy saying that comforts us with a sure promise and sobers us with a real warning, all rooted in God's steady faithfulness.If this encouraged you, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find this message. What's one place you need to live like the victory is already sure?

Read OnlineJesus said to his Apostles: “No disciple is above his teacher, no slave above his master. It is enough for the disciple that he become like his teacher, for the slave that he become like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebul, how much more those of his household!” Matthew 10:24–25In Old Testament times, disciples learned from rabbis, often becoming teachers themselves who would pass on and further develop the traditions they received. But in today's Gospel, Jesus profoundly redefines this relationship. Unlike the other rabbis, Jesus is not another wise teacher in a long line of learned men. He is the definitive and perfect Teacher—Wisdom incarnate, the very Word of God made flesh.Jesus' disciples can never surpass nor even equal Him in wisdom, holiness, or understanding. Instead, their calling—and ours—is to become perfectly conformed to Christ, humbly imitating His life, sharing in His mission, and even suffering alongside Him. If Christ faced misunderstanding, slander, and rejection, His followers must expect no less.Despite being Wisdom Incarnate, many religious leaders of Israel rejected Him, even accusing Him of acting by the power of Beelzebul. Jesus warned His disciples to expect similar treatment. If the Master was subjected to such unjust accusations, His disciples would inevitably face even greater opposition.This sobering truth was not meant to discourage His Apostles but to prepare them spiritually. Jesus foresaw the fierce resistance and trials they would encounter after His Ascension. Indeed, following Pentecost, the Apostles faced precisely the persecution, misunderstanding, and martyrdom Christ foretold. Yet strengthened by the Holy Spirit, they courageously persevered, faithfully imitating their Master even unto death.In our own lives, we must also accept that authentic fidelity to Christ often invites resistance, misunderstanding, and even suffering. When that happens, we must never despair nor feel abandoned. Christ Himself has walked this path before us. Instead, we are called to imitate our Teacher with humble courage, trusting that our conformity to Him is our greatest reward. By remaining steadfast, we bear witness as true disciples of Christ who find their deepest joy, not in surpassing Christ, but in becoming like Him in love, humility, and sacrifice.At times, we might mistakenly assume that greater faithfulness to Christ should lead to the removal of hardships. On an interior level, this is indeed true: The closer we draw to Christ, the deeper our inner peace becomes. However, externally, this is often not the case. The martyrdom the Apostles experienced was anything but peaceful on a bodily level.This distinction is essential to understand as we strive to become authentic apostles ourselves, participating in Christ's mission to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the earth. Do we seek interior or exterior peace? Exterior peace—popularity, superficial relationships, and freedom from difficulties—is pleasant but does not encompass the fullness of the apostolic call. True fidelity in proclaiming the Gospel will, at times, inevitably provoke rejection, hostility, and suffering. Yet in faithfully enduring such trials, we experience the profound inner peace of Christ Himself, a peace which the world cannot give nor take away.Reflect today on any trials that test your faith. Rather than praying for exterior peace, pray for interior strength to face every trial with grace and confidence. Nothing can steal away the deep and abiding interior peace Christ wants to bestow as we engage the world with apostolic zeal. Do not be discouraged by rejection or circumstances beyond your control. Jesus prophesied this. Imitate Jesus instead, laying down your life sacrificially with Him, knowing that if the Master was attacked, so will we, His disciples, be.Teacher of all teachers, I am forever Your disciple, relying entirely upon Your wisdom and strength. Send me forth with the courage of the Apostles to fulfill Your divine mission. When I encounter difficulties, opposition, or persecution, grant me Your peace and confidence, knowing that I, Your disciple, should expect nothing more than You, my Master, lovingly endured. Jesus, I trust in You.  Image: Ilyas Basim Khuri Bazzi Rahib, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

There is a vast difference between contentment and complacency, though we may be tempted toward the latter. In this episode of The Whole Counsel, John Snyder and Justin Miller explore why biblical contentment is never passive, indifferent, or spiritually stagnant. Rather than settling for “enough” of Christ, the believer who is truly content finds that satisfaction in Him creates an even greater desire to know Him, obey Him, and enjoy deeper fellowship with Him. Looking to passages such as Proverbs 1, Philippians 4, and Colossians 3, they discuss the danger of spiritual complacency and the joy of a life that rests in God's wise providence while pressing forward in holiness. Along the way, they show that Christian contentment is not stoicism or resignation to circumstances, but joyful submission to a sovereign Father whose gifts always draw His children closer to Himself. If Christ is the object of our contentment, then contentment will never diminish our pursuit of holiness. Instead, it will continually fuel it. Show Notes Kingdom Life: Studies in the Sermon on the Mount: https://shop.mediagratiae.org/collections/kingdom-life A Life of Joy: Learning Christian Contentment by Justin Miller - https://freegracepress.com/collections/coming-soon/products/a-life-of-joy The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment by Jeremiah Burroughs - Free from Chapel Library: https://www.chapellibrary.org/book/rjoc/rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment-the-burroughsjeremiah Banner of Truth edition: https://banneroftruth.org/us/store/christian-living/the-rare-jewel-of-christian-contentment/ Want to listen to The Whole Counsel on the go? Subscribe to the podcast on your favorite podcast app: https://www.mediagratiae.org/podcasts You can get The Whole Counsel a day early on the Media Gratiae App: https://subsplash.com/mediagratiae/app

Theword honest in our King James Bible means much more than simply telling thetruth. It carries the idea of whatever is honorable, noble, dignified, worthyof respect, and deserving of reverence. It describes that which lifts our mindsupward instead of dragging them downward. Paul uses this same Greek word inspeaking about the qualifications of deacons in 1 Timothy 3:8, where they areto be "grave," or dignified. Titus 2:2 uses the same idea to describeolder men who are to be sober, grave, temperate, sound in faith, love, andpatience. The Christian should have a mind that delights in things that arenoble. Thatraises an important question.  Whatoccupies our thoughts? Much of the entertainment in our world today feeds theopposite of what Paul is describing. We are surrounded by mockery instead ofrespect, vulgarity instead of purity, violence instead of kindness, andfoolishness instead of wisdom. It seems that many people today laugh at whatGod calls sacred and celebrate what God calls sinful. As believers, we must becareful about what we continually allow into our minds. Remember, whateverfills the mind eventually shapes the life. Solomonwisely wrote in Proverbs 4:23, "Keep thy heart with all diligence; forout of it are the issues of life." The word keep again means to guard.We guard our homes by locking the doors. We guard our valuables by placing themin a safe. Should we not be even more careful to guard our minds? Someone oncesaid, "You become like what you admire." There is a great deal oftruth in that statement. If we continually admire what is worldly, our thinkingwill become worldly. If we continually admire what is holy, our thinking willbecome holy. Oneof the greatest examples of honorable thinking is found in the Lord JesusChrist Himself. Every conversation He had was marked by dignity. Every actionreflected the holiness of His Father. Even when He rebuked sin, He did so withperfect righteousness and perfect love. Peter tells us, "Christ alsosuffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps."(1 Peter 2:21) If Christ is our example, then our thoughts should increasinglyreflect His character. Thisalso affects the conversations we enjoy. Have you noticed that people usuallytalk about what they think about? If our minds are filled with things that aretrivial, foolish, or corrupt, our speech will reveal it. Jesus said,"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew12:34) What fills the heart eventually comes out through the lips. Perhaps onepractical application today is this: Ask yourself, "Does what I amwatching, reading, listening to, or thinking about encourage dignity,reverence, and respect for God? Does it help me become more like Christ?" Ifthe answer is no, then it probably does not belong in the mind of a believer. TheChristian mind should never be captivated by what is cheap when it has beeninvited to dwell upon what is noble. Paul is reminding us that our minds shouldcontinually rise above the gutter of this world to the greatness of our God. Themore we fill our minds with Christ, His Word, His works, and His glory, theless attractive the things of this world become. That is why the greatestsafeguard for the Christian mind is not merely saying "no" to thewrong things. It is saying "yes" to the better things. Fill your mindwith Scripture. Fill your mind with the character of Christ. Fill your mindwith the greatness of God. Then you will discover that honorable thoughtsproduce honorable living. Tomorrowwe'll look at the next filter Paul gives us: "Whatever things arejust." We'll discover that God not only wants us to think nobly, butHe also wants us to think righteously.

"When God Saved America" 1 Peter 1:13-21No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

IntroductionThe Heidelberg Catechism spends some time reminding us that Christ really did suffer. His suffering is not some sort of unnecessary drama. It testifies to our sin, and it atones for our sin. His suffering makes satisfaction for our sin. But suffering and death alone aren't the whole story. If Christ were merely dead and "bounced back" the way a sacrificial animal might return to the herd, the sacrifice would prove insufficient.On the other side of this discussion is that Christ cannot remain in the grave. If Christ is dead, then we might as well go home and conclude life is absurd. Romans 4:25 reminds us that Christ “… was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. So the question presses in: why must Christ be raised from the dead?Christ Was Delivered for Our SinsWe have to understand the deeper meaning of death. Death is not merely the cessation of breath or heartbeat. Death is separation from communion and fellowship with God. A person can be fully alive by every biological measure and still be dead in a very real way. So when Christ is "delivered up for our sins" and overcomes death, he is overcoming that broken fellowship that was lost in the fall. His resurrection guarantees that our union with him by the Spirit and faith establishes us in communion with our Lord.Christ's Resurrection Vindicates HimRomans 4 gives us rich assurance of our standing before God and Christ's resurrection. Paul builds his argument on Abraham: justified by faith apart from works (vv. 1–8), a promise extending to Jew and Gentile alike (vv. 9–17), and the "absurdity" of Abraham's faith. Abraham is trusting God to bring life out of two bodies as good as dead (vv. 18–22). Then Paul pulls the camera back: this was written not for Abraham's sake alone, but for ours (vv. 23–25). Christ's resurrection is heaven's declaration that his work is complete. Abraham cannot add anything; Isaac, child of the promise, cannot add anything, and we cannot add anything to Christ's work. It's the fulfillment of the same pattern of "life from death" that Abraham himself experienced in type.Paul says this in other places. 1 Corinthians 15 insists that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then we are still in our sins and ought to be pitied. Paul says in Romans 1:3–4 that the resurrection declares him Son of God. Paul states in Romans 6:4 and 1 Timothy 3:16 that resurrection to vindication by the Spirit. Christ's resurrection is not only the basis of us legally being restored to God, but the resurrection is also the power that conforms us to God.The bodily, physical nature of that resurrection matters too. Christ's ascension into heaven means that glorified human flesh is there. It means that not only are we declared righteous, but we are conforming in the Spirit's power as we walk by faith, and we will be glorified. Christ's resurrection guarantees our glorification, and it proves it. Christ's glorified human flesh is in heaven right now, guaranteeing our glorified flesh will be there too.Christ's Resurrection Vindicates UsThis is the legal, courtroom weight of "raised for our justification." Justification is a one-time declaration of righteousness before the heavenly court. This is a higher court than even our Supreme Court in the USA.This blessing is distinct from sanctification. Justification is a one-time declaration of righteousness in the heavenly courtroom, while sanctification is our progressive conforming to the Lord's holiness.We also say that sanctification and justification are inseparable. These blessings are both given to us by the Spirit, our union with Christ, and our consciousness of this relationship when we have faith in Christ. It is by the Spirit through Faith that we take hold of Christ and all his distinct blessings.We are united to the risen and victorious Christ. It is because Christ was raised that our sins are objectively taken away, our standing before the Father is secure, and Christ's ongoing intercession in the heavenly temple guarantees that our relationship with our God is not impersonal. Our justification is a one-time transaction. However, as we are united to our savior, this is where we have the privilege and joy of growing in conformity to our heavenly call as we walk in the Spirit by faith out of gratitude.ConclusionThe reality is: Christ's resurrection is true whether or not I believe it. It's not my faith, or the church's faith, that makes it so. It is not even the Apostle Paul who makes it so. Christ's resurrection is an objective, historical event that God accomplished. I could deny it, and it would still be true. That's actually the comfort. My assurance doesn't rest on the strength or the quality of my faith. My redemption, our redemption, rests on what God has already done in raising Christ from the dead. His resurrection testifies that my sins are taken away, my standing before God is secure, and I will be raised bodily to dwell in his presence in full glory.Let us not root our hope in ourselves. Let us hope in the God who accomplishes his promise. He does not overstate, and he does not overpromise. He fulfills His word. May we live in the certainty of Christ's resurrection as we take hold of our redeemer by Faith. Let us be a people who walk in the Spirit, tasting the goodness of our redemption as we live as living sacrifices unto him out of gratitude.

“While the Nations Rage - Part 2” 2 Corinthians 5:16-21No More Fear - Living Life with a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

Send us Fan MailThe question nobody asks calmly is the one we start with: what happens to babies and children who die before they can “understand”? We walk through Romans 5, original sin, and the uncomfortable claim that death passes to all in Adam, while also admitting something many people avoid saying out loud, God may show mercy in ways He has not disclosed. That tension forces us to hold two truths at once: Scripture speaks clearly about our condition in Adam, and Scripture also teaches that some answers belong to the Lord.From there we turn to the best news we've got: Christ's obedience. We dig into imputed righteousness, using a simple “accounting ledger” picture to show why justification is not only the removal of guilt but also the crediting of Christ's righteousness to believers. That's why we push back so hard on the idea that salvation can be lost. If Christ pays the debt and then credits righteousness, the verdict over God's people is not fragile. It's permanent.We also address the “God is unfair” objection, predestination and election, and what the Bible means when it says God shows no partiality. We talk through the “age of accountability” debate, why it raises real moral questions, and why we believe the law exposes sin rather than saving anyone. If you've ever felt shaken by these doctrines, we think this conversation will meet you where you are while pointing you back to the cross.If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who's wrestling, and leave a review so more people can find it. What part of this topic do you most want to talk through next?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

Send us Fan MailIf you've ever wondered, “What if I mess this up?” this conversation goes straight for the nerve of that fear, not with hype, but with Scripture and plain logic. We start with raw gratitude and personal stories of God's mercy, including seasons of walking away, hitting rock bottom, and seeing relationships restored over time. That lived experience becomes the backdrop for a deeper question: what kind of salvation does God actually give? We camp in Romans 5:8–11 and follow Paul's argument step by step. If Christ died for us “while we were still sinners,” what does that say about the strength of his atonement, justification, and reconciliation? We unpack the “much more” reasoning that grounds assurance of salvation in Christ's blood and God's promises, not in our decision-making or ongoing performance. We also connect it to the living ministry of Jesus, meaning being “saved by his life,” and why the resurrection is not an optional doctrine but the heartbeat of the gospel, echoed powerfully in 1 Corinthians 15. Along the way, we address why teaching that salvation can be lost doesn't produce peace, it produces stress, exhaustion, and a subtle return to self-trust. If your confidence depends on you, even for a moment, fear will always win. If your confidence depends on a risen Christ who cannot die again, joy becomes a present reality and worship becomes a response, not a transaction. If this strengthened your faith, subscribe, share it with a friend who needs assurance, and leave a review so more people can find these conversations. What part of Romans 5 gives you the deepest peace right now?Support the showBE PROVOKED AND BE PERSUADED!

“While the Nations Rage”Psalms 46No More Fear - Living Life With a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

The coming destruction of the present creation is not just a doctrine to believe—it's a call to live differently. In this expository sermon from 2 Peter 3:11–12, Pastor Jim Osman draws out the practical weight of Peter's eschatological teaching and presses it into the conscience of every believer.Peter's concluding exhortations are clear: those who genuinely believe Christ will return are marked by it. First, they are a holy people—set apart in conduct and godliness, fitted for a new creation in which only righteousness dwells. Osman unpacks what that means practically, showing that holiness is not merely a positional reality but a moral pursuit, one that grace both demands and provides.Second, they are a hastening people—those who long for and actively work toward the coming of the day of God. Osman addresses the apparent tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility head-on. The day is fixed on God's calendar; yet Scripture calls believers to hasten it through holy living, faithful gospel proclamation, and earnest prayer. These are not contradictions—they are the two sides of the same sovereign purpose.If Christ is returning, and Peter insists He is, the only question left is: what kind of people ought we to be? ★ Support this podcast ★

Pastor Jason continues in our new series "Remain" as he asks us the question, "Who is holding the shears?" If Christ is the Vine and we the branches, Is God the one shaping you? As always, thank you for your generosity!  If you would like to give to Destiny Church, please click this link and then click the giving tab! https://destinychurch.me/ Or text destinychurchgive to 77977!

“Walk by Faith, Not by Fear”No More Fear - Living Life With a Living SaviorWe live in a world filled with fear—fear for our kids and marriages, fear of sickness and job loss, fear of the future and the headlines, even fear of death itself. Many people feel trapped by these fears, either trying to control everything around them or resigning themselves to the thought, “That's just how I am.”But the resurrection of Jesus speaks directly into those fears.In this series, we will explore what it means to live life in light of a living Savior. If Christ had not been raised, many of our fears would be completely justified. But because the tomb is empty and Jesus is alive, everything has changed. His resurrection gives us a new foundation for our faith, a new identity as His people, and a new way to face the fears that shape our lives.Again and again, we can return to this central truth: because Jesus is alive, fear does not have the final word. Through the power of the resurrection, we can move from being gripped by fear to being grounded in the perfect love of a risen Savior.

To understand the importance of the Resurrection and why it is worth following the proofs, there must first be an acknowledgement of our fallen condition, in need of divine pardon, and a recognition of our immortality. If Christ is not risen, our preaching, first, is vain. Our faith and hope of forgiveness and resurrection are also in vain. No "logical explanations" can explain away the transformation of Paul or the eyewitnesses, the exact timing and details of fulfilled prophecy, or the growth of the church. 1 Corinthians 15:14 VF-2076 Watch, Listen and Learn 24x7 at PastorMelissaScott.com Pastor Melissa Scott teaches from Faith Center in Glendale. Call 1-800-338-3030 24x7 to leave a message for Pastor Scott. You may make reservations to attend a live service, leave a prayer request or make a commitment. Pastor Scott appreciates messages and reads them often during live broadcasts. Follow @Pastor_Scott on Twitter and visit her official Facebook page @Pastor.M.Scott. Download Pastor Scott's "Understand the Bible" app for iPhone, iPad and iPod at the Apple App Store and for Android devices in the Google Store. Pastor Scott can also be seen 24x7 on Roku and Amazon Fire on the "Understand the Bible?" channel. ©2026 Pastor Melissa Scott, Ph.D. All Rights Reserved

Rahab: From Prostitute to Type of Christ by Autumn Dickson How could I not take some time to speak about Rahab? She was incredible. Here is our introduction to Rahab. Joshua 2:1 And Joshua the son of Nun sent out of Shittim two men to spy secretly, saying, Go view the land, even Jericho. And they went, and came into an harlot's house, named Rahab, and lodged there. Rahab was a prostitute who hid Israeli spies as they were coming to look at Jericho. In exchange for hiding them, she asked them to spare her and her family. They gave her a red cord to put in the window, and all of Jericho was destroyed except for her and her family. In order to understand precisely why she was so great, it's important to understand the background she was born into. Jericho was getting utterly destroyed. There have been times throughout history where the Lord helped His people conquer without utterly destroying everything. Jericho was not one of those times. The land of Canaan was “full” of sin to the extent that destruction was necessary. It was so filled with misery that it needed a clean slate. Except for Rahab. The fact that she's a prostitute during this time period isn't unsurprising. What she's had to go through is not a sign of her moral failings but of her society failing her. We can see the type of person she is from her reactions. She is willing to follow the Lord after hearing the testimony of others. She wants to save her family, not just herself. She utilized her circumstances for the Lord's work. These are not the only reasons Rahab is incredible. The fact that she married is also amazing when you learn what trauma she likely accrued because of her circumstances. This is not a comprehensive list of her good qualities, but I specifically chose these ones. These qualities are what make her like the Savior. Rahab is a type of Christ. Let's talk about a couple of things in her life that reflect the Savior. 1) She is willing to follow the Lord despite what the society around her is doing. Rahab could have been blinded by her own society. She could have followed what everyone else was doing and simply been afraid. Imagine if the rest of the Canaanites had the heart that Rahab had. Imagine if all of them had approached the Israelite army and were like, “We heard how your God protected you and took care of you. We would like to follow Him too.” Imagine if all of us were able to look at what was going on around us and be willing to follow a better way. The Jews were not especially righteous when Christ came to fulfill His mortal ministry. In fact, many of them were evil. If Christ had been born to any other nation, they would have recognized Him as God. Some of the Jews of this time period were too wicked to see Him for what He was. Jesus broke a lot of their made up rules. He followed the Law of Moses perfectly, but He broke a lot of the rules that they had built up around that law. He looked at society and knew there was a better way to live. 2) She wants to save her family, not just herself. Rahab could have followed the spies out. Perhaps that would have been easier than sitting in her home and hoping all the soldiers followed the direction to spare her. We don't know all the reasons why Rahab stayed, but we do know she sought out her family and brought them into her home where they could be protected too. She cared enough about her family that she sought saving them too. Maybe she even felt that being saved wouldn't be worth it if her family couldn't be saved too. Christ's heart also pushed Him to look beyond Himself. Christ is the only One who was perfect enough to go to heaven. He could have come down here, lived perfectly, and gone on to live in heaven forever, but He loved us too much. He put Himself through difficult things in order to save us too. He was concerned with saving His family. He obviously didn't think heaven was going to be good enough without us despite our many failings. He loved us, and looked beyond Himself. 3) She utilized her circumstances for the Lord's work. It was actually important that Rahab was a prostitute. With all of the tension in the air from the Israelite army, it would have been difficult for the spies to get into Jericho. Because she was a prostitute, it allowed them to enter into the city. It wasn't as uncommon for strangers and foreigners to visit brothels in comparison to visiting repectable houses. Not to mention, Rahab's house was within the city wall and allowed them to escape. Now, the fact that she was a prostitute did not mean that the spies went undetected. Somehow, the residents of Jericho noticed the spies and they came knocking. Rahab hid them on the roof before helping them escape. This is actually also an important reflection of Christ. Only Christ was in the correct circumstances to save us. Because of His birth, He held power that no one else had. He had the ability to save us because of His circumstances. But, it was still ultimately His decision to save us. Rahab's circumstances put her in an ideal situation to save her family and help the Lord's work, but her choices and faith were absolutely key as well. Sometimes our circumstances make it difficult to believe that we could ever be like Christ. Sometimes what we've been through or are currently going through make us think that we can't serve. Sometimes our circumstances are the very things that put is in a position to be like Christ. I testify that like Rahab, we are all given opportunities to be like our Savior. I also testify that like Rahab, following the Lord and His prophet will ultimately save us. It doesn't matter where we started; we can make choices that will put us in line with the Lord's people. He can save us, and He can utilize us if we're willing to leave our old lives behind. Autumn Dickson was born and raised in a small town in Texas. She served a mission in the Indianapolis Indiana mission. She studied elementary education but has found a particular passion in teaching the gospel. Her desire for her content is to inspire people to feel confident, peaceful, and joyful about their relationship with Jesus Christ and to allow that relationship to touch every aspect of their lives. Autumn was the recipient of FAIR's 2024 John Taylor Defender of the Faith Award. The post Come, Follow Me with FAIR – Joshua 1–8; 23–24 – Part 2 – Autumn Dickson appeared first on FAIR.

Share a commentSome religious systems train you to look holy while feeling empty. We sit with Luke 5:33–39 and watch Jesus collide with a spirituality built on resumes, rules, and gloomy public displays. The Pharisees can't stand that His disciples eat, drink, and seem genuinely glad to be near Him and Jesus refuses to play along. He answers with a picture that reframes everything: you don't make wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them. If Christ is present, joy is not rebellion. It is the appropriate response.From there, we unpack what fasting is and what it is not, why public “seriousness” can become a mask for pride, and how easily spiritual disciplines turn into performance. We also talk about the surprising witness of Christian joy: gratitude in hardship, singing through tears, and a steady confidence that the Bridegroom will never leave His people. The wedding image expands into hope that reaches beyond today's stress, pointing to the Father's house and a celebration that does not end.Jesus then sharpens the point with two unforgettable illustrations: a new garment is not a patch for an old one, and new wine will burst old wineskins. The gospel is not a religious upgrade or a moral add-on. It is new life under the new covenant through the complete, sufficient sacrifice of Christ. We end with a story that captures grace in real time, the moment someone realizes forgiveness is not earned and says through tears, “I can't believe it's free.” If this helped you, subscribe, share it with a friend who's tired of performing, and leave a review with the one line you want to remember.Get instant, biblically faithful answers to your Bible questions. https://www.wisdomonline.org/ask Learn more: https://www.wisdomonline.org/Support the show

“But now is Christ risen from the dead.” — 1 Corinthians 15:20 The whole system of Christianity rests upon the fact that “Christ is risen from the dead;” for, “If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain: ye are yet in your sins.” The divinity of Christ […]