Podcasts

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about submitting. Any Christian can form an opinion based on the Bible; it takes a special breed to know when to let it go. I’ve been reading …Fallen Founder, by Nancy Isenberg. Maybe there really is another side to the Aaron Burr story, but a book like this one isn’t likely to convince me. I’ve been hearing … there’s a racism problem in the Lord’s church. I don’t doubt it’s true. But I doubt the best solution is to label thousands of strangers as racists. I’ve been playing … in game cafes. Play for hours on end i

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Podcast Aug 5, 2019

Ep. 57 - Is It Me?

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Let's talk about a story from the 1800's, where a tragic crisis arose. A man tried to fix it: he changed everything and everyone around him, to no avail. Finally, one day, he asked the fateful question: "Is it me?" It was. And with just a small personal adjustment, many lives were saved! How many of us go through the blame cycle of other people, situations and circumstances, without every realized that maybe I am the one who can change and make the most difference. This episode does not suggest that every problem is 100%

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Podcast Aug 1, 2019

Ep. 56 - Seven Billion Dollars

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Seven billion dollars is a whole lot of money! For most of us, it is next level inconceivable really. Could you imagine what it would be like to have that much money... in debt? What if you owed it to someone. Would you just give up on life? Would you beg for mercy? Let's talk about how that connects to Jesus. And, just as importantly, how Jesus' compassion upon us should be living in our lives. The ESM journey is about taking in from the love of Christ and then letting that love live through you more and more each day! -

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Podcast Aug 1, 2019

Episode 26 - "Eat It!"

Weird episode alert! This week we’re tackling Jesus’ challenging words about eating his body during that Passover meal in Luke 22:19-20. We see similar language after he miraculously feeds 5000 in our “Here’s Your Sign” segment. After sharing a few “Deep Thoughts” about his ability to create abundance out of nothing, we talk about how Jesus is EVERYTHING. Hang on tight … difficult words ahead! Weekly Challenge: Figure out where you’re lacking and ask God for an abundance. Show Notes Jesus Said … Luke 22:19-20 Jesus Feeds 5000 People (VIDEO) What's In Your Basket by Bryan Schiele (SERMON)

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Podcast Jul 30, 2019

Wasted grace. ICR.org. Gilroy. Golf.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about wasted grace. Hezekiah is a great example of faith, but he’s also an example of how we can squander the greatest gift we could ever receive. I’ve been reading …ICR.org. If you want information about harmonizing Biblical teaching with actual scientific data, this is a great website to visit. I’ve been hearing … about another mass shooting, this one in Gilroy, Calif. We are sure to hear an abundance of theories as to who the real villain is. Me, I vote for the shooter. I’ve been playing … golf. God gave us a b

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Podcast Jul 29, 2019

Ep. 55 - Sailing Off Course

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! It is great to set your course and stay on it. Deciding on goals and pursuing them, no matter what, can really bring great results! There are lots of cool Olympian stories of athletes who were big winners, because they wouldn't give up. Some were losers, but they never took their eye off the finish line. However, sometimes it isn't about reaching the finish line. Sometimes it is more courageous to sail off course. Let me tell you a story of a Canadian Sailor in the 1988 Olympics who did just that. And it took more heart t

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Podcast Jul 25, 2019

Ep. 54 - After the Cheers

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! We all love to be appreciated. Most of us enjoy accolades and cheers for what we do. But really life isn't fueled by that, or is it? If we feed off of support as a means to carry on, what will we do when the crowds stop cheering? Are you equipped to have a deeper purpose than recognition by others? And if this is something you have struggled with, what can you do to build stronger resolve, and maybe even receive a few more cheers? Let's look at the heart of integrity and how it can beat strongly with or without applause.

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Podcast Jul 25, 2019

Episode 25 - "What Do You Want?"

What do you want? What Jesus Said to Mary in John 20:14-16 kicks off an episode all about what we’re seeking. We dive into the question he asked a paralytic in part two of our miracles series, “Here’s Your Sign.” And then we take on the “Heavy Words” for “seek” and “want,” recognizing their significance in John’s gospel and our lives. We hope you’re as challenged and edified by Jesus’ words as we were in this week’s conversation! Weekly Challenge: Make a list of what you want and identify how they line up with God’s desires. Show Notes Bible Geeks Daily Download Jesus Said … John 20:14-16 Ordi

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Podcast Jul 23, 2019

Episode 16: Kris Emerson and Reagan McClenny visit.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! For this special episode of Citizen of Heaven, I am pleased to share with you my conversation with my friends Kris Emerson and Reagan McClenny. Kris preaches for the Lindale church of Christ in Lindale, Texas. He is the host of the popular Excel Still More podcast. Subscribe at https://excelstillmore.life/. Reagan preaches for the Timberland drive church of Christ in Lufkin, Texas. You can hear his sermons by subscribing to the Timberland Drive podcast and through their website: https://www.timberlandchurch.org/. Kris and Reagan help o

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Podcast Jul 22, 2019

Ep. 53 - Make Giving Easy

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! This year I have become convinced of two things, beyond a doubt. Firstly, Christians are to be Givers. We ought to be the most generous, helpful, service-filled people on this earth! Secondly, habits take wisdom to put into place. You can't just get good at something. You have to lay out a course of action in order to see results. SO... what if we let both ideas come together? I think we can! We can become better givers by applying simple, proven habit building tactics! Let's look at how! - How to recognize the Biblical d

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Podcast Jul 18, 2019

Ep. 52 - Change or Accept

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! We all have issues in our lives. You know, things we don't like, troubles, problems, stress producers. However, we do not have to let bad situations rob us of our peace as children of God. Prayers are helpful. But they won't be enough. Life will push itself back in between you and God. If you want to see things be at peace, you must examine three words: CHANGE OR ACCEPT. We will run through a series of questions you should ask when something undesirable is in your path. We will look at several examples, maybe ones that hi

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Podcast Jul 18, 2019

Episode 24 - "Incognito Miracles"

When your child’s illness takes a turn for the worst, how do you cope, and could anything pull you from their bedside? This week, we continue our series on Christ’s miracles, “Here’s Your Sign,” watching as one desperate father runs to Jesus and gets more than a miracle in the exchange. Plus, in a Psalm 5 edition of “Poetry in Motion,” we journey through a morning prayer all about going to God in trouble. And what Jesus Said in Matthew 11:28-30 calls us to restful order with him. We stuffed this one with Bible-y goodness! Weekly Challenge: Ask God to resolve a troubling situation in your life,

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Podcast Jul 16, 2019

The evolution of Christians. How to Lead When You're Not in Charge. Moon landing. Yokohama.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about the evolution of Christians. Christians beget Christians after their kind, just like dogs and cats. But there is a limit to the diversity this process will allow. I’ve been reading … How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge, by Clay Scroggins. It’s difficult to command when you’re not at the head of the table, but you can be a good example from any seat. I’ve been hearing … the 50th anniversary of the moon landing is approaching. Imagine how famous Neil Armstrong’s words would be if we had heard what he was act

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Podcast Jul 15, 2019

Ep. 51 - After the Mountaintop

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! In June of 1924, George Mallory ascended to the top of Mount Everest. He and his friend Andrew Irving were the very first to do so! At least, that's what I believe. It was a true mountain top experience. Unfortunately the story does not end well, teaching us that the climb down is always the hardest, and that the mountain top experience only really matters if you stay focused and make it back home. Let's talk about their journey and how it can inspire us today! - How to see the mountaintop for what it really is - How to s

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Podcast Jul 11, 2019

Ep. 50 - Casting A Shadow

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! I sometimes get annoyed at things other people do... even though I do them myself. This is part of life. The real revelation is when I discover that it was my influence that led to their behavior! Yes, we all cast a shadow. It is inevitable and powerful. You have an impact, an influence, on every person you are around. Taking ownership of that importance is crucial. But it can be overwhelming to be responsible for how others behave. Fortunately, there is a secret to that: the Light. Shadows are what happens when a focused

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Podcast Jul 11, 2019

Episode 23 - "I Have The Chicken!"

This week we kick off a new series called “Here’s Your Sign,” mining the miracles of Jesus for their insights into the Lord himself. We start with a wedding story about Jesus saving the day! Plus, what Jesus Said in John 12:20-28 has us doing Mad Libs as we aim to glorify the Lord in the everyday moments of our lives. Weekly Challenge: Glorify the Lord in your everyday life. Show Notes Jesus Said … John 12:20-28 Episode 20 - “Almost Funny” (EPISODE) Jesus Turns Water into Wine (VIDEO)

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Podcast Jul 9, 2019

King Asa. Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Work-life balance. Newton.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about Asa, king of Judah. Is it possible to be blessed too much? There’s every reason to think the answer is yes, and that we should take warning. I’ve been reading … Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. Jonathan Edwards is often cast as believing in a God searching for opportunities to destroy us. The truth, and Edwards’ actual message, are quite different. I’ve been hearing … Work-Life balance is a myth. Kudos to Time Magazine for publishing something that the Bible has been teaching us all along. I’ve been pla

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Podcast Jul 8, 2019

Ep. 49 - The Intermittent eFast

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Most of us struggle with overuse of electronic devices. They are so convenient and address so many issues all in one place. But most of us also know that such things can become addictive and keep us locked in to them and away from the walk God has planned for us. But we can't just put the cell phone in the drawer for a month. We need it everyday to interact with others, conduct business, or find needful things. However, if we can learn the value of daily intermittent fasting, creating ever increasing pockets of hours away

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Podcast Jul 4, 2019

Ep. 48 - The First Concession

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! We all make mistakes. We do things we wish we did not do. We say things we wish we had not said. But do we understand where those issues begin? It is not about the moment the thing is said or done, it goes back to the very first concession. Sometime earlier a mental allowance gave the tiniest of inner green lights, leading to poor behavior. We will look at the "parable of the stove" to understand how this works. Then, we can optimistically make changes in the way we think, leading to much greater results! - Understanding

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Podcast Jul 4, 2019

Episode 22 - "Hug It Out"

Broken relationships, misunderstandings, hurt feelings. So easy to say “forgive and forget,” but how do we get past a wrong? Throughout this episode we keep coming back to life’s complicated moral debts — like the pain we cause others — so much harder to pay off than mortgages and credit cards! So we’re “Flying Through” Philemon, the short letter that tells the story of two brothers with some big problems to work out. And we find an answer to the question, “How can I love Jesus more?” when we hear what Jesus Said in Luke 7:36-47. Hope you join us! Weekly Challenge: Examine your relationships t

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Podcast Jul 2, 2019

Intoxication. Jonathan Edwards. Chinese prisoners. Euphoria.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I’ve been preaching … about intoxication. Proverbs 23 describes two kinds of drunkenness, literal and figurative — and they both start before the first sip. I’ve been reading … Jonathan Edwards, by Iain H. Murphy. I’m no Calvinist, but I dare say Edwards could have taught some of my brethren some things about the sovereignty of God. I’ve been hearing … Religious dissidents in Chinese prisons are being executed and their organs harvested. Give it to the Communists: they’re all about efficiency. I’ve been playing … Euphoria: Building a B

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Podcast Jul 1, 2019

Ep. 47 - The Priorities Fallacy

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Did you know that the word "priorities" was rarely known or used before 1940? It doesn't really makes sense when you think about it. How can you have most important things? How can there be multiple things that come first. By definition, they wouldn't be most important. Instead, people used the word "Priority." That is, the most important thing. Everything else, no matter how valuable to you, has to fall under the power and leadership of the one singular priority in your life. This may sound hard, since many people and th

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Podcast Jun 27, 2019

Ep. 46 - Start From Here

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! No matter who you are, there will be stretches when things don't come together. Streaks get broken. Outside influences distract. We don't get the frog eaten. We don't fulfill our daily highlight. There is no one great hour. For some, this means the end. Great progress is abandoned by "setbacks." Listen, don't worry about days that don't go well, just start from here. No matter what is gone wrong or how long it has been since you've had it all together: start from here. If you have listened to episodes and just haven't got

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Podcast Jun 27, 2019

Episode 21 - "That's Bad Advertising"