Podcasts

Continuing our Fruit series, we look at the commanding words of Jesus over the wind and waves from Mark 4:37-40, the “exile ethic” of men like Daniel, the strength of a well-built wall, and the dangers of drinking coffee in a room that’s on fire. We’re talking about “Shalom,” the depth of peace which surpasses all understanding! Join us for a listen. Weekly Challenge: Find a quiet place this week to be still and acknowledge that the Lord is God. Show Notes Jesus Said … Mark 4:37-40 Shalom Poster by The Bible Project (IMAGE) Word Study: Shalom - "Peace" by The Bible Project (VIDEO) Shalom by Ry

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Podcast May 9, 2019

Ep. 32 - The Wicker Basket

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! It is great to set big goals. But beware, they are not what this is about. This is about the process. This is about you becoming the kind of people who can achieve goals. The problems with grading ourselves by goal's reached is 1) if we, for whatever reason, don't reach them, we are crushed. 2) we do reach them and they didn't satisfy or we stop trying afterward. Listen to the story of the boy with the wicker basket today. He wanted to show immediate and tangible results from his labor. But the results weren't there in th

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Podcast May 7, 2019

Wrestling with God. Different Bible versions. Vivaldi. Dead of Winter.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I have been preaching … about wrestling with God — in a good way, like Jacob did, as though your faith depends on it, which it does. I have been reading … different versions of the Bible, and it’s reminding me of what distinguishes one translation from another, and which distinctions are more important than others. I have been hearing … Vivaldi’s Concerto for Lute in D Major, RV 93 — and I have to say, I think it is best the way the master wrote it. I have been playing … Dead of Winter. I probably couldn’t survive a zombie apocalypse,

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Podcast May 6, 2019

Ep. 31 - Plan your How

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! I love Simon Sinek's book, "Start with Why." The idea of finding your purpose and passion before proceeding... crucial! Once you find your Why, you'll know What you want to do. For instance, if you find your why in fitness, you'll want to be a daily exercise person. Great! Connecting Why and What is a big deal! But don't overlook the How. The discipline to think through the action, to plan the right way to do it, can make all the difference. So, in fitness, I need to journal when I'm going to workout and where and make su

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Podcast May 3, 2019

Episode 13 - “Mental Mentos”

As we continue our Fruit series, this week’s theme is “Patience.” Or, “How to Avoid Living Like a Can of Shaken Soda.” Or, as we discuss in our Jesus Said segment in Matthew 16:22-23, “Just Because Jesus Called You Satan, Doesn’t Mean He Has Given Up On You.” Join us as we talk about patience in trials, patience with others, and even patience with ourselves! Weekly Challenge: Make a list of anything in your life that would keep you from being patient. Show Notes Jesus Said … Matthew 16:22-23 Mentos and Diet Coke Explosion in Slow Motion (VIDEO) Seeing Jesus with New Eyes (SERMON) How Do We Kee

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Podcast May 2, 2019

Ep. 30 - Resolving a Conflict

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Sometimes you can just sit down with someone and restore peace. You can establish some common agreements, and zip the jacket. But sometimes it's more difficult than that. Sometimes too much has happened. Too much time has passed. Someone went too far. What do you do in that case? Many people give up on the relationship, and accept division and maybe even hold resentment for years. We are Christians. We can do much better than that! But it takes heart and it takes strategy. Let's look at Jacob's tactics for approaching Esa

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Podcast Apr 30, 2019

Mountains and valleys. Undaunted Courage. Nurses. Istanbul.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about mountains and valleys, and how God rules in both despite what we sometimes think. I've been reading... Undaunted Courage by Stephen Ambrose, and as amazingly effective as the Lewis and Clark expedition was, it seems they underutilized one of their greatest resources. I've been hearing... nurses spend a lot of their work hours playing cards. I'm pretty sure that's not right, and I'm also pretty sure there isn't someone out there who hasn't at some point contracted foot-in-mouth disease. I've been playing...

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Podcast Apr 29, 2019

Ep. 29 - Assess the Essential

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Do you ever feel overbooked and underproductive? Do you get stressed by all the things on the calendar? Do you wish you could do less but do it better? If you want to create a simpler, more productive schedule and life, then Essentialism, a book by Greg McKeown, is for you! In today's episode we'll walk through some of his basic concepts about defaulting to no, so that you can make more of your yeses. This process leads to more focus, less stress, and much greater progress in your journey to excel. The Word of God address

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Podcast Apr 26, 2019

Episode 12 - “Be Kind, Rewind”

On this episode, we ask “What’s the Deal” with John’s doubts and wonder what our bodies will be like in the resurrection. We try to figure out how to choose between two good things as we continue our Fruit of the Spirit series, and something Jesus Said in Mark 10:17-18 gets to the heart of what is good. Weekly Challenge: Pray for God to fulfill every resolve for good in our lives. Show Notes Jesus Said … Mark 10:17-18 Go Tell John by Ryan Joy (SERMON) Foundations: Resurrection and Judgment by Ryan Joy (SERMON)

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Podcast Apr 25, 2019

Ep. 28 - Open Your Eyes

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! God is doing incredible things in your life! He is answering beautiful questions, He is surrounding you with providential guidance and opportunities. The question is: Are you seeing it? Sometimes the lighted path is right in front of us, the next person to influence is right beside us, and our eyes are closed. I want to tell you a story from this past weekend. God would not let me keep my eyes closed to His work. He opened them with a ray of sunshine. I am determined to keep those eyes open for the people in my life He ha

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Podcast Apr 23, 2019

Natural. The Corporate Coach. Sri Lanka. King of Tokyo.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about the natural man, and how serving Jesus the way we would choose on our own is certainly wrong. I've been reading The Corporate Coach, by James Miller, which emphasizes service in the corporate world -- which both resembles and differs from service in the Lord's kingdom. I've been hearing about the bombings in Sri Lanka -- and I am neither afraid nor angry. I've been playing King of Tokyo, which makes a distinction between playing to have fun and playing to win. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube

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Podcast Apr 22, 2019

Ep. 27 - Losing Some Battles

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! This episode is for people who are trying to get better, who are really seeking to excel, but who fall short of that. I do. Many people give up when things go poorly. But those who are really in this war to win it, will not be stopped by a lost battle. Some people avoid losing battles by quitting the war for growth. We cannot do that! Instead, we can use the pain of a single defeat to drive us to resilience and victory in the war! Excelling in faith is a war against mediocrity and lethargy. In that war you will have setba

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Podcast Apr 18, 2019

Ep. 26 - Do Hard Things

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Teenagers get a bad wrap sometimes. Largely because their accomplishments are held back by the low expectations our culture puts upon them. In their book, "Do Hard Things," the Harris brothers enlighten young people to a rebellion against low expectations. They talk about how to do things that move us past our comfort zones, reach out for support, and sow for long term reaping. Their book is awesome for teenagers. And it is also awesome for adults! In fact, our children will learn how to achieve their goals from watching

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Podcast Apr 18, 2019

Episode 11 - "The Goggles of Faith"

This week, we’re rethinking “faith” and “faithfulness” as we continue through the Fruit of the Spirit series. What Jesus Said in Luke 12:42-48 raises the question, “Who am I when no one’s looking?” And some “Deep Thoughts” from the Minor Prophets take us to the heart of the gospel. Plus, Bryan encounters an unhappy cashier and Ryan notices coworkers watching the Final Four in their cubicles. Join us for a listen! Weekly Challenge: Write down three things you know and three things you want to know. Show Notes Jesus Said … Luke 12:42-48 Mercy Not Sacrifice by Bryan Schiele (SERMON) At Ease by Br

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Podcast Apr 16, 2019

Caesar. America's Prophet. Walls. No Thanks.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about rendering to Caesar the things that are Caesar's and to God the things that are God's. I've been reading... America's Prophet, by Bruce Feiler. I've been hearing... people want to build a wall to keep the bad people away. I've been playing... No Thanks, a game far more entertaining than its simple appearance would indicate. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the h

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Podcast Apr 15, 2019

Ep. 25 - The Throne Room

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Prayer is incredibly important to daily growth and faith. But sometimes it begins to wane. Sometimes it becomes difficult to stay focused on God. Maybe you are praying, and even journaling about prayer items, but still find it difficult to give Him attention and stay engaged for more than just a minute or two. I deal with that often. I've dealt with that heavily in the past two weeks. When that happens, it is time to head to the Throne Room of God! When you can feel the experience of entering His court and bowing before H

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Podcast Apr 12, 2019

Episode 10 - "Fighter Jets of Gentleness"

This week we discuss how warhorses are like fighter jets and how beagles are like Moses. We talk about “Selah,” superscriptions, and the source of salvation as we set the third psalm “in Motion.” And we continue our Fruit of the Spirit series with a virtue some have called “the most untranslatable” Bible word. Jesus Said those who possess it will inherit the earth in Matthew 5:5. Weekly Challenge: Show gentleness and meekness to someone this week. Show Notes Jesus Said … Matthew 5:5

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Podcast Apr 11, 2019

Ep. 24 - Start with Why

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Simon Sinek wrote the book "Start with Why." It discusses businesses and advertising and how the proper use of "the Golden Circle" makes all the difference. If you can learn the same strategy and apply it in your daily tasks and goals, you too can see incredible differences in your achievements. We often work from the outside in: WHAT do I want to happen? Then we decide: HOW can I make that happen? But we rarely spend time considering the most important question of all: WHY is any of this important to me? When if we Start

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Podcast Apr 8, 2019

Ep. 23 - Try Three Times

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! I like the word "Try." I think it has gotten a bad wrap over the years. But if you are talking about genuine effort to achieve something, whether you succeed or fail, the diligence to try is noble and God sees that! But sometimes we try things, good things, one time and then give up on them. In this episode we look at the psychology behind effort, and discuss why it will take at least three tries to properly access the value of something. We don't mean it will become a habit that quickly. We mean you'll have a clearer and

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Podcast Apr 8, 2019

Fear. Plain Talk. Improving. Modern board games.

Register your feedback here. Always good to hear from you! I've been preaching... about how living in fear can make you fearless. I've been reading... Plain Talk, and learning how to be a mentor. I've been hearing... preachers are using new techniques to improve. I've been playing... games that don't depend entirely on luck. Check out Hal on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/@halhammons9705 Hal Hammons serves as preacher and shepherd for the Lakewoods Drive church of Christ in Georgetown, Texas. He is the host of the Citizen of Heaven podcast. You are encouraged to seek him and the Lakewoods

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Podcast Apr 5, 2019

Episode 9 - "The Pull of Double Chocolate Chip"

What is the value of weakness? What’s the problem with the term self-control? And why do we all occasionally find ourselves holding a tub of ice cream when we should probably have skipped dessert? This week we begin a series on the fruit of the Spirit and review all our challenges so far. We also talk about what Jesus Said to Paul in 2 Corinthians 12:7-9. Weekly Challenge: Review your yearly and quarterly goals. Show Notes Jesus Said … 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 Getting Things Done (BOOK)

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Podcast Apr 4, 2019

Ep. 22 - Zipping the Jacket

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! Just about everyone knows how to zip a jacket. You put the pieces together at the bottom, get it started rightly, and it glides from there. If you rush it or force it, the jacket will not come together. In repairing damaged relationships, we sometimes try to rush it or force it. We sometimes try to fix it all in one moment. But if you know how to zip a jacket, you know how to fix relationships. To learn about the connection, and see the simple little step that makes all the difference, check out episode 22: Zipping the Ja

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Podcast Apr 1, 2019

Ep. 21 - Affirmations are Cool

Reach Out: Please include your email and I will get back to you. Thanks! I used to think that affirmations were not cool! I mean, what good is it sitting in front of a mirror saying nice things about yourself? Well, I've got news for you: affirmations are very cool. At least, when understand through our connection with Jesus Christ. We can believe in Jesus to the fullest. But if we do not also believe in ourselves, and the strength we have because of Him, problems and failure will persist. But with affirmation comes healthy and powerful confidence, and through this God is greatly honored! To l

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Podcast Mar 29, 2019

Episode 8 - "Break The Record"