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Prioritizing Quality Time Feb 13, 2023

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I referenced Pat Geslinger's book, The Juggling Act. Here's a link. It's terrific.
If someone told you they were feeling distant from Christ, what would you tell them to do? That's not a particularly tough questions is it? We would tell them they need quality time with Jesus. They need to set aside time to read, to think and to pray. They need to talk about Him and discuss Him well with others. There are no shortcuts, but it also isn't some Mt. Everest event either. It is daily, intentional time invested in building love for the Lord and realizing His love for you.
Okay, what about the same question with regard to marriage? A couple comes to you and says they feel distant and strained. How would you recommend they work on that? The point of today's podcast is that the formula is the same! Daily, purposeful, optimistic time for sharing and making the other person feel important.
In both cases, we sometimes falter. We get busy or burdened or distracted. Cell phones tend to be a common culprit. So let's work through some of that today and start Prioritizing Quality Time.
- What is quality time?
- Why does it fade so often with the Lord when life gets busy?
- How was quality time a huge part of the early years with the Lord?
- How was quality time a huge part of the early years with your mate?
- Why does it fade so often with your mate when life gets busy?
- Are you ready to call in some help, toss the phone, and fall back in love again?

Evaluating Your Relationships Feb 06, 2023

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Help me do a solid for a friend and check out my friend Joseph's podcast:
Under Review Podcast (website)
Under Review Apple (for iPhone users)
Relationships live out the story of God's grace in the world around you. The way we treat others, any others, and all others, ought to be a direct extension of the way God has interacted with and loved you. This episode explores how universal that is suppose to be. Not just some relationships, but all of them. Because this isn't about who the other person is, this is about who God is to you.
The Scripture asks us to focus in on 3 unique relationship categories. In fact, beautiful letters on grace and faith ultimately point us to proving this through interactions. Here are some Bible passages for each category we referenced in the episode.
among the World:
Romans 12:17-21; 13:1-10
Ephesians 5:6-14; 6:5-9
Colossians 3:22-4:6
I Peter 2:11-25; 4:1-6
with Christians:
James 2:14-18
Romans 12:3-12; 14:10-12; 15:1-7
Ephesians 4:1-6, 11-16, 31-32; 5:15-21
Colossians 3:8-17
I Peter 2:4-10; 3:8-10; 4:7-10
in your Family:
Ephesians 5:1-2, 22-30; 6:1-4
Colossians 3:15-17, 18-21
I Peter 3:1-4, 7-12

Grace -> Faith -> Life Jan 30, 2023

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Up top, let me give you a link to Jacob Hudgin's book "The School of Christ"
This is it. This is the most important thing I have to share with you - maybe all year. Many of us have to reprogram our brains when it comes to the comparison of God's Grace with anything of myself: faith or works. His goodness is the beginning of all things and sustains all things. There is no scenario where my power, or your ability, is strong enough to hold us up. And God's grace is not the result of a great works effort. Too many believe this and it has cost people their faith. People give up because they think they are good enough. Well, they aren't good enough. But salvation isn't founded on our effort - it is, in every possible way, the outgrowth of God's grace!
When we get this sequence right everything changes. This sequence: from Grace to Faith to Life is God's plan for those who are not yet Christians. And it is the same plan for saving those who are. It sources everything in Him. And our lives become a reaction, a gratitude outcome, founded on His goodness. Will you explore this freeing and gracious journey with me?
- How would you compare the saving power of God's grace with your faith?
- How would you compare the saving power of God's grace with your works?
- Do you believe we start with our faith and works and then get God's help?
- Or maybe we start with good works, which leads to faith, then grace?
- Are you ready to give your mind to exploring His power to source great faith?

Your Physical Flashpoints Jan 23, 2023

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Let's keep digging in on this flashpoint idea. Firstly, let me share with you a little more about how emotional experiences of all types and spiritual experiences collide. There is a powerful sense in which the two, in the heart of a believer, are not separable. Finding God in all emotion and reaction and change - that is crucial to transformation.
Secondly, let's talk about your body and health. I don't want to give you a workout routine, but I don't want to explore why you feel like your body is worth the effort. What is the reason for losing weight? What is the purpose for having better health? Once again, none of this can exist with strength if it is not considered in the light of the Father. A physical flashpoint IS a spiritual flashpoint when approached rightly. This can mean tremendous heart and soul effects from even something simple like intermittent fasting. I'll share my story on that today.
- What is the relationship between emotional and spiritual flashpoint?
- What aspects of your life include God?
- How many areas of your life should be viewed with God in mind?
- How are physical eureka moments actually subsets of spiritual awakening?
- What are the benefits of placing God in the middle of your diet and health?

Your Spiritual Flashpoints Jan 16, 2023

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If you would like to read Stephen Arterburn's book "Flash Points" you can find it here. Note: As a caveat, I am not aware of his doctrinal views nor whole sale support all of the content. But it's got some powerful and encouraging ideas.
I hope to address different flash points in upcoming episodes. Things like Financial, Physical, Career and Lifestyle. There are many areas of life where a flame of desire is ignited within you. Something good. Something holy. Something God intends for you, for your good and others. How many of those things do we douse water on and continue our standard operation? Far too many.
What if we searched our souls for a flame? What if we weren't scared to see what can happen if we fanned it, prayed about it, and took on the risks included within it? There is simply no telling what might be possible if what is within you is allowed to do what it has the power to do. Especially if God placed it there for His glory!
- What would pursue from within you if you gave yourself permission?
- How has fear of failure or change kept you from your potential?
- What is a "FlashPoint" and how do you identify it?
- What if Moses would have let his fear keep him from freeing his people?
- How can deeper trust in God's presence help you fan flames in your soul?

Crying "LORD, Help!" Jan 09, 2023

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Today it is my pleasure to read Psalm 107 for you in the New Living Translation. (I'll explain why). Four times the text says "LORD, help!" - These represent four situations in life where people get discouraged. So often our hope and faith flourish in blessings, but when trials come, we falter. This can often prove that our joy is based more on ourselves and our circumstances, than the enduring goodness of God.
Let's investigate different trials you might face this year. Some of this may be raging in your life right. Crying for the help of the Lord, in full faith, is about accessing wisdom and glory and power infinitely greater than your own and stronger than all your problems. May we be a people of constant praise! May we tell the world - family, brethren and neighbor - that we cried to God and He answered with deliverance!
- Why is internal faith work so important to external life goals?
- What good is people, plans and a good attitude without trust in God?
- Do we cry "LORD, Help" in times of trial that are not our fault?
- Do we cry "LORD, Help" in times of trial that are absolutely our fault?
- What does God do with the storm, when we cry for His help amidst it?

Setting Your Attitude Jan 02, 2023

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Happy New Year! And welcome to season 5 of the ESM podcast!
Have you ever piloted an aircraft? It's quite a thrill. But properly using the instruments is crucial to success. By success I mean: landing the plane instead of crashing it! One of those instruments is called an Attitude Indicator. It shows you where you are relative to the horizon in front of you. Proper alignment is very important as those two things interact at the airport. If your attitude is poor, you can blame the earth, but you are the one who needs to make adjustments for your good and others.
When it comes to interacting with people, places and things, the way you preset your attitude will almost always tell the story. You and I might argue that others need to change - and that may be correct. But consider Jesus. He was right. We were wrong. But what did He do? He showed humility and adjusted His position to fit what we needed and what glorified God. Let's explore what that looks like in your life and mine.
- How should my attitude be like Jesus?
- What does it mean to adjust my approach to fit the situation?
- Why is "grumbling" and "disputing" a no-go in the life of a Christian?
- How important is it to adjust attitude BEFORE interactions begin?
- What do you do when a flock of birds fly in right before you land the plane?

Conversing about Grace Dec 26, 2022

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The topic of God's Grace is beautifully complicated. It is simply too great to fully understand while we live here in the limitations of the flesh. But giving up on understanding grace can lead to big mistakes. Maybe we believe God covers everything not matter how we live. That's not right. But neither is the other side of the spectrum, where we look at our lives as a series of works we must accomplish to eventually get the grace. This is equally as foolish.
David Osteen and I take different angles on the topic of grace, but we are in ultimate agreement in how it motivates us to live great and faithful lives. In this interview, you get to hear our independent answers to some straight forward questions about God's grace.
Kenny Embry hosts the Balancing the Christian Life podcast. If you enjoy this interview style, go check out his podcast. He has conducted some truly incredible interviews on needful topics.
- How would you explain grace without using "unmerited favor"?
- Why is grace such a controversial topic?
- How would you explain grace to your 12 year old kids?
- Why is a lack of grace just as dangerous as focusing on it too much?
- How is it liberating to know you are saved by God and His grace?

Building A Team Dec 19, 2022

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I hope you are excited for a productive and incredible 2023. This starts with a proper planning. And great planning includes evaluating the people in your life. Today's episode takes us back to one of our earliest episodes: "Your Inner Circle." We need to evaluate the people who are healthy to have close to you, because you are going to need them to build a team who can help you reach your goals.
We also want to go back a couple of years to the idea of "Building Your Ladders." There is a tried and true strategy for using the calendar year as a 12 step program for building a ladder and reaching a new level. Take full advantage of the January fresh start and prepare for that first rung!
Lastly, in this episode, let's get some really great ideas from Simon Sinek. He did an interview recently concerning how to build a great team. There has to be support when you falter. There has to be trust and people who throw you a party when you fail (in a great way). His instruction at the end will be important in setting up the kind of support that will make 2023 fail safe, so long as God allows!

Starting with Heart Dec 12, 2022

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"How do we raise faithful kids?" I have asked that many times and been asked that many times. We often answer with environmental factors. We need to raise them in a Christian home. We need to surround them with Christian people. We need to give them a daily serving of the Word of God. All of these are great. They are major factors, but they do not determine the salvation of yourself, nor your children.
There have been people with all of those aids who did not love God. And there have been people with none of those benefits who became humble servants of the King? Why is that? What is truly at play? To help with that, I want to tell you the story of king Josiah. He had a heart like David's heart and it made ALL the difference.
I hope this episode brings about better questions between parents and teens. I hope it helps you dig in with questions for yourself. Questions about what you believe, how you feel about God, and how must you know that God loves you. In a believing heart all things are possible. But without such a heart, no other factor will save us.
- Why is a spiritual environment so important in raising faithful kids?
- Why doesn't that always work? And why do people in the world come to Christ?
- How does the heart of a person and the choices of their heart factor in?
- Can you make someone have a tender heart? How can it be developed?
- What kind of an environment will you build if you have a tender heart for God?

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