Gospel Spice | Awaken Delight in God through faith in Jesus Christ

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

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Living in freedom | the counter-cultural life Jesus offers you Feb 09, 2024

Show notes

So good to be with you again today! Stephanie here. Let’s join Jesus and His disciples on a certain mountainside to experience the greatest sermon ever taught. We'll uncover the true meaning behind the beatitudes, the Lord's prayer, the golden rule, and so much more. Get ready to listen to Jesus and allow Him to challenge and inspire you as we discover what it truly means to be a follower of Christ! So grab your Bible, open your heart, and let's dig deep into the transformative message of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus's words in this sermon challenge traditional beliefs and shed light on the true nature of the Gospel. Together, we will break down the key themes and highlights the contrasts between Jesus' teachings and those of the Pharisees.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of not just following the letter of the law, but living by its spirit. He calls his disciples (and us!) to a higher standard of righteousness — one that surpasses even that of the religious leaders of the day. Through Jesus, eternal life and salvation are offered to all who believe and accept him as their Savior.

The Sermon on the Mount is absolutely not a roadmap to salvation. It serves as a guide for how we should live as followers of Christ. We will meticulously explore each section of the sermon, from the Beatitudes to the Lord's Prayer and the Golden Rule. Let’s ask ourselves: how do these teachings challenge us to seek God's kingdom first, love our enemies, and go the extra mile in our relationships and interactions with others?

In His sermon, Jesus also tackles the topic of persecution and rejection that believers may face. He highlights the immense blessings that come to those who remain steadfast and true to the Father through Christ, even in the face of opposition. He reminds us that the Sermon on the Mount cannot be fully lived without a complete surrender to Him and a reliance on His grace.

Join us as we unpack the profound and life-changing words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. And don't forget to share it with your family, friends, and fellow believers who are seeking a deeper understanding of the Gospel.

Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice community. Together, let us continue to seek God's truth, grow in faith, and boldly live out the teachings of Jesus.

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast.

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us.

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4- and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Wisely redeem broken friendships | with Elizabeth Laing Thompson Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

We are in February. And February, in the United States in particular, has to do with Valentine's Day and romantic relationships in specifically, but more in general, relationships and friendships. And so I have an interesting conversation with Elizabeth Laing Thompson about her new book, “When a Friendship Falls Apart.” I absolutely fell in love with her! It's a thick volume, especially by modern day standards where it seems like, publishing houses give us shorter and shorter books. This is not the case. Her book is a massive compilation of all the tips, all the advice, everything you need to know if you've ever been in a friendship that ended badly or that is going poorly or that has hurt you in any way, shape, or form. Through this book Elizabeth hopes to minister to those who are experiencing this often undiagnosed, unrecognized grief of friendship loss or friendship breakup, as she calls it. There are difficult emotions that accompany friendship hardship. So, she and I talk about important things, like:

- friendship breakups: coping with loss and pain;

- healing and forgiveness: overcoming bitterness;

- Biblical wisdom: applying Scripture to relationships;

- trust and vulnerability: rebuilding connections;

- grieving and mourning: processing friendship loss;

- finding beauty in brokenness: embracing imperfections;

- prayer and guidance: seeking God's direction.

Elizabeth acknowledges that the hardest part in navigating a friendship breakup is finding the right people to talk to about it. She acts as this one friend you need. She keeps you company. She points you to Gospel counsel as you navigate the loss of the friendship as it was. And then she offers wisdom for navigating future friendships after a loss because that's absolutely key. How do you even dare to open your heart again after it's been wounded?

She is grounded in Scripture. She points to God's views on forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing after hurt. And then she gives us the best practical tools for navigating those conversations. How do you initiate a reconciliation conversation? What words can you use that are going to be most productive without escalating potential conflict? She is blending personal story, biblical examples, faith filled wisdom. I love all of the many, many interactions with Scripture that she gives us.

She asks, how do we guard against the poison of bitterness so we can process the hurt and move forward? Elizabeth talks about when and how we can seek this reconciliation and what does look like. And this is anything but cliche. I promise you that. How do we know if the time has come to actually leave a friendship behind? How do we open up again and then trust our freshly wounded hearts to new friendships?

Friendship loss is this unique kind of grief. It's a private and confusing kind of grief. And as we struggle to digest the pain and we wonder, how could this happen? What do I do now? Elizabeth is here to help hurting hearts find healing, find lessons to learn from the past, and stay open to new friendships in the future. Again, it's so full of hope. Some of the key advice I will remember from the book are,

- Learn to navigate and overcome the pain and challenges of friendship breakups with grace and biblical wisdom.

- Cultivate trust in relationships, acknowledging that past hurts can affect future connections but not define them.

- 10. Find joy and hold onto positive memories even when some friendships can't be repaired, allowing healing to take place.

- Protect your heart in extreme friendship scenarios by seeking comfort in prayer and scripture.

- Give oneself permission to grieve and process the loss of friendships

- Seek beauty in broken friendships and adopt a more open-minded and accepting approach to making connections despite past hurts.

- Bring fears and insecurities to God as a source of courage and guidance in seeking and fostering friendships.

- Let God guide and protect in the process of building trust and forming meaningful connections.

- Look ahead to the eternal promise of friendships in heaven, where unity and safety abound.

- Reflect Jesus in current friendships and strive for unity, echoing His prayer for oneness in John 17.

- Categorize friendships and address potential misunderstandings by applying practical tips and Scripture.

- Understand and appreciate the concept of mismatched expectations in friendships to prevent conflicts and foster understanding.

- Seek divine guidance, wisdom, courage, and the capacity to love and care for others within friendships through prayer.

- Engage in the process of repairing broken relationships with humility, grace, and a desire for beauty in brokenness.

- Root out bitterness and unforgiveness from friendships, replacing them with prayer and forgiveness to facilitate reconciliation.

- Embrace the healing power of forgiveness and prayer, remembering that holding onto bitterness only causes further harm.

- Find comfort in God as the perfect friend and reflect His love and forgiveness in all friendships.

- Treasure and honor the meaningful memories made within brokenness, seeing them as precious testaments to the resilience of relationships.

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The wilderness showdown Feb 02, 2024

Show notes

Struggling with temptation? Jesus shows off His identity and power in our wilderness. That's our theme today. Welcome!

Hello my friends! Stephanie here. It is so, so good to get ready to dive into another Bible lesson today. I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and for being a part of the Gospel Spice podcast family. Your enthusiasm and engagement mean the world to us! We have no small topic ahead of us! We are exploring the temptation of Jesus and how it relates to our own struggles with sin and temptation. Last week, we discussed the necessity of God's perfect justice and the problem his love presents. We discovered that there is no cutoff or grading system for entering heaven. Instead, God, in His love, came up with a solution through Jesus on the cross.

Today, we'll examine Matthew 4, where Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness. We'll see how Jesus, fully God and fully man, withstands the pressure and inspires us to true obedience and surrender. We'll also uncover the significance of the number 40 in Scripture and the parallels between Jesus' experience and Israel's wilderness journey.

Through Matthew's account, we will see how Satan cunningly approached Jesus, acknowledging him as the Son of God, but attempting to entice Jesus to use His powers for personal gain. Jesus, however, remained true to His heaven-born calling and responded with divine wisdom, quoting from the book of Deuteronomy to ward off Satan's attacks.

Matthew emphasizes Jesus' obedience to the commandments of the Deuteronomic covenant, highlighting that Jesus succeeded where Israel consistently failed. This passage serves as a reminder that no human can attain the perfection of God's standards. Yet, in facing temptation head-on, Jesus demonstrates His unmatched loyalty to God and establishes Himself as the only Savior.

I warmly encourage you to listen to the full episode, as we unpack the profound implications of Jesus' temptation and its relevance to our lives today. Whether you are currently facing your own season of weakness or seeking inspiration for true obedience, I pray that our time together today will provide valuable insights and practical application points.

As a podcast that strives to bring you thought-provoking content and deep dives into the Gospel, we want to invite you to join us on this transformative journey. Share this episode with your friends and family, engage in conversations around the significance of temptation and obedience, and continue to seek the truth that sets us free.

We here are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support and cannot wait to embark on new explorations of the Gospel with you. So, grab your Bible and let's jump right in to this intriguing passage. Welcome to Gospel Spice.

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

https://laneyrene.com/shop

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us.

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4- and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.

Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways:

1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too!

2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app;

and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Embrace brokenness & experience wholeness in Christ | with Laney Rene Jan 30, 2024

Show notes

Step into a journey of brokenness, healing, and hope with Laney Rene as she shares her powerful story with you and me this week! Laney beautifully articulates her struggles with questioning God's healing and how God redeemed her belief in it. Her story displays the profound ways in which God uses pain and suffering to exhibit His glory and grace.

She tells us about her transformative encounters with God and how she felt His presence redefining her identity and value through pivotal life moments. Her vulnerability encourages me to seek such transformative experiences with my precious King! She emphasizes the importance of shifting from a performance-centered life to a grace-centered one, encouraging us to find refuge in God and derive confidence from our relationship with Him.

Our conversation touches on the theme of finding wholeness and redemption amidst brokenness, mirrored by Laney's experiences of peace and joy even in the face of loss and pain. Laney expresses her heartfelt prayer for her daughter to inherit her lessons without enduring the same pain. The power of a mother's prayer is truly inspiring! We talk about fatherhood, earthly relationships, and the beauty of finding redemption and healing despite challenging circumstances. Laney's story exemplifies the resilience and hope captured in 2nd Corinthians 4:8—being hard-pressed but not crushed. It's a testament to the enduring power of faith and the unwavering love of God.

Here are some of my personal takeaways from this conversation; they focus on Laney’s message about the importance of hope, community, prayer, personal transformation, and seeking intimacy with God as foundational principles for living a purposeful and grace-filled life. I am sharing as many as I could think of, hoping a couple of them will really speak to you!

- Believe in hope even in moments of perplexity and lack of understanding.

- Embrace the truth that God can redeem and restore belief in healing, even in the face of doubt and questioning.

- Recognize that God uses our pain and suffering to display His glory and extends grace based on our needs.

- Find strength and wisdom in the community of believers, learning from each other's journeys and experiences.

- Extend blessings and prayers of grace over relationships, seeking God's love and healing for others.

- Embrace personal life experiences, as they can be transformative and lead to encounters with God's presence and grace.

- Look for moments where God redefines identity and value, recognizing the transforming power of His love.

- Emphasize internal transformation by seeking God's presence, despite outward appearances or circumstances.

- Share prayers of love and healing for women in different seasons of life, asking for peace, health, and the understanding of being God's beloved daughters.

- Seek to understand and share personal stories, acknowledging that everyone has a unique relationship with their earthly father.

- Recognize that God can redeem and heal any story, regardless of the influence of our earthly fathers.

- Embrace the journey of shifting from a performance-focused mindset to a grace-filled lifestyle, letting go of perfectionism and striving.

- Find refuge and confidence in a relationship with God rather than in following specific steps or formulas.

- Embrace the posture of a child seeking intimacy with God, recognizing the pure trust and love in being His child.

CONNECT WITH LANEY RENE

Laney is a wife, mom, and founder of The One He Loves, a ministry which exists so every woman can be refreshed, encouraged, and reminded of Jesus’ loving-kindness toward them. Laney is known for sharing the goodness of Jesus in a way that is not just inviting but also captivating. After walking through a painful season and into a redemption story only Jesus could come up with, Laney couldn’t keep the good news to herself. Today, as a worship artist, author, and speaker, Laney continues to find creative ways to share the heart of Jesus with everyone she can!

https://laneyrene.com/

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK

From the book: “The truth is, though you may not feel like it now, you’re in a beautiful place. Whether it’s for the first time or whether it’s for the hundredth time, it’s never a bad idea to ask your Father, to ask Jesus, to remind you who you are.”

Drawing from relevant scripture and not shying away from the hard questions—or pretending she has all the answers— Laney shares the experiences that have shaped her into who she is today.

“My hope for you — no matter what stage or season of life you’re in, no matter your upbringing or background — is that the words in this book would refresh your soul.” – Laney

This book provides a picture of the Father’s faithfulness and deep love for every Daughter. It is an invitation to receive a God-given identity, to walk in the inheritance of who you already are.

NEW TO GOSPEL SPICE? YOU ARE WELCOME HERE!

Check out our free resources, and more, at https://www.gospelspice.com/start

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Rethinking the standard of being "good enough" Jan 26, 2024

Show notes

Bonjour! Stephanie here. I invite you to join me today on a nostalgic trip to my grandmother's attic, where the scent of dried lavender transported me to the enchanting landscapes of the south of France. But as we explore the allure of lavender, we discover that sometimes its promises can be misleading. Just like the pursuit of independence, when detached from God, can leave us empty-handed.

Drawing from personal experiences and family history, I invite you to discuss the inherited traits and tendencies that shape our lives. What have we received from our ancestors, and what are we passing down to future generations? Let’s explore the dangers of trying to measure up to a standard of goodness and the toxic effects of pride and shame. Our modern culture, saturated with self-centered ideologies, contrasts sharply with the biblical perspective on sin and righteousness. Through the lens of the Old Testament, we discover the importance of aligning ourselves with God's ways rather than seeking our own.

I want us to highlight Jesus' interpretation of the 10 commandments, because He reminds us that we have all fallen short and broken each one. Temptation, like the scent of lavender, surrounds us, and our natural inclination to believe we can be good enough on our own is a consequence of sin passed down through generations.

Our 21st-century Western culture tends to be self-centered and narcissistic, but the Bible paints a different picture. It emphasizes that God's standards are what truly matter, regardless of our feelings of success or failure. Murder and anger, adultery and white lies, all bear the poison that separates us from God. The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden reveals the danger of seeking independence from God. By desiring their own way, they ingested the forbidden fruit, causing separation from the goodness and trustworthiness of God. Choosing our own way over God's leads us down a path of evil, twistedness, and untrustworthiness.

So, if you're curious how misapplied lavender relates to our pursuit of independence from God, join me on this highly personal journey. Let's open the family album of the Old Testament together and uncover the truth about sin, good deeds, and the hope offered by the Gospel message.

Remember, temptation is often laced with lavender, enticing us to believe that we can rule our lives better than God can. But in truth, true hope, peace, and fulfillment can only be found in surrendering to His ways.

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us.

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4- and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

- an episode summary

- a listening guide

- key takeaways from the episode

- key quotes

- Bible verses to enhance your experience

- up to 10 questions per episode to take charge of your quiet time

- topics for further research, based on the episode content.

There are 3 workbooks, each containing over 10 episodes to cover the entire series. You can buy them separately, or as a bundle for an amazing price!

Go now to https://www.gospelspice.com/jesus for the details and to purchase your Jesus Rabbi and Lord workbooks!

Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways:

1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too!

2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app;

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Rhythms of authentic worship | with Joshua Aaron Jan 23, 2024

Show notes

I am beyond thrilled to welcome special guest Joshua Aaron who invites us on a journey through the heart of worship, deep family stories, and living out faith in the midst of conflict. Joshua emphasizes the need to slow down and truly focus on worshipping God in Spirit and truth.

From heart-wrenching family stories to personal faith journeys, Joshua Aaron shares his rich family history, including his grandmother's escape from the Holocaust, and her struggle with Christianity when her own daughter, Joshua’ mother, decided to trust Yeshua. It's a deeply touching and thought-provoking moment.

Joshua Aaron's deep passion for worship is truly inspiring. He is passionate to share the love of God through music, and his dedication to Gather the Nations, a worship conference aiming to unite people from various backgrounds and cultures. He's a true ambassador of love and unity in Yeshua!

Joshua Aaron began by emphasizing the necessity of slowing down the pace of worship and focusing on the primary goal of worshipping God in spirit and truth. He expressed his concerns about the overwhelming emphasis on new songs and the commercialization of worship, fearing that it might lead to a loss of focus on the true purpose of worship. This thought-provoking insight invites us to reevaluate our approach to worship and emphasizes the importance of centering our worship on God's essence.

The conversation pivoted to the mix of old and new songs in worship, highlighting the importance of connecting the past and present in worship. Joshua shared a personal experience of being deeply moved by an old hymn and questioned the unremitting need for the constant production of new songs. It's a poignant reminder of the timeless beauty and depth of traditional hymns, and the need to integrate them with contemporary expressions of worship. Should we be seeking again the depth and understanding from the hymns of old? He shares concern about the industry of worship and the rush for new songs, questioning whether it takes away from the true purpose of worship. Can you relate? Have you ever felt that some worship songs are just missing the mark? Joshua expresses the value of seeking God in Scripture and worship, and cautions against self-centered worship songs. I agree with him on his personal preference for the mix of old and new songs in worship, stressing the importance of connecting past and present in our worship.

Finally, Joshua invited us to enter the emotional strain of living in a conflict zone, recounting the challenges faced by his family in Israel. The personal anecdotes of his daughter serving in the IDF and his poignant recollection of an intense moment before a war broke out offer a glimpse into the emotional turmoil experienced by families living in areas of conflict. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and faith required to navigate such challenging circumstances, and the crucial support for families and individuals living amidst conflict. Our prayers go out to Israel and the people of Gaza in this conflict.

The conversation wraps up with heartfelt prayers for Joshua Aaron's family and a moving moment where he blesses the audience. His touching presence and dedication to serving God are truly awe-inspiring.

Profound, worshipful, heartwarming, and deeply thought-provoking. That’s how I would describe this conversation. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have!

MEET JOSHUA AARON

Joshua Aaron is an award-winning American-Israeli independent singer and songwriter recently listed as one of the Jewish Global 100 influencers. He resides near the Sea of Galilee with his wife Jeannie, and their 5 children, their eldest child now serving in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

Joshua is the founder of "Gather the Nations", an international non-profit hosting an annual conference, music outreach, and music mentorship program. Since 2009 he's hosted an annual Worship in Israel tour, bringing cohorts of believers on an unforgettable journey to the Holy Land, from Jerusalem to his backyard, the Galilee.

His music, sung in English and Hebrew, blends a wide array of sounds including traditional Jewish genres reaching millions of listeners of all nations, and languages.

https://www.joshuaaaron.tv/

The Blessing in Hebrew by Joshua Aaron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzqrWae5lK4

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

The power of water for new life in Christ Jan 19, 2024

Show notes

Bonjour! Stephanie here. I really hope this new episode finds you well and nourished with the Spirit of the Gospel. I am honored and delighted to bring you a new episode of the Gospel Spice podcast, diving deeper into the topic of baptism.

In our previous episode, we uncovered the deeper meaning of baptism and explored its significance in the life of Jesus. This week, we continue our journey of discovery and unpack the rich symbolism and connections surrounding baptism. We pick up where we left off with the baptism of Jesus, and dive into the Trinity's presence and the symbolism of the dove as the Holy Spirit. But the connections don't stop there! The prophet Jonah comes into the picture to give us profound parallels between Jonah's encounter with water and Jesus' baptism.

As we delve into Matthew 12, we remember how Jesus refers to Jonah as the ultimate sign, connecting His impending death and resurrection to that of Jonah's three days in the belly of the fish. I invite you to take a fresh look at the significance of this connection and how it points to the central message of God's grace and salvation offered to all through Jesus Christ.

Remember, the Gospel Spice podcast is all about digging deeper into the mysteries of the gospel and applying its truths to our everyday lives. So, join us on this journey of faith as we uncover the treasures hidden within the Scriptures.

If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, feel free to reach out. We love hearing from our listeners and tailoring our content to meet your needs! Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice community. May the love and grace of the Gospel continue to spice up your life!

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We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with. Here are a few suggestions:

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Malachi: Messenger to Messiah

Wisdom from the Book of Proverbs

Come to the Table | The Feasts Jesus celebrated