The Living Waters Podcast

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Ep. 143 - Lessons From the Life of Moses Mar 16, 2023

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In this episode, the guys discuss Moses and his story. Moses is known as a pillar of faith. He was born in a time when Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, was out to destroy the children of Israel, so Moses’ mother hid him for 3 months. They placed him in a basket in a river where Pharaoh's daughter found him and brought him up as her own. Moses grew up with the Egyptians as the son of Pharaoh. When he later finds himself in Midian after killing a man, Moses helps some girls being harassed by shepherds, and then eventually marries one of the women.

Next, they discuss the burning bush and how Moses took his shoes off because he was on holy ground. The flames did not consume the bush. Likewise, Moses was able to stand in the presence of the God who is a consuming fire but doesn’t get consumed himself. This moment is the turning point for an incredible change in Moses. We see Moses transform from a prideful, arrogant man who tries to take control and power in Egypt, to a humble man who knows he has no power without God. However, Moses pushed back with God by giving excuses for why he could not save his people. Exodus 4:10-13 states, “Moses said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ But Moses said, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.’” God’s angered burned toward Moses because of his response, and He could’ve evaporated Moses but chose not to. The challenges and doubts that Moses faced in life are an example for us. Every trial we face pushes us to the cross and causes us to remember that it’s not about us, but about God. Witnesses also don’t need to be eloquent; we just need to repeat what we’ve seen and heard.

The plagues start in Egypt when Pharaoh does not let his people go. These plagues include water changing to blood, frogs, flies, hail, and then finally, the killing of every first-born son. Usually, it takes the removal of our most prized possession to bring us to our knees. Pharaoh also could’ve killed Moses, but this shows God’s hand of protection over Moses. It’s a beautiful reminder that when God’s hand is upon you, you don’t need to fear. He will do what He needs to do to use you for His glory. They also talk about how the plagues are the Egyptians’ ramification of idolatry.

Once Pharaoh finally lets the people go, he changes his mind and chases after them. Then, God shows His glory when He parts the Red Sea and delivers His people, while Pharaoh and his men get swallowed up by the sea. This displays the faithfulness of God in contrast to a faithless people. It is also a key moment in the story which represents baptism, a new change and covenant with God. Next, Moses writes the 10 Commandments according to the Lord. This written law is deeply relational and teaches the people about the character of God. Moses does not make it into the Promised Land himself but is able to see it in the distance. They also discuss Moses’ interceding between God and the people, and making atonement for them over and over again. God builds these people into a nation, and does so in part through Moses.

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Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

Ep. 142 - Lessons from the Life of Joseph Mar 14, 2023

Show notes

In today's episode, the guys discuss the lessons to be learned from the life of Joseph, one of the most influential characters of the Old Testament. We are reminded that God intended for us to learn lessons from these stories and give us hope through His Word. In Genesis 37:3, we are told that Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age. This offended Joseph’s brothers and the rainbow tunic Jacob made for him only made his brothers resent him even more. The guys discuss the role of favoritism in families and the many responsibilities and expectations which tend to fall on the sons. The hatred of Joseph’s brothers took them so far as throwing him in a pit and nearly killing him for revenge. Jealousy of man, they reveal, is complete insanity. It is important to distinguish the jealousy of man vs. the jealousy of God. When God is jealous on our behalf, it is for our good and protection. The root of man’s jealousy is selfishness and the inability to rejoice for others. This is often birthed out of being discontented in who God has made us and what He has allotted for our lives.

Joseph’s story is not dissimilar to the story of Adam in the garden. As Adam was given stewardship over the garden and everything in it but one tree, Joseph was given stewardship over the entirety of Potter's property except for his wife. Though Adam was tempted and fell, Joseph resisted the temptation. Through Joseph’s faithfulness, God provided a way of saving the land from famine. The story of the Bible is not a collection of individual stories, but rather one sovereign story of God sovereignly saving a people for His glory. Genesis 50:20-21 and Genesis 45:5 are the two verses which help us fully understand the story of Joseph. These verses show Joseph’s belief that God was intimately involved in everything that happened to him. He understood that he had no right to vengeance because he was not God.

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Ep. 141 - Lessons from the Life of Abraham Mar 09, 2023

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In this episode, the guys discuss the father of God’s chosen people, Abraham, and his faith in God. He fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob, which led to Jesus and the disciples. We cannot understand the New Testament without understanding Abraham. Jesus offered freedom to the Jewish people, but they claimed they were already free because they were the sons and daughters of Abraham. What they did not realize is that Jesus was there to fulfill not the covenant of Abraham, but God’s covenant with his people through Jesus’ sacrifice.

First, the guys discuss Abraham’s story. He came from a pagan background and had no idea where he was going when God told him to leave his father’s house, but he answered the call of God. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him to leave his home, 86 when he fathered Ishmael, 99 when he was circumcised, and then 100 when Isaac was born. His life shows us that God’s timetable is not our timetable. It is so easy for us to get worked up and to not understand why God didn't answer our prayer. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, “He has made everything beautiful in its time.” God will bring about His promises, but it may not be in our timing.

Abraham’s name was first “Abram” meaning “high father,” then he went to “Abraham” meaning “father of a multitude.” After years of waiting and then finally receiving the promised son Isaac, God asks Abraham to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice. As heir, the first-born son was very important in the family. They were usually viewed as a prized possession and would carry on the legacy and provide for the family. God calls him to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice to challenge the potential idolatry in his heart. Abraham goes up the mountain with no other sacrifice except his son, and then God stops Abraham from killing Isaac. Abraham was strong in his faith and his faith brought glory to God. The guys use the metaphor of marriage to explain this. When Ray talks about his wife and how he completely believes in her faithfulness, others know of her integrity. If he proclaimed the opposite of her, it would be an immediate insult to her integrity if he didn’t trust her. The same is true with God. When we have faith in God and talk about his faithfulness, it proclaims His goodness and character to others. It’s also important to note that Abraham did not have blind faith, but his faith was built on substance. In those days, as part of forming a covenant with someone, animal carcasses would be cut and lined up. Then, you would walk between the lines of carcasses, which would represent what would happen to you if you broke the covenant. The servant passes through the carcasses by themselves, or the servant and master walk through together–the master never goes through by themselves but that’s exactly what we see God do here. We’ve only seen a man go into a “deep sleep” twice in the Bible. Once when Adam sleeps and wakes into the covenant of marriage, and then the second time when Abraham falls into a deep sleep and enters into a marriage-like covenant with God. God is saying through this that He will take on the consequences of the broken covenant, and we see this later when Jesus becomes the carcass broken in two and is sacrificed on the cross.

Even when he was told to kill his son, Abraham remained faithful to the Lord. This shows that anyone can exercise faith in God. You don't need to know everything that someone is doing to have faith in them. There is a relational element of faith in believing God is who He says He is, as well as what you have seen yourself. This act of sacrifice with Isaac shows us that there’s nothing we should hold onto above God. We need to place our idolization on the giver, not on the gift. However, Abraham still made some mistakes. Abraham was promised by God that he would have a multitude of descendants, but his wife, Sarah, was barren. He tried to fulfill the promise himself by having a baby with Hagar,

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Ep. 140 - Lessons from the Life of Noah Mar 07, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys kick off their mini-series of character studies by discussing the life of Noah. Before diving into today’s character study, we are reminded that God has given us these stories through His Word so that we may find hope and comfort in them. Noah was the first-born son of Lamech, who represents the 10th generation of man on the earth. At age 480, God commanded Noah to build an ark. As we look through the Scriptures, it becomes apparent that God sovereignly chooses who He chooses despite who they are. Noah had the grace of God which he did not personally deserve, merit, or earn. However, amid the mocking of his people, Noah responded to God’s command and followed through. He leveraged his entire life on an unforeseen promise of God that the flood was going to come.

In the story of Noah comes the lesson that we too need to be quick to respond when God speaks. Because God’s law is the byproduct of His nature, the law of God has been written on man’s heart as we are all made in His image. Noah is a foreshadow of what is to come. We are to proclaim the righteousness of Christ and herald His name as far as we can for people to get right. Eventually, a day of reckoning will come. In fact, all the characters we will be discussing in this series are a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, Noah faithfully responds to God’s call in the face of persecution and builds a ship out of wood and nails to be rescued from judgment. Ultimately, Jesus was the better Noah because Noah was, at the end of his life, found drunk and naked and cursing his own son without offering forgiveness. Jesus was stripped naked, drank from the cursed cup, and prayed for our forgiveness so that we too may be sons of God. We are reminded that we should all move throughout our lives in Godly fear, recognizing just how close we are to standing in front of the Lord and giving account for our lives. In a world which is growing darker, Christians have the ability to extort the text to get people to respond in faith to the righteous call of God until Christ eventually comes back to reign. To those who God may use them mightily, the guys offer closing advice. We continually will have war and struggle, yet God will continually be faithful even when we are faithless in order to complete His mission.

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Ep. 139 - How to Deal with Unwanted Thoughts Mar 02, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys discuss how to deal with unwanted thoughts. Thoughts are silent, invisible voices in our heads that hold great power, and are often a window into what's going on in our heart. If you’re not meditating on truth through God’s word, you’re going to believe that lies are true. In the Bible, Philippians 4:8 states, “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” Our thoughts give birth to either things of the Lord or sin. When sin begins in our mind, we need to attack it and then reorient our thoughts to the Lord. Colossians 3:2 states, “Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.” We need to set our mind on things above because every action starts with a thought.
What about the struggle with unwanted thoughts that pop into our heads? If we struggle with gambling, we avoid going to the casino. But these unwanted thoughts fly into our heads without warning. For these, we need to remember our thoughts are not just coming from ourselves, but also come from the enemy. There is a spiritual war going on right now over your mind. When these thoughts pop up, we need to not dwell on them but let them leave our head just as quickly as they came in. The issue is when we determine not to let them go. We fight these thoughts and spiritual warfare by attacking them with scripture. When we fill our mind with God’s word, we can march forward on our knees and defeat the enemy.
The change in our thought life starts with an investment in knowing God’s word, which comes from meditating on scripture day and night. It is vital that we fear the Lord, because if you don’t fear God, then you won't cast those sins or thoughts out. Temptation will be part of our lives for the rest of our time on Earth, but we need to detox our mind and stop going back to the catalysts that trigger these sinful thoughts. Your thoughts are not really unwanted if you’re consuming or looking at things that cause those thoughts to pop up in your mind. These thoughts will continue to torment you unless you change what you are consuming. The average person consumes 6,000 to 10,000 ads a day by their own choice. You can choose what you look at. If you are unsatisfied with your thoughts, is it possible that you've been starving yourself of the word of the Lord? Do not be self-deceived but know that the cause of our unwanted thoughts is likely due to ourselves. However, God can cleanse our minds and give us new thoughts if we ruminate on His word, attack these thoughts with scripture and choose what we consume each day.

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Ep. 138 - How to Stop Being Men-Pleasers Feb 28, 2023

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It is natural to want to be friends with and seek approval from our peers, but how far is too far? In today's episode, the guys discuss how to stop being “men-pleasers.” The Bible shows us that there are two fears: the fear of men and the fear of God. If you live your entire life trying to please others, it’s like continually trying to hit a moving target. People's expectations are always fleeting, and this will be a never-ending battle that will leave you exhausted and empty. Men are wicked and sinful, and our love for heroes is fragile. We see this reflected in the suicide rates of celebrities, who are so accustomed to pleasing men that when the favor of fans falls apart, they lose their identity and worth. It is impossible to please both man and God. Galatians 1:10 states, “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.” If we are trying to please men, we can’t please God. All the satisfaction that you need has been placed on the cross. God knows, loves, and accepts you because He made you, and all the approval you need is from Him.

Next, the guys discuss a hypothetical situation where something could be pleasing to both men and God. In these cases, we should examine our motive. Pleasing the Lord should be the heartbeat of everything we do. Desiring the approval of men is also a form of worship, because worship is anything that we prioritize above God. Out of a desire to “fit in,” we become imitators of those around us, which exposes us to the danger of an identity crisis. If we try to be like other people in this fallen world, we become like a fallen creature ourselves, where pleasing people prevents us from accomplishing God’s purpose for our life. We must choose to be who God made us to be, so we can glorify Him and share the gospel with others.

If the apostles in the Bible tried to please men instead of God, then they would not have been martyred for their faith. The guys discuss John F. Kennedy and John Lennon who were worshiped by the world. But when they lost their lives, the big question isn’t how handsome or rich or famous they were, but were their sins forgiven? People-pleasing may be seen as a “respectable sin,” but it is still a sin that creeps up secretly, unannounced and unnoticed. To keep this sin in check, we must be proactive in overcoming it. The guys suggest praying preventative prayers multiple times a day, studying and memorizing scripture, and reading books. If you don't act to change something, then that's evidence that you don't really want to overcome it. When we recognize our weakness, it drives us to God. We are not to serve ourselves or our culture—we are commanded to keep the Kingdom of God in the forefront of our minds and examine ourselves if we are to be true and faithful servants to the Lord.

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Ep. 137 - How to Cultivate Healthy Friendship, Fellowship, and Accountability Feb 23, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys discuss how to cultivate healthy fellowship, friendship, and accountability. Many of us, when we come to Christ, believe that all our non-believer friends won’t stick with us. This is part of the price of discipleship. There is, however, something steeped in a gospel community which non-believer friendships can never recreate. In a world where people are constantly trying to create community in every realm, most people are so starved of the sanctifying processes of lifelong friendships centered around the gospel.

If you want friends, you first have to be friendly and reach out to others yourself. We are reminded that Jesus referred to his disciples as his friends, even Judas. Friendship includes a closeness in which two people are intimate and open with each other. True discipleship, historically, consists of spending time on a regular, continual basis with someone who is older and wiser than yourself. Sometimes, people’s experience at church can morph into a facade. However, individuals are encouraged to gain understanding of the true value of fellowship and seek it out on their own. This enables them to move out of facade and into authentic behavior, which in turn helps to cultivate authentic relationships. We should keep in mind that there are things which God wants for our lives, even if we don’t think we want them. It all comes down to being—or becoming—the kind of person that will cause people to gravitate towards you.

There is a difference between godly friendships and friendships with non-believers for the sake of the gospel. Love wants to meet the greatest needs, and the greatest need for anyone unsaved is the gospel. We must make ourselves available during regular day-to-day interactions with our non-Christian acquaintances and neighbors, or they will likely never know that our door is always open when they are in need. A hallmark of fellowship is the willingness to live your lives side-by-side in good times and bad. Finally, we are reminded that true Christian fellowship includes openness and accountability on both sides.

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Ep. 136 - How to Avoid Satan’s Biggest Traps Feb 21, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys discuss Satan tactics and traps for us as Christians. In order to defeat your enemy, you must know who your enemy is, and one of the biggest tactics of the devil is to make us forget that he is the enemy. The devil desires to be like God, and since he can’t be he will imitate anything that God does. Therefore, things that Satan is associated with are made to seem good. For example, have you ever started to read the Bible or pray, but then you get distracted by your phone? Satan is at work to distract you with anything else so that you won’t seek righteousness. He lures you with desires that pull you away from the glory of God. This is illustrated in C.S. Lewis’ book, “Screwtape Letters,” which illustrates the devil’s demons and how they are called to distract and dismantle Christians in any way possible.

2 Corinthians 2:11 states, “Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.” Satan has schemes, methods, and devices to make us fail, but we are not to give him a foothold. Being aware of his schemes makes it easier to resist the devil so he flees from us. One of his traps is luring us away from the simplicity that is found in Christ. Simplicity is found in the gospel, but the devil has been studying man for thousands of years and knows what will trip you up. Charles Taylor points out that man was created to worship, and the devil wants us to shift our worship of God to other lowercase gods including our nation, family, politics, sex, or sexuality. These powers of the age lure us into thinking that the things of this world are the answer when the only answer to our fallen world is the gospel.

Next, the guys discuss the second trap of the devil, which is trying to look spiritual or godly. Our world and culture have this mindset that “It’s all about me.” But when you become a Christian, you are to give up all your rights and make your life about Jesus and others. We all have gardens in our hearts where we need to pull out the weeds and plant flowers of righteousness in their place. For example, if you have the weed of pride, you can plant the flower of humility. Planting the opposite flower will help you get rid of those weeds, and this is made possible by having God’s love in your heart. We focus so much on assuming a defensive posture, but when we go on the offensive instead and do righteousness, that will make the devil flee. When we are walking in the Spirit and on guard, we will more easily recognize his schemes.

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Ep. 135 - Can Christians Use Self-Defense? Feb 16, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys discuss whether Christians should engage in self-defense. We read in Matthew 5:38-39, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’ But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.” Jesus was speaking to the issue of retribution when He said this. According to the Old Testament law, this was considered equal retribution. He was not being literal in this verse—he was talking about the principle. This “slap” could also be referred to as an insult and not a physical act. We need to be careful in thinking that the most loving thing we can do is to turn the other cheek. We must have wisdom and ask God for guidance in all situations, especially regarding insults or harm from other people.

When considering violence, we can look towards Jesus’ teaching and His reaction to persecution as examples. Christ rebuked Peter when he cut off the ear of a high priest because Peter was interfering with God’s ordained plan, and instead taught his disciples to be nonviolent in the face of persecution. The guys discuss Augustine’s theory of a “just war” and the concept that war can be waged for the protection of others. Modern-day pacifism calls for individuals to lay down and let others walk all over them, but the scriptures call us to carefully consider the image-bearing qualities of one another as well as ourselves in order to correctly measure our response to others. As Christians, we are not expected to be passive or unresponsive when someone is trying to insult or hurt us or our family. It is our responsibility to care for the needs of our family and ourselves, and to help those who have a need or are in a weakened position. Psalm 82:3 states, “Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.” We need to cautiously consider every situation and exercise discretion, since not all situations are the same.

Lastly, the guys share some practical advice. First, you should not put yourself in dangerous or tempting situations. If you are ever questioned by the police, you should never answer questions unless there is a lawyer present—even if you are innocent. When driving, just get into the slow lane and let other vehicles go by. We must use discretion in the context of persecution and seek the Lord on how to conduct ourselves.

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Ep. 134 - Do Christians Really Have to Tithe? Feb 14, 2023

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In today's episode, the guys discuss tithing. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that Christian churches are money-hungry and selfish, but is it really true? We are commanded to tithe in Scripture, but for what purpose, and is it still required today? The guys share a story about a pastor who decided to stop passing around an offering plate because he saw that the majority of the congregation were giving either out of guilt or spontaneity. Then, they dive into the scriptural instructions for giving as Christians. This is a topic which is quite controversial within the church.

The first time we see tithing referenced in the Bible is in Genesis 14, when Moses tithes to Melchizedek. The American way of looking at money is very capitalistic and industrial. However, a Biblical way of viewing finances is that all the things we own belong to the Lord, and we are simply stewards of those things. The Lord gives us stewardship over His things, and we should rejoice in gratitude that He allows us to enjoy a portion of it. In the Old Testament, tithe was given to the priests for the upkeep of the chapel so that there were goods for offering, as well as charitable tithes every third year.

Many scholars would argue that tithing is no longer a requirement because it is a Mosaic Law. However, the New Testament calls us to give generously out of stewardship to the preaching of God’s word, the building up of God’s Kingdom, and to those in need. Our response for the love which God has shown us is to give back to Him without hesitation all that we have. God judges what we give by what we keep for ourselves. Giving is the best way to fully demonstrate our love for others, and God Himself loves the cheerful giver. The key is that our giving should reorient our hearts to the great Giver in Heaven. As the episode wraps up, they reiterate that there is not one set amount which believers are required to give. We are also reminded that the Biblical doctrine of generosity is completely antithetical to the customs of modern times. For anyone feeling shame around the fact that they have not been generous enough, you are urged to look towards God and understand that it was He who never held back a thing.

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