The Living Waters Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 53 - The Second Coming of Christ Apr 19, 2022

Show notes

Today’s topic, the second coming of Christ, is an issue which has really served to divide Christians. Eschatology is the theology concerned with end times, and the second coming to Christ remains at the heart of it despite the many different views. Though there is much controversy surrounding the topic, there ought not to be because it is a debate held among Christians. Listeners are encouraged to explore these ideas gracefully, with the understanding that you will have brothers and sisters in Christ with differing views. While it’s easy to get caught up in the how and when of Christ’s return, we need not miss the fact that He undoubtedly will, and that is our great hope. This reality that Christ will come again should affect the way we view the world, the way we go on missions, how we treat people and our views on pain and suffering. We are living in the space between His first and second coming, a state referred to as “the already, but the not yet.” Matthew 16:27 tells us that Jesus will come again with His father and angels and will draw everyone’s attention to Himself. Listeners are encouraged to think about the things you would change in your own life if you knew that Jesus was coming tomorrow. Scripture tells us that we should be organizing, celebrating and preparing because the second coming is near.

We should walk in the fear of what’s to come for nonbelievers as Noah did while building the ark. Heaven started out on Earth, and God’s plan is to bring it back to earth. He promises to restore and renovate earth to become a heaven again. As Christians, we should see our responsibility as beginning God’s renovation process through our own good works. In the wake of the second coming, God warns us not to be idle. We must remember that God is never in a hurry and He is the only one who knows the exact time he will return. To a young believer, the guys offer advice on how to live in light of the second coming. We are commanded to build a family, master a trade and further occupy ourselves until He does come. Even when it feels like the world is smoldering, we should rejoice because God has won the ultimate war and He will soon come again.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!
Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.
Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.
You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!
Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

Ep. 52 - The Power of the Resurrection Apr 14, 2022

Show notes

Our topic today, the resurrection, is foundational to our faith and accounts for half of the gospel. We often hear the phrase “Jesus died for you”, but that is only a partial understanding of the gospel. The resurrection was a declaration of victory and the solidification of the Apostles’ faith. The resurrection solidified and affirmed that Jesus was really who he claimed to be. It also proclaimed the impact it has on our eternal souls, because his resurrection is now our own resurrection victory. The Scripture tells us that it is through the resurrection of Christ that we are born again. Ultimately, everything lies and rests upon this very act.

For critics, there is ample historical evidence that Jesus rose from the dead. The guards themselves reported what they had seen, but were quickly paid off to keep quiet. We often make our choices on what we believe based on facts, but God didn't create us to be fact-based creatures. We are lovers first and foremost. The guys debunk many of the most popular arguments denying the resurrection. Even though we can’t rely on facts for our salvation, for the resurrection, historical facts are significant that it actually happened.

Romans 8:11 says “But if the spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells within you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His spirit who dwells in you.” This verse reminds us that the resurrection is something Christians should reflect on and realize that the same power is within us. The promise of the resurrection is that we will one day experience the same kind of resurrection ourselves.

Christianity begins where all other religions end, at death and the resurrection. We celebrate the resurrection and our hope in the resurrected body. We have to remember that the resurrection was not some random event, but was prophesied and part of God’s eternal plan for the redemption of man. The cross should bring us to a place of humility and repentance, recognizing that it is our sins and the wrath we deserve which pins Him to the cross. The resurrection, however, brings us to a place of joy and hope. As the episode wraps up, the guys share a series of quotes from John MacArthur about the truth of resurrection.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Check out Ray’s new book, Why Would Anyone Follow Jesus?

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 51 - How to Handle Money Biblically Apr 12, 2022

Show notes

On today’s episode, the guys tackle the touchy topic of money. There are a lot of ways to view your money, but this episode outlines three. 1) Capitalist - my money is mine to handle how I see fit. 2) Socialist - my money is the state’s to be distributed how they see fit. 3) Biblical - my money is God’s for me to steward how he sees fit. Some Christians make it their god, while others, including pastor’s, refrain from the topic entirely. A Biblical view of money is looking at only using what you need and giving the rest to God’s will to be used where it’s needed

Your religion is not what you say you believe, it’s the way you act, behave, and spend here on the planet. What is in your possession doesn’t belong to you, rather to the Lord. Possessions can include money, but also talents and time, all things we should be good stewards of. The heart of those who have been given a lot of time, talents, or money from the Lord should move humbly and with gratitude that God blessed them with the treasures he’s given us. When we give, we should worship and do so sacrificially. There is never a “good time” to give, rather it’s a habit that should be cultivated at all times.

Worshiping God should be our default. Making money as an idol and worshiping is a cruel master. It is fickle and can be lost at any time, and those who put money first will never be content or satisfied. Instead, our investment should be into the Heavenly Kingdom. We can do that while working and making money by being a witness and stewarding that money and time well.

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more.

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 50 - Honoring our Parents at Every Stage of Life Apr 07, 2022

Show notes

Our call to honor our parents was so important to God that He even put it in the Ten Commandments. Generally speaking, there is a truism involved in which God blesses with longevity those who walk upright and honor their parents. We should honor our mother and father even when they are not worthy, because God commands us to do so. If our parents are non-believers, we as their children can honor them by preaching the gospel to them and serving them without sacrificing to them. We have the right to not honor or submit to authority when it goes against God’s commandments. The guys share their own experiences taking in and caring for their own elderly parents and the honor they felt by doing so. Ultimately, God gives us relationships, including our parents, to help us better understand Himself. By honoring our earthly father who is not great, we remember that there are times when we do not understand what God is doing, but still we place our trust in him anyway.

Honoring our parents goes deeper than just obeying them. Other ways we should honor our parents include recognizing the sacrifices they have made for us, being thankful for the things they do and blessing and serving them. As kids, we have the opportunity to honor our parents by hearing their stories and getting to know them. In comparison to our devotion to the Lord, our love for everyone and everything else must pale. 1 Timothy 5:8 says “If anyone does not provide for his relatives and especially for members of his own household, he has denied the faith and is worse than a non believer.” For those reflecting on broken relationships or times they have not honored their parents, the good news is that there has been a son who has perfectly honored his father. He died on the cross so that we could die with him and, through his sacrifice, were given the freedom to honor our parents and God alike. What great news this is! We should teach our children to honor us the way God commands them to.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 49 - Will Smith’s Slap and Self-Control Apr 05, 2022

Show notes

Today’s episode dives into a recent event on the cultural stage - the moment at the Academy Awards when Will Smith slapped host Chris Rock in the face because of a comment Chris made about Will's wife Jada's hair. Chris's joke was followed within seconds by Will walking onto the stage, striking Chris, and then returning to his seat with no response beyond shock from others at the event. The Oscars went on, and Will won an award and received a standing ovation. But the event was shaped by the earlier act of violence, and much backlash and debate has followed.

The guys kick off the conversation by arriving at a foundational assumption that the conflict between Chris and Will was not staged, and only then turn to consider the significance of the event in the culture at large and for the Christian. The lack of an immediate response to Will's action raises the question of what compels us to defend our cultural heroes. The response to Will in the aftermath of the event has been mixed, and while the majority opinion turning against Will's action, criticism has been mixed with applause for Will's defense of his wife. This applause confronts us with the contradictions of a society that can at the same time defend women and be rife with debate over what gender even means.

For the Christian, the Will's situation calls to mind the value of self-control, the fleshly impulse to shirk it, and the way in which the gospel drives how we respond to offense. There was, of course, something good in Will's desire to defend his wife; however, the action he took was wrong. Will demonstrated fallen man's propensity to escalate, while the gospel teaches us to offer grace and forgiveness even as we defend the offended in ways that are just and good. We are free to respond in this way because God is just, and we can relinquish judgment to Him. We are called to self-control, and self-control allows us to see situations of offense as opportunities to witness to the gospel, and to respond to them wisely and with an aim to do good.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Check out The Evidence Bible.

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 48 - How to Tame Jealousy, Envy, and Covetousness Mar 31, 2022

Show notes

On today’s episode, the guys tackle the difficult topic of jealousy. They start by defining jealousy, envy, and covetousness. They all interrelate as issues of the heart that go back to wanting what others have. Our culture is designed to stroke jealousy and technology continues to fan the flames. Commercials, social media, targeted ads, they’re all designed to make us desire. Envy makes us forget that we are stewards, we are not to keep the things we have. True joy doesn’t come from having things, it comes from God. If it does not come from God’s hand, we should remember we should not want it.

In the Bible, Paul likens envy to carnality. He reminds his readers that they are not mere men, they are Children of God, heirs to the throne who cannot be envious and content at the same time. Often our prayer life is a list of our wants, our jealousy. Instead we should focus more on gratitude to God and worshiping him. In Christ we have all things; He will never leave us or forsake us, this is directly related to jealousy. Ephesians 5:5 reminds us that no covetous man will have a place in the Kingdom of Heaven. Having many things but losing Christ will ultimately leave us empty.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider leaving us a 5-star review, and we’ll see you next time!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more.

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 47 - How to Tame the Tongue Mar 29, 2022

Show notes

From Nike's "Just do it" to Mastercard's "There are some things money can't buy," company slogans highlight the reality that the guys discuss today: the tremendous power of words! Words have the ability to shape and destroy people and relationships, and they pervade our lives. As the book of James affirms, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it is also both untamed and mighty enough as a small flame to set an entire forest ablaze. Our responsibility as Christians is to work at taming our tongues, using words (in person or even online!) with self-control. In evangelistic conversations, Christians must guard against the pitfall of demonizing other people and debating without empathy. In evangelism and in general, both what we say and how we say it matter; a tone of harshness pollutes even the best of words! Gossip represents another major pitfall. It is an affront to a person's status as an image-bearer, and we must guard against it even in conversations that concern public figures.

Since the tongue is the thermometer of the heart, not only can it showcase sin within, but it can also be a mighty tool for pointing people to the Lord. We can use our words to build up other Christians with intentional encouragement, and to share the gospel with unbelievers. The guys remind us that even our idle words will be judged, and that being a leader (in whatever spheres the Lord has placed us in this role) requires great care with words. They also point out that communication takes both verbal and nonverbal forms, and we have the ability and responsibility to love in both areas. In light of these realities and the fact that we so often fail in taming our tongues, it is crucial to remain centered on God and His words. After all, His perfect words created life, and His perfect words continue to pour forth from the pages of the Bible and to create new life in Christ. Even as we time and again fail in our use of words, we can remember with gratitude that God has spoken better words of freedo from condemnation!

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
Check out Ray's devotional on the book of Proverbs, Think on These Things

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 46 - How to Tame Anger Mar 24, 2022

Show notes

The topic for today's conversation is focused on anger, an emotion which can have massive repercussions. Anger itself is not sin, as God himself feels wrath. Anger which is not sinful is the kind of anger born out of love. Sinful anger, however, comes from idolatry and false loves. Along those lines, anger and bitterness are two signs of being focused on oneself and not trusting God’s sovereignty in life.

Ephesians 4:26-17 says, “Be angry and do not sin.” Righteous anger serves and protects and gets angry at sins and injustices. Unrighteous anger is inward and self-serving to our desires. Anger only reveals what is already boiling inside of you. It is not enough to just subdue anger, we have to kill our idols and recognize we don't deserve authority and power. If we walk in the spirit, we won;t fulfill the lust of the flesh. Proverbs 22:24 says, “Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man, do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” Humans unconsciously imitate the things we observe, thus we as Christians have to be careful about the people we surround ourselves with and the media we consume. We are created to be reflectors, and when we aren’t reflecting God we are reflecting other things. Scripture promotes the idea of self control rather than anger.

Shifting the discussion to the things which are righteous to be angry over, the guys discuss righteous indignation towards evilness and sin. If we are really being selfless and not self seeking, we will realize that when someone sins it is against God and is hurting themselves and hurting others. Thus our anger is for the sake of God’s glory, the person’s well being and the well being of others. The guys offer advice for someone who considers themselves an angry person. Steeping ourselves in the love of God and Jesus, and knowing that love is unprovoked allows us to walk in the spirit. We must also view our actions from an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one, and always be assessing our hearts and realize the motivation behind our feelings.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 45 - The Justice of God Mar 22, 2022

Show notes

Today, the guys consider the justice of God - which, for Christians, is one of the sweetest things imaginable. The reality of Christianity can be validated in all that the Apostles endured for the sake of Christ. It is the justice of God which allows His believers to rest after all they have been through. A Biblical understanding of justice is that God acts right, always. This means we never have to question His actions or His plan. He rights all wrongs, and we can find comfort in knowing the evil done unto us will not go unpunished. As Christians, God calls on us to be the same.

Using the natural is a good way to help people understand the spiritual. When we find ourselves asking how God can create something as evil as Hell, we must instead remind ourselves that there must be retribution for such worldly evils. Every single thing will be perfectly dealt with, perfectly, in the perfect justice of God. Those of us who have experienced such worldly suffering will find comfort that those debts will be fulfilled. We see the justice of God perfectly illustrated in the cross of Calvary. We want a God of wrath and justice who deals with sin in the ways it should be dealt with. Ultimately, justice is the vehicle which delivers the wrath of God. We have the choice of taking God’s hand in mercy, though if we don’t, we can’t deliver ourselves from His justice.

Contrary to popular opinion, with God there is no such thing as mere forgiveness, there is only justice. God’s justness is a launching pad for believers and non believers alike to understand and long for the reality of the Gospel. We all long for the glory of God to manifest itself on earth, though self righteousness and pride prevent us from realizing that the things we hate most about the world are the very things we find inside of ourselves. To long for heaven is to recognize that we too are sitting on the judgment seat. The desire for justice separates man from beast. When we understand that we too are part of the problem and are deserving of the wrath of God, we realize we are free from it because God himself paid it on His behalf.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!

Send us Fan Mail

Ep. 44 - The Wrath of God Mar 17, 2022

Show notes

Today, the guys consider the wrath of God - an essential component of faithful preaching, but also a reality that is often misunderstood, ignored, and even maligned. Contrary to popular belief, the wrath of God is not an embarrassment or flaw within Christian theology; rather, it is part of what holds the whole picture of the gospel together. While atheists and deconstructionists argue that the wrath of God indicates a bloodthirstiness in God and divine child abuse and child sacrifice, they miss the workings of the Trinity in the sacrifice of Jesus. God didn't inflict undue suffering on a person lesser than He, but the second Person of the Godhead - the eternal Son who is co-equal with the Father - took on the sin of His people and willingly laid down His own life. Ultimately, God bore God's own wrath toward sin and sinners.

To not hate evil would make God morally reprehensible, but the disconnect humans face is that they simultaneously want and need God to bear wrath toward evil and are themselves evil. As terrifying as this disconnect is to face, we need to feel the weight of it. We cannot rightly grasp the good news of the gospel and the mercy it holds out to us without first understanding the law, our breaking of it, and our standing as sinners before a holy God who hates evil. It is only in view of God's wrath and our deserving of it that we truly understand our need for Jesus and are driven to cast ourselves on His grace! Seeing the truth of wrath allows us to see the beautiful exchange of the atonement. Jesus took on the sin of His people, and His perfect righteousness was imputed to them. The wrath due them was borne by Him, and when God now looks at them, He sees the righteousness of His Son.

What great news this is! And because this news only arises out of the unadulterated reality of God's wrath understood in its own right, we must remember in our evangelism that the wrath of God is a necessary terror to the unconverted. It urges them to stop playing games and to flee from the wrath to come and find their refuge in Jesus.

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Links:

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
You can also find useful content at gracequotes.org.

Send us Fan Mail

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected