Wake Before the Day

Blessed are those whose hearts are set on pilgrimage! (Psalm 84:5) We were created for a relationship with God, and the Psalmist says those who go through the ups and downs of this life focused on God will be blessed. Let's unpack this encouraging chapter that wraps up reminding us that God doesn't withhold any good thing from those he loves!

Have you ever felt like the Lord was calling to you do something or say something only for you to get a response you weren't expecting? Or for it to even "fail"? 2 Corinthians 13 talks about this. Don't be discouraged, God's always at work!

The Psalmist names something we have all experienced at some point - envy of those in the world and are successful. We wrestle with the idea that the "grass is greener on the other side" when in reality it rarely is. Let's unpack Psalm 73 together.

We all go through "wilderness" seasons but we all go through these seasons differently. Is our focus on the Lord or our problems? Regardless of what we're going through King David invites into praise.

In Psalm 51 King David walks us through his confession in light of his adultery with Bathsheeba and the murder of her husband. In the midst of the pain, this Psalm is a beautiful gift for us today as we too need to be walking to continual repentance.

Psalm 40 begins with thanksgiving and ends with lament. It talks about trusting in God and doing his will while pleading for protection from enemies. The Psalmist gives us a reminder to always focus on God's faithfulness, regardless of our circumstances. How has God been faithful in your life? Let's unpack this.

Psalm 32 shows us that confession is a great gift. While it can be terrifying to confront our sin it is definitely a gift and something God calls us to. Join us as we unpack the gift of confession (and food poisoning)!

In this chapter the Lord and his word are described as: perfect, refreshing, trustworthy, wise, right, joy giving, radiant, pure and eternal. We are to desire God and his word more than "precious gold". The question is do we?

In Psalm 4, it seems there is chaos breaking out all around the Psalmist. Often when life gets hard we're quick to say, "God help! Change my circumstances!" But in this Psalm, we are encouraged to ask God to change our heart first in the midst of our circumstances. The Psalmist joins Jesus and Paul focusing on prayer directed toward heart change. Let's see what we can learn from them!

Remember who God is and what God has done! Make every effort to live a godly life because the world will make a great effort tear you down!

Pastor Klarc surprises Bobbie with a game - see if you can guess who is quoted! HINT: The quotes are movie character's final words. 2 Peter contains Peter's final words right before his death. If you knew when you were going to die what would your final words be?

Humility and authority were markers of Jesus and the early church's ministry. They should be descriptions of us today too!

1 Peter 4 gives us a beautiful yet challenging reminder that trials and hardships are to be expected when following Jesus. The word to the church in Rome is a relevant word for us today.

Everybody likes to talk about "submission" right? Let's discuss this along with some other intense scripture from 1 Peter 3.

Let's unpack the "roll up your sleeves" mentality of 1 Peter 1!

We're saved by grace through faith and at the same time Paul is concerned that we live fruitful lives. The question is are we? 

What is "doctrine"? What does it mean to have "sound doctrine"? Well I'm glad you asked! Titus talks about the importance of clinging to truth in turbulent times. I think we can resonate with this!

When measuring a believer's growth we're looking for character over charisma and godliness over giftedness!

The Bible blesses the ordinary and faithful Christians while also warning them against divorcing unity from truth. We need them both!

In what ways can we walk alongside "weaker" believers today? Have you ever been tempted to water down Christianity to avoid an awkward encounter with someone? These are questions we'll address today as we wrap up the podcast series on the book of Romans.

We've arrived at our last podcast in the book of Romans! Paul wraps up his train of thought reminding us that our goal is to glorify God and help those around us become like Jesus as well. Be aware of what helps and hinders people on their spiritual journey!

Romans 13 gives us the wisdom to navigate politics, an urgent call to love and reminder that Jesus is coming back.

Romans 12 is a call to give every part of your self to God - as an act of worship and for his glory! Paul uses "you" and "your bodies" interchangeably which reminds us that what we do with our bodies matters!

In this episode we talk about the beauty of ingrafted branches, why we shouldn't focus too much on who's "in/out" and also that God's warranty never expires even though things on earth do.

We breakdown Romans 10 and discuss the danger of moral relativity, the beauty of Christ fulfilling the law and the need for us to share the Gospel!

As we dive into Romans 9 we encourage you to read this not only within the context of Romans but also the Bible! Remind yourself what we know of God and then sit in this dynamic chapter. At the end of the day we need to ask, "Do we trust that God is good, has a plan and is working for the good of his people?"

Romans 8 is one of the most theologically dense yet beautiful passages in the Bible. Join Klarc and Bobbie as they discuss what it means to live a spirit filled life.

Join us as we briefly discuss Romans 7 and then dive deeper for a better understanding of the Bible, God and the transgender community.

Romans 6 challenges us to ask different questions. For example, instead of thinking "how much can I get away with?" we should be asking, "how can our relationships, hobbies etc. serve the Lord? " Sin has been defeated, visualize your sin nailed to the cross! Thank you Lord for not giving us what we deserve but rather treating us as we don't deserve!

Usually when it's too good to be true it usually is but in the case of Romans 5, it's not! God tells us that the experiences in life that have brought heartache and hardship can be used for our good. Another liberating truth we need to hold on to is that it when we were in the midst of our sin Jesus chose to die for us. Let's unpack this amazing news!

It seems God wants to make it really clear to us that salvation is found in repenting and believing, accepting the free gift of faith. There is no "Faith + _________". Just believe. When we remember who God is (faithful, true, wise, holy, good) it should minimize our fear when following God's leading!

Paul concludes his thoughts from Romans 1 and 2 in chapter 3. His conclusion? We're all sinners and need Jesus! In order to fully understand the grace of God we need to understand our need for God.

We discuss Romans 2 which lays out: God's kindness, crime mob bosses, hypocrisy and much more!

Romans 1 discusses many things: nature proving God exists but being unable to save, humanity's need for a sinless savior, sexual immorality and the lie that world is "advanced" and offers wisdom. The reality is there's nothing new nor is there "progress" in these immoral world views. We all need Jesus and he calls us to obedience, there is where real freedom is found!

The last podcast on the book of Acts! Paul finished strong and committed his life and ministry to Jesus all the way to the end.

Acts 27 is a jam packed chapter dealing with Paul as he sails stormy seas headed to Rome. Here is a takeaway from this chapter. The first is don't minimize the journey you're on. Often we're focused on the destination but God is with you on the journey. He speaks. We're to be obedient and listen even when it doesn't make sense!

We have a responsibility to speak of Jesus. Don't minimize a small conversation nor should we get overwhelmed with the stage!

The evil one uses sin to form accusations against God's people. The good news is Jesus is our defender and vindicator. 

In Acts 24 Paul is on his way to Rome and continues to have high-stakes conversations regarding Jesus and salvation. In this chapter Paul has a conversation with a leader named Felix. Felix makes a subtle but relevant statement, "I'll listen to you when it's convenient for me". How often do I follow God only because it's convenient?

Let's talk about the significance of "place" and God's redemption. 20 years later, Paul stood where Stephen once stood.

In Acts 22 Paul shares the Gospel by sharing his story. We've all heard "the power of story" and for the christian our story becomes especially powerful when we acknowledge our inability and God's ability.

There is power in story and let's unpack the importance of loving the existing church while welcoming the newcomer.

Devotion: strong love and loyalty; the use of time, money and energy for a specific purpose.The word "devotion" isn't used much in this chapter but this is what we see. Paul continues to lay in all on the line, speaking truth to "opponents", spending time in jail, traveling to far off cities, why? Because he's a devoted follower of Jesus. How devoted are we as followers of Jesus? What would it look like for us to be more devoted?

There is no "second baptism" of the Spirit. The Spirit lives within the believer and can come upon the believer for empowerment!

We all need friends and a spiritual support system. Paul did. We do. Acts 18 reveals the inner workings of the church!

Acts 17 encourages and challenges us in many ways. Who can be part of the church? Anyone and everyone who confesses Jesus as Lord! Examine the scriptures yourselves - please don't be spoon fed whatever is floating around online. What does it mean to be God fearing? Let's break it down!

Acts 16 reminds us: the Gospel is for the churched and unchurched, baptism is a gift and that prayer + praise = perspective!

Financial crime experts study the real dollar rather than counterfeits. The same needs to be true with us and the Bible, hear why!

Let's discuss the importance of the "Word of God" complimenting the "Work of God" and how to avoid the disaster Paul and Barnabas found themselves in.

The Christians in this chapter encourage us to follow their example: fast, pray and listen for the Lord to speak. As we let this Biblical truth wash over us we're reminded that God has forgiven us not only from sin but from every sin. Let's live in this freedom!