Centered on Christ Podcast

To find the answer to this question, we look to the Bible at two examples when this question was asked. The answer given in this podcast is the same answer given in Acts 2 and Acts 16. May we always strive to say the same thing as the Scriptures! Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

The preacher is constantly tasked with determining the message his audience most needs to hear proclaimed. This is not always easy. Do people need a reminder of first principles (2 Peter 1:12-15)? Are there times when encouragement is most appropriate (Hebrews 3:12-13)? Should we reflect on the lives of those who have gone before us (Romans 15:4)? Are there spiritual dangers Christians need to be...

Do you ever struggle with the sins in your past and wonder if God will forgive you? Or do you think God could never use you because of your sin? You aren’t alone in feeling this way, and God’s word provides great encouragement to us. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

This time of year is “storm season” for where I live in North Alabama. We expect the severe weather now, and we won’t experience it as much later in the summer months. But the “storms of life” aren’t like that, are they? Those storms are much more unpredictable. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus was very clear when He described the demands of discipleship. He declared: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). Rather than being a religion of minimal commitment, Christianity requires complete devotion. Christians do not practice religion one day per week or only when convenient. We must live every day for Chris...

We all struggle, suffer, and face storms in life. Some struggle more than others, but we all face difficulties. Some deal with childhood trauma while others battle with self-inflicted wounds after years of sinful living. Most of us have dealt with the pain of losing a loved one. In some cases, the losses are traumatic, tragic, sudden deaths, while others are prolonged due to cancer or some other i...

Helping coach my daughter’s 6U softball team got me thinking about how we all start at the “basic” level when it comes to our walk with Christ. This requires patience from teachers, but also an expectation of growth from all of us. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus was tempted three times by the devil. Each time the devil tempted Him, He responded with Scripture, answering, “It is written.” The Psalmist wrote, “Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11). Knowing what God has said and storing it in our hearts helps us to resist temptation and avoid sin. How does the word of God help us resist...

This article concludes our series on questions about love. We have noticed what the Bible says about love , how God has demonstrated His love , and how love shapes the way we ought to treat others . As we close out our thoughts, we want to ask, “Can love overcome sin, hurt, and division? The world is deeply divided. Broken relationships, resentment, and sin leave many wondering whether healing is...

Two of my greatest interests are the Bible and history. These two intertwine and cannot be separated. In this podcast, I share my thoughts on the importance of history and the Bible to us. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

Jesus and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem when He predicted His betrayal, death, and resurrection (Matthew 20:17-19). On this occasion, their journey took them through the city of Jericho. According to Matthew’s account, “a great multitude followed Him” during this time (verse 29). Because of Jesus’s miraculous ability, news of His presence spread far and wide and created a scene. He was...

Our up-to-the-minute, breaking-news social media culture demands that everyone constantly say everything they are thinking the moment they think it. But Scripture teaches this is not wise. Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

Certain truths are obvious. For example, students of the Bible recognize God has a plan for man’s behavior. He expects His followers to live in a manner reflecting His holiness. So Peter wrote: “but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:15). Given this admonition, and many others like it, it is not a mistake to say God wants man to avoid sinful thoughts and...

Last week, we discussed how the Bible defines love. This week, we want to ask and answer the question, “How has God demonstrated His love toward us?” Many people wonder whether God truly loves them. Some struggle to see God’s love in a world filled with suffering, loss, and injustice. Yet the Bible repeatedly affirms not only that God loves us, but that He has demonstrated that love in unmistakabl...

This episode comes from an article I wrote back in December 2023 from a book I read titled Autopsy of a Deceased Church by Thom S. Rainer. You can read that article here: Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

The disciples of Jesus were not immune to a problem that plagues so many in our world today—pride. According to Mark’s account, Jesus’s disciples “disputed among themselves who would be the greatest” (9:34). Why this conversation ever occurred is not specified in the text. Regardless, the disciples did not readily offer details about this discussion when the Lord asked about it. Instead, they aske...

As we move into February, our minds shift toward “the month of love.” Over the next few weeks, we will be discussing the topic of love from a Biblical perspective. Few words are used as often, and misunderstood as deeply, as the word love. In our culture, love is commonly defined by feelings, attraction, or personal satisfaction. We say we “love” pizza, sports teams, hobbies, and people, often mea...

These 7 warnings come from the letters the Apostle Paul wrote to various churches. The problems and struggles they faced are very similar to what we face. So, we should learn from these inspired letters and heed the warnings of Scripture. You can read more here… Get full access to Centered on Christ at centeredonchrist.substack.com/subscribe

In Jesus’s parable of the Wicked Vinedressers (Mark 12:1-11), He described how the requests of an owner of a vineyard were ignored and rejected by tenants who leased his farm. Sending servant after servant, only to find them either beaten or killed, the owner determined to send his son and stated, “They will respect my son” (Mark 12:6). But instead of showing respect to the son, Mark wrote: “But t...

This article concludes our series on whether or not we will choose to follow the Good Shepherd in 2026. Thus far, we have examined Who the Good Shepherd is , who belongs to Him , and what it means to truly follow Him . As we close, let’s ask and answer the question, “What does the Good Shepherd provide?” We have spent our time thus far in John 10, but I want us to close out this study by examining...

I got the idea for this podcast episode from reading one of Jim McCraigh ’s recent posts in American Faith & Freedom . You can read that article by clicking here . In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22, the apostle Paul wraps up his letter to the church in Thessalonica and gives them instructions about their relationships with others and with God. I think we find six important principles of a faithful church...

As Jesus addressed the multitude from the mountain, he began His notable “Sermon on the Mount” by saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). From the perspective of the world, this promise might seem empty. After all, how can the poor in spirit be happy? But when we consider what the Scriptures have to say, we realize the truth of Jesus’s words. Ha...

Thus far in our series, we have asked and answered a personal question: Will YOU follow the Good Shepherd in 2026? In Part One, we asked and answered, “ Who is the Good Shepherd? ” (John 10), and last week, in Part Two of our study, we asked, “ Who Belongs to the Good Shepherd? ” This week, as we engage in Part Three, our question is this: How can I follow the Good Shepherd? By Listening to His Vo...

The two concluding chapters of Acts describe Paul’s harrowing voyage to Rome. God protects Paul and everyone with him. No doubt, everyone who made this trip with Paul - including the sailors and Roman soldiers - left with a newfound appreciation for the God Paul served. This is our final podcast episode of the book of Acts! Together, we’ve studied all of Luke’s writings - both the gospel of Luke a...

As Jesus addressed the multitudes in His famous Sermon on the Mount, He instructed His audience that they must be more righteous than the religious leaders of their day. He said, “For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20). If we knew nothing more than what Jesus said abou...