Daily Thunder Podcast

The book of Ruth ends with a genealogy. While many Westerners are quick to jump over such lists, this one should cause us to pause and stand in awe. In this final message in the series, Nathan explores this powerful conclusion to the book of Ruth and gives ten reflections and implications for our lives in light of this little book of Scripture. ------------ » Take these studies deeper an...

William Wilberforce was used by God to change the world. Many historians recognize the impact of his life, but fail to see the real reason why his life was so deeply impacting. They see qualities like perseverance, determination, and extraordinary compassion as the catalyst to his greatness. But though those qualities were essential to the make-up of the man, the true power of William Wilberforce...

As the book of Ruth nears its end, everything appears to be topsy-turvy. Boaz gets the girl, Naomi gets a son, a Moabitess is blessed by Israelites, and the nanny is cared for by the child. Despite the appearance of everything being upside-down and a bit backwards, the mercy, providence, and love of God is front and center. Join Nathan in this study of Ruth 4:11–17 and see how even topsy-turvy cir...

Readiness is a vastly underrated quality of the healthy Christian life. But, readiness doesn’t come about accidentally. A believer needs to practice and train in readiness. And if it isn’t practiced, then the believer will be found unready in the moment where alertness, action, and agreement is desperately needed. The quality of readiness is one of the beautiful hallmarks of William Wilberforce’s...

Throughout the book of Ruth, we encounter the concept of a “kinsman redeemer,” but few of us understand the importance and profundity of this redemption by a relative. In this message, Nathan explains the concepts of kinsman redeemer and the Levirite Marriage—showing how they help us understand Ruth 4:1–11 as well as point to our precious Savior, Jesus Christ—THE Kinsman Redeemer. ------------ »&n...

What would it be like if we as the Church of Jesus were to put aside our differences and, instead, cherish our common faith in our amazing Savior? This was Christ’s vision, His passion, His great desire. But, for some reason, we, as His Church, have greatly struggled to make this our vision, passion, and desire. William Wilberforce discovered the beauty of this spiritual unity in his work with the...

As Ruth approaches Boaz in the dead of night, what began as a potentially sketchy and dangerous plan became a blessing and profound promise from Boaz. In this message from Ruth 3:6–18, we explore the threshing floor (a place of suffering and redemption), four significant concepts for what it means to be covered by wings (pinions), and the restless pursuit of a kinsman redeemer for his bride. -----...

The Christian life is a bit counter-intuitive at first (ie. the least is the greatest, the servant is the leader, and weakness is a place of strength). It takes a bit for the newly budded Christian to grasp such an upside down pattern, but when it’s finally grasped, the path opens up for great spiritual growth and maturity. This message focuses on the arduous year of 1793 in Great Britain—a y...

Throughout Ruth 1–2, God has been at work, seemingly behind the scenes. Naomi has seen His hand move and how He has orchestrated things to this point; God has not forsaken His hesed (lovingkindness). Yet Boaz is not moving things forward with Ruth even though it has been a couple months. In a “last chance” effort, since the harvest is nearly finished and Ruth will no longer be going to Boaz’s fiel...

The Christian life is intended to get stronger and stronger and stronger with time. Unfortunately, this hasn’t been the experience of many believers in the modern era. But that isn’t because it isn’t God’s pattern, it’s because often modern Christians are lacking the key ingredient of persistence in their walk. They give up at the first sign of challenge—they give up when they reach the first obst...

In a desperation for food, Ruth decides to glean in the fields of Bethlehem. Not knowing where she is going, she “just so happened” to find herself in the fields of Boaz. This miraculous meeting becomes the avenue for God to showcase His lovingkindness (hesed) to Ruth and Naomi, providing far more than they could ever have hoped or imagined. In this study of Ruth 2:1–23, we discover that even when...

There are two particular behaviors that are strangely missing in many Christian lifestyle patterns today. The first is sharing the Gospel with the lost. And the second is sharing one’s resources and time with the poor and needy. For many in the Western Christian culture, these behavioral functions (though theologically highly esteemed) have been relegated to an almost mythical fictitious status—as...

Difficulties and uncertainty often arise in our lives when we least expect it. The question we must answer in such moments is not “why” but “how”…“how does God want to use this challenge in my life?” In this study from Ruth 1:3–22, we discover that Naomi’s life is at rock bottom, her life is practically over—and sadly, she blames her bitterness on God. Yet amidst the story, we find beautiful hope...

The Body of Christ is uniquely designed as a purging agent of cultural fungus. But to effectively wipe out the demonic ideas and the sinful societal fog of the hour, the Church needs to do its cleansing work in accordance with the Christ pattern. And this involves a two-handed approach to the work of rescue and resuscitation. In other words, both the right and left hands are needed to carry out th...

As we begin our eight-part study in the book of Ruth, it is necessary to zoom out and examine the book from a 10,000 foot view—who wrote the book, how is it structured, where is it placed in Scripture, etc. These broad sweeping strokes help us set the stage to see the focus and major themes of the book—primarily, the redemption and lovingkindness of our God. Moreover, in order to properly understa...

William Wilberforce is one of those rare men in history that lived life as God intended life to be lived. He boldly acted on behalf of Truth—risking his life, forsaking his comforts, and letting go of his reputation—and, therefore, altered the course of world-history. Many men of antiquity can clearly be deemed culpable for the downward trajectory of nations, but few men in history can actually be...

In this special episode, Eric Ludy and Nathan Johnson discuss their two new series launching November 5 … and give some encouragement to believers as the election in America approaches.

This is the thirty-fourth and final installment in Eric’s series entitled Spiritual Lessons from The Times of Nero. In this episode he explores the strange and bewildering happenings of the 17th of Tammuz in the year 70 AD. On this day, in the midst of the Roman’s siege on the city of Jerusalem, the priests came down to their final lamb to sacrifice in the daily temple sacrificial ritual. The Jews...

This is the thirty-third installment in Eric’s series entitled Spiritual Lessons from the Time of Nero. In this episode he does a deep dive into the extraordinary story of the Jewish historian, Josephus. The first-century writings of Josephus hold a weighty position in Christian history, for they offer us a unique perspective into the climate surrounding first century Christianity and also showcas...

One of the wonders of the Gospel is that it not only saves you but it empowers and emboldens you to share the Gospel with others. As Christians, we are to be proclaimers of the Gospel with our lives and with our lips—we are missionaries wherever we are and with everyone we meet. In this final study of the Grand and Glorious Gospel, Nathan talks about embracing Jesus’ mission as our commission and...

This is the thirty-second installment in Eric’s series entitled Spiritual Lessons from the Time of Nero. In this episode he demonstrates how God always supplies space for repentance. He is not quick to judge, but, in fact, is shockingly merciful—desirous that men would repent and turn from their wickedness and believe. For forty year from the Cross to the destruction of Jerusalem, the Holy Spirit...

This is the thirty-first installment in Eric’s series entitled Spiritual Lessons from the Times of Nero. In this episode he dives into the real recorded history of Rome, Judea, and the Church during this period between 64 and 70 AD and then matches it with Christ’s Olivet Discourse and the Book of Revelation. It is an awe-inspiring fit. No matter your persuasion toward eschatology (the study of th...

The superlative news about Jesus and the Cross (the Gospel) is that God has an ongoing work in you to bring you to the point of completion, perfection, and wholeness. This process of sanctification is necessary to conform us to the image of Christ and produce godliness and Christlikeness within and through our lives. In this study, Nathan returns to the concept of holiness and sanctification to di...

This is the thirtieth installment in Eric’s series entitled Spiritual Lessons from the Time of Nero. In this episode he explores the inexplicable increase in earthquakes that filled the time of history between the Cross and the destruction of the Jerusalem in 70 AD. This 40-year period showcases the remarkable way that God cares for His own amid a time of judgment.

This is the twenty-ninth installment in Eric’s series entitled, Spiritual Lessons from the Time of Nero. In this episode he dives into the strange history of false messiahs that came flooding into Judea after the Jews rejected the true Messiah. The same profound spiritual vacuum, that plagued first century Judaism, is always created when Jesus is resisted—and it’s true in our lives, as well. ...