Dr. Jonathan G. Smith

Anxiety sucks! I know because I’ve been there. So what are we to make of the claims in the bible about the peace of God? For many people, anxiety and depression seem to be a standard part of life. So how can we embrace God’s promise of divine peace? Well in today’s episode, I’m asking this question to help us move past the shallow responses to discover more profound truths implanted in God’s desig...

Should we Evangelicals forgive Tullian Tchividjian? If you have any real understanding of how grace works, then the answer, of course, is “yes.” But when public figures break our trust by acting in ways contrary to their public persona, it is tough to find that requisite forgiveness we all are supposed to grant. I understand. So did Absalom — King David’s son who could never forgive his father’s d...

Do you love money? Sure, who doesn’t like having a little extra cash in their pocket! Unfortunately, man Christians struggle with faulty thinking that keeps them from pursuing creative lives in business and commerce. So how do you craft a healthy relationship with money without compromising your faith? To help me answer this question, I invited Cliff Ravenscraft to rethink money, wealth, and the p...

How do you find your life purpose? Every generation asks the same questions. Why am I here? What am I doing? Where am I going? But not every person discovers the answer for themselves. That’s because we live in a world of competing views, unrealistic expectations, and broken dreams. But Life Purpose doesn’t have to be difficult to discover. You just need a place to start. So where do you begin? Th...

Warning! Positive emotions can be harmful to your judgment. Thoughtful people be advised. Do you think that is true? If you saw a disclaimer like this, would you automatically reject this warning or would you seek to learn more? Positive emotions, feeling good almost seems like a civil right these days. But there is more to life than just feeling good all the time. So is there a dark side to posit...

Are you being honest with yourself? This question goes to the heart of most our problems in life. We are not honest because we’re afraid of the consequences of our honesty. So we lie. Not a lot but a little. We self-rationalize, compromise, and trade off the things we want most in life for safety, security, and predictability. Unfortunately, when we do this? A little piece of our heart grows cold....

What if gratitude could improve your mental health? Seems too simple? Could merely learning to say thank you change your life? Probably not. But recent psychological research has revealed that it may have a more positive benefit to your well being than you might think. This question and other first emerged thirty years ago in the field of Positive Psychology. Up to that point, research had focused...

The most significant mistake you can make in life is to define yourself by your job. But the vast majority of people I meet do precisely that, and it costs them so much happiness. Seem a little overstated? Perhaps, but consider this scenario for just a moment. When someone asks “who are you?” What’s the first thing out of your mouth? For most of us, the answer includes some reference to what “we d...

Is there something holding you back but don’t know what it is? Chances are you may be encountering what experts call limiting beliefs. They hold us back from seeking healthy and meaningful relationships. Prevent us from pursuing the next step in our careers. And they sabotage our lives when gone unchecked. Unfortunately, detecting limiting beliefs is much harder than you think. Why? Very often lim...

The number one problem when sharing our faith in Jesus with friends is the words we use. Most well-intended presentations of the Gospel are laden in “churchy” words no one understands. The net effect of it all, we sound weird. In fact, we probably feel weird when we say it. That’s why it is vital for Christians to learn how to speak “human.” In this final message of the series “Ambassador: Carryin...

Have you ever thought of God’s reputation being “on the line?” I never have. But surprisingly the Bible actually talks a great deal about this. When Moses pleaded with God not to wipe out Israel after they had totally blown it by worshipping a false god, Moses appealed to God’s reputation (Genesis 32:12). The post How To Pray For The Salvation of Your Friends | FITC57 appeared first on Grace Natio...

Every person looks at the world through a particular set of glasses given to them by someone. That is why inherited racism is so revolting. Someone or some institution systematically passed down a story that has led to hatred and sometimes violence.  At every level it is repulsive. But there are deeper issues, racial narratives that are not nearly as extreme but just as damaging.  These are the na...

Does fear keep you from sharing your faith with your friends? If so, you are not alone. When it comes to sharing faith, the statistics for average church goes isn’t very good. So what is the problem? The post Preaching the Gospel To Yourself | FITC56 appeared first on Grace Nation: Dr. Jonathan G. Smith .

What is the most critical question to keep in mind when you read the bible? What is the message calling me to be? The post How To Read the Bible to Change Your Life | GOF68 appeared first on Grace Nation: Dr. Jonathan G. Smith .

The NFL anthem protest have sparked another social confrontation. This time the matter concerns free speech. So how do we apply God's grace to this issue? The post NFL Anthem Protest – How Should Evangelicals Respond? | GOF67 appeared first on Grace Nation: Dr. Jonathan G. Smith .

Imposter Syndrome is no fun. The crippling effect of feeling like a fraud can keep any leader from being effective. That’s especially true for pastors. When I finally realized that the internal battles of insecurity, low self-worth, and unnecessarily high expectations were sabotaging my ministry. So on this episode, I'm sharing how I overcame that feeling by sitting down with my mentor and friend....