God-besotted Podcast

Can we know God? Can we understand Him? How do we learn about God? The doctrine of the incomprehensibility of God helps us answer these questions. In this episode, we’re kicking off a new series called the Attributes of God! Each week we’ll dive into a different attribute, learning more about God so we can know Him better and delight in Him more.  Want to study the themes in this passage furt...

What does it mean to be satisfied in God? How can we be satisfied, whether we’re experiencing lack or abundance, a valley or green pastures? Let’s talk about it in this episode. If you want to study the themes in this passage further, consider the following passages and questions: Read Psalm 63. List the actions of David. What did he do to find satisfaction in God? Read Exodus 16. How did God resp...

If you've been watching the news lately and wondering, "What can I do? What should I do?" I'm right there with you. The words of Jesus in Luke 12 remind us what our responsibility is as His representatives on earth and why our faithfulness matters so much.  If you want to study this passage and its themes further, read Luke 12. Then, consider the following reflection questions: 1. How "ready"...

Let's be honest, life is hard. Because we live in a world tainted by sin, we experience suffering on a daily basis. James, a leader of the early church, wrote to believers to encourage them to endure to the end during suffering. Let’s look at the life of Job and see how it points us to our compassionate and merciful God. If you want to study the themes in this passage further, consider the followi...

We all want to live happy, healthy, wealthy, and fulfilled lives. We all want "the good life." Let's talk about what it looks like to trust in the Lord versus our own strength through the example of King Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-19), as well as what it means to "acknowledge" God in all our ways. If you want to study the themes in this passage further, consider the following passages and reflection que...

Let’s look at a few short verses in Exodus to discover some principles about divine appointments, discerning our spiritual gifts, and discipling others. God’s special empowerment of a man named Bezalel to oversee the construction of the tabernacle teaches us that we have been called to draw near to God and invite others to do the same in Christ, and we do so through the Holy Spirit. If you want to...

In this episode, we encounter Naaman the Syrian, a well-respected military commander who is plagued by leprosy. Thanks to the testimony of an Israelite slave girl, Naaman hears about the opportunity to receive healing from the prophet Elisha in Israel. He brings his pomp and circumstance, but it's not enough to get the healing he's after. Only humbling himself could make him whole. Apart from Chri...

What is God's will for me? How can I change? How do I draw near to Christ? Answers to these questions can all be found in 2 Corinthians 3:12-18. In this passage, Paul encourages believers with the truth of the gospel: the Holy Spirit gives us freedom to see the glory of God in the face of Christ, to draw near to God because of what Christ has done, and to change by being conformed into Christ's im...

In this episode, we consider Genesis 11:31-32, which describes how Abraham's family moved from their homeland, Ur; the family, led by Abraham's father, Terah, intended to go to Canaan, but stopped short in Haran. Scripture says consistently that God called Abraham "out of Ur of the Chaldeans," but Genesis 12 describes God's call to Abraham and Abraham's move from Haran, not Ur, to Canaan. Did God...

Let's journey through Numbers 22-24 and talk about the fascinating oracles of Balaam, a pagan prophet and diviner who was called upon by Balak, the king of Moab, to curse Israel. To the surprise of both men, God had already determined to bless His people, and no curse could be pronounced against them. This narrative powerfully demonstrates that when God has blessed, none can reverse the blessing,...

In 2 Peter 1:1-11, the apostle Peter writes to exiled believers and encourages them with the truth about who they are in Christ, what they're called to do, and how their obedience will bless them with assurance of salvation. As those who have been given everything pertaining to life and godliness in Christ, we are called to know Him deeply and become like Him. Doing so allows us to be confident in...

As we look toward 2022, many of us are considering how to walk closer with the Lord in the new year. Faith brings us closer to God. When asked by Philip to show the disciples the Father, Jesus asked, "Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip?" (John 14:9). We grow in our intimacy with God as we take Him at His word. Hebrews 11:5-6 describes the essence of faith, a...

The Christian life is meant to be lived in community, as we follow the godly example of others who have gone before us and as we set an example for those around us of what it looks like to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus" (Hebrews 12:1-2). But along the way, it's easy to get tired and worn out by suffering, which can slow us down if we don't have God's...

When it comes to the Christian life, what's a good substitute for obedience? There isn't one. God's rejection of Saul as king, because of his repeated disobedience, teaches us that good intentions are not a sufficient replacement for godliness; refusing to accept responsibility for our sin means we aren't repentant; and choosing to act based on what people will think instead of a desire to honor G...

In Numbers 16, a group of men, led by a Levite named Korah, rise up against Moses's and Aaron's leadership. Their goal? To usurp power and steal the status of leadership for themselves. Even though Korah's family was called to a very special purpose, it wasn't enough for them. They wanted more. It's easy for us, even as professing believers (see Romans 1:17), to do the same: to relentlessly seek t...

On the run from King Saul, David cried out to God: "Deliver me." He asked for rescue not only from the physical cave where he hid, but from the soul-aching loneliness that plagued him. All of us have experienced loneliness, the feeling that no one cares for us. David shows us how to pray to God, our King, with respect and boldness, the only One who is our safe place and portion, even as we lament....

It's no secret that the Corinthian church is known for their carnality, and Paul's two extant epistles to these believers are highly corrective. But in the opening of 1 Corinthians, nonetheless, he thanks God for their salvation, their giftedness, and their future. As believers, our past, present, and future are secure in Christ. Although we are weak and struggle against sin in the present, our su...

In His final hours before being arrested and crucified, Jesus repeatedly emphasized a key truth to His disciples: answered prayer is our birthright as children of God. It’s promised as a significant source of joy for believers and as a primary indication that we are abiding in Christ. How can we experience the joy of answered prayer - what are the prerequisites? And what holds us back from experie...

In John 15, Jesus uses an analogy of a vine and branches to teach His disciples how to abide in Him. In verse 11, He teaches them why : "so that" they would experience His joy and that their joy would be made full. In a world that tells us to find our joy in ourselves, Jesus's words provide the key to true, deep, and lasting joy: bringing glory to the Father. In this episode, we look at the testim...