God Centered Life

What’s the focal point of your church? What’s the center? What’s the driving energy? Seems like a simple question. Our study today highlights the importance of understanding what should be at the core of any assembly. Nehemiah 8-9 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you’re constantly worried about how or what to pray, do you really understand prayer, or God? Is there a right and a wrong way to pray? We’ll explore this very important question in this study. Nehemiah 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

If you adamantly claimed the integrity of a footbridge across a ravine, but never used that bridge, would your faith in it be creditable? In the spiritual realm, does our faith really come to the forefront when we face challenges? Our study explores this question. Nehemiah 4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when you get rid of the king? Or any other authority figure? There’s a lot of energy behind that idea these days. In today's study, we’ll look at an example of what happens when authority is done away with. Judges 19:1 - 20:11 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Confusion about what’s possible is easy to understand. You may at times say, “I can do anything.” The reality is you can’t. Or perhaps you say, “How could I possibly make a difference in this situation?” Have you limited yourself? Our study explores the difference between our potential and our potential with God. Nehemiah 1-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s sad but true. Humanity, every single one of us, have moments of desperation. We don’t anticipate it. We don’t want it. But we all experience it. Our study today reflects on how an Old Testament prophet dealt with an unexpected and desperate situation. Nehemiah 1-2 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When you want to get a message across to someone you care about, do you find yourself repeating that message? That’s what Paul is doing here as he wraps up his letter to the church in Galatia, and by extension, to us. Galatians 6:11-18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Using all caps in messages today is considered shouting. If this passage were shouting, we might consider that motivated by the importance of what’s being said. But could it perhaps be more about compassion? We’ll look at the conclusion to Paul's letter in this study. Galatians 6:11-18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever been given a house plant? If you think about it, you’re also being given a task. Put a plant on the kitchen table and ignore it, and rather soon, the plant will expire. It needs occasional water. We’ve been talking about sowing. In this study, we’ll get a bit more insight into what’s involved in that sowing. Galatians 6:6-10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Conform. Ever heard that? Have you ever been told that conformity is how we keep the peace, especially in a church setting? While each situation is different, our study today looks at a character who embodies the complete opposite of conformity. And a character used by God. Judges 15:1-20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“You reap what you sow.” A familiar phrase, and one perhaps associated more commonly with bad seed or wild oats. Now that we’ve celebrated the work of faith alone in our salvation, Paul now circles back to address the place of sowing in our Christian walk. Galatians 6:6-10 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The selfie… a photo, or a hint at one of the challenges of maintaining a vibrant church community? The Apostle Paul sets an agenda for a grace-filled church, and we’ll explore that agenda in this study. Galatians 6:1-5 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We evaluate peoples’ character in numerous ways. One factor with strong influence is whether or not an individual follows through on promises made. If someone says they’re going to provide, and then fails to provide, our opinion of them is affected. Today’s study explores the danger of that skepticism leaking into our spiritual life. Galatians 5:19-26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcas...

On stage versus backstage… You’ve probably experienced it. Someone says one thing, but once the spotlight is turned off, that person is completely different. Our study today helps us check out our walk to make sure it’s genuine. Galatians 5:19-26 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“I see you have a lot of electrical outlets in your house, but nothing is plugged into them.” “Oh, yeah, well… I don’t understand electricity so I figure it’s best not to use it.” Calling that interaction “odd” would be an understatement. But do we do that very thing with the Holy Spirit? We’ll explore that question today. Galatians 5:16-18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.co...

“It all worked out for the good.” You’ve heard that, right? A guaranteed outcome? Not by a long shot. But, with God, there is always the possibility of the worst pain being used for good. Our study will explore this possibility. Judges 15:1-20 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Your assignment: describe oxygen. What color is it? What’s its shape? What does it remind you of? An odd assignment, right? Easier just to move on? Similar to if you were asked to describe the Holy Spirit? The Apostle Paul wants to make sure we don’t just move on when it comes to the Spirit, and provides an analogy that we’ll look at in this study. Galatians 5:16-18 Learn more about your ad choice...

Ever hear of fake freedom? Perhaps you can bring to mind a personal experience with “freedom” that really wasn’t free. Our study of Galatians continues with Paul continuing to exhort us to understand real freedom. Galatians 5:13-15 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Set it free! If you’re referring to water, and you take the container holding that water and tip it over, you’ve set the water “free,” if you will. The problem is, that water has far less usefulness spilled out on the ground than contained and accessible for cleaning, drinking, or a myriad of other purposes. What does it mean to be “free” in a Gospel sense and how does that relate to service? We’r...

Paul tells Timothy to correct others with gentleness. And yet in this passage, Paul demonstrates a bit more of a punch in his rebukes. What’s the balance, and what's the admonition to us? We’ll explore those questions today. Galatians 5:7-12 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Boldness versus loving our neighbor. We’re heading into a passage where Paul demonstrates the use of such powerful language that some question if he even said what’s found here. What does this passage have to say regarding political correctness in our society? We’ll look at language, love, and truth in this study. Galatians 5:7-12 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

On the surface, you may automatically reject the idea that “bigger is better.” But what happens if we stop and look at our value system? What if we look at how we regard those around us? Is it possible that “bigger is better” can use a back entrance and sneak its way into our thinking? Another study ahead of us today on the fascinating Old Testament character of Samson. Judges 14:1-20 Learn more a...

“No cost, nothing you need to do, free.” Is freedom an absolutely hands-off luxury? Or is there a responsibility we have to protect our freedom? We’ll look at these questions in this study. Galatians 5:1-6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“My freedom requires you to give up what you consider your freedom.” While you might not hear it verbalized that way, that’s the essence of what is happening around us. Our society has what could be considered a twisted view of freedom, especially when compared to the freedom that is offered to us spiritually. We’ll explore the richness of that freedom in our study today. Galatians 5:1-6 Learn mor...

Birth order studies are fascinating. Older brothers, younger sisters, only children… there's a good bit of consistency in the characteristics ascribed to each category. So, what is the spiritual equivalent to the sibling that gets blamed for everything, run over, or just plain ignored? We’ll look at spiritual family parallels in today's study. Galatians 4:21-31 Learn more about your ad choices. Vi...