God Centered Life

Winning is great! We love to celebrate winning. But is it even better to be a gracious winner? This is just one of the questions we’ll be asking in an attempt to reframe our perspective on what it means to keep the peace. Judges 8:1-35 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A prophet looks ahead. A prophet of hope anticipates good things ahead. If we’ve failed miserably, can we still anticipate good things ahead? Is it possible to fail so miserably that we’re outside the realm of hope? Our objective is to gain a perspective of how our failure measures up to God’s promises and love. Zechariah 8:1-23 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The prophet has lowered the gavel for those who have violated God’s law, those who are not holy. He has pointed out that we need to be reconciled with God. And then, in a move of pure hope, he points out how this understanding of our condition sets us up for a significant dose of good news. We’ll look at that good news in this study. Zechariah 5:1-4 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastc...

Maybe you’ve felt it. It’s not uncommon. We’re convinced our current struggles are the consequences of things we’ve done in our past. We trudge along while others appear to be flying high. We see clearly all is not rosy in our worlds. Are we cursed? Are we living in shadows of the past? Or are we missing out on understanding who we actually are in God? Zechariah 5:1-4 Learn more about your ad choi...

Power is important, and vital to change, right? Might is the best way to impact the world. And wouldn’t it be great if we all had special powers to make amazing things happen all at once? But is power always the solution? Our study today explores this question. Zechariah 4:1-14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It makes a great movie plot, loaded with “feel good” moments. All is lost, but then suddenly, the least likely character, the outsider, the excluded one, the misfit… jumps in and saves the day. Ever consider your potential to save the day, given the power source available to you? We’ll do that in this study. Zechariah 4:1-14 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yes, there are challenges that believers face in today's culture. But Scripture does tell us that peacemakers are blessed. So, what does peace look like for the believer today? And more importantly, what does it cost? Judges 8:1-35 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

One truth, two reactions. “God sees you.” How we react to that truth is very telling. In this study, we’ll look at how to make sure you’re on the comfortable reaction side of that equation. Zechariah 1:7-17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever feel like being angry at injustice is a full-time job? What if you got some help with that? In fact, what if God promises to take care of all of that for us? How would that change your day? We’ll look at what God has to say about those who appear to be ignoring Him. Zechariah 1:7-17 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s easy to do, often without even thinking about it. You look at a potential connection, a friendship, a relationship, being “friended” on social media, and quickly run the numbers. “What can this relationship get me?” In today’s study, we’re going to look unflinchingly at the how we may be doing that… with God. Zechariah 1:1-6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Having a tough week? How about reading from a prophet who lived thousands of years ago? Is that a long shot, or will Scripture once again be found applicable to our very specific and very modern situations today? Let’s find out by heading into the Old Testament book of Zechariah. Zechariah 1:1-6 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

On a scale from 1 to 100, how much faith do you have? Or is that the wrong question to ask? Ever felt like you need more faith? What if the amount of faith is not the most important metric? Today's study celebrates the value of “tiny faith.” Acts 12:1-25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It’s fair to say that if you watched someone jump into a swimming pool, and one leg stayed behind, perched on the edge all by itself, that would be a disturbing experience. But do we do that spiritually? What does “taking the plunge” really look like? We’ll dive… into that question today. Judges 7:9-25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’ve seen it hundreds of times. When news breaks about a product having problems, the marketing department responsible for selling that product often times goes silent. Should the church be just the opposite? Should the message of the Gospel be given extra support during times of crisis? What do you do when things go wrong? We’ll explore this question in our study today. Acts 12:1-25 Learn more a...

Two options: First, describe a mountain peak based on looking out a window at it. Second, describe that same peak having just climbed it. When we’re asked about our faith, do we stumble into the former, completely missing out on the power of the latter? How do we combine our experience with known truth? We’ll look at these questions today. Acts 11:1-18 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podca...

Stories of turmoil are typically easier to deal with when they’re on the “other side of the fence.” But can it be that when the troubles are elsewhere, the power of God is not as intimately known? Can we know the power of God without going through the fire? We’ll look at these questions in this study. Acts 9:1-19 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“How to overcome exclusion and division in 30 seconds or less.” Clearly not going to happen, unless we know the true source of unity. In this study, we look at the life of a Bible character who was excluded in many ways, and yet ended up in joyful victory. Acts 8:26-40 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In modern times, we’ve become accustomed to being bombarded on a daily basis with scam attempts. Would it surprise you to know these date back to Bible times as well? We’ll expose one such scam artist with the objective of learning the difference between “Feeling Good” and “Feeling God.” Acts 8:9-25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Prudence, wisdom, discretion, patience… all laudable qualities. But is there a case to be made for “jumping in head-first?” Our study today compares the “plungers” to the “toe dippers” and looks to help us understand how God directs. Judges 7:9-25 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In your own quiet honesty, where would you place yourself on a scale from “Top of the World” to “Top of Crash and Burn?” In our study today, we’ll look at one life that could be described as “ending badly” but in reality, is pivotal to our faith today. Is our assessment of failure always reliable? This important question is addressed today. Acts 6:8 - 7:60 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit p...

Perhaps you’ve seen them. Just do a search for “Flowers Growing in Concrete.” Amazing, beautiful plants in what appears to be the worst possible conditions! Is it possible that your situation is so bad that growth is completely ruled out? In today's study will look at ways growth can happen in spite of harsh conditions. Acts 6:1-7 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice...

“God knows best.” Easy to say, but sometimes really hard to live with. If we’re sick, we want to get better. We “know” that’s what’s best for us. How do we deal with God appearing to have a “better best” for us? We’ll wrestle with this question today. Acts 5:12-16 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Sickness comes in many shapes and sizes, perhaps first physically, but also emotionally, and even financially. So how does Scripture reach out to those who are sick? What are realistic expectations regarding healing? And is healing only limited to the miraculous? We’ll look at those questions today. Acts 5:12-16 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

“Tell me something about your church.” If someone walked up to you and asked that question, what would your first thought be? Would it be something positive? Or would it be that one thing that continually gets under your skin? How would Barnabas respond, and what are the implications for us today? We’ll look at these questions in this study. Acts 4:32-37 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit pod...

Does a growing faith mean that we are quicker to “think outside the box?” If you were tasked with going to battle, “more soldiers” would be a logical response. So how do we grow our faith so that “less soldiers and God” becomes the primary response? We’ll follow along as Gideon is taught this lesson. Judges 6:33 - 7:8 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices