GRINDIT podcast

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, they know me, and they follow me.” If that’s the case, then why did some of his closest followers not know who he was after the resurrection? They heard Jesus speak from the shore but they didn’t know who he was and this happened not once but twice! I discuss it in this episode of the GRINDIT Podcast. The answer is something we all need to hear so share with yo...

In the second podcast on the resurrection we cover Jesus appearing to the disciples for the first time. As he just appears in a room with them he gives them peace. Many people today can relate to the disciples because their lives are filled with chaos and confusion so they need the peace of God in their lives. Thomas missed Jesus' appearance and he wouldn't believe the disciples story. He wanted t...

The greatest event in history happens in John 20...the resurrection! This single event is where we find our hope and strength because they saw Jesus die, they saw him buried, and now they see him alive again! It changed their lives forever and the resurrection will change yours as well. I have broken this chapter up into two podcasts to talk about the details of this event. In this episode we cove...

In John 19 we have the crucifixion of Jesus and we discuss the details of it. Other gospel accounts give more details and I share those in this podcast. The religious leaders who should have been excited about the Messiah's arrival wanted him dead instead. They got what they wanted but it was all apart of God's eternal plan. Jesus had to be the sacrifice for our sins and he was. He willingly laid...

Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" We think truth is whatever we believe to be true but just because we believe it to be true doesn't make it true or vice versa. I can say I'm 6 feet tall all I want and believe it to be true but the truth is...I'm 5'7! The truth never changes and it can be supported with facts and evidence. Jesus said God is truth and His word is truth. You can choose not to bel...

Peter was always outspoken for Jesus. When Jesus asked "Who do people say I am?" it was Peter who said with authority, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God!" It was Peter who said he would die with Jesus and even tried to defend Jesus from the militia that came to arrest him when he pulled his sword and went for the head of Malchus. However, in the blink of an eye this mighty pillar of f...

We are breaking down the prayer that Jesus prayed on behalf of his disciples just before he is leaving to be betrayed and crucified. One of the coolest things about this prayer is that Jesus not only prays for his eleven disciples that are left after Judas left the room, he also prays for us! 2000 years ago, Jesus had you and me on his mind before he went to the cross and he lifted us up to his Fa...

As they are about to leave for the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus will be betrayed, he concludes his talk with his disciples by saying a prayer on their behalf. He knows his time has come and he will be leaving them to take over the kingdom so he tells his Father that the disciples have heard his message and believe. Therefore, since they will be taking over the kingdom and helping it grow, Jesu...

In John 15 Jesus was talking with his disciples and he knew they were freaking out because he had told them he was leaving them and they couldn't come with him. Almost ten times he uses the word "remain" as he encourages them to keep their faith regardless of what happens in the coming days. He starts off John 16 by telling them not to "abandon" their faith and he tells them some things they will...

Jesus commands us to produce and the key to producing fruit is to "remain" in Jesus. He promises to "remain" in us if we "remain" in him. When he remains in us through the Holy Spirit we will produce fruit naturally because we are connected to the vine and we are healthy. However, we have a choice to remain or leave but if we choose to leave God, where else are we going to go? And the consequences...

Jesus said we are to produce fruit and be obedient to him. His commandment to us is to love others as he loves us so we take a quick glimpse of 1 Corinthians 13 and finish breaking down what Jesus told his disciples in verses 18-27. Jesus says we will be hated, persecuted, and ignored because that's how the world treated him...and he was God in the flesh!

Jesus is the grapevine, his followers are the branches, and his Father is the gardener and is the one who does the pruning. If a branch doesn't produce fruit it is cut off from the grapevine and cast into the fire. According to Galatians 5:22 the Holy Spirit produces the fruit in us so just as Jesus said, it is imperative we walk according to the Spirit so he will produce fruit. As the Holy Spirit...

John 14 is a continuation of John 13 where Jesus is having a very intimate conversation with the eleven disciples that are left (Judas has left to get his silver). He tells them, "Don't let your hearts be troubled...." He knew they were freaking out because he had told them one of them would betray him and he also told them he was leaving them for a bit. We can all use the comforting words Jesus g...

We finish John 14 with the disciples freaking out over what Jesus is telling them. They want to go with him and he tells them they can't. They are full of fear and doubt which is two great tools of the enemy. If Satan can keep us in fear and doubting God, then he knows we are no threat to him. Jesus promises them a Helper, the Holy Spirit and when he falls on the disciples in Act 2, they are fille...

Do you hold a grudge? Is there someone in the church you avoid because they hurt you? If we claim to be a follower of Christ then we must love like Christ and it's NOT an option and His love is WITHOUT conditions! If anyone had the right to hold a grudge it was Jesus! He chose Judas Iscariot to be one of his twelve disciples knowing he was greedy, a thief, and that he would sell him out for thirty...

Fact: God loves everybody, yes...everybody, His love is unconditional, and nothing can separate us from His love (Romans 8:38). You've heard it said before, "God hates the sin but sin loves the sinner." A problem I see is that people in today's society have confused God's unconditional love with salvation. Yes, God loves everyone but not everyone is saved! The ones who will be saved are the ones w...

One thing you don't mess with is a person's power! Jesus was a threat to the religious leaders, not a physical threat, but he threatened their pride. They loved the praise from the people and now it was going to Jesus instead of them and they didn't like it! After the raising of Lazarus they plotted to kill him but that wasn't all, they wanted Lazarus killed too because he was the reason the peopl...

Why would Jesus choose a greedy, money hungry thief to be the treasure of the group? If Jesus knew people's thoughts surely he knew Judas was stealing money from the bag! And we know Jesus knew Judas would betray him and sell him out for thirty pieces of silver. Knowing all of this about Judas he still chose him as one of the twelve and get this, when Judas betrayed him in the Garden, Jesus still...

Jesus is invited to Lazarus' house at Bethany because Martha and Mary have cooked a meal to honor him. While there, Mary pours nard on Jesus' feet and wipes them with her hair. The smell permeates the house and everyone there, including the disciples, heard Jesus say that Mary had done this to prepare him for burial. They had no idea what Jesus was talking about but they would by the end of the we...

Jesus is going to raise Lazarus from the dead but would it be enough to raise people's faith? He has been dealing with doubt from the religious leaders, the Jews, and now he is getting it from his twelve disciples and his best friends! It comes to a boiling point as John points out that Jesus had anger from deep within. We need to be growing in our faith and not declining. How strong is your faith...

In John 10 Jesus says He is the good shepherd and he tries to persuade the crowd to be sheep. He tells them a story of a thief that comes over the wall and how the sheep are frightened and run off. But he is the shepherd that comes in the gate and there is peace among the sheep because they know it's the shepherd. David tells us Psalm 23 "the Lord is my shepherd" and he lists some characteristics...

In the second part of John 10 the crowd just wants to hear it plainly from the horse's mouth, "Are you the Messiah?" but Jesus tells them "You don't believe anything I tell you but you could at least believe the works I do." They wanted to stone him but he escapes. There's a ton of evidence to back up Jesus' claim but even today, people don't believe. They want to do their own thing without respon...

Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath and he becomes an instant witness to his friends, family, and even the Pharisees. The Pharisees have known this man his whole life and they have passed by him for years as he sat and begged and they never took time for him. Jesus did and his life was changed forever!

Jesus continues to try to explain to people that he is the very Messiah they have been looking for but they just can't get past the idea that they know his family, and since they believe the Messiah will just show up, they don't believe him. And it comes to a boiling point at the end of the chapter as Jesus says two words, "I AM", and they pick up stones to stone him to death. But before the dialo...

In this episode of GRINDIT I breakdown the context of Jeremiah 29:11. People use this verse a lot however, they do not know the meaning behind it and they use it out of context. After listening to this podcast you will know the context and you will appreciate Jeremiah 29:11 even more!