Josh Ott's Podcast

Wrestling with doubt is something we all do. Going through rough times amplifies our questions. But asking questions is essential to growth. It pushes us to examine our faith, developing and strengthening it. Though, at times, doubt can be dangerous. The difference is knowing how to handle it.

Discouragement is part of life. Where we go amid discouragement is important. Two disciples, barely mentioned in the Bible, encountered Jesus on the day of His resurrection. They were wandering, confused, and letdown. Jesus knew exactly what they needed...and He knows what we need too.

A critical point in a situation beyond which a significant and unstoppable effect or change takes place. One experience can change the direction of our lives. But sometimes, that tipping point eludes us. It’s frustrating when hope never becomes a reality. In this talk, we’re looking honestly at the ultimate tipping point.

Has a close friend ever sat you down for a sobering conversation? One that, if you weren’t talking with a friend, would have been offensive or painful? But knowing the conversation came from a deep place of concern and love, you were able to take it in the right context. Jesus spoke plainly, because of His great love for us. Knowing God’s heart is key to understanding His message.

It’s the age-old question: Why am I here? The longer it goes unanswered, the more restless we become. Our souls get agitated; we look for a scapegoat and finally settle in defeat. But take heart because there is an answer. Discovering it is a journey. Knowing your “why” leads to fulfillment essential to your world.

We tend to think more money, a new job, or a different relationship is the key to happiness. That adding or subtracting the right elements will equal contentment. Read “everything would be perfect if only...” But contentment is not math or found in a greener pasture. It’s a state of being.

We tend to be our own biggest resister when we hold ourselves up to unrealistic expectations. But growth is not linear; it’s messy. Without God’s grace, we blame ourselves for the mess and miss out. Let’s take a deeper look at the key to spiritual growth.

Resistance makes life harder. It can come from friends, parents, peers, and employers, and it starts before we even take our first steps in the right direction. Giving into cynicism is choosing defeat. But we can learn how to turn down those critical voices and resist the resisters.

Life pulls us in so many directions. There's no shortage of voices, opinions, and expectations. In all the noise, it can be hard to pinpoint what’s really important. But if we slow down, quiet down, and listen for God, we find He is not only with us, but speaking to us too.

Small things can make a big difference. A smile. A “thank you.” The final piece to a puzzle. Sometimes the absence of that little thing is detrimental. Be encouraged; maybe the thing you need this year is something really little, like small faith, placed in a really big God.

If you’ve ever felt hopeless, like there was no way out and no proof that anything would change, surrounded by enemies - you’re not alone. In scripture, we have countless examples of God working miracles amid tragic circumstances. The key is placing trust in God. It’s listening for His voice and following through, no matter how counterintuitive the direction seems.

Are we enough? The answer is a bit of a paradox. Plenty of days, we don’t feel like we are - we make mistakes with our families and at work. Our words and actions don’t always align with what we know is right. But God’s grace, power, and purpose are completely transforming.

At the start of every year, it's tempting to pursue a new goal towards self-improvement. But the challenges we typically take on are really saying, “if I can change enough, my life will be better.” And while desiring improvement is a great frame of mind, more of ourselves won’t bring about the kind of change we need.

We inadvertently categorize people and circumstances into "good" or "bad" categories when it’s not that simple. Life is complicated. But God takes our complex, uncertain spaces and can use them to bring incredible outcomes. He is faithful and present in the midst of our storms, and when we trust Him, we reap unimaginable blessings.

It’s hard to see clearly when we’re operating in fear and confusion. Calm, logical thinking and functioning can go out the window when reality doesn’t match our expectations. The good news is those circumstances that make us feel lost, confused, or disappointed are exactly where we find Jesus. It’s just that type of place; we need to be interrupted by Him.

Words are powerful. But our actions are just as important. Encouraging words and actions build up confidence, beliefs, attitude, and actions; they define us. Encouraging one another leads to sustainable, genuine change. The opposite, criticism, produces short term change at best, and builds resentment. Be an encourager who motivates and brings out the best in people.

Grateful people are happier and healthier. Yet moments of gratitude quickly pass us by because we aren’t looking for what we have to be grateful for, or we miss the opportunity to show gratitude. So make it who you are, not just something you do. Be a grateful person. Look for what you have to be grateful for, don’t let the moment pass you by, and express that gratitude.

Money and church. What an awkward conversation because there are so many bad at-best messages out there twisting what the Bible says about money. So many of you have been manipulated or made to feel guilty about giving money to churches, and it doesn’t sit well with us. Yet, God talks a lot about money in scripture. It makes sense since it can have such a huge grip on our lives. And we are gratefu...

Trust grows with knowledge about the person or thing you place your trust in, and confidence grows with experience. It's a head and a heart thing. We have been talking so much in this series about how we think. When you engage both your mind and your heart in your journey with God, your faith really clicks, and you find yourself being more courageous, your strength grows, you are anchored, and you...

Sometimes we find or create our own trouble, but other times trouble just finds us. Even when we are doing everything right. And when it does, it doesn’t take much to send us spiraling. If you are struggling with your mental health right now, you aren’t alone. The Bible and this church are filled with people just like you. It may not seem like it, but there is still hope for you.

Even when we really want it, we struggle to change our lives. That’s because real change comes from the inside out, and we often go about it from the outside in. What we need is to transform our thinking. It would be nice just to check out, but there is no such thing as the passive middle; you are either passively conforming to a broken system or transforming to new and good places God has for you...