The Commands of Christ Podcast

Our human tendency is to fight “fire with fire.” But in God’s kingdom, this is not how things are to work. God wants our lives as believers to be marked by the disposition of a lamb and a dove. Listen as Nate and Gabe discuss how this command is not insinuating that we be “wimpy” as believers. But on the contrary, it is learning to walk in total dependence on the life of Jesus allowing Him to love...

What does it look like to be a “sheep among wolves” and to respond as a harmless dove? In this episode Nate and Gabe delve into what Jesus meant when He spoke of the harmless attributes of a dove. As believers, our attitude toward the “wolves” should be one of love, tenderness, and compassion, desiring that they too would become sheep following Jesus as their Shepherd. Throughout scripture, Jesus...

In Jesus’ command Be Wise as Serpents , have you ever wondered what wisdom and snakes have in common? Snakes usually have a negative connotation, right? Even in scripture, they are very rarely referenced in a positive way. In this episode, Nate and Gabe will share fascinating insights into the positive characteristics of snakes that Jesus intends for us to emulate. Throughout scripture, Jesus made...

What do you think of when you hear the word “missionary”? Do you need to go to a foreign country? Do you need to have formal training? Or do you need to learn a foreign language? Unfortunately, we tend to stereotype missionaries leading us to define mission work unbiblically. In this episode, you won't want to miss what Dean Kershner has to share as he biblically defines mission work, shares preci...

“Listen to them! Listen to them! They’re right! I will spend the rest of my life searching for this God!” Dean couldn’t have been more shocked to hear these exclamations coming from a Russian professor of the high school he was visiting that day. The setting: the 1990’s post communist country of Russia. The country was filled with millions of people who had never heard the gospel; this would becom...

Even if we can’t personally meet a need, we can pray for God to send laborers to meet it! In this episode Nate and Gabe exhort us to take time to allow God to share His heart of love and compassion for others with us. How is God stirring your heart? Has He given you a burden for a specific area? As He moves on your heart, pray! Our natural response when we see needs is usually to summon our human...

One of the greatest things we can do for others is to pray for them. As Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer isn’t preparation for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.” In this encouraging episode, Nate and Gabe cover practical questions such as, “How do we pray for laborers?” And “What are we to pray for laborers?” Through prayer, we can actually play a huge role in the labors of other people!...

A huge aspect of this command is found in John 4:35, “Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.” We are often so busy and so focused on ourselves that we miss what God is doing in the lives of people around us. Join Nate and Gabe as they exhort God’s people to “lift up our eyes” and participate with the Lord of the harvest in what He is doing in our day. Our...

God desires all to enter into the Kingdom - He desires that all would enter into relationship with Him! When we begin to see God’s heart and desire for all people, then we begin to have compassion for people as Jesus did. Listen as Nate and Gabe share how this heart of compassion lays the foundation upon which Jesus commands us to pray for laborers. Our natural response when we see needs is usuall...

What is the truth “litmus test” for everything we hear? First, is it exalting Jesus? Second, is it exalting the Word of God? The goal of a true teacher ought always to be to point others away from himself and to the Lord Jesus Christ. In this episode, Nate and Gabe explore Biblical examples and descriptions that often accompany false teachers. Join them as they conclude this four part series on th...

How do we learn to recognize what is false? We might think that the best way to learn to spot falsehood is by studying counterfeits. Surprisingly this is not true! We actually learn to spot a counterfeit by immersing ourselves in the real thing! This principle holds true in our walk with the Lord as well. As we saturate our lives in Him and His Word, He sharpens our discernment to be able to disti...

Why do we fall for false teaching? Why do we get misled by them? In this episode, Nate and Gabe explore characteristics of true and false teachers. This is an exhortation and admonition to all of us - are we listening to people who are telling us what we want to hear? Or are we listening to those who are glorifying Jesus and drawing us to the truth of His Word? In our day, there is a growing need...

How do we identify a “false prophet”? And how do we identify one who is speaking the truth? It can be confusing because outwardly they can look the same! Jesus gives us the key: “ you will know them by their fruits.” Fruit is the outward manifestation of what is inside a person’s heart.  In our day, there is a growing need for us to be able to discern between what is true and what is false. With s...

In real estate the motto is: “Location. Location. Location.” In Christianity the motto is: “Position. Position. Position.” As a Christian, one of the most important things for you to know and understand is your position in Christ. Being in something is very different from being on , around , or near something. In this engaging episode, Eric helps bring fresh perspective and clarity to this life-de...

It gives us a lot of perspective when we consider the end of our choices. The world (i.e., the broad way) promises life and happiness and pleasure now, but it ends in death. Whereas God’s way  (i.e., the narrow way) starts with death - death to self and embracing the cross, but it ends in life and peace and rest.  The choice to walk in the narrow way isn’t just a one-time choice, but one we must m...

How would a woman feel on her wedding day if her husband was saddened because his focus was on all the other women that he could not marry? When pondering the command to Choose the Narrow Way , we can often get hung up on all that we have to give up. But choosing the narrow way is not just an invitation to turn from the things of the world; it is an opportunity to turn wholeheartedly to the Lord....

Even as a Christian, do you find yourself struggling with the same thoughts, choices, and actions that you had before you were saved? This can be discouraging! But it  helps to understand that there is a difference between the gate and the way. The gate is how we enter into new life with Christ; the way is how we learn to walk in this new life. Don’t be discouraged by the process! Learning to walk...

Throughout Scripture God only gives two choices for how to live our lives — as He said in Deuteronomy 30, we can choose life or we can choose death. In this new command, we will see that Christ gives the same two choices: we can either choose the narrow way (i.e., life) or we can choose the broad way (i.e., death). This choice doesn’t just apply to salvation. A huge part of learning to walk in the...

Do you ever have the subtle thought that you are better or more important than others? Do you ever overlook other people's needs or perspective? Do you tend to focus on others' faults and excuse your own shortcomings? In this convicting episode, Nate and Gabe will expose the great need for us to walk in humility and sensitivity. We need to daily ask the Holy Spirit to cultivate in us a sensitivity...

All people have needs - the need to be loved, the need to be protected and provided for, the need to be known and cared for, and even deeper spiritual needs. In this episode, Nate and Gabe discuss how making ourselves available to the Lord to meet the needs of others, often opens a door to meet their spiritual needs. As He does this in us, the world will not see merely an attempt at being Christli...

What do you want others to do for you? How do you want people to treat you? What kindness do you desire from family or friends? Jesus makes it very clear - whatever you want others to be doing for you, you should do for them. This is not something passive - it is something active. Listen as Nate and Gabe exhort us to allow Christ to actively love others through us! There is no room for selfishness...

It is so easy to live for me - my wants, my needs, and my goals. How wonderful and freeing when the Lord opens our eyes to see that life is not about me ! Life is about God - living in relationship with Him and being filled with the life of His Son. In this study on the command Do Unto Others , we will take a deeper look into the beautiful calling we have to be channels of His life to those around...

There are three promises Jesus gives in this command: 1) if we ask, it will be given. 2) if we seek, we will find. 3) if we knock, it will be opened. If these incredible promises are true (and they are), then they would beg the questions: Why are we not consistently asking? Why are we not faithfully seeking? Why are we not eagerly knocking? So often our asking, seeking and knocking are as big as o...

In this encouraging episode, Nate and Gabe address questions we all may have about the command to Ask, Seek and Knock .  Questions such as: What about Jesus’ words “ask what you will and it will be done to you”? What if I asked and nothing has happened? How do I grow in faith?  God is a Father Who is good and does good. In commanding us to ask, seek and knock, He is not trying to dangle a carrot i...

Do you have a 911 relationship with God? Are you only seeking God when you’re in a “tight spot”? Or is your asking, seeking, and knocking motivated by a desire to consistently pursue  fellowship and intimacy with your Heavenly Father? God is a Father Who is good and does good. In commanding us to ask, seek and knock, He is not trying to dangle a carrot in front of us or make things complicated for...