Welcome back to Candid Mic! I, Mitchell Lavender, your host will share with you what my limitations enable me to do. I have found these last couple of weeks to be tough in ministry, thank God for showing me where my freedom is. Principles to Consider: limitations freedom love Giving your best Scriptures to examine: Jeremiah 25:1-3 John 6:66 Reflection Questions: Where do you feel limited? Do you view your limitation as a freedom? Consider changes that you are trying to make, when they don't happen, what do you do? Who is in your corner to help you learn about your limitations? bit.do/CandidMicPodcast

I, Mitchell Lavender, your host will share with you the four areas of my life that I wrestle with on the daily basis. The very sins that if I am not careful will overpower me and pin me into defeat. Wrestling is expected as a disciple of Jesus Christ. What do you wrestle with, are you winning? Principles to Consider: Wrestling Sin Grace Insecurities Lust Laziness Scriptures to Examine: Genesis 4:6 Galatians 6:9 John 13:34-35 Colossians 1:28-29 Reflection Questions: What are the sins you wrestle with on the day to day basis? Which scriptures help you combat these areas? Do you have close friends who help you wrestle? Do you know what your close friends wrestle with?

Welcome back to Candid Mic, in episode 011 I, Mitchell lavender, your host, will show you what a Christian is from the Bible. Sometimes we think we come out of the womb Christians, and we call ourselves Christians flippantly, but be honest, does your life reflect Christ?. Let's take a sobering look at what the scripture says, so we can be inspired by the Word, and transformed in our lives and ministry. Principles to consider: Christian is a name given from outsiders Follower of Christ daily decision making disciples personal Gospel needing a church Scriptures to Examine: Acts 11:26 Acts 26:28 1st Peter 4:6 Matthew 28:18-20 Reflection Questions: Are you following Christ in your personal life? Are you learning who Christ would be in any given situation? Do you know how to help others become Christians? Are you making a decision daily to put Christ's will above your own? Candidmic.wordpress.com

**To the victims of Hurricane Harvey & Irma, our prayers and support are with you** Welcome back to Candid Mic, in episode 007, I Mitchell lavender, your host, will show you who God expects us to love. This message was not preached to the Jewish nation at a convenient time, because they were being oppressed; and in some cases even by their own people. We will see exactly who God expects us to love... and just how powerful, yet uncomfortable this teaching is when it is lived. Principles to consider: Oppression Unconditional love Enemies Perfect neighbor Scriptures to Examine: Matthew 5:43-48 Leviticus 19:17-18 Romans 12:17-21 Reflection Questions: Who are your enemies? Do you pray for your enemies? Are you willing to show good will toward your enemies?

Welcome back to Candid Mic, in episode 006, I Mitchell lavender, your host, will show you who God expects us to follow, and how even though this is a simple concept, it is easy to miss. Ultimately we will see how we need to follow Jesus above all relationships, and how spiritual people in the Bible missed this mark. Principles to consider: Following Jesus Ego Worldliness Friends Scriptures to Examine: Luke 9:23-24 Matthew 16:24-25 Judges 2:16-19 1st Samuel 8:4-7, 19-20 Luke 19:41-44 Luke 14:25-33 James 4:4 Reflection Questions: Who are you really following? Are you trying to befriend the world? Are you helping those around you to focus in on following Jesus? Do you have scripture, in it's context, for the things you do?

Welcome back to Candid Mic, in episode 005, I Mitchell lavender, your host, will show you who God says He is from the Bible, and how life can make us question God's character when bad things happen. Ultimately we will see how God is our moral standard, being inherently good and that we can trust Him- this is so important for imitating Him. Hopefully God's word will inspire us to know that even though bad things happen, God still loves us the same. Principles to Consider: morals character holiness love Scriptures to Examine Leviticus 19:1-2 Psalm 145:8-9 Ezekiel 18:32 Psalm 103:2-5 Deuteronomy 10:17-18 Luke 12:6-7 Isaiah 44:6-8 2nd Chronicles 16:9 Reflection Questions Who do you think God is? Would you consider God your antagonist? If bad things happen and God is good, how do we know He loves us? What does knowing God's character do for your faith?

**There are small sections of disrupted sound in this recording that sound like rustling pieces of paper, I apologize in advance for the lack of quality, I could not edit it out** Bonus Episode! My wife Hope and I share about: Who we are in our marriage, who God is in marriage, who Satan is in marriage, who we are in ministry, as well as a few scriptures that we cling to. We are not perfect, marriage is hard, marriage is fun, and Jesus is the reason we are doing well. In this episode, we go beyond social media and into the crevices of our marriage. Thanks for listening!

Welcome back to Candid Mic, in episode 004, I Mitchell lavender, your host, will show you who God says you are from the Bible, and how life can make this truth difficult to believe because of peer pressure. Finding my identity was extremely difficult growing up. I was the youngest of four, the nerd, the break-dancer. There are so many identities out there, ones we want, and one that are placed on us, but I want to show you that you are either worth saving, or saved. In the next episode we will learn in detail about the image that God says should be the real you, because were made to be in God’s image, but we fell. Sometimes we forget how bad our fall was, and how beautiful the image of God is. In this episode We will discuss the reality of God’s image, and the reality of who we are to God. Principles to Consider: Identity Image Peer pressure Reputation Character Perception Right with God Lost Scriptures to Examine Genesis 1:26-27 Ezekiel 18:32 Amos 4:6-12 Hosea 11 Romans 8 Colossians 1 2nd Corinthians 5 Reflection Questions Who do you think you are? Why do you believe that? Do you think peer pressure has affected what you believe your identity should be? Are you ashamed to bear the name Christian, minister, police officer...etc.? In what part of your life would you say you are in? The fall? or have you been saved? Who influenced your ideas of who you wanted to be growing up? What were you told about yourself by other people? Why is identity important to you?

Welcome back to Candid Mic. In episode 003, I, Mitchell Lavender, your host, will show you from the Bible what it means to be a minister; how God has entrusted us to be servants. We are called to: love unconditionally, to speak the truth in love on his behalf, to equip the Christians for works of service, ultimately to be willing to lay down our will for God's will, as servants. I will talk about how God expects ministers to be his servants, and the servant of people; this should be with love, setting a godly example and leading God’s people effectively. Think of all the bad examples you remember in any field of service; they can break trust, which damages influence, has this happened to you? If the way to God has been damaged by bad stewardship, and has caused people to mistrust it, then many people won’t find their way to God. I will share about how growing up, bad example after bad example made me settle, and think that ministers could not be trusted. The truth is, God can be trusted, he changes lives, and true ministers are supposed to aim to be the most loving and most effective servants, on the face of the Earth. There are many great ministers out there, many of my good friends are, and I aspire to be one as well. Though we are not perfect, God is. Even though we will make mistakes, we should strive to be servants, and correct our mistakes with humility. Principles to Consider: Being a servant God's Will Trust Authentic Christian conversion Unconditional love Speaking the truth in love Scriptures to Examine: Acts 2, Acts 9, Acts 10, Acts 11, Acts 16, Acts 19, Acts 22, Acts 26 Ephesians 4:11-15 John 13:34-35 Matthew 23:1-11 Romans 15:15-16 Reflection Questions: Who would you say a minister is, prior to this episode? There are always bad leaders, how can we avoid being them? Have you had bad experiences with ministers before? Have you moved on? If ministers strive to be what God asks them to be, do you think the world would see the church differently, and perhaps trust it? Ministers will make mistakes, we need grace, however we also need to strive to follow Jesus. If your minister is unwilling to obey the Bible, well, there is a problem.

Thanks for tuning in to Candid Mic! In episode 001, I, Mitchell Lavender, your host, will tell you what this podcast is all about. I will share with you a surprising story and a character flaw, that God made evident in my life, and how He revealed an important opportunity for transformation, that I am still undergoing. I will talk to you about how important it is to be genuine in life, for ourselves and for others, and how no matter who we are, we all influence someone. Principles to consider: Transformation Honesty Mercy Influence Authenticity Reflection Questions: Who do you influence in your life? Would you say it is for good, bad, or mediocre? Are you naturally a people pleaser? Does this add or take away stress from your life? Do you have a problem being yourself around others? If not, what helps you live this way? Could you honestly say that there is no deceit in your life?