🔊 Episode Description:

Many believers mistake holiness for a heavy load. Yet Scripture calls it a gifted life, not an endless grind. In this episode of the Christ Focused Network Podcast, Sam Johnston unmasks three quiet saboteurs, perfectionism, comparison culture, and DIY sanctification, and shows how gospel-rooted holiness trades anxious performance for Spirit-powered joy. Guided by 1 Peter 1, Galatians 3, Philippians 3, and Hebrews 12, Sam reframes growth around grace, belonging, and abiding.

We’ll cover:

* Perfectionism – Why “God loves my flawless future self” is a lie, and how future-focused grace (1 Pet 1:13-16) silences the treadmill.

* Comparison Culture – How leaderboards drain worship, and why fixing our eyes on Jesus (Heb 12:1-2) frees us to cheer others on.

* DIY Sanctification – Why self-help stalls, and how vine-and-branch dependence (John 15:4-5; Gal 3:3) fuels real transformation.

Expect field-tested practices, an evening Repent · Receive · Rejoice liturgy, a one-week digital reset, and a 30-second morning surrender prayer, to embed truth in daily life.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

* J. I. Packer – Rediscovering Holiness, ch. 2

* Jen Wilkin – None Like Him, intro + ch. 1

* Kevin DeYoung – The Hole in Our Holiness, ch. 3

* John Piper – Sermon: “Did Christ Die for Us to Be Holy?”

* Music: “Altar” – Taylor Armstrong (reflection track)

🧠 5-Minute Heart Check (Reflection Questions):

* Where did perfectionism whisper this week?

* Whom did I catch myself ranking against, and how did it affect my joy?

* Which struggle proves I’m leaning on will-power, not the Spirit?

* What one metric can I Sabbath from to remember God’s “already” love?

* How can I celebrate another believer’s win before the day ends?

👀 Sneak Peek - Next Episode:

“The Lost Language of Lament – Turning Unspoken Pain into God-Honoring Prayer.”We’ll walk the four movements of biblical lament, address, complaint, request, trust, and craft a Psalm 42-style prayer that converts anxiety into worship.

📬 Subscribe and share.

Join the movement to rediscover ancient rhythms and walk in Christ-focused formation.

👉 Modern Epistles Book | Modern Epistles Audiobook💌 [email protected]🌐 Subscribe on Substack - https://christfocused.substack.com/

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christfocused.substack.com

Youtube Link

🔊 Episode Description:

When Jesus said, “Pray then like this,” He gave more than a prayer to recite

, He gave us a spiritual framework to live by.

In this foundational episode of the Christ Focused Network Podcast, we explore The Lord’s Prayer not as routine, but as revival. Line by line, we unpack how this ancient prayer orients our hearts toward worship, aligns us with God’s mission, and trains us in daily dependence, forgiveness, spiritual warfare, and eternal perspective.

With scriptural grounding and theological insight, Sam Johnston reframes the prayer into six life-shaping movements:

* Orientation: Worship – “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name…”

* Alignment: Mission – “Your kingdom come, Your will be done…”

* Dependence: Provision – “Give us this day our daily bread…”

* Reconciliation: Grace – “Forgive us… as we forgive…”

* Protection: Warfare – “Lead us not into temptation…”

* Position: Doxology – “Yours is the kingdom, the power, and the glory…”

This is more than teaching, it’s a call to transformation. We’re invited to pray not just with words, but with our lives.

📚 Resources Mentioned:

* Book: A Simple Way to Pray by Martin Luther

* Article: “The Lord’s Prayer Is Meant to Be Lived” – The Gospel Coalition

* Music Recommendation: “Spring” by Jonathan Ogden

🧠 5-Minute Heart Check (Reflection Questions):

* What part of your life needs to re-center around God’s holiness?

* Where can your schedule yield to the Kingdom today?

* Are you trusting God for enough, or clinging to excess?

* Who needs to experience the forgiveness you’ve received?

* What temptation do you need to name and resist, today?

👀 Sneak Peek — Next Episode:

“Three Lies We Tell Ourselves About Holiness”Perfectionism. Comparison. DIY Sanctification. Let’s expose these subtle frauds and replace them with gospel-rooted, Spirit-powered joy.

📬 Subscribe and share.Join the movement to rediscover ancient rhythms and walk in Christ-focused formation.

👉 Modern Epistles Book | Modern Epistles Audiobook💌 [email protected]🌐 Subscribe on Substack

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christfocused.substack.com