Escaping Moral Adventure

We’re all storing up treasure somewhere. Are you storing up treasure on earth where moth and dust destroy it? Or are you storing up eternal treasure in heaven?

In today’s episode we define ‘treasure’ and reference William MacDonald’s book True Discipleship as we have a conversation about this idea of storing up treasures. It’s important to evaluate where our treasure is because that is also where we’ll find our heart.

During today’s conversation, we mentioned the episodes we recorded with Mark’s dad:

Episode 13. A Hitchhiker, Jesus, & Becoming A Doer Of The Word With Marion Sparks [Part 1]

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/13-hitchhiker-jesus-becoming-doer-word-marion-sparks/id1544635214?i=1000514058681

YouTube: https://youtu.be/mjX_HLvGMWg

Episode 14: A Hitchhiker, Jesus, & Becoming A Doer Of The Word With Marion Sparks [Part 2]

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/14-hitchhiker-jesus-becoming-doer-word-marion-sparks/id1544635214?i=1000515001503

We also referenced the following:

1) https://www.gotquestions.org/for-where-your-treasure-is.html

2) True Discipleship by William MacDonald

Whether you’re a mom or a manager or anything in between, leadership is key. You need to know how to get others to help you accomplish goals. In this episode, we discuss what leadership really is, the best way to lead, and how to build influence with other people.

We reference James C. Hunter's excellent book “The Servant” and we discuss his ideas of the two ways to lead, one of which is far superior. We also explore how building relationships and meeting needs is key for becoming a real leader.

You can email us at [email protected] with questions or comments and your question might end up on the show!

We referenced the following scriptures during the episode:

1 Thessalonians 5:11

So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Matthew 20:28

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

In today’s episode, Fallon chats about guarding our hearts, specifically 1) what it means, 2) why it’s important, and 3) ways to do it. She also encourages us to take an inventory of what we are allowing into our minds and make the necessary changes to fill our minds with the Truth, which is God’s Word.

Below are the resources mentioned in today’s episode:

PointTaken Podcast with Tom Hufty https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/pointtaken/id1435731584

The Alisa Childers Podcast https://www.alisachilders.com/podcast.html

Knowing Faith Podcast https://www.trainingthechurch.com/knowingfaith

Fish Bytes 4 Kids Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/fish-bytes-4-kids-bible-stories-christian-parodies-more/id1460306784

God’s Big Story Podcast https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/gods-big-story/id1497921615

Chip Ingram https://livingontheedge.org/

Chuck Swindoll https://www.insight.org/

We used the following website to gather some information for today's episode:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/how-to-guard-your-heart.html

Today’s episode is all about The Good News….The Good News of the Gospel! We share The Gospel – the good news of Jesus Christ and his plan of salvation – during the first half of the episode. In the last half of the episode, we reflect on our own lives with Christ and give encouragement to those who may be seeking Christ.

If you’re on the fence about accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior, it’s time to get off the fence. Accepting Jesus as Lord of your life will be the best decision you ever make!

When sharing the Good News of The Gospel in today’s episode, we referenced the following passages of scripture:

1. Genesis Chapters 1 through 3 – The Creation and The Fall

2. Colossians 1:16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see—such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him.

3. John 3:16 For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

4. Romans 3:23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.

5. Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.

6. Romans 10:9 If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

7. Ephesians 2:8-9 8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

The following scriptures were referenced during the last half of the episode when we were chatting about our experiences.

1. Luke 15:10 In the same way, there is joy in the presence of God’s angels when even one sinner repents.

2. Philippians 4:6-7 6 Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. 7 Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

3. Ephesians 3:20 Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.

4. 1 Corinthians 12:27 All of you together are Christ’s body, and each of you is a part of it.

5. Romans 8:28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

6. Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

For the more detailed story of our experience with miscarriages and all the thoughts and emotions and prayers that came along with that, click the links below:

Post #1: http://savvyexpression.com/2014/02/10/our-unexpected-journey/  | Post #2: http://savvyexpression.com/2015/01/18/our-unexpected-journey-were-expecting/  | Post #3: http://savvyexpression.com/2015/06/28/our-unexpected-journey-an-answered-prayer/

Contact us at [email protected]. We'd love to hear from you!

On today’s episode we introduce the idea of 'Getting to Know God' and the impact this has on our life. We discuss why it is important and some practical ways to get to know God including reading the bible, prayer, and service.

In the show we referenced a few of our other podcast episodes with related content.

The first was the concept of being obedient, and despite whether we want to be or not, we are obedient to something.

5. You're Obedient To Something

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/escaping-moral-adventure/id1544635214?i=1000506599224

We also mentioned our foundational principles, which helps us act in our lives, no matter the circumstance.

6. Becoming Unshakeable: 7 Foundational Principles For Life [Part 1]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/escaping-moral-adventure/id1544635214?i=1000507415058

7. Becoming Unshakeable: 7 Foundational Principles For Life [Part 2]

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/escaping-moral-adventure/id1544635214?i=1000508309166

Additionally, we referenced the following scriptures:

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT - Yet God has made everything beautiful for its own time. He has planted eternity in the human heart, but even so, people cannot see the whole scope of God’s work from beginning to end.

John 14:9 - Jesus replied, "Philip, I have been with you all this time, and still you do not know Me? Anyone who has seen Me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?

Psalm 119:33-34a NLT - Teach me your decrees, O Lord, I will keep them to the end. Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions.

James 1:5 NASB - But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

Romans 8:26 NIV - In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

 We also mentioned a few resources:

A God-shaped hole

https://www.gotquestions.org/God-shaped-hole.html

The Real God, Chip Ingram

https://livingontheedge.org/real-god-book/

Today on the podcast Mark takes us beyond forgiveness, into reconciliation. While forgiveness is something one person can do on their own, reconciliation requires the one who forgives to desire reconciliation and the one who was forgiven to act.

This perfectly mirrors how Christ freely forgave us through is actions on the cross, yet to receive reconciliation, we must accept this forgiveness by believing in Him, repenting of our sins, and therefore being reconciled to him.

Forgiveness Intro:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeeT18Fz3zo

Forgiveness Deep Dive Part 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dctGKagHV8A

Forgiveness Deep Dive Part 2:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ct5YwlkshCQ

Mark also referenced the following scriptures in today’s episode:

2 Corinthians 5:18–19 NIV

18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.

Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast.

2 Corinthians 5:11a

11Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others

2 Corinthians 5:17

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

1 Peter 2:21

21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered[a] for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps.

Romans 5:10

For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

In today’s episode, Mark sits down with Ryan Quinley, a missionary in the Dominican Republic focused on church planting and theological training, to discuss individualism. While individualism is associated with many virtues, Mark and Ryan discuss how it may be taken too far. Ryan lays out some common examples of how individualism impacts our ideas about worship, the Lord’s supper and even salvation and some practical ways for us to think differently about being part of the body of Christ.

To find out more about Ryan and his wife Cayla and their ministry, visit http://quinleysdr.com/

This week we finish up our series on forgiveness by going into more detail on the last of three truths about forgiveness: Forgiveness is freeing. We review a whole host of research showing the benefits of forgiveness, and dive into what scripture has to say on the topic as well. In a nutshell…it’s much better to forgive than to hold a grudge!

If you missed the Intro and/or Part 1 on forgiveness, be sure to go back and check those out!

We used the following resources to compile information for this episode:

1) https://www.apa.org/monitor/2017/01/ce-corner

2) https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-forgiving-life/201804/why-forgiving-does-not-require-apology#:~:text=Forgiving%20and%20reconciling%20are%20not,the%20other%20refuses%20to%20apologize

3) https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/forgiveness-your-health-depends-on-it#:~:text=The%20good%20news%3A%20Studies%20have,of%20anxiety%2C%20depression%20and%20stress

4) https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-grudges.html

Last week, we briefly introduced three truths about forgiveness. This week, we share some definitions of forgiveness and go into a bit more detail about the first two truths: 1) Forgiveness is required and 2) Forgiveness is not dependent upon another person’s apology. We also chat a bit about the difference between forgiveness and reconciliation.

We used the following resources to gather information for this episode:

1. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgive

2. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/forgiveness/definition

3. https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-is-biblical-forgiveness/

4. https://www.gotquestions.org/forgive-forgiven.html

5. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-forgiving-life/201804/why-forgiving-does-not-require-apology

6. https://pastortomhicks.com/2020/02/24/when-does-forgiveness-not-lead-to-reconciliation/

In this week's episode, we update you on our new logo (so exciting!). We also introduce the challenging topic of forgiveness, sharing three truths about it. This episode just scratches the surface on the topic, we'll go deeper into forgiveness soon.