God-besotted Podcast

God-besotted Podcast

By Corina CaterReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
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God-besotted Podcast episodes

  • #58: Jesus is Enough (Encouragement from the Feeding of the 5,000)

    If you’re in a season that feels hectic or overwhelming—if your plate is full of good, but hard opportunities—the miracle of the feeding of the 5,000 is an encouragement for you: Jesus is enough. 

    A short encouragement, from my heart to yours.

    Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider:

    • Read the Gospel accounts of the feeding of the 5,000 (found in Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:32-44, Luke 9:10-17 and John 6:1-13). Put yourself in the disciples’ shoes. What do you feel? Hear? See? What stands out to you?

    • Dwell more deeply on Jesus’ statement in John 6, “I am the bread of life.” In what ways do you need Jesus’ nourishment today? How can you seek Him for sustenance, rest, and refreshment this week?

    • Read Psalm 23 and pray it back to Jesus, thanking Him for being your great and good shepherd (c.f. Hebrews 13:20-21, John 10:1-21). 

      • 14 min
    • #57: Parables of Jesus: Our Firm Foundation

      Confidence. Stability. Security. Safety. Joy. 

      That’s what the parable of the two builders promises those who embrace Jesus as Savior and obey Him as Lord. A famous parable for a reason, the parable of the two builders wraps up Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and urges us to consider: Have we heard and acted upon Jesus’ words, or do we merely profess to follow Him? 


      Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider:

      • What is the relationship between faith and works, between faith and fruit? How would you describe the importance of obedience to a new believer? 

      • Where in your life do you need stability, confidence, and security right now? How does knowing you are in Christ—because you have continued to trust and obey Him—encourage you? 

      • Right now, are you more like the wise builder or the foolish one? Why? Are there any areas of your life where you are delaying obedience or refusing to obey? Confess these to the Lord and ask for His strength to follow Him wholeheartedly.

        • 35 min
      • #56: Parables of Jesus: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector
        The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector is one of Jesus’ most famous parables. It’s a story that shocked His original hearers and shocks us still today. 
        What’s most surprising about this parable is the story within the story, the timeless gospel message shining through it that sinners are saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. That’s a message I need to hear everyday, and I’m guessing you do too. 
        Want to dig into the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider:
        Read Luke 18:15-30. How do these encounters relate to the point of the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector? 
        Al Mohler writes, “Christians need to realize we are always fighting against an inner Pharisee.” How do you usually see your inner Pharisee rising up in your own heart? How can you fight that posture this week?
        Do you talk to God more about the sins of others or your own sin? Do you talk to the trusted people in your life more about the sins of others or your own sin? What might this reveal about your heart?
        Spend some time in prayer. Thank God for His grace, confess your sin, and seek His cleansing.
        36 min
      • #55: Parables of Jesus: Shameless Prayer (Luke 11:1-13)
        In Luke 11, the disciples make a request of Jesus that we can all relate to: “Teach us to pray.”
        To answer this question, Jesus teaches them some amazing lessons—using, in part, the parable of the friend at midnight—about why we should pray, how we should pray, and what we should expect when we pray. 
        Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider.
        1. Consider Jesus’ model prayer in Luke 11:1-4. How do the requests in this prayer inform your prayer life? Do you pray regularly for God’s glory to be magnified, His will to be done, your needs (however basic) to be met, for cleansing from sin, and for deliverance from temptation and trials? 
        2. Think back to the last time you helped someone. What compelled you to do it? Now consider how God, our perfect heavenly Father, responds when you are in need. How does the parable of the friend at midnight encourage you? 
        3. How does knowing the way the Father answers prayer (by giving us what is best for us: Himself) help you in seasons of suffering and discouragement? 
        4. Do you pray shamelessly? Do you keep asking, keep seeking, and keep knocking? Why or why not? If not, how can you ask, seek, and knock this week? 
        5. Consider how you can “sue God” for the thing you’re praying about. Check your request against Scripture and consider: How has God promised to act? What does His Word promise you? Then, plead His promises and trust His heart. 
        6. Memorize 1 John 5:14 to hide its truth in your heart.
        47 min
      • #54: Parables of Jesus: The Joy of Faithful Service

        If the kingdom of God isn’t coming in its fullness for a long time, what are Jesus’ subjects to do while waiting for their King to return? How are the master’s servants to live while their master is away? 

        That’s the question the parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) answers.

        Convicting and comforting, this parable reminds us that we serve a good and gracious God, who invites us to participate in His kingdom, providing us with more than enough so that we can remain faithful and fruitful as we await the coming King.

        Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a couple reflection questions to consider:

        1. Make a list of the resources, blessings, time, spiritual gift(s), and talents that God has given you. Make another list of the opportunities you have to serve Him by serving others, especially fellow believers. Now consider: Are you being faithful? 

        2. Are there any talents, gifts, resources, or opportunities that you have not been using to serve God? If so, why? Does pride, fear, or laziness have anything to do with it? What lie might you be believing about God that is impacting this?

          3. 34 min
        3. #53: Parables of Jesus: "A Happy Trade-Off"

          In the parable of the treasure and the parable of the pearl, Jesus shows us through story that knowing and following Him, giving up all we are for all He is, is the best choice we’ll ever make. 


          Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider: 

          1. In both parables, individuals (not groups of individuals) find a prize and acquire it. Why might this have been surprising to Jewish hearers? (Check out John 8:31-47 if you need help.)

          2. What difference do you notice between the way the man found the treasure and the way the man found the pearl? What does this tell us about how people find Christ?

          3. What have you been spending your resources trying to achieve? Is there anything you’ve been unwilling to give up to gain more intimacy with the Lord or be more faithful to Him? How do the parables of the treasure and pearl challenge or encourage you?




            4. 32 min
          4. #52: Parables of Jesus: Small Beginnings, Eternal Impact
            In the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven, Jesus teaches us something totally contrary to the way we tend to think: big works of God often begin small. Kingdom transformation spreads slowly from the inside out, and it’s often hard to see at first. But God does not despise the day of small beginnings (Zechariah 4:10), and neither should we.
            Want to study the themes in this passage further? Here are a few reflection questions and passages to consider:
            Read Matthew 11:1-6. Why do you think John was unsure about whether Jesus was the Messiah? What was Jesus’ response? What does this tell us about the kingdom of God?
            What are a few “small things” you believe God has called you to in this season? How can you be faithful in these things this week?
            How have you seen God work through small things in your life or in someone else’s life? How does this encourage you to continue seeking first the kingdom of God? Consider writing down a prayer to confess when you have despised the “day of small things [or beginnings]” and commit to honoring God and trusting His plan for your life.
            Follow @godbesotted on Instagram or the God-besotted Podcast on Facebook for more encouraging content.
            24 min
          5. #51: Parables of Jesus: Wheat and Weeds
            Why is it sometimes hard to tell if someone is truly a Christian? If Jesus’ kingdom has come, why are there still wicked people in the world? What awaits believers at the end of the age?
            These questions, and more, are answered in the parable of the tares. The second parable in a set of seven kingdom parables in Matthew’s Gospel, the parable of the tares introduces the idea that the kingdom of God comes gradually, not all at once. Until Jesus returns as Judge and King, believers have been planted in the world as lights, inviting the lost to come and cling to Christ.
            Want to study the themes in this passage further? Here are a few reflection questions and passages to consider:
            1. Read Ephesians 5:7-9, Philippians 2:1-16, 1 John 1:6-8, and 1 John 3:10. What does it look like to walk in the light as a child of God?
            2. Consider Matthew 13:25-26 and Matthew 13:38-39 in light of 2 Corinthians 11:13-15 and 1 John 2:18-19. What is one of the strategies Satan uses to try to stop the growth of the church?
            3. How would you describe “already-but-not-yet” to someone? (Check out the graphic on Instagram @godbesotted if you need help with this!)
            4. What evil in the world or in your life makes you long for judgment? How does knowing that judgment is coming comfort you? Confess to the Lord any ways you may have sought to bring judgment on your own instead of waiting for God’s. 
            5. Spend time in silence before the Lord. Thank Him for His grace in bringing you into His family through His Son. Ask Him who He wants you to share the gospel with and write down their name. Pray for them and seek opportunities to connect with them. 
            Follow @godbesotted on Instagram for more encouraging content.
            33 min
          6. #50: Parables of Jesus: True Faith Produces Fruit

            “A sower went out to sow his seed.” So begins one of Jesus’ most famous parables, the parable of the soils. Included in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, this parable is key to understanding the other parables of Jesus. It serves as both an encouragement and warning to us as we begin our study of the parables: We are to take heed how we hear the Word of God. 

            Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider: 

            1. What fruit are we to bear as believers? Check out Galatians 5:22-23, Philippians 1:11, Hebrews 13:15, and Romans 1:13. 

            2. Based on the fruit described in the passages above, what fruit have you been bearing recently?

            3. Do any of the unproductive soils convict you? Are you currently being hardened by sin, or disheartened by a trial, temptation or persecution, or choked by worry or love of money? If so, how do Jesus’ words encourage you to respond?

            4. Are you sowing the Word of God? To whom? How does the parable of the soils encourage you as you do?

            5. Consider committing 2 Peter 1:1-11 or John 15:1-11 to memory as a way to meditate on God’s Word! 

              6. 41 min
            6. #49: Parables of Jesus: Life-Changing Kingdom Stories
              A prodigal son and a welcoming Father. A man who joyfully buys an entire field to find a hidden treasure. A good Samaritan who goes above and beyond to serve a helpless stranger. 
              The parables of Jesus contain rich truths that spur us to love Him more and live differently as a result. In this new series, we’ll explore some of these life-changing stories about the kingdom of God, delighting in our gracious and righteous King. 
              Want to study the themes in this episode further? Here are a few passages and reflection questions to consider:
              The Old Testament doesn’t contain many parables, but you can check out 2 Samuel 12:1-15 to read about a prophet who did employ the use of a parable to teach an important spiritual lesson. 
              Read Matthew 13:16-17. How do we understand parables? What does this mean for our study of parables?
              Read Mark 4:24-25. How does understanding lead to more understanding? What does lack of understanding lead to? 
              As we begin this study of some of the parables of Jesus, what questions do you have? (And if you have questions about this episode, feel free to ask me through Instagram or Facebook!)
              Follow @godbesotted and the God-besotted Podcast on Facebook to keep up with the podcast!
              32 min

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