It’s Freedom Friday, and we wrapped up the week by discussing our spiritual stance and heart posture toward the Lord. It’s easy to slip into an illusion of salvation when you don’t truly know who He is. We have to earnestly seek Him to get to know Him and be ready for when He returns. We looked at Matthew 7:21-23, which talks about how preachers, prophets, and teachers called out to the Lord because they thought they had taught and done wonders in His name. However, Jesus turned from them because they never came to know Him personally and spiritually despite their actions. Where do you stand with God? You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued in the Book of Esther as we discussed how Esther’s actions changed the outcome for the Jewish people. Esther took a leap of faith when she went before the king to save her people from persecution, and they were saved. Esther 9:1 tells us that the Jews overpowered their enemies in the end. What is the step of faith God is asking you to take today? We also had a stress-relieving conversation with Dr. Charles Stone, who shared some practices that help reduce stress with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Dr. Stone served in vocational ministry for 43 years and was a Senior Pastor for 30 years. He is now a coach consultant to pastors and leaders. Dr. Stone has authored numerous books, including Stress Less: 9 Habits from the Bible and Brain Science to Build Resilience and Reduce Anxiety. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we were knee-deep in our analysis of the Book of Esther as we discussed how God took what was meant for evil and made it good because of Esther’s faith. Esther took a leap of faith when she went before the king to advocate for her people, risking a potential death sentence. Esther had to stand up for her people because Haman, the king’s advisor, convinced the king to persecute all the Jews because a God-serving Jewish man, Mordecai, wouldn’t bow down to him. Esther turned to the Lord and relied on Him when taking this risk, and the king showed her favor. Are you turning to the Lord when taking risks? We also had some heartfelt laughter with our weekly segment of Ally Thinks It’s Funny. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our focus on the Book of Esther, discussing how taking a risk for others leaves room for God to show up. Esther was a young woman who stood up to prevent the persecution of her people. She put her life on the line unapoligetically, and in Esther 4:16, it says that she called for her people to fast while she took the risk and said, “If I perish, I perish.” Have you ever taken a stand or risk for others, not knowing the outcome? We also turned to Hebrews 11, which provides examples of biblical figures that took risks and had faith through it all. We even heard from the Boom Crew and their risky, faith-filled stories. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we began our weekly focus on the Book of Esther by discussing the importance of trusting the Lord over worldly securities and comforts. You may rely on specific daily amenities for stability or routine, such as cars, investments, insurance, etc, and you can quickly become dependent. We turned to Psalm 20:7, where we are encouraged to remember the name of the Lord our God over the chariots that may help alleviate daily needs or tasks. We can’t become dependent on the chariots that comfort us because sometimes we are called to disrupt that comfort for the good of others. In Esther 4:14, Esther was asked to risk her comfort in the palace to save her people from persecution, and she did. She jeopardized her chariot for the sake of her people. Are you willing to risk your chariot? Our special guest, Rob West, also joined us to discuss placing our trust in God instead of financial securities. Rob hosts the nationally syndicated radio program "Faith and Finance LIVE," which explores how faith and finance intersect. He also hosts the Faith and Finance podcast, which is connected to the app FaithFi. Rob also authored a 21-day devotional, "Look at the Sparrows.” You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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On this Freedom Friday, we concluded our weekly theme of fasting with a discussion on fasting the right way. Fasting is a time of intimacy and devotion to the Lord, so we must approach it with a humble and seeking heart. We turned to Isaiah 58, which instructs us that our fasting should be pleasing to God, not based on our expectations or motives. We also discussed the pressures of evangelizing to others, and   Andrew Steier joined us to share his insights about the evangelizing organization he works with. Andrew is the Director of Always Going, a Christian organization dedicated to teaching others how to evangelize with a focused worldview. The organization strives to reach others with the gospel in ways that go beyond general communication methods. Andrew has also authored and self-published a book called, “Always Going: The Joyful Overflow of Everday Evangelism.” You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our weekly theme of fasting with a discussion about the rewards, blessings, and intimacy with the Lord that come from fasting. We turned to Daniel 9:3-5, where Daniel tells us that the Lord heard him and honored his plea when he fasted and prayed. How often do you draw near to the Lord through fasting? Drew Dyck also joined us to discuss how God can transform ordinary things into extraordinary ones. Drew is an Acquisitions Editor with Moody Publishers and a contributing editor for Christianity Today's Pastors section. He has also authored several books, including “Generation Ex-Christian: Why Young Adults Are Leaving the Faith and How to Bring Them Back.” You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our weekly theme of fasting with a discussion about fasting for others. Dr. Sandra Glahn also joined us to discuss the upcoming Women’s Called Conference at Moody Bible Institute, scheduled for Saturday, April 12, at 9:30 a.m. CT, where she will be the keynote speaker.  Dr. Glahn is a professor of media arts and worship at Dallas Theological Seminary and an active journalist. She has also authored several books and coauthored over 20, including “Coffee Cup Bible Study.” We also had Franklin Graham as a special guest, who updated us on the happenings in Myanmar and Thailand. Franklin is a speaker, author, and evangelist. He is also the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization, as well as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we continued our weekly theme of fasting with a discussion about turning back to the Lord. We all make mistakes, but we have a merciful Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally and will look past those mistakes because He wants us to return to Him. We are affirmed of His merciful embrace in Joel 2:12-13, where He is described as “gracious, merciful, slow to anger, of great kindness, and relents from doing harm.” Have you returned to the Lord? We were also joined by Dr. Drew Dickens, our special guest, who provided insight into the intersection of technology and spirituality. Dr. Dickens is a visionary leader, an AI expert, and a scholar who focuses on the intersection of technology, spirituality, and faith-based engagement. He also founded the Encountering Peace app and the Encouter Podcast, which provide biblical meditations, resources, and dialogue. Dr. Dickens has also authored the book, “Whispers of the Spirit: A 40-Day Guide to Intimate Prayer,” which was released today. We also had Franklin Graham as a special guest. Franklin is a speaker, author, and evangelist. He is also the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization, as well as the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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Today, on Karl and Crew, we kicked off the week with a discussion about identifying spiritual gifts and the impact of fasting. Spirtual gifts come from the Lord and can be identified and accessed when we lean into His direction. Fasting is an intimate way to lean into and seek His direction by denying our flesh and seeking Him over our desires. How often do you seek Him? We turned to Matthew 6:16-18 for some biblical guidance on how to go about fasting. Our special guest, Dr. Eric Redmond, also joined us to discuss resources that help pastors and spiritual leaders hone, train, and develop their spiritual gifts. Dr. Redmond is a Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute and the Executive Director of Moody’s Theological Seminary Center for Compelling Biblical Preaching. He also serves as Associate Pastor of Preaching and Teaching at Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, IL, and has authored several books. You can hear the highlights of today’s program on Karl and Crew Showcast.

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