Discussing the Good News About Our Bodies

We hear messages everywhere about our bodies. One person says our bodies are perfect just the way they are while the next person asserts that our bodies are broken. Some say our bodies should be disregarded or disciplined while others say we should indulge our every craving. The body is evil or the body is divine. And as soon as you hear one opinion, the next moment there is someone presenting a competing opinion. 

So what should we think? To whom should we listen?

Tyler Staton and Bridgetown Church tackled that question, and what they found was good news. In fact, it was news so good that not only did we listen to the sermons about it, we are actually breaking it down today. We are cutting through the noise to hear the opinion, the truth, from the One whose opinion matters most: God. And what God has to say is Good News for all of us. 

So we pray you are blessed by our discussion today and that you feel the love and care that God put into creating you, your body, mind, and soul. You are fearfully and wonderfully made, and that good news leads us to the best news of all: You are His. 

And if you would like a copy of the Bible studies we mention, reach out to us at lightinyourcorner at gmail.com and we will send them your way! 

ALSO:

—Approaching messages with a critical ear

—When icons become idols

—Acquiring and losing tastes for things 

—You can change!

—Blessing those who curse you and praying for your enemies

—What fruit is falling from your tree?

—All of life is spiritual

—A humble testimony is more believable 

—Journaling in group Bible study

—The Gift of Presence

References:

—The Good News About Our Bodies: Tyler Staton Bridgetown Audio Podcast Episodes 2/22/26-3/30/26

—Blurry Creatures Episode 462: Werewolves, a White Pony, and a 100 Year Promise with Marcus Young 

—Living Unoffended Podcast by Brant Hansen

The Lamp for Our Feet: How to Pray God’s Word as You Walk in Faith

Welcome back, everyone! August was a month filled with blessings, some of which kept us from being able to record any podcast episodes. But we are back today and grateful that we get to spend this time with you discussing what God is up to in our lives and in His word. 

It’s our last episode in Proverbs, and while we won’t camp out in the book of Proverbs for very long, we will use it to direct our discussion on the practice of praying specific scriptures and how that can strengthen you when you hear teachings that don’t sound quite right. 

It is good to test every spirit and question things that sound off, even by a little bit. But what do we test them against and how can we ask questions without being antagonistic, especially in a culture that thrives on conflict? We start with prayer and the Word, hand-in-hand, and we trust that God will give us the wisdom we need when the time comes. Because He is good and He loves us more than we even know. 

ALSO:

—The favor of God is Jesus Christ

—Skip the “freak out” step

—Meditation or Prayer or Both?

—Teaching our kids to appreciate the simple things. 

—Don’t cancel your appointment 

—Giving until it hurts

References:

—Proverbs 27-31

—1 Corinthians 12-14

—“Guerillas of Grace: Prayers for the Battle” by Ted Loder

—Directed Life Podcast with Kap Chatfield: How to Break Evil Altars and Walk in Freedom with Madison Yount

—Brant and Sherri Bible Study: https://www.youtube.com/live/TNNcq1RfvQo?is=udOql5JbaL2cjxNT

NOT Hakuna Matata: Real Life Lessons from the Animals of Proverbs 26

You don’t have to read “National Geographic” or watch “Animal Planet” for hours to realize that the animal kingdom has a lot to teach us about what it looks like to be human. Sure, God placed us over all the animals to rule them, but in the Bible, we are told to observe them as well.

God answers Job’s cries by challenging him to consider who cares for lions, ravens, goats, donkeys and more (Job 38-39). On multiple occasions, Jesus tells His listeners to think about birds when they are worried (Matthew 6 & 10). And in Proverbs 26, King Solomon teaches some very important life lessons using a variety of animal scenarios. 

What do all these have in common? God‘s design. Not only did God create all these animals, He also designed how they would survive and interact. Which means they provide a good illustration of what happens when God‘s design is violated. When that happens, there is arrogance, worry, slander, violence, sloth, lies, gossip, and overall foolishness. Sounds like an uplifting start to a podcast, doesn’t it? Don’t worry, there is some light along the way. Thanks for joining us!

ALSO:

—Summerween

—Don’t fast-forward summer!

—Is that me or the Holy Spirit?

—What gets us in trouble…

References:

Proverbs 26

Matthew 10

Psalm 28

Proverbs 6

The Minions

The Odyssey 

Getting to the Root of Things

Hello, Friends! What are you believing? We aren’t necessarily talking about a creed you profess and live by, though the beliefs you have do shape how you speak and live. We are talking about the quiet soundtracks that play just below the surface of your thoughts. The roots that anchor our reactions and instincts and make us wonder, “Where did that come from?”

That’s just one fun thing we are going to talk about today as we continue to explore the Proverbs. We don’t make a ton of headway—just three chapters. But those chapters are so packed with rich wisdom and imagery that we just couldn’t go any faster through them. 

So thanks for joining us today! We are so glad you are with us!

ALSO:

—What we are listening to

—What does this thought produce in you?

—The power of confession

—When Abram waited

—How your past colors your present 

—The beautiful Serenity Prayer

—Strength training and submission 

—Honey and Wisdom

References:

—Books: The Running Grave, Theo of Golden, Heartwood, The Rosie Project, Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

—The Daily Bible Podcast

—The Bible Project

—Tyler Staton sermons

—Bizzie Gold

—Proverbs 23-25

Leveling Up: Proverbs 16-22

Hi, Friends! Proverbs may look kind of like a grocery store of verses where the stockers pick the most random places to put things, but the fun thing about that is that you come across verses and wisdom that you might not have otherwise paid attention to. You might just be reading along and one verse could stop you in your tracks, like a message just for you. 

We are going to talk about verses like that today. We will cover things like perspective, relationships, aging, and discernment, because Proverbs has a lot to say about all of that. And we will have a good time along the way. Thanks for joining us!

ALSO:

—The gift of imagination in reading the Bible

—How, when, and who to reprove

—Humility in conflict resolution 

—How to grow in discernment

—When God tests the heart

—Being still to be with God

—Is this a story worth repeating 

References:

—Proverbs 16-22

—Jefferson Fisher Podcast

—Brant and Sherri Oddcast

—“The Ink Black Heart” by Robert Galbraith 

—“Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi

And the Award Goes to…The Best of Proverbs 10-15

Hey, friends! Thanks for joining us today as we sift through Proverbs 10-15, looking for specific verses that speak to our lives, relationships, jobs, and world. It’s a jam-packed conversation today, so let’s get to it!

ALSO:

—Regular Pretty

—Vinegar to the teeth

—Having to discipline ourselves 

—How would you behave around Solomon?

—Should we avoid fools?

References:

—Shallow Hal

—The Rookie

—River Wild

—Bio-Dome

—LMC Mother’s Day Video

—Blurry Creatures Episode 423: Beyond the Edge of the World with the Wild Brothers

A Matter of Life and Death: Proverbs 5-9

Hey, Friends! Thanks for joining us today as we take a little hike through Proverbs 5-9. Much like a trail guide, Solomon spends these chapters warning his son to keep an eye out for the good as well as the bad.

Watch where you step. It’s a simple instruction, but ignoring it could cost us our lives.

So we listen for wisdom. We train our eyes on her beauty. We tune our ears to her voice. We remember that, like edible plants in nature, there is usually a toxic counterpart that can trick us if we’re not careful.

It can be exhausting and overwhelming when we try to do this on our own, but thank God He has given us the Spirit to help us on the way. And thank God we have each other for support. We are so glad you are here. 

ALSO:

• The Chronicles of Narnia v. Lord of the Rings 
• Beauty and the Beast v. Hocus Pocus
• Proverbs and marketing
• Just ASK
• Fleeing FROM and Turning TO

References:

• The Gospel Coalition: Where’s Jesus in Proverbs?
• 1 Corinthians 1:18-25
• Hebrews 1:1-3
• Proverbs 8:22-31
• Matthew 4:1-5
• Matthew 16:21-23
• James 1:5
• James 4:2-3
• “Hoomania”
• “Uncluttered Faith” by @joshua_becker
• @theminimalists 
• “This is a Gardening Show” with Zach Galifinakis 
• “The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien 
• “The Chronicles of Narnia” by C.S. Lewis

Pay Attention: Introducing the Book of Proverbs

Everywhere we turn there is someone telling us how to think, where to shop, what to buy, and who we should spend our time on. They all want our attention because they know something that we tend to forget: our attention is valuable. 

Where we place our attention matters, and nowhere is this more clear than in the book of Proverbs. In fact, King Solomon’s advice for his son is so applicable to our lives today, it’s impossible not to see our own need to focus our attention on God’s wisdom. 

That’s what we are talking about today as we dive into the beginning of the book of Proverbs. We are so glad you are walking this path with us! 

ALSO:

—90’s parenting proverbs

—Freeing up mental space when you realize no one else cares

—What do you let into your heart?

—Who are you going to trust?

—Walking the moral path without slipping into legalism

References:

—Proverbs 1-4

—Matthew 6:19-24

—“Beautiful Design” by Matt Chandler

—@theminimalists

—minimalmaxims.com

—The Bible Project

—Matthew 18:12-14

Jesus is Coming Back Soon!

When you hear the words, “Jesus is coming back soon,” or “The King is coming,” what does that do to your heart? How do you feel? Anxious? Excited? Nervous? Relieved? Or is it a combination of emotions?

Or here’s an important question for you: does it make you feel anything at all?

That’s what we are talking about today as we spend some time unpacking a Blurry Creatures podcast episode where they interviewed John Bevere, the author of “The King is Coming; It’s Time to Prepare for the Return of Christ.”

We will discuss what it means to anticipate Jesus’ return and the role the Holy Spirit plays as we wait. We will also talk about nuance and helpful things to keep in mind so we don’t become distracted or sidetracked or discouraged.

Ultimately this topic regards what we all are waiting for: being with Jesus forever. And it’s a good thing to spend time thinking about it. Thanks so much for joining us today as we contemplate the second coming of Jesus!

ALSO:

–When is an ultimatum necessary?

–Maybe just keep your phone charged

–The Holy Spirit meets us in the mundane

–The blessing of distance in relationships 

—Why do I believe I am right?

References:

• Blurry Creatures Ep 410 The Return of the King with John Bevere
• Martin Luther: “A Simple Way to Pray” https://ms.fortresspress.com/downloads/R2R_ASimpleWaytoPray.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3qdGttgX-Y7gCOvqEEXAZqhbhoUuHrShLgb7JjRDbi4zheWPq4BLkP71I
• Revelation 2:1-7
• Matthew 25
• Matthew 24:36
• Matthew 10:26-31
• John 14-16; John 15:25-27
• Josiah Queen and Forrest Frank: “Jesus is Coming Back Soon”
• The Minimalists: Episode 532 “Love Life”
• Ben Stuart: “Single, Dating, Engaged, Married”
• Skit Guys: “True Love Waits”

Send Me: Loving the World Outside Your Door

Hi, friends! Today we are taking our conversation one ring wider–talking about the relationships believers have with the world outside their families and churches. We talk about how relationships inside the home impact interactions in the world, and how the church in general is called to look outward and notice where it can serve those who do not yet know the love of Jesus.

So where has God put you? What relationships has God given you? You have a vocation, a unique role and responsibility that loves and serves your neighbor because God wants to love and serve your neighbor through you. Sometimes that looks like mercy, cooking, a coffee date, a ride to the store, or even just a moment to sit and listen. Other times that means confronting a sin or walking through a heartbreaking trial.

In all circumstances, God has called us to join Him as He ministers to people through us. When it is easy, He is there. When it is hard, He is there. It can be overwhelming, but we who are in Christ never have to fear being left to our own devices. His invitation to participate in the world is an invitation to experience just a taste of the immense love He has for all mankind. It is His gift to us. 

ALSO:

–When and ways to pray

–Monica doesn’t let Bonhoeffer boss her around

–Treating people without flippancy

–What vocation really means

–The benefits of friction

–Keeping politics in its proper place

–Notice, Ask, Act

References:

–John 9:1-12

–Ephesians 6:10-13

–2 Corinthians 5:16-21

–“Life Together” by Dietrich Bonhoeffer

–“A Simple Way to Pray” by Martin Luther

–Blurry Creatures podcast

–Live Free Podcast 

–“Tactics” by Greg Koukl

–Mere Christians podcast

–”The Weight of Glory” by C.S. Lewis

#HolySpirit #evangelism #vocation #prayer #Jesus #GodtheFather