Living Against the Grain

Living Against the Grain

By Living Against the GrainReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
Download on the App Store

Living Against the Grain episodes

  • Episode 11: God's Attributes - The Holiness of God

    We often talk about certain attributes of God more than others. In this episode we get into the holiness of God, an attribute that is one of the foundational attributes of God. God's holiness is one of the harder attributes to grasp in a world that is full and rampant with evil. In this episode we explore God and His holiness along with how this relates to us and our lives. We get into the need to be holy as our God is holy, as Scripture tells us, along how to do so and what it does for us. The holiness of God is at the foundation of who He is. His holiness shows us the beauty of His perfection and the seriousness of sin. It also shows us the depth of His love in our redemption through Christ. His holiness calls us to a greater standard of living to His glory.
    #education #clips #podcast #truth #trending #youtube #youtubeshorts #christian #christianity #faith

    46 min
  • Episode 9: God's attributes - God's Providence

    The doctrine of the providence of God can be an obscure concept to many people. To gain greater insight into this glorious doctrine, we have provided this episode. To begin with, the providence of God is simply God’s involvement in the world. Providence is God’s constant care for His creation and the good of His people. While many people say they believe in some kind of god, very few believe in a personal God who is involved in their everyday lives. However, God is very involved in governing and caring for His creation. He cares about everything that happens to His people and directs all events to bring about His purposes..
    The mentality of our culture today, however, is shaped by existential philosophy, which leaves God out of the picture. The 20th century person is unsure whether an all-powerful being exists and is active in people’s lives. While some may believe that a God exists, they hopelessly maintain that this Divine Being is either unable or unwilling to become involved in their lives.
    Life can be difficult but Divine Providence also comforts because we know God cares for His people and preserves them while they journey through life.
    - Ligonier Ministries
    #education #faith #podcast #religion #trending #youtube #Christian

    27 min
  • Episode 10: God's Attributes - The Faithfulness of God

    The more we study God's attributes the more our worship is informed. 
    What we will see is that understanding who our God is will help us trust in his sufficiency for the outworking of our faith.
    A lack of proper understanding of God’s attributes leads to a wrong view of God and hence a life that fails to please him.
    So, it is vital to have a proper understanding of God’s attributes. Agreed, even a lifetime study of God’s attributes will not yield to us the complete understanding of his attributes because it is impossible for finite creatures to understand an infinite God fully. But it will lead us, guide and teach us more and more.
    God’s faithfulness means that God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised. (Num. 23:19; Deut. 32:4)  To imitate God’s faithfulness, we should always do what we say and fulfill what we have promised!  Are you faithful to your commitments? Do you keep your promises?  God's faithfulness is also one of the attributes behind His command (Exo. 20:14) God is faithful to His covenant promises, and He is a faithful to His people, so He expects us to imitate His faithfulnes.
    #education #clip #religion #podcast #truth #trending #youtube #christian #faith

    40 min
  • Episode 8: God's Attributes - The Wisdom of God

    “Wisdom is the power to see, and the inclination to choose, the best and highest goal, together with the surest means of attaining it.”
    ― J.I. Packer, Knowing God
    This is what we share and have these episodes for. It is in order to share to the world the same wisdom that God has shared with us, in order to rightfully live in the world. In this episode we get into what wisdom really is, as well as what it is not. We also discuss how this wisdom helps us and how we can apply it into our daily lives.
    #podcast #trending #youtube #religion #education #faith #Christian

    35 min
  • Episode 6: Knowing God In Our Actions

    This world has given us the illusion that following ourselves will make us the most happy and give us the most pleasure. But as some begin to learn, many are left disappointed having put such treasure and trust in temporary created things of this world. We have been created for a purpose and
    given choices to make. We can choose to live life according to ourselves and neglect the free gift of eternal life and its blessing that Jesus Christ came to give us, or we can accept it, follow the Word of God and receive the amazing peace and love of God that will always satisfy those who wish to be at peace in this life and the next. Some are falsely deceived into thinking they're lives are perfect, all people should desire the eternal because life continues after our time on earth. The issue here is following ourselves we cannot lead ourselves anywhere on our own after death. Unity and a relationship with God is eternal. Let us establish an eternal relationship as soon as we can and begin a relationship where the power, blessing and care that God has for us will take care of us now and until the end of time.
    Our actions are the manifestation of what is on the inside of us, which means that our actions reveal what is true about us: what we believe, who we serve, and who we love.
    If we say that we believe in something, our actions can contradict us to reveal what we truly believe. If we say that we love someone more than ourselves, our actions will reveal if it is true. What we do shows who we really serve, who we love the most, and what we really think.
    If we ever need proof of what is true about ourselves, we can look to our actions to always tell the truth because our actions are absolutely dependent on what is true inside of us.
    The Kingdom of this world has its own priorities, its own interests, its own values, and its own philosophy. It all seems so real, so enduring, but the reality is it will not last. It is temporary. It is doomed, and will one day be totally destroyed and the kingdom of this world will become the Kingdom of our God. Meanwhile, the challenge before us is to continue to live in the world, but not be of the world in doing so, we share God’s values, His priorities, and His interests and ultimately we will enjoy living and ruling with Him for all eternity. The choice is yours.
    The three biggest problems we face on earth are sin, suffering, and death. Nobody on earth can avoid it, prevent it or solve it. But luckily we have a God in Jesus Christ that came on earth, that overcame sin, death and suffering in order for us not only to receive eternal life through Him, but that we may have a peace that surpasses all understanding to those on earth.
    #podcast #trending #youtube #religion #education #faith

    1 hr 16 min
  • Episode 7: God's Attributes - The Grace of God

    God shows both mercy and grace, but they are not the same. Mercy withholds a punishment we deserve; grace gives a blessing we don’t deserve. In mercy, God chose to cancel our sin debt by sacrificing His perfect Son in our place (Titus 3:5; 2 Corinthians 5:21). But He goes even further than mercy and extends grace to His enemies (Romans 5:10). He offers us forgiveness (Hebrews 8:12; Ephesians 1:7), reconciliation (Colossians 1:19-20), abundant life (John 10:10), eternal treasure (Luke 12:33), His Holy Spirit (Luke 11:13), and a place in heaven with Him some day (John 3:16-18) when we accept His offer and place our faith in His sacrifice.
    Mercy and grace are evident in the salvation that is available through Jesus Christ. We deserved judgment, but in Christ we receive mercy from God and are delivered from judgment. In Christ we receive eternal salvation, forgiveness of sins, and abundant life (John 10:10) all gifts of grace. Our response to the mercy and grace of God should be to fall on our knees in worship and thanksgiving. Hebrews 4:16 declares, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”
    Justice involves the dispensing of deserved punishment for wrongdoing, and mercy is all about pardon and compassion for an offender. However, these two attributes of God do in fact form a unity within His character.
    So the Bible showcases the fact that God is merciful, but it also reveals that He is just and will one day dispense justice on the sin of the world.
    In every other religion in the world that holds to the idea of a supreme deity, that deity’s mercy is always exercised at the expense of justice. For example, in other religions you may be granted mercy to an individual, but it’s done by dismissing the penalties of whatever law has been broken. In other words, the offender’s punishment that was properly due him is brushed aside so that mercy can be extended. In every other deity in the non-Christian religions set aside the requirements of moral law in order to be merciful. Mercy is seen as at odds with justice. In a sense, in those religions, crime can indeed pay.
    If any human judge acted in such a fashion, most people would lodge a major complaint. It is a judge’s responsibility to see that the law is followed and that justice is provided. A judge who ignores the law is betraying his office.
    Christianity is unique in that God’s mercy is shown through His justice. There is no setting aside of justice to make room for mercy. The Christian doctrine of penal substitution states that sin and injustice were punished at the cross of Christ and it’s only because the penalty of sin was satisfied through Christ’s sacrifice that God extends His mercy to undeserving sinners who look to Him for salvation.
    As Christ died for sinners, He also demonstrated God’s righteousness; His death on the cross showcased God’s justice. This is exactly what the apostle Paul says: “All are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus (Romans 3:24–26, emphasis added).
    God’s justice and His mercy were demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross. At the cross, God’s justice was meted out in full (upon Christ), and God’s mercy was extended in full (to all who believe). So God’s perfect mercy was exercised through His perfect justice.
    The end result is that everyone who trusts in the Lord Jesus is saved from God’s wrath and instead experiences His grace and mercy (Romans 8:1).

    36 min
  • Episode 5 - Knowing God Through Hardship

    We can see that we have a life that contains suffering. We live in a fallen world with moments of suffering. But amid the hardships, what we find is the presence of God.
    But why you may ask? He allows these things to happen. He knows that by allowing us to experience failure, pain, and struggle, we will grow stronger in our faith and to become closer to Him and move away from sin. During our times of struggle, the path is not easy and without pain, but having faith in Him and knowing He will never leave us shall be enough to get us through. God DOES NOT tempt us with sin, that is from evil and evil alone. There is absolutely nothing in God’s nature that would make Him tend to do wrong, and there can be absolutely nothing offered to Him that would cause Him to do wrong. Internally and externally, God is immune to temptation. It follows, then, that God would not tempt any person to sin and thus make Himself the author of sin as having created the temptation. The Holy One will not justify sin or excuse it, and He will not prompt it but He will, as our help always provide us a way out as Scripture says, because He loves us and never wishes us to sin.
    “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” (James 1:13)
    God also DOES NOT cause suffering, but He can and may allow it to accomplish GOOD and good ALONE.
    “We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.” (Rom 8:28)
    God allows us to experience the consequences of our poor choices, and the consequences of not living in His word. We have the gift of free will, and because of it, we are free to make decisions; both good and bad. If we were to suffer no consequences for our bad choices what motivation would there be for each of us to make good and sound decisions? More so, if God were to intervene in all our poor decisions, then we would no longer have the gift of free will; allowing the freedom to choose good and bad. Few would argue that a lesson learned with pain, struggle, and hardship is a lesson quickly forgotten. Yes sometimes it may be difficult for us to discern our situations and the cause behind certain situations, but through praying without ceasing and dwelling on the Word of God day and night like the Bible tells us, we can learn and understand our situations more. What is more important than trying to understand who caused what, may we remain in God.
    “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb 12:11)
    God allows for struggling to build our inner strength and faith. Without struggle and resistance, a person would be weak and unable to sustain themselves when confronted by the challenges of experience in life. A tree that grows in the absence of wind will quickly reach a point where it can no longer stand upright, and it will fall over and perish; lacking the strength to even support its weight, let alone the wind of struggle.
    “And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope. This hope will not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom 5:3-5)
    God allows us to struggle and fail to bring humility and realization we need Him in our lives all day, every day. Sometimes it is hard to see and understand why a loving God allows us to struggle and experience hardship, but if a person lived a life filled with endless comfort and without a struggle; would they seek the Lord? I doubt many would.
    .

    46 min
  • Episode 4 - Knowing God by Loving Him

    So in Matthew 6:33 when Jesus tells the crowds to continually “seek first the Kingdom and God’s righteousness, and all these things will be added to you,” what is he saying?


    Is Jesus offering a new way to keep our instinctive value for personal security above all else? Or is He teaching us to practice ways of life rooted in strong love for God and others? Will we live freely and forever in God’s abundant world by joining His own way of ruling the world according to His wisdom? Or will we try to rule according to our own wisdom.


    Humans trust their own perspective on how the world should work more than they trust God’s wisdom. The Biblical story tells us that humanity will be tempted to secure life in ways that might make sense from certain (limited) perspectives, but when those ways disregard God’s instruction, humans always end up bringing harm to creation and one another.


    Jesus describes two worlds: one where humans anxiously secure their lives according to their preferences and personal perspectives, and do whatever it takes to serve the self and do things our way, and another world where humans freely live according to God's wisdom and provision, a world where every person trusts that God ultimately gives people everything they need for life and blesses their sacrifices. In this episode we lay out how through knowing God we should selflessly let ourselves go into trust and seek God as our ultimate guide as an act of love. With this we’ll stop competing. We’ll stop fretting about others’ and our own approval. We’ll stop exhausting ourselves to secure a future we cannot control and actually in turn make the best decision to set ourselves up for the best future and life. The more we practice the ways of Jesus and His Kingdom, the more we enter a kind of freedom that helps us live in an eternal peace and life of blessing.


    Take it from us as we conclude, seek God as your guide and let it change your life for the better, let us follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and follow His lead. - The Bible Project Team and Living Against the Grain Podcast. *Verse to conclude: Matthew 6:25-34


    35 min
  • Episode 3 - Knowing God in Reality

    We pursue God because, and only because, He has first put an urge within us that drivess us to the pursuit. No one can come to me, said our Lord, unless the Father who has sent me draws him, and it is by this very first drawing that God takes from us every ounce of credit for the act of coming. The impulse to pursue God originates with God, but the outworking of that impulse is our following hard after Him; and all the time we are pursuing Him we are already in His hand.” - AW Tozer: The Pursuit of God.


    In this episode, now explaining the existence of God, we take things further to explain to all our listeners using the Bible, the next step in our lives. To do our best to develop a relationship with the Creator of the Universe and why we need to. This episode goes out to tell everyone, you have God that will always love you and is waiting for you to start a relationship with Him, a relationship unlike any other that will create a joy and peace that surpasses all understanding and can overcome any storm. Take a step today and start your relationship with Jesus, we promise it will be the best decision of your life. We love because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19

    29 min
  • Episode 2 - Knowing God in Creation (Part 1)

    For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that humans are without excuse. For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened (Romans 1:20-21). For hundreds of years, people have wondered what we can know about God based on the evidence of the world in which we live. We explain here in this video about the existence of God through creation, not with any fancy or complicated words, but simply from daily human experience that points us to God. We hope this episode informs you that you have a purpose in being here, you have meaning in your life and you are valuable to God, and that will never change. We hope this helps you learn the truth about God and helps you either strengthen or begin your relationship with God.


    16 min

About Living Against the Grain

From the publisher's feed

We are about: Encouraging everyone into Godly living, in a world that chooses not to.