Living Spring Podcast

Jesus tells us, Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5). In this context, meekness does not mean weakness or passivity, but strength under control—humility, gentleness, and a willingness to trust God rather than force our own way. True meekness is power surrendered to God’s purposes, and it brings the blessing of His peace and the promise of His kingdom.

This reflection on the Beatitudes highlights Jesus' teaching that those who mourn will be comforted, challenging the cultural tendency to avoid pain. It emphasizes that God's role is not to make life comfortable but to offer comfort amid suffering, as seen in Jesus' own anguish in Gethsemane. By embracing our grief, we allow the Holy Spirit to heal and empower us to comfort others. Ultimately, it portrays suffering as a pathway to ministry, revealing strength through vulnerability in God's upside-down kingdom.

This week we focus on Jesus' words 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' This isn't about material poverty, but a spiritual posture of complete dependence on God. We're invited to consider how our cultural values often clash with Kingdom values, and how true transformation comes through humility and brokenness before God.

This week we focus on Jesus' words 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.' This isn't about material poverty, but a spiritual posture of complete dependence on God. We're invited to consider how our cultural values often clash with Kingdom values, and how true transformation comes through humility and brokenness before God.

Jesus is referred to as the Lion and the Lamb. Too often we want the Lion and He gives us the Lamb and vice versa. In this series we go over the beatitudes that often call us to be just as counter culture as He is.

Jesus calls us to the radical command to “love your enemies,” reflecting God’s impartial love for all. This means praying for those we oppose, moving from criticism to grace, like the father in the Prodigal Son story. Loving our enemies transforms us—changing hearts, not just behavior—as God’s love flows through us.

In the Gospel of Luke, a lot of people see Jesus do amazing things and yet don’t perceive who he is or what he is up to. In this sermon, we take a close look at a blind man who sees Jesus for who he really is.

This week we welcome Mike Chong Perkinson who shares deeply personal experiences with depression and suicidal thoughts, emphasizing that we can love God and still struggle. This authenticity breaks down the façade of perfection often present in church culture. The key lesson is that hell has no power over blood-bought believers except what we allow. We're encouraged to let God 'drive' in our lives, even when His path seems confusing or slow.

This week as we hear from Pastor Kari Morris-Guzman, we are called to live fully as God’s beloved—chosen, blessed, broken, and given. Drawing from Jesus’ baptism and His breaking of bread, it reveals a pattern for embracing our true identity: receiving God’s love, facing our brokenness, and giving ourselves to others. Living from this truth frees us from feeling “stuck” and transforms how we see ourselves and engage with the world.

This week as we continue in our Voices series, Jon Sato invites us to examine our values through Christ’s transformative love. The parable of the lost sheep reminds us that God celebrates each person who turns to Him. Are we valuing purity over relationship—or embracing connection that transforms? Christ calls us to welcome the marginalized and bring His love to all.