Praying With The Eyes

There are many organizations that offer short-term missions trips. These trips can strengthen our faith in Christ and with others. Yet there are differences between a short-term mission trip and long-term ministry. What are these differences? What are the benefits of taking a short-term mission trip. And what makes either a short-term mission trip or a long-term ministry at home work? Richelle Hecker and Pastor Doug Brauner, will talk these questions in this edition of the Praying With The Eyes podcast.

Blog: Should I Stay Or Should I Go?

Click here to find out more about Compassion International.

Scripture:

* Matthew 28:19-20

* Acts 1:8

* Mark 16:16

Sometimes it feels like we’re nailed to a wall and can’t move. God has given us the gift of repentance where we experience the power of forgiveness to release us from the wall of sin. In this episode of the PWTE podcast, Richelle Hecker and Pastor Doug Brauner talk about what repentance is and is not and how through repentance God sets us free to live a life filled with his grace.

PWTE Blog: More Than a Bike on a Wall

Podcast Episode 33 delves into the difference between secular psychology and the Christian views of redemption: Can Anything Good Come Out of Psychology?

Much of this podcast is based on the understanding of repentance from the Augsburg Confession, Article XII, Repentance. Here is a portion of that article.

“Our churches teach that there is forgiveness of sins for those who have fallen after Baptism whenever they are converted. The Church ought to impart Absolution to those who return to repentance (Jeremiah 3:12). Now, strictly speaking, repentance consists of two parts. On part is contrition, that is, terrors striking the conscience through the knowledge of sin. The other part is faith, which is born of the Gospel (Romans 10:17) or the Absolution and believes that for Christ’s sake, sins are forgiven. It comforts the conscience and delivers it from terror. Then good works are bound to follow, which are the fruit of repentance (Galatians 5:22-23).”

Scripture:

* Matthew 3:1-2

* Hebrews 1:1

* Galatians 5:16-26

* Acts 3:19

* Joel 2:12-13

Having expectations is human, but what happens when those expectations are not met? Do we become angry and does that anger lead to depression? Is it possible that God might be surprising us and giving us something different from what we think we need? This is the topic that Pastor Doug Brauner takes on today in this 44th episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast.

Blog: Letting God Surprise You

 

 

 

Scripture:

* Philippians 4:19

* 2 Corinthians 9:8

* Romans 2:4

* Psalm 23

* Psalm 84:11

A study has shown that 85% of what we worry about never happens. In this episode of the Praying With The eyes podcast Pastor Doug Brauner and Richelle Hecker talk about debilitating fear; the kind of fear that stops us in our tracks and makes it difficult to get moving again even if what we fear will never happen.

Praying With The Eyes blog by Richelle Hecker: Frozen with Fear

Blogs Referenced in the Podcast

* 85% of What We Worry About Never Happens

* How to Overcome Sudden Fear Attack

* Dealing With Fear At the Source

Scripture

* Exodus 14:14

* Revelation 19:11

* Luke 12:32

* 1 John 4:18

* Romans 8:15

In this podcast, pastor, author, and church planter, Alan Briggs, joins Richelle Hecker and Pastor Doug Brauner to discuss his book, Staying Is the New Going: Choosing to Love Where God Places You. They talk about why staying in our neighborhoods and cities is important and the challenges that come with a decision to put down roots.

Amazon Link: Staying Is the New Going: Choosing to Love Where God Places You. Softcover, $14.99 Kindle, $9.99

Scripture (linked to biblegateway.com)

* Matthew 28:18-20

* 1 Peter 2:21

* 1 John 4:7-12

* Proverbs 12:26

* Proverbs 27:10

Many people struggle with reading the Bible. They don’t know where to begin or why it’s important to spend time in the Bible. Richelle Hecker and Pastor Doug Brauner talk about their joys and struggles with reading the Bible and about its importance. They ask two questions: 1)why should we read the Bible, and 2) how might we begin reading it.

Praying With The Eyes Blog: Fascinated by Fire

One Method for Reading the Bible

#1 Start with What Is Most Important: Read one of the Gospels. Richelle’s suggestion: The Gospel of Luke, Pastor Doug’s suggestion: The Gospel of Mark.

#2 Face Your Fears and Go a Little Deeper: Read one of Paul’s letters like Romans or Galatians

#3 Challenge Yourself to Read the Entire Bible: Find a reading schedule that works for you. This doesn’t have to be done in any set time or any set order. Here is a link to Biblegateway’s webpage with reading plans.

#4 Pray, Pray, Pray: Let the portion of the Bible you are reading form you conversation with God.

Scripture: (Each passage is linked to biblegateway.com)

* 2 Timothy 3:14-16

* John 5:39-40

* 2 Peter 1:21

* Psalm 119:105

* 1 Corinthians 2:2

 

 

Happy New Year to the PWTE community. As we begin 2017, Pastor Steve Nickodemus and Pastor Doug Brauner talk about letting go of the past and finding hope for the future. Pastor Doug also reviews his 2016 bucket list, letting you know how he fared, and gives you his new, 2017 bucket list.

PWTE Blog: New, by Richelle Hecker

Psychology Today, “Let It Go!”

Scripture:

* Proverb 13:12

* 1 Corinthians 13:13

* Lamentations 3:22-23

Christmas comes with expectations. Some of these expectations are created for us by others and some we develop ourselves. How do we handle unmet expectations? How does our desire for happiness affect these expectations? Pastors Jeffrey Meinz and Doug Brauner address these as they share their own expectations for Christmas.

Praying With The Eyes Blog: “I’m Dreaming of a __________ Christmas”

Blog: Three Ways to Handle Unmet Expectations by Scott Kedersha

Previous PWTE Podcast, Episode 002: The Pursuit of Happiness

Scripture: (Each passage is linked to biblegateway.com)

* Luke 2:1-20

* Matthew 1:18-25

In this episode of the Praying With The Eyes podcast, Pastor Doug Brauner and Richelle Hecker wrestle with the question, can Christians can lose their faith? Many people have strong opinions about this topic. To address this question, they talk about doubt and sin. They also examine the topic of saving faith.

PWTE Blog: Number 0300

Other Blogs:

* Once Saved, Always Saved. This blog is written from the perspective of a person who believes in once saved, always saved.

* Once Saved, Always Saved: Fact or Fiction? Harsh critique of once saved, always saved.

* Falling Away from Faith vs. Once Saved Always Saved. Fair critique of once saved, always saved.

* Falling Away from Faith.

Scripture: (Each Scripture is linked to biblegateway.com)

* Saving faith believes the good news: Ephesians 2:8-10

* Saving faith is confidence of the heart: Romans 10:8-10

* Saving faith is personal faith: Galatians 2:20

* Saving faith is active faith: Psalm 42:1

* Once saved, always saved: John 10:28-30

* Eternal Security: Luke 8:13; Ezekiel 33:11

How can we better weather life’s uncertainties? Given the recent elections in the United States, many of us are adjusting to a new reality and the uncertainties that come with it. Elections or no elections, we’re certain that we’ll face uncertainties. In this episode, Richelle Hecker and Pastor Doug Brauner talk about five ways to handle uncertain times.

Praying With The Eyes blog: Weathering the Waves

Blog: 11 Ways Emotionally Intelligent People Overcome Uncertainty

Definition of Emotional Intelligence: Emotional intelligence (EQ) is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one’s emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationship judiciously and empathetically.

Scripture: Each passage is tied to one of the five points from the podcast (Biblegateway.com)

* Emotionally intelligent people quiet their limbic system, that is, their fears.

* Joshua 1:9

* Emotionally intelligent people know what they know–and what they don’t know.

* John 14:6

* Emotionally intelligent people embrace that which they can’t control.

* Esther 4:14

* Emotionally intelligent people focus only on what matters.

* Philippians 4:8

* Emotionally intelligent people don’t seek perfection

* Romans 8:28

* Segment 4: Weathering the Waves

* Psalm 38:8,15