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In this episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham begins a foundational series in Romans 1:16–17 by asking a vital question: What is the gospel? Challenging modern assumptions, he argues that much contemporary gospel preaching has subtly shifted its emphasis away from God and toward man. While acknowledging humanity’s real need for salvation, this message calls listeners back to the apostolic gospel—one that begins not with the sinner’s predicament, but with God Himself. Drawing from Paul’s opening thesis in Romans, Durham contends that the first word of the gospel is not you or sin, but God—specifically, the righteousness of God revealed in the gospel.

This episode presses listeners to reconsider where the gospel truly starts and what it is meant to produce. By rooting salvation in God’s righteous character, creative authority, and sovereign initiative, the message exposes how distorted views of God inevitably lead to distorted views of sin, grace, and salvation. Far from diminishing God’s love for sinners, this God-centered gospel leads to deeper worship, humility, and assurance, as God—not man—emerges as the hero of redemption. This is a sobering and clarifying call to recover the gospel as the apostles preached it: a gospel that magnifies God’s glory and grants sinners the righteousness they could never produce themselves.

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As we come to the final episode of this season-long study on the person and work of the Holy Spirit, we return to one of the most beautiful promises Jesus ever made—the promise of another Helper. When He spoke those words, the disciples were facing the darkest hours of their lives. Everything familiar was about to change, yet His words carried a hope that would outlive every trial: “He will abide with you forever.” That promise was not confined to the upper room—it reaches across centuries to you and me today.

From the first episode to now, our aim has been to know the Holy Spirit not as an influence or power, but as a living Person—real, present, and personal. The One who abides with us and in us, guiding, strengthening, and revealing Christ in our hearts. In this closing episode, we return to John 14:16–17 to discover one final truth about our divine Companion: that He personally interacts with us. He is not silent or distant, but active—speaking, leading, and working in ways we often fail to see.

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The upper room was filled with uncertainty. Jesus was preparing His disciples for His departure, yet His words were filled with comfort: “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever.” Those words reached beyond that moment in time—they were spoken for every believer who would ever walk this earth.

As we come to the next-to-last episode in our season on the Holy Spirit, we return to this precious promise: the companionship of God Himself. The Spirit is not a mysterious force or fleeting emotion—He is a Person, just like Jesus, sent to dwell within us, guide us, and make Christ’s presence real in our lives. Join Michael Durham as he shares how we can rediscover what it means to live in fellowship with the Helper, the Spirit of truth, who continues to walk with us.

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Why do some believers seem to “lose” the witness of the Holy Spirit? In this episode of Real Truth Matters, Michael Durham continues his exploration of Romans 8:16, unpacking why assurance can feel strong one moment and faint the next. He exposes the enemy’s lies that accuse us of being unchanged or insincere, shows how temperament and over-introspection can disrupt assurance, and reminds listeners that the Spirit’s witness is not earned by perfection but received as a direct testimony of God’s love.

If you’ve ever doubted your salvation or wondered why your sense of God’s pleasure fades, this episode will bring both clarity and hope. Durham explains how understanding justification, focusing on Christ rather than self, and responding to the Spirit’s loving conviction restores confidence and joy. Don’t settle for fleeting assurance—discover how to walk in the Spirit’s ongoing witness that you are truly a child of God.

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In this follow-up episode of Real Truth Matters, Michael Durham goes even deeper into one of the most profound realities of the Christian life: the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. This isn’t about merely agreeing with the facts of the gospel or rehearsing doctrinal truths—it’s about the Spirit Himself testifying directly to your heart that you are a child of God. Drawing from Romans 8 and powerful historical testimonies like those of George Whitefield and John Wesley, Durham shows how the Holy Spirit’s assurance is more than a doctrine to study; it’s an experience that transforms your confidence in Christ.

If you’ve ever wondered why so many professing Christians live without joy, without assurance, or with only a “take it by faith” mentality, this episode is for you. Durham tackles the misconceptions about faith and assurance, explains the difference between mental assent and true saving faith, and encourages believers to expect what the New Testament promises—the Spirit’s personal seal and witness in their lives. Whether you’re struggling with doubts or longing to understand the Spirit’s ministry more deeply, this episode will leave you hungry for the real and living assurance God gives His people.

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In this episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham tackles one of the most vital yet overlooked truths of the Christian life: the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. Drawing from Romans 8, Durham shows that true assurance of salvation doesn’t rest merely on outward tests or someone else’s opinion but on the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God. Paul lists six evidences of genuine conversion, but it is this seventh—Heaven’s own testimony in the soul—that gives believers unshakable confidence in their standing with Christ.

Why do so many Christians live with doubt, relying only on human reasoning or external signs? Why do even faithful pastors often miss this Spirit-given assurance? In this episode, Durham contrasts common, well-meaning counsel with the Apostle Paul’s teaching that every believer should experience the Spirit’s confirming voice. If you have ever wrestled with your salvation—or if you want to understand the deepest, most personal ministry of the Holy Spirit—you won’t want to miss this episode.

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In this week’s episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham finishes his series on spiritual gifts in 1 Corinthians 12 with a sobering but hope-filled message. While the miraculous works of God are awe-inspiring, they are never meant to steal our gaze from the Giver Himself. Michael lays out six biblical principles designed to safeguard believers from deception, pride, and misplaced priorities regarding signs and wonders. He reminds us that the greatest miracle isn’t a dramatic healing or a supernatural sign—it’s the salvation of a sinner brought from death to life by the power of Christ.

Michael warns against making gifts the centerpiece of ministry, calls for humility when God displays His power, and stresses the importance of testing the spirits by God’s Word. Drawing on the stirring words of Martyn Lloyd-Jones, he urges us to seek the living God who still acts in power, rather than settling for cold intellectualism or chasing spiritual fireworks. This episode will challenge your assumptions, stir your hunger for God Himself, and anchor your faith in the One who gives gifts according to His perfect will.

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What if the entire debate over spiritual gifts has been asking the wrong questions? In this episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham, director of RTM, examines a biblical perspective that transcends the familiar arguments between continuationism and cessationism. Instead of reducing God’s work to theological grids or historical timelines, this conversation explores how the Spirit manifests Himself—sovereignly, purposefully, and always according to His wisdom.

Far from a dry academic discussion, this episode challenges us to reconsider whether our expectations of God have grown too small. The gifts of the Spirit were never meant to be tools in human hands but moments of divine choosing. Michael Durham calls listeners to behold the living God who has never stopped being supernatural—not as we will, but as He wills.

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What if the debate over spiritual gifts has been asking the wrong questions all along? In this episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, we continue exploring why both continuationism and cessationism fail to give a complete picture of God’s work in His church. Far from a sterile theological argument, this discussion presses us to consider whether our expectations of God have grown far too small.

Could it be that our discomfort with the miraculous says more about us than about Scripture? Join us as we peel back layers of tradition, fear, and reactionary thinking to uncover a perspective on spiritual gifts that neither camp fully embraces—one that calls us to confront our own unbelief and rediscover the God who has never stopped being supernatural.

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The debate over spiritual gifts has divided Christians for generations—but what if both sides are missing something vital? In this episode of the Real Truth Matters Podcast, Michael Durham continues our deep dive into whether the gifts of the Spirit have ceased or continue today, uncovering blind spots that often go unnoticed.

Rather than defending a camp, this conversation challenges the assumptions behind the debate itself. Could it be that Scripture and church history paint a picture far richer—and far more unsettling—than either side admits? Join us as we peel back the layers and search for the truth.