RETREATING WITH GOD

You might be a long-time Christian like I am. And you might have a problem that goes like this: We know we’re saved by grace, but we struggle to live by grace. We know it but we don’t live it.

I don’t want to speak for everyone, but if you’re someone who is doing a bunch of stuff for God and you feel that it makes your relationship healthy, you know what I mean. We may not come out and say that we’re not living by grace, but our life shows it. And we dry up spiritually because of it.

Well, today you’ll gain insight on how to break free from that mentality and hamster wheel living.

In this episode, we’re going to get out our pickaxe and shovel. We’re going to do some digging together, because we’re about to discover that knowing Christ comes in layers. You’re a performer for Christ, so you like the idea of working at this relationship. Well, it may not be what you think.

So how are you doing in your relationship with God? Is it healthy? How healthy? I’ve developed a Spiritual Self-Assessment that will give you some answers. This self-assessment will take just 3 minutes. It includes some probing questions that will give you the honest truth about your relationship with Christ. Go get it now and take it. It’s free when you go HERE.

I’ve wrestled with the concept of knowing Jesus. It’s gone on for quite some time. For how many years, I am not sure. But I do know that finally grasping this concept has rocked my world. I feel like I have come home. Knowing Jesus is the secret to life. Paul knew it. He stated it.

“What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ.” (Phil 3:8 NIV)

There is richness and depth in that verse.

Knowing Jesus is like digging through several strata of rock and clay. Every strata is well-defined and we discover something new at every level. The Lord doesn’t desire to be known at a distance. He desires close, deep, intimate fellowship with me.

We can know someone on the surface, but until we spend time with that person, we won’t know them deeply. Time with Jesus opens the door for me to know him as he wants me to.

Let’s go back to the rock and clay. We have to dig to get to the next layer and uncover its beauty and uniqueness. This takes time, effort, tenacity. So it is with my relationship with God.

I have to take time. Jesus doesn’t get my leftovers. He gets my best time. 

I have to be tenacious. Is every quiet time with Jesus filled with overflowing blessing? No. There are days when I’m tired, can’t concentrate, dry or preoccupied. That’s life. That’s the reality of relationship. But I come back the next day and seek his face. 

I have to put forth the effort. Hey Jon, you’re getting into performance. No I’m not. Let me explain. Performance Christianity means that my relationship with Christ is defined by my effort. The more I put out, the closer I perceive I am to God.

Will you set aside time to learn something about Jesus every day? Will you pray to your Savior each day? Will you put a circle of protection around hallowed time with him? Don’t let others interrupt. Stow away, if necessary, even in a genuine prayer closet. Guard your fellowship with Jesus. You need it if you intend to know your Savior as he wants to be known.

FEATURED INTERVIEW SEGMENT: ERIC NEVINS

Our guest in this episode has a story to tell. In this midst of that story, you’ll learn how he began connecting with God in a fresh way. You’ll hear how the Word of God became central in that transformation. And you’ll learn about Lectio Divina.

Eric Nevins hosts the podcast Halfway There, where he features Christians who are on the journey. Real people with down-to-earth stories of their walks with Christ. I wanted to talk with Eric about his story and how he has experienced fresh faith. And we talked about performance. One thing I discovered about Eric—there was one book – outside the Bible-- that turned both of our lives around. Listen to my conversation with Eric Nevins.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Take the Spiritual Self-Assessment

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7

Explore Eric Nevins' website and his podcast Halfway There.

With, by Skye Jethani

Hearing God, Dallas Willard

You are in prison if you’re living performance-based Christianity. You’ll dry up, hate your life with God, seek after worldly passions to satisfy, and end up broken and brokenhearted.

Are my words too strong? Take it from someone who has been there, my words are not too strong.

You might be there right now, or on the edge.

You’re doing all the right things. Yet, you’re dying inside. You know it but others don’t. And you’re ashamed to admit it because this shouldn’t be happening.

Or, you could be on the opposite end of the spectrum. You’ve had it with Christianity. You’re distant from God. He’s a cold being rather than a warm friend. You’ve walked away from healthy spiritual habits, the Bible and prayer are empty, you’re disillusioned with the Christian life and have little or no desire to go to a church of any kind.

Friend, it’s time for God to melt your heart. The better you know Jesus, the more your confused, hard heart will soften. Another way of putting it is that you’ll be set free from the spiritual prison you’ve created for yourself. You thought it was a palace, but it has become a dungeon.

Jesus is waiting for you to meet him in a new way. On his beautiful, loving, grace-filled terms. He has no expectations that are more important than your relationship with him. This is where a vibrant spiritual life starts, continues and ends. All the way to your last day on earth.

In this episode, Jon tells his story of moving from performance to freedom in his relationship with Christ.

Then you'll be challenged by our guest in the featured interview. Philipp Ruesch nails us on the topic of hurry. Running too fast for too long will cut into your intimacy with Christ. And it feeds performance Christianity. Hear Philipp's story and his solution.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Get the FREE Spiritual Self-Assessment

Download Knowing Jesus the Light of the World

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry

Email Jon: [email protected] 

New season, new name, same purpose. 

Many believers struggle with performing for God, while suffering in their relationship with Christ. Jon Fugler addresses this problem as Season 2 of the podcast begins. In fact, you'll notice the podcast has a new name as we refine our focus on the issue of performance Christianity. FRESH FAITH in Real Life is now Overcoming Performance Christianity.

Jon's guest this episode is Bruce McNicol, founder of True Face, through which he has helped leaders around the world for decades. He is a co-author of a number of books, including The Ascent of a Leader and Behind the Mask. Bruce shares a profound way we can move from performing to knowing in our relationship with Christ. He lays out a practice we can adopt.

In this episode, Jon also shares 11 big promises you'll experience as you peel away performance in your relationship with God.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Take the Spiritual Self-Assessment

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7

Click here to get the FRESH BREAD Devotionals

This episode will stun you. My guest has a story that will cause you to gasp. It did for me. If forgiveness is an issue for you, our guest will probably melt your heart. And his family’s story—well, there’s so much we can all learn from it. So get ready.

This episode is the season finale. We’ll be taking the summer off and coming back for season two in September. This is a great time for you to get caught up on past episodes.

This is New Member Month at FRESH FAITH 24/7. If you’re looking for a place where you can build consistency in your walk with Christ, I want to invite you to become a brand new member. 

The first thing you should do when you join is go through the FREEDOM PATH TRAINING. It’s a video course that I teach that will help you remove the obstacles that are pushing against your relationship with Christ. The FREEDOM PATH TRAINING will change your life. So become a new member this month at www.freshfaith247.com. 

Featured Guest:

Erik Reed, and his wife, Katrina, went through a tough, tough experience in their lives. And as I talked with Erik, he was so open about the struggles and the victories, the lows and the highs. And how God met his family where they were at. Our focus in this interview is on forgiveness. When I think of fresh faith in real life, this is it. Erik will tell you about his background, and we’re going to follow the sequence of events and his work and ministry seasons.

We all know that forgiveness isn’t easy. There’s sacrifice. A price has to be paid. And I don’t think there is a formula for forgiveness, as is evident from Erik and his family’s life. It’s a process. But most importantly, a process where Christ must be at the center. It’s our only hope.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7

Fresh Bread Devotionals

Erik Reed's Book UnCommon Trust: Learning to Trust God When Life Doesn't Make Sense

Knowing Jesus Ministries

Summer Activity Ideas from Focus on the Family

Summer Trip ideas from K-LOVE

Contact Jon

Listen to past Season 1 Episodes

BONUS LINK: Here's a moving video testimony on "Forgiving Toxic People"

Freedom is our topic this week.

What are the pain points that stop you from having freedom in your relationship with Jesus? Stress, fatigue, hurry, loneliness, lack of purpose, health issues, private sins, burnout and weak faith hinder our pathway to freedom. As believers, it's not supposed to be that way, but it often is. These things affect and enslave us, preventing us from experiencing freedom in Christ.

But there's a solution.

Jon Fugler fields the questions from best-selling Christian author and podcaster Parker J. Cole, as he was a guest on her show. You'll find out how to overcome the obstacles to living in freedom in Christ.

Looking for the path to freedom? The core of the FRESH FAITH 24/7 Membership is the Freedom Path Training, a dynamic video series hosted by Jon. To dive into it, start your 30-day free trial in FRESH FAITH 24/7.

P.S. A note from Jon:

Watch out what you pray for. You might get it, but not the way you think. If you receive my Fresh Bread devotional emails, you might remember that I asked you for prayer. Here’s what I wrote:

Lately, life has been a blur. I’ve been busy

Too busy.

So pray for me to get back into that rhythm of knowing Jesus.

It’s the best place to be.

Thanks so much!

Well, little did I know God would give me a time out. When I sent that email, I was coming down with Covid. And, if you’ve been following my story, I was stranded on an island. Talk about slowing down. I was quarantined to my hotel room with God, and we had some good conversations.

I’ll tell you, I did slow down and I’m glad I did. So here I am, back home. I hope I’ve learned a lesson I will continue to apply. I know I need to slow down my pace and change my rhythm.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH Free Devotionals

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7: 30 -Day Free Trial

The Parker J. Cole Show

Now I can say I've done a show with Covid. Quarantined in a hotel room on an island, I borrowed a professional microphone, had access to Zoom, and way we went. More details inside.

This week, meet Steve Hodgson, a man who has experienced a major shift in his relationship with Christ in the past two years. I’ve known our guest for over a decade, developing a deep friendship during that time. We’ve served side-by-side in missions, have been part of a really powerful men’s group, have laughed together, shared together, broken bread together. I think we’ve even cried together.

He has lived a life of significance in building the body of Christ-- as a pastor, church planter, Christian education leader and ministry leader. His passion for reaching the lost has always made me marvel. And the way he values people is an example to all of us.

But, as he’ll share, there was something missing until recently. Steve Hodgson and his wife, Laurie, live in Florida, just down south from my wife and I in North Carolina. But in this interview we’re thousands of miles apart.

Wait it Out

That's what God has been teaching me the last few days in my Covid time-out. 

As I record this episode, I am still in quarantine. It lasts for another three days. Don’t feel sorry for me, though. The symptoms are manageable, I have a delivery service app for groceries and meals. And there is a refrigerator in my room. Being on a resort island is, in itself, part of the humor, because I can’t go anywhere. 

Seriously, I am grateful this wasn’t worse than it could have been. My case is mild compared to many who have suffered or even died. I’m starting to turn the corner.

No wake-up alarm the past three days. 

It’s amazing how that has changed my pace in the morning. I feel more relaxed. There’s a freedom. My adrenaline is not pumping. My blood pressure is probably down. Simply by the way I am entering the day.

I’ve learned that I can’t rush Covid. I have to wait it out. I’m wasting my energy trying to speed it up and get it out of my system. God will use this in my life. Don’t resist it. Rest. Spend more time with the Lord. God has given me a break from life to relax and enjoy him. Rather than seeing this virus as a curse, see it as a blessing. I’m not morbid, just saying that God’s purposes are greater than mine.

What is God asking you to wait out? Are you fighting against this verse, “A man’s mind plans his ways, but the Lord directs his steps?”

I've got more to say about that in this episode. I hope it will help you in your faith journey. 

Enjoy!

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Fresh Bread for Fresh Faith devotional

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7. Try our 30-Day Free Trial.

Contact Jon

Some of the best quotes I’ve heard about God’s will come from Chuck Swindoll:

Knowing God’s will is something every believer hungers for, especially at critical crossroads of life. You might be in that place right now.

Whether it’s one of the biggies like career, spouse, location or just the little things of life, we want God to reveal the answer to us.

In this episode, I pull the curtain back and share a story from my life. Our guest, Wayne Pederson, shares his experience of discovering God's will at critical crossroads in his life. 

Wayne recently shared with a group of us about how God led him each time. I was fascinated, so I asked him to come on the podcast. Wayne Pederson and I have served in missions media ministry together for many years. We’re both part of the leadership of the Alliance for the Unreached.

Wayne has led two major Christian radio networks—Northwestern and Moody. He was also the CEO of Reach Beyond, and serves on many ministry boards, including one he’ll tell us about in our fascinating interview. Wayne is so approachable and friendly, as you’ll hear in the interview. Before we got into the topic of God’s will, I asked Wayne to tell us about a fascinating experience he just had.

You'll learn solid principles you can apply to making major decisions in your life.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH Devotional emails delivered 3X a week.

Joel Rosenberg websites:

Alliance for the Unreached and the International Day for the Unreached

Join FRESH FAITH 24/7 -- 30-day Free Trial

TWR Trans World Radio

Contact Jon: [email protected] 

Wayne's 5 C's for discerning God's will:

What’s the best book you’ve ever read that has changed your life with God? That book might be right at the front of your mind. I am assuming it’s after the Bible. 

Here are my top 5, as of today.

#5 Adrenaline and Stress, Archibald Hart
#4 Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less
#3 Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham
#2 Radical, David Platt
#1 With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God, Skye Jethani

We’re doing something a little different this week, just to keep you on your toes. Earlier I asked you about your favorite book. My #1 book is one that totally changed my life. I’ve told you about it before, but this time I want to take you deep inside.

I want to give you a tour, because I think what the author shares with us is at the core of why I want to help a million believers know the Christ of the cross. This book hit me. It’s brilliant, by a brilliant man. I want to camp on the main points and see how God uses this in your life.

Also, I want to take you back to a couple of the most profound moments of FRESH FAITH IN REAL LIFE. There are some things that are just timeless. And what I’ll play for you are timeless thoughts.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

Fresh Bread for Fresh Faith Devos-- SIGN UP 

FRESH FAITH 24/7 30-Day Free Trial

With: Reimagining the Way You Relate to God. (If you buy using this link, you'll help support the ministry of FRESH FAITH 24/7).

How do you handle things when your plans are dashed? When a health issue puts life on hold? When tragedy hits and you have to come up with a Plan B? Or even hope to survive? That’s David Hess’ story. He was having a great career until something life-threatening happened that brought it to a sudden halt. He walks us through the details in this episode.

When I first heard David tell his story, I could tell he was a great example of a humble man. And he could be proud, because he’s talented, he’s risen to the top, and he has had tremendous blessings. But when you hear his heart, you’ll see that David is an ordinary guy in a Major League world. First, some back story.

There are some great podcasts out there that encourage us in our faith. One of them is Sports Spectrum. I contacted the host recently, Jason Romano, and said I was so moved by his interview with Major League pitcher David Hess. I said my listeners need to hear it, even if they aren’t sports fans. So I stole it! But, yes, with Jason’s permission. This interview is more than sports.

You'll be moved by David's story and fresh faith testimony.

LINKS AND RESOURCES:

FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH Devo

FRESH FAITH 24/7 Membership-- Free Trial

Sports Spectrum

Sports Spectrum Podcast

David Hess Baseball Page

What are your favorite Christian podcasts? Let Jon know.

NOTE: Knowing Christ is the secret to life. Life with a capital L. I firmly believe that. Whatever you’re dealing with,

Lean into Jesus and get to know him more deeply.  He’s there for you. My mission in life is to help a million believers know the Christ of the cross. That’s why I spend time each week writing my FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH devotionals. I send them out three times a week, pointing readers to Jesus as they start the day. You’ll get them in your inbox early in the morning 3X/week.

Take 60 seconds and read through it as a springboard to start your day centered on Christ. It’s not a replacement for your quiet time. But it is a way to center on Christ and deal with those things that are robbing you of Life. Sign up for FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH.

What are the six Nobel Prizes?

They are widely regarded as the most prestigious awards given for intellectual achievement in the world and are conferred in six categories: physics, chemistry, physiology or medicine, literature, peace, and economics. 

We all like prizes, awards and rewards. 

The Bible has a lot to say about rewards.

This week, let's dive into a passage that says a lot about faith, but there's a key message about rewards. That's the focus of our episode. Enjoy!

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By the way, I have a reward for you… It’s called FRESH BREAD FOR FRESH FAITH. Let me tell you more...

Knowing Christ is the secret to life. Life with a capital L. I firmly believe that. Whatever you’re dealing with,

Lean into Jesus and get to know him more deeply.  He’s there for you. My mission in life is to help a million believers know the Christ of the cross. That’s why I spend time each week writing my FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH devotionals. I send them out three times a week, pointing readers to Jesus as they start the day.

You’ll get them in your inbox early in the morning. Take 60 seconds and read through it as a springboard to start your day centered on Christ. It’s not a replacement for your quiet time. But it is a way to center on Christ and deal with those things that are robbing you of Life. Sign up HERE for FRESH BREAD for FRESH FAITH.