The Harder Way Podcast

The Harder Way — Luke 1–14: When God Breaks In

Join Scott on the Harder Way podcast as he walks through Luke chapters 1–14, tracing God's divine intervention from Jesus birth to the beginning of his journey toward the cross.

This episode highlights the upside-down kingdom: humility lifted, pride scattered, authority through obedience, the Spirit's power, mercy without compromise, and the sober call to follow Jesus even when it costs everything.

ebook: The Nicene Creed: A Confessional Call to Christian Unity (Kindle) 

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Next Week's Reading: Luke 13- Luke 24

On the Road to the Cross: Why Mark Moves

In this episode of the Harder Way Podcast, Scott dives into the Gospel of Mark, exploring its urgency, authority, and focus on discipleship under pressure. He highlights key themes: identity before mission, testing before authority, the cost of following Jesus, and endurance in the face of persecution, using Mark as a guide for faith over fear.

Scott also shares personal stories, his current writing projects (including a Nicene Creed book), and practical spiritual rhythms, such as observing Lent, all tied to the episode’s call to courage, self-denial, and faithful perseverance.

ebook: The Nicene Creed: A Confessional Call to Christian Unity (Kindle) 

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Next Week's Reading: Luke 1- Luke 12

When Expectations Meet Jesus: Grace, the Cross, and the Harder Way

Scott walks through Matthew 20 through Luke 4 (I covered too much! Don't worry, I'll get Mark 5 - 16 next week!), showing how Jesus repeatedly surprises expectations — teaching grace over merit, predicting and embracing suffering, and modeling obedience to Scripture under pressure.

The episode challenges listeners to choose the Harder Way: faith over fear, endurance in hardship, and a life shaped by Scripture and the presence of Christ rather than comfort or acclaim.

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Next Week's Reading: Mark 5 - Mark 16

Matthew's King: The Harder Way of Discipleship (Matthew 1–19)

Scott walks through Matthew 1–19, introducing Jesus as a king rooted in Israel's history and fulfilling Scripture. They highlight the Sermon on the Mount, parables, miracles, and the theme of the kingdom being both present and to come.

The episode explores the costly call of discipleship, the ethics of the kingdom, and how these teachings encourage and challenge believers—especially those facing persecution—on the harder way of following Jesus.

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Next Week's Reading: Matthew 20 - Mark 4

From Joel to Malachi: Minor Prophets, Major Lessons

Listeners will hear practical applications—what faithful worship looks like, warnings against hollow religion and pride, the promise of the Spirit, and the hope of restoration—encouraging endurance and humble obedience in difficult times.

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Next Week's Reading: Matthew 1-19

When Empires Rage, God Reigns

This episode walks through Ezekiel 38–48, Daniel, and Hosea, asking what faithfulness looks like when God’s people are weak, scattered, and under pressure.

Scott explains God’s sovereignty over nations, the call to trust without full certainty, and the painful but persistent covenant love that restores those who return—encouragement for believers in comfort and in suffering.

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Next Week's Reading: Joel 1 - Malachi 4

When God Leaves the Building: Ezekiel, Exile, and the Persecuted Church

Scott walks through Ezekiel (chapters 4–37), showing how faith looks when everything familiar collapses: God's glory departs, false prophets promise comfort, and obedience often appears foolish. He ties these themes to the persecuted church, offers an update and prayer call for Iran, and points to Ezekiel 37’s vision of resurrection and renewed life.

Next Week's Reading: Ezekiel 38 - Hosea 14

When God Isn’t in a Hurry: Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Harder Way

Scott walks through Jeremiah 29 and Ezekiel 1–3, reflecting on exile, endurance, and what faithfulness looks like when God doesn’t rush to fix circumstances.

The episode connects current events—Protests in Persia, suffering in Cuba, change in Venezuela, and resistance in Nicaragua—and warns against well-intended but harmful Western solutions, urging humble support for the persecuted church.

Key themes: settle in during hardship, speak truth even when ignored, consume God’s word, and choose long obedience over quick fixes.

Next Week's Reading: Ezekiel 4 - Ezekiel 37

Faith Over Fear: Isaiah’s Promises and Jeremiah’s Hard Truths

Scott flies solo as he walks through Isaiah 54–66 and Jeremiah 18–28, unpacking the tension between comfort and confrontation, promise and warning.

He highlights promises to the wounded, God’s restoration on His terms, Jeremiah’s painful calling, and the danger of false prophets and false hope.

This episode urges listeners to choose faithfulness over popularity, trust God’s timing, and live faith over fear.

Next Week's Reading: Jeremiah 29 - Ezekiel 3

The King Who Comes the Hard Way: Isaiah 5–53

Join Scott as he walks through Isaiah 5–53, exploring how God’s salvation comes through obedience, suffering, and faithfulness rather than power or praise. In the shadow of Christmas, Scott highlights the servant songs and Isaiah 53 to show how the Messiah’s incarnation and suffering reveal God’s presence and redemptive plan for the persecuted church.

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Next Week's Reading: Isaiah 54 - Jeremiah 28