The learning-to-thrive Podcast

The learning-to-thrive Podcast

By David HigginbothamReligion & SpiritualityChristianity
Download on the App Store

The learning-to-thrive Podcast episodes

  • What’s Love Got To Do With It?

    CONTACT DAVID FOR COMMENTS AND QUESTIONS

     

    What’s Love got to do with it? 

    • What’s Love got to do with learning to navigate life on this side of the Cross?
  • I’m going to say it has EVERYTHING to do with it.
  • [Vocabularies & Dictionaries Alert!] When we talk about Love what are we talking about?

    •  

    • Here's a description of the Love we're talking about (Agape) = Others-Centered, Self-Giving, Radically Forgiving, Co-Suffering, All Encompassing Love.

     

    • This kind of Love (Agape) reflects the very essence of God’s nature, not an attribute like His Omnipresence or Faithfulness.

     

    • Agape’ is at the center of God’s involvement with His Creation and always has been (Agape changed everything)

     

    • God is Love, Light, Life, and is the source of all three.

     

     

    • This kind of Love is the central expression of what it means to live our Life in Christ. (Others will know you are my disciples...)

     

    • God’s Love being expressed in and through us, is what it means to live the Christian life.

     

    • HIS LOVE IS THE FUEL THAT ANIMATES OUR LIFE IN CHRIST! 

     

    • We are never in or out of Christ based on our expressions of Love, or lack of it. We will, however, find ourselves acting in harmony with His nature or not.

     

    • Where does the love we see expressed in the world come from? Parent to child. Brother to sister. Man to woman. Friend to friend.

     

    • If God IS Love, wouldn’t it follow that all expressions of love, imperfect and incomplete though they may be, must come from Him? If not, what is the other source of Love in the world?

     

    • Living the Christian Life is only made possible by the presence of the HS within us. Not by our commitment, determination, activity, abilities, religious training, or our good intentions.

     

    • We can’t live the Christian Life in our own capacity; HE must live His life in us. We cooperate with Him like the branch does with the vine. This is a mystery, but it defines what we call the Branch & Vine Paradigm.

     

    • If I hope to navigate life on this side of the Cross successfully, I must have a growing understanding of two things: My True Identity (who I truly am in Christ) and My Source of Life (I’m the branch and He is the Vine).

     

    • He is the Vine, and we are the branches. The Vine has Life. The branch has no life in itself and only receives life from the Vine. Fruit is produced by the Vine through the branch.

     

    • I must connect with the reality of God’s complete and absolute love for me and its implications, or I will always be dependent on my latest performance, and the opinions of others as a source of significance or acceptance.

     

    28 min
  • Encouraging Others- Allowing The Life Of God In You To Touch Others

    Email David at [email protected]

     

    Encouraging Others-

    Learning to Mentor/Support Others in Their Journey with Jesus-

    • The things we’ve covered in the previous Bonus Episodes have been intended to help us develop a THRIVING Journey with Jesus: Living Loved, Loving Others, Abide Daily, Spirit Walk, and Soul Care.
  • As we learn to share with others this Journey we’re making with Jesus, and learn to include them in that journey, we are learning to sow encouragement into their lives through our words and our interaction with them.
  • Put another way…when we are maturing as “learners (disciples) of Jesus” (Mat 11:29) the overflow of the Life of Jesus in us will touch the lives of those around us. This can/will help them be drawn into or grow in their journey with Jesus too.
  • Organic/Relational Discipleship is about sharing the dynamic life of Christ first, and information 2nd.
  • Look for the opportunity to develop a Band of Brothers or Sisters who are learning to share life together, not just attend meetings together. (Mixed for a group or 1-on-1. Men with men women with women)
  • Life in Christ is intended to be lived within the context of Community with others who are living Life in Christ too.
  • I define Community as a group of individuals who are purposefully connected to support and encourage one another in life.
    • 41 min
  • Bonus: Soul Care- Learning to care for the Spiritual/Emotional part of my life

    Contact David at [email protected]

    Soul Care- Learning to nurture and care for my Heart & Soul

    (The Spiritual/Emotional part of your life)

    • Take care of your heart, for out of it flows the issues of life. (Prov 4:23)
  • Caring for your soul begins with a growing intimacy with Father (Mk 1:35)
  • Regular, Focused, meaningful engagement with the source of your life!
  • All who are thirsty…Come to me and drink… (Jn 7:37-39)
  • Out of your innermost being will flow rivers of Living Water...[this is the design of God for our inner being.] (Rivers of LW speaks of the Holy Spirit)
  • Soul Care is NOT about enhancing your status/position before God or getting His attention!
  • It’s NOT about improving your knowledge of Scripture or Theology…
  • It’s not Bible Study, although it might involve the Bible…
  • It’s about learning to drink from His well. (Metaphor)
  • It’s about connecting with your Father and allowing that connection to nurture and refresh your Heart & Soul. It was Jesus’ habit to do this regularly.
  • It’s about learning to Rest in Him. Finding your life in Him
  • It’s about finding my Joy in His Presence (Ps  16:11)
  • You are doing this for the sake of your life, not for ministry to others. This is not about equipping…it’s about our life!
    • 50 min

About The learning-to-thrive Podcast

From the publisher's feed

Real Conversations with Real People about Real Life!