What if faith isn’t just belief, but a firm persuasion grounded in who God is and how He feels about you? We dive into Hebrews 11 and Luke 1 to show why every gift from heaven arrives by grace through faith, and how that changes the way we face chaos, lack, and calling. You’ll hear why God’s laughter at the raging world isn’t indifference but confidence in the answer He’s already enthroned: Jesus.

We explore the stories of Abel and Enoch, then shift to Mary’s breathtaking yes. Elizabeth’s line becomes the hinge for the entire conversation: “You are blessed because you believed the Lord would do what He said.” That clarity reframes favor as something that may feel uncomfortable, misunderstood, and beyond your résumé. Yet it’s precisely in those stretching places that grace supplies what experience cannot. We talk about walking on the turbulence that sinks others, about how honor attracts what it esteems, and how a culture of mutual honor destroys comparison while multiplying breakthrough.

Along the way, we get honest about fear, provision, and the temptation to play small. Pain teaches us to hedge our hearts, but perfect love drives out fear so faith can flourish. Expect practical encouragement on agreeing with God’s view of you, stepping before the facts line up, and letting the Holy Spirit teach you in real time. If you’ve been waiting for every prerequisite to click into place, this conversation will nudge you to move your feet and give God real estate to bless.

If this resonated, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs courage, and leave a quick review so more people can find these messages. Your yes might be the spark someone else needs.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

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Ever feel like you’re sprinting on a spiritual treadmill and still not getting “there”? We press pause on the grind and ask a sharper question: what if the place we’ve been trying to reach is actually where the New Testament says we begin? Drawing from John 14 and Ephesians 1, we unpack a counterintuitive starting line—already included in the Beloved, already accepted, already blessed with every spiritual blessing because we’re united with Christ.

We explore the difference between doing for approval and acting from approval, and how that single shift reshapes prayer, obedience, and daily life. Prayer stops being a megaphone to get God’s attention and becomes awareness of the attention we already have. Obedience stops feeling like a transaction and turns into the natural expression of love. Along the way, we clarify a crucial distinction: impartation (a gift you steward) versus imputation (a righteousness you cannot lose). Mixing those up fuels burnout; seeing them rightly unlocks peace, courage, and steady devotion.

The Holy Spirit sits at the center—Teacher, Advocate, and the One who makes Scripture come alive. We talk honestly about fatigue, family, and ministry limits, and how union doesn’t erase ordinary trouble but changes how we move through it. Our long hope is simple: a people so convinced of their beloved identity that their lives begin to look more like Acts than anxiety—present, generous, joyful, and grounded.

If this reframes your week, share it with a friend, subscribe for more, and leave a comment with the moment that hit you most. Your words help others find a path from striving to belonging.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

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What if everything you thought you knew about humility was wrong? In this episode of The Resting Place podcast, we challenge conventional religious thinking about what true humility actually means. Through powerful biblical narratives—from the twelve spies entering Canaan to King Saul hiding among the baggage to Jesus washing His disciples' feet—they reveal that authentic humility isn't thinking less of yourself, but rather agreeing with God's perspective of who you are.

This episode contrasts Caleb's bold faith with the fear-based hesitation of the other spies. While most religious teaching would label the cautious spies as "humble" and Caleb as "arrogant," Scripture shows the opposite is true. At 85 years old, Caleb still claimed his inheritance with the declaration: "I am as strong now as I was then." This wasn't pride—it was alignment with God's promise over his life.

Perhaps most striking is the revelation about King Saul, whose refusal to step into his royal identity wasn't humility but arrogance—he valued his self-perception over God's declaration. This false humility ultimately cost him everything. Meanwhile, Jesus demonstrated perfect humility not by diminishing His identity but by being so secure in it that He could serve others through foot washing.

Ready to break free from the chains of false humility and step into your full inheritance? This episode provides practical wisdom for identifying where you might be "hiding in your baggage" while God is calling you to something greater. Your breakthrough awaits when you finally take sides with what God says about you rather than what your insecurities, past failures, or others' opinions have told you.

How might your life transform if you stopped arguing with God about who you are and started believing Him? Listen now and discover the forgotten key to inheriting all God has promised you.

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Gandalf's timeless wisdom to Frodo echoes profoundly in our chaotic world: "All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." When cultural divides deepen and violence erupts, believers face a critical question—how do we faithfully respond to what the Holy Spirit asks of us in this moment?

The answer comes with striking clarity: follow Jesus. Not just in theory, but in the radical, uncomfortable, boat-leaving way that transforms ordinary fishermen into miracle workers. This episode traces Peter's remarkable journey from a man who begged Jesus to leave him because of his sinfulness to one who would eventually walk on water, raise the dead, and willingly face martyrdom.

Jesus promised in John 14 that anyone who believes in Him would do the same works He did—and greater ones. But this promise isn't merely about supernatural power; it's about carrying His light into darkness and allowing His kindness to drive us into confrontation with broken systems. But the power of God must be paired with the kindness of God or you're left with mean-spirited believers no one wants relationship with. Yet His kindness married with His power changes everything.

We've embraced a dangerous lie in American Christianity: that Jesus would never ask us to be uncomfortable. Yet the Comforter consistently calls us out of what we perceive as comfort into true comfort—often found in seemingly impossible places. Peter discovered this truth watching Jesus heal on the Sabbath, stop for bleeding women while important men waited, and dine with tax collectors while religious leaders scoffed.

What would happen if we stopped rowing against cultural headwinds and instead stepped out of our boats at Jesus' invitation? When we follow Him into uncomfortable places—whether through healing prayer, kind conversations with strangers, or standing against injustice—we discover He's already prepared a way for us to walk on what should sink us.

This episode of The Resting Place podcast will challenge your perception of following Jesus and inspire you to embrace the fullness of His invitation—even when it leads where you'd rather not go.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

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What if everything you believe about God that doesn't align with Jesus needs to be questioned? In this powerful episode we dive deep into the revolutionary truth that Jesus is the complete and perfect revelation of who God truly is.

Drawing from John 1:18 and 1 John 1, we explore how Jesus alone has seen the full splendor of God and reveals the Father's nature to us without distortion. "No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son is Himself God and is near to the Father's heart. He has revealed God to us." This profound revelation challenges us to filter every belief we hold about God through what we see demonstrated in Jesus.

This podcast episode boldly confronts a life-changing truth: "God is pure light. You will never find even a trace of darkness in Him." This statement fundamentally transforms how we understand suffering, hardship, and pain. If God contains no darkness, then the darkness we experience—depression, anxiety, sickness—cannot originate from Him. "If it's dark, it's not from Him."

The episode takes a fascinating turn exploring the story of the woman with the issue of blood from Mark 5. Why did Jesus, while rushing to help an influential synagogue leader's dying daughter, stop for a socially outcast woman who could only bring scandal to His reputation? Because Jesus always prioritizes the rejected and ensures complete healing—not just physical, but interior restoration as well.

Perhaps most touching is the discussion about God's silence in prayer. Sometimes God seems silent because He refuses to speak to the version of ourselves we present—He wants authentic relationship with the real us. "He doesn't want what you can bring to Him; He wants you." This truth liberates us from performance-based spirituality and invites us into genuine relationship with a Father who is light, life, and love.

Ready to have your understanding of God transformed? Listen now and discover the joy that comes not from circumstances, but from meeting the man whose name is Joy.

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What happens when our perfect theology meets our messy reality? When the promises of God seem to crash against the walls of our disappointment? 

Join us on a powerful journey through John 12, examining Mary's extravagant act of worship—pouring expensive perfume worth a year's wages on Jesus' feet. But rather than simply celebrating this display, they trace it back to a pivotal moment that made such abandonment possible: when Jesus met Mary in her darkest hour after her brother's death.

Drawing from Dr. C. Baxter Kruger's insights on the incarnation, they challenge the Western notion of distance between humanity and God, suggesting that Jesus came specifically to eliminate that separation. "The whole logic of the incarnation is that the Father, Son, and Spirit were not content to share their life with one another. They wanted to bring us back into the center of the life shared by the Father, Son, and Spirit."

Through a fascinating comparison of Martha's "perfect doctrine" and Mary's raw honesty at Lazarus's tomb, we discover why some expressions of faith move the heart of God while others—despite theological correctness—do not. Martha met Jesus with flawless statements of faith but remained emotionally disconnected. Mary confronted him with her pain: "Where were you when your promise got buried?" This vulnerability, rather than offending Jesus, drew him to tears and action.

The most powerful revelation? We never feel safe enough to "break our box" in worship until we've invited Jesus into our weakest, most vulnerable places. When we discover that he meets our accusations not with judgment but with compassion, we find the freedom to hold nothing back.

Whether you're wrestling with unanswered prayers, feeling distant from God, or simply craving a more authentic spiritual experience, this episode offers a refreshing perspective on what it means to keep your heart engaged in the tension of faith—even when circumstances suggest God has failed you.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

If you would like to give to The Resting Place click here:
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You can now support The Resting Place podcast by joining our subscription! Click the link below to join:
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What if everything you thought about prayer was backward? What if prayer isn't about getting God's attention, but about waking up to His constant presence?

In this episode of The Resting Place podcast, we uncover the fundamental misconception that creates friction in our prayer lives: the illusion of separation. Many believers approach prayer as if they need to close a gap between themselves and God, when in reality, the revolutionary truth of the gospel is that in Christ, separation has been abolished.

Prayer transforms when we understand we're already seated with Christ in heavenly places. It's not a striving activity but a relational reality—less about getting God's attention and more about awakening our awareness to His never-ending presence. As Jesus taught, we are branches connected to the vine, not disconnected entities trying to establish connection.

Brother Lawrence exemplifies this understanding of prayer as practiced presence. His union with God while performing mundane tasks was so profound that people would make pilgrimages just to watch him wash dishes. His life demonstrates that prayer isn't confined to designated petition times but expands into continual communion that transforms ordinary moments into sacred encounters.

The paradox of prayer is that while it requires our participation, it isn't powered by our performance. We participate in what grace has already made available. This distinction shifts prayer from religious obligation to relational opportunity. We don't pray to earn God's favor; we pray from a position of already having it in Christ.

Are you ready to experience prayer not as another spiritual checkbox, but as the joyful awareness of your unbroken communion with the Father? Join us as we discover how to pray from union rather than separation, and watch as your everyday life becomes infused with divine presence.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

If you would like to give to The Resting Place click here:
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You can now support The Resting Place podcast by joining our subscription! Click the link below to join:
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We've all experienced moments when everything we've worked for burns to the ground. In this powerful episode, we explore how to respond when adversity strikes with devastating force through David's story at Ziklag.

After years of running for his life, David finally found temporary stability – only to return home one day to find everything destroyed. His city burned, his family taken, and his loyal men turning against him. Rock bottom. Yet in this darkest moment, "David strengthened himself in the Lord his God" before taking any action.

This ancient story reveals the profound difference between being loved and beaten up versus loved and victorious. While beloved identity forms our foundation, we must also know what God's Word says about our specific situations to stand firm when storms come. Faith isn't denial of reality but declaring God's truth over our circumstances.

We examine practical ways to encourage yourself in the Lord through adversity: worship, scripture meditation, and maintaining right confession. When you relate to God from your true identity rather than your circumstances, you position yourself to hear His voice clearly and receive direction.

Most remarkably, David's crown arrived immediately after his greatest devastation – a pattern we often see in our own lives. The adversity you face today might be the doorway to your greatest breakthrough.

Whether you're currently facing your own Ziklag moment or preparing for future challenges, this episode provides biblical wisdom for not just surviving but reigning in life as kings and queens regardless of circumstances. Your declaration matters more than you know.

Subscribe to continue exploring how beloved identity transforms not just who we are, but how we navigate life's inevitable storms.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

If you would like to give to The Resting Place click here:
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You can now support The Resting Place podcast by joining our subscription! Click the link below to join:
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What if divine order isn't about restriction but freedom? What if structure is actually the container that holds God's glory? In this episode of The Resting Place Podcast, we dive deep into a fresh understanding of how God's designed order creates space for transformation rather than limitation.

The conversation begins with a profound paradox—sometimes glory follows order, but other times, order must be established to host the glory that God has already released. This counterintuitive truth invites us to loosen our grip on rigid theological frameworks while still honoring the structures God has designed for our good.

Through an examination of Exodus 24, we discover something remarkable. Before giving the Law, God invited Moses and the elders of Israel to see Him face-to-face and share a covenant meal—something supposedly impossible according to religious understanding. This powerful image reveals God's heart: even His most structured systems begin and end with intimate relationship.

The teaching addresses practical applications of divine order in family dynamics, marriage relationships, and church leadership. Rather than viewing these structures as restrictive, we're invited to see them as the framework that enables us to truly hold what God deposits within us. Without this structure, we become like colanders—unable to retain the seeds of life and transformation God plants inside us.

Perhaps most thoughtfully, the episode confronts the challenging reality of enduring through trials and unanswered prayers without creating false doctrines to explain God's ways. There's a beautiful tension between holding firmly to Jesus' promises while acknowledging the mystery of our journey toward Christlikeness.

What would happen if we dismantled the artificial separation between sacred and secular realms that evangelical Christianity has reinforced? God longs to invade every corner of our existence, bringing His glory into our ordinary routines and transforming them into sacred spaces. Join us as we explore the freedom found within divine order and the celebration that naturally flows from it.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

If you would like to give to The Resting Place click here:
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You can now support The Resting Place podcast by joining our subscription! Click the link below to join:
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What happens when a worship leader experiences crushing spiritual darkness? In this profound teaching, Luke Fulcher examines Psalm 88—the only lament psalm in Scripture with no resolution or happy ending—and its mysterious author, Heman the Ezrahite.

This episode of The Resting Place podcast offers startling comfort for those navigating challenging times. Heman was no spiritual novice but a designated worship leader in David's tabernacle, described as "the king's seer," yet he wrote the Bible's darkest prayer. God not only tolerated his raw complaints but preserved them as worship for generations to come.

Luke uncovers three threads of hope woven through this psalm: Heman never renegotiated who God was, he continued crying out despite feeling unheard, and he maintained the belief that his purpose still mattered. Most remarkably, though Heman questioned if God would "work wonders for the dead," the biblical record shows he ultimately led worship when God's glory filled Solomon's temple so powerfully the priests couldn't stand.

For anyone struggling with doubt or darkness, this message brings liberating truth: your faith doesn't require perfect mental certainty to be effective. Like the father who cried, "I believe; help my unbelief," we discover that honest faith—even when mixed with questions—is still faith God honors. Your regenerated nature is inherently designed to believe, even when your mind struggles to process disappointment.

God doesn't need your religious pleasantries during difficulty—He invites your unfiltered honesty. The fastest way to breakthrough might be admitting exactly where you stand rather than where you think you should be. This message offers a spiritual roadmap for those navigating difficult seasons, showing how to stay present until glory breaks through.

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As always, we hope this message stirs and encourages you! If you were blessed by this message and feel led to sow financial resources into The Resting Place, you can do so at the link below. Thank you!

If you would like to give to The Resting Place click here:
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You can now support The Resting Place podcast by joining our subscription! Click the link below to join:
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