Why do bad things happen to good people? Does God cause Suffering? In this episode, James Bryan Smith unpacks the passage from Luke 13: 1-9 to help find an answer to these questions. During his time in seminary, James met a man named Ben who taught him a valuable story about the grace and mercy […]

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The thought from above for this episode is: we are wired for worship. In this episode James Bryan smith unpacks a sermon from his long time friend John Ortberg. Smith explains that we have become so jaded to the joys and wonders of our life that we have nearly lost the capacity to say wow. […]

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In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith offers this thought from above: God is the most joyous being in the universe. Unfortunately, this seldom enters our minds. Instead, we imagine that God is mad about everything. This false narrative is influenced by a gospel narrative that tells us Jesus took our […]

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Are you satisfied with your prayer life? In this episode James Bryan Smith explains this glorious thought: Jesus is praying for you. Smith references Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34, and 1st John 2:1 to help explain this glorious thought. He goes on to explain that Jesus is taking our prayers and sanctifying them. The pressure is […]

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How can we understand beauty through the lens of Jesus? In episode 30 of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith sits down for a conversation with pastor Brian Zahnd, who has authored books, such as ‘Water to Wine,’ ‘Beauty Will Save the World’ and his latest work, ‘Postcards from Babylon.’ Jim and Brian draw […]

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Our external behaviors, actions and accomplishments are what much of the world uses to judge us. In many cases, outsiders’ opinions shape our identity. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith explores the unhealthy ways our identity is shaped and offers another way to understand our identity – a life that […]

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What does “blessed” mean and how do we know if a person is “blessed”? In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith unpacks Psalm 1 and the blessed life. It turns out, the blessed person is someone who is under God’s blessing, in which God affirms this condition. It also means happy […]

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In this episode, James Bryan Smith explains the difference between guilt and shame. Shame is feeling bad about who we are. Guilt, in contrast, is feeling bad about what we have done. Guilt can be healthy because it allows us to make amends or change our behavior. However, shame is always bad. Smith explains that […]

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People have a tendency to fear God largely because of our sins. At the heart of our fear lies the narrative that our unfaithfulness to God makes us unlovable by God. This is nothing new for humanity. Ancient Israel struggled with this same fear. In this episode of the Things Above podcast, James Bryan Smith […]

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In this episode, James Bryan Smith has a conversation with author and pastor Greg Boyd about the transformational process of “mind discipleship.” Greg also describes his childhood journey and the struggles he faced at home and at church. Ultimately, this was very healing, as he moved from deep feelings of helplessness and hopelessness to an […]

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