Troy Gramling Podcast

We often settle for just “good” in our lives, instead of reaching for greatness. Why is that? Are your circumstances less than perfect? Maybe you have surrounded yourself with the wrong kinds of people and now you are paying the price for your mistakes. Hold onto hope, grab your courage, draw your strength from God and your community of believers, and know that God didn’t create you to be stuck in your past—He has created you for greatness!

God has a beautiful, full life carved out for us as humans on this earth. He wants nothing more than the joy and peace of His followers. But wait—not everyone has such a beautiful life. There’s poverty, sickness, stealing, and all around lack of success. When sin entered the earth, God’s perfect plan was ruined. Pastor Tyler Gramling shows that we don’t need to CREATE our futures, but rather GUARD our futures from sin and humanity, in order that we can live the life of fulfillment that God intends for us!

What makes a superhero? Is it his or her superhuman strength? Maybe it’s the ability to fly, or laser eyes? The comic book and movie world tell us those are the things that make a superhero—but what about in real life? What does a TRUE superhero look like? Saving the world doesn’t have to look like literally saving millions of lives from a catastrophe—it’s reaching the world for God, bringing the message of Jesus to save His lost people!

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words could never hurt me! Remember chanting that to your fellow schoolmates at recess? The truth is, we say those words to protect ourselves from hurt, because we know that words do, indeed hurt. Words have the power to heal, and they have the power to tear down. Proverbs says the life and DEATH are in the power of the tongue. Our words are powerful! How can we use our tongue to promote life, even when we feel like lashing out or using it for destruction?

The story of the fictional character “Blade” is somewhat of a tragedy. He had an unfortunate past, ridden with negative experiences, and ended up a lonely and unhappy vampire. Ouch. It’s true that, like Blade, our pasts and illnesses can become our identity. We refuse to overcome or persevere and end up stuck in a hopeless cycle. But do you want healing? Do you want to experience the wholeness and hope that comes from knowing Jesus? God has a plan for your future, no matter what your past looks like!

We all want to live a happy, fulfilled life. It’s safe to say that no one wants to live a life that feels empty and void of meaning. We want to be happy, have an impact, leave a legacy, and feel like we have accomplished something by the end of our lives. So how do we live a life that is both happy AND successful? What are the keys to a fulfilled life?

When traveling to a new destination that you have never been before, it’s important to have a roadmap. How can you know where to go, if you have never been there before? It’s true that without a vision, people are often lost, or you might even say live blindly. We wander aimlessly, with no clear direction for our life, hoping to hit success or happiness by chance. God wants us to experience life with a clear vision! He yearns for us to trust Him, so we can experience His blessings—and above all, to show others His power in this world!

We know that for there to be success in a person’s life, the life of a nation, or even mankind as a whole, there must be righteousness in its people and leadership. What does this look like? Work hard, with a strong work ethic, take care of the poor and needy, and be full of gratitude. Sounds complicated, doesn’t it? The key to this is living life in God’s image!