Welcome back to Stoke the Fire! In this episode, Dave and I sit down with our brother Kevin to dive into his powerful testimony of struggle, redemption, and walking with Jesus. We also explore Matthew 21, the significance of the barren fig tree, and what it means for our faith and fruitfulness in God’s kingdom.

Key topics we discuss:

• Kevin's journey from suicidal thoughts to new life in Christ
• The importance of authentic faith versus outward appearance
• Jesus’ lesson on bearing good fruit through the fig tree story
• The spiritual warfare men face and how faith helps us overcome
• The power of obedience and stepping into God's calling
• Practical ways to evaluate our spiritual fruit and live intentionally
• The significance of scripture in transforming hearts and mindsets
• How Jesus' authority challenges religious hypocrisy
• The parable of the landowner and trusting God's timing
• The importance of sharing the gospel at work, church, and in our daily lives
• Personal struggles with omission and commission sins and living transparently

Timestamps:

 00:00 - Welcome and intro with Kevin's testimony
02:15 - Kevin's background before Jesus, challenges with faith, and suicidal moment
09:30 - God's intervention and how Kevin's life changed after hospital stay
13:45 - Coming to faith at Midway Church and life after Jesus
19:02 - Moving into ministry: serving in security, middle school, and now leading groups
25:16 - Starting the 268 groups and engaging boys in scripture
31:37 - Exploring Matthew 21 and the lesson from the barren fig tree
37:07 - The symbolism of fruitfulness and spiritual growth
39:59 - Insights on producing genuine fruit in our lives
43:20 - The significance of faith when praying for mountains to move
47:22 - Struggles with prayer, selflessness, and sharing the gospel
56:41 - Jesus' authority questioned and our daily challenges of trusting Him
62:37 - Personal accountability, obedience, and living in God's Word
66:33 - Reflecting on repentance, transformation, and true discipleship
73:19 - Recognizing sins of omission versus commission in our walk
77:26 - Being real about struggles and accountability as men of faith
83:12 - Sharing the gospel authentically and the importance of evangelism
84:38 - Closing prayers and encouragement for stepping into God's calling

Resources & Links:

• Bible Gateway - Matthew 21 (NASB)
• Logos Bible Study Software
• Midway Church
• Kingdom Men Crusade - May 22

Connect with Kevin:

• Facebook | Instagram

Watch/Listen:

• Apple Podcasts
• Spotify
• YouTube

Stoke the Fire Website

https://stokedandfiredup.squarespace.com/

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Stoke the Fire Merch

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Bible Study Tools

Blue Letter Bible

https://www.blueletterbible.org/

Logos Bible Software 

https://www.logos.com/get-started

Moody commentary 

https://a.co/d/5MEMlMA

ESV Study Bible

https://a.co/d/a9igiSB

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What’s up From the Tater Chip Truck

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1Gd7zEGfL4/

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL8tHM7sjCP/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Stand Firm and Act Like Men-Joby Martin

https://a.co/d/iLVuQhs

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Channels we like

Church of Eleven22

www.youtube.com/@TheChurchofEleven22

Midway Church

www.youtube.com/@MidwayChurch

Deepen with Joby Martin

https://youtu.be/5PR9YqFwTlY?si=V5ecMpJdv51yaIU_

Crosspoint City Church

https://youtube.com/@crosspointcity?si=Wm_Lzxva04PnlnMH

The Pursuit with James Griffin

https://open.spotify.com/show/6JCuHHFD0pMfNFC82c87ZX?si=78afde9b7c5f4091

Village Church

www.youtube.com/@thevillagechurch

Undaunted Life-a man’s podcast

www.youtube.com/@UndauntedLife

Permanent Water Podcast

www.youtube.com/@PermanentWaterPod