YOU Podcast

We have often heard the quote, “Nothing is certain but death and taxes.” The speaker desires to emphasize three things: promises can be broken; eventually everyone pays taxes; and eventually everyone dies. Death is a certainty we begin to come to grips with at a young age.

In preparing to attend a funeral service, a mom was prepping her young son on what to say and do. She told our son about the receiving line and how, when it was their turn to speak to the family, he should say “I am sorry for your loss.” In a mixture of confusion and frustration, he immediately responded with, “Why should I be sorry? I didn’t kill her.”

Jesus Christ conquered death, and through faith in Him, we have eternal life.

We got a good laugh out of his innocent response, but death is no laughing matter. It strikes the young and the old. No one escapes its earthly grip. However, the good news for believers is that it is not the last word. Jesus Christ conquered death, and through faith in Him, we have eternal life.

The church I grew up in had a choir, and occasionally, one particular lady would sing a solo. The problem was she was not a good vocalist. Even as a kid, I thought someone should tell this lady not to sing because she was embarrassing herself and she did not even know it. This was before the days of American Idol. There was no Simon to tell her the truth about her singing.

We often fool ourselves into thinking we are better at something than we really are. If we enjoy doing something, we assume we are fairly good at it. This doesn’t just apply to hobbies or jobs; we often apply this to the whole of life. We think we are better people than we are. We assume that we are better behaved than most of the people we know.

When we compare ourselves to Jesus, our best is completely inadequate. But through Jesus, we also have hope!

The problem is we aren’t, and the Bible makes that clear: we are sinners. In fact, when we compare ourselves to Jesus, our best is completely inadequate. But through Jesus, we also have hope!

If you have a driver’s license, then at some point you were administered an eye test. To pass the test the department of highway requires 20/40 vision and peripheral fields of 120 degrees in at least one eye. When the test is administered, the potential drivers must read the letters on the screen. No problem. However, when people don’t pass this important test, with or without glasses, it means their eyes are not working well, and a driver’s license is not issued. But there’s hope. A statement from their eye doctor, indicating specific vision problems will clear things right up.

This is often how we operate in the spiritual realm. We think we’re seeing well and seeing life for what it is, but because of sin our vision is hazy. We see the world through a film of selfishness, anger, and hate that serves no good purpose for ourselves or for others. We need new glasses.

When we encounter Jesus and see the world through Him, we see the truth—and we see it clearly.

When we encounter Jesus and see the world through Him, we see the truth—and we see it clearly. He offers us a holy prescription.

A preacher spoke about a sermon he preached on how God had forgiven us and, therefore, we needed to forgive others. Following the sermon, the preacher said he was visited in his office by a man who wanted to speak to him about his sermon. To know someone wants to “discuss the sermon” fills every pastor with a note of uncertainty. The preacher probably considered: Will this be praise or a heavy critique? Was he going to critique the interpretation of the text? Was he going to point out an ill-advised illustration that was used?

However, the man sat before the preacher in tears. He told the preacher that he had done some horrible things in his life, and he wasn’t sure he could ever be forgiven.

Many people live under a heavy burden, knowing the hurt they have caused, and carrying the shame and guilt it brings, but there is good news…

Many people live under this heavy burden, knowing the hurt they have caused, and carrying the shame and guilt it brings. The good news that was shared with this man is the same good news that is available to all. Jesus came to forgive us, and on the cross He bore our shame.

In 2021, golf legend Tiger Woods was involved in a serious car accident. The Genesis GV80, which he was driving sustained major damage when Woods went across two lanes of road after crossing the median then finally hitting a curb, hitting a tree, and landing on its side. The rescuers had to free Woods from the damaged car with a pry bar and an ax.

The injuries Woods sustained were extensive. The bone in his right leg was exposed and broken in two places. Doctors inserted a combination of rods and screws to stabilize his foot and ankle bones. Woods was physically broken, but in about a year, his doctors and therapists were able to get him back on his feet again.

In 2021, golf legend Tiger Woods was involved in a serious car accident. The Genesis GV80, which he was driving sustained major damage…At some time in our lives, we have all been physically, emotionally, or even spiritually broken.

At some time in our lives, we have all been physically, emotionally, or even spiritually broken. This is when we have reached the end of any options for fixing ourselves. But this is also when we should begin to explore what God can do. It is the time to turn to the only One who can meet our needs.

Several years ago, I was training for a marathon. As you know, running a marathon requires hours of training and strict discipline. One morning I set out on a 16-mile run. When I began, the temperature was about 50 degrees, but quickly rose into the 80s. It was at that point I realized I had not brought enough water. Being determined, or stubborn, as some might say, I pressed on. It wasn’t long before I became extremely thirsty. I became so thirsty that my kidneys hurt. That’s dangerous. Thankfully, I was able to make it back to my car, rehydrate, and recover.

Physical thirst tells us we need water, but what are the signs of spiritual thirst in our lives? Perhaps, we start to lose our temper over little things, become consumed by worry, or experience a growing sense of guilt, and even fear. These symptoms may serve as a warning sign to our deeper need for the living water that is only found in Jesus.

Physical thirst tells us we need water, but what are the signs of spiritual thirst in our lives? Perhaps, we start to lose our temper over little things, become consumed by worry, or experience a growing sense of guilt, and even fear. These symptoms may serve as a warning sign to our deeper need for the living water that is only found in Jesus. When we come to know the One who sees past our brokenness, our spiritual thirst is exposed as in John 4:7-26.

Some people are obsessed with Hollywood personalities. They religiously watch the Oscars, the Emmys, the Grammys, and other award shows. Even worse, they try to emulate the way actors dress, talk, and behave. Believers who do this will over time draw further and further from the Lord, because it is an obsession to be like the Hollywood crowd.

You may not be obsessed like those who want to be like a Hollywood star, but you are still not striving to be like Christ. God’s transforming work in your life is not less powerful and marvelous. God speaks and calls you to be more and more like Jesus.

As believers, our greatest fulfillment should be to emulate our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.”

As believers, our greatest fulfillment should be to emulate our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. The people we surround ourselves with should encourage us to be more like Him. A pastor was quoted as saying the Word will either draw you to Christ or drive you away from Him. Let us strive to live godly lives so that others will be convicted to be more like Jesus.

When we gaze at a piece of art, we don’t always marvel over the canvas. We don’t get excited about a particular shade of blue in the painting. We sometimes marvel over the artist.

Take the sculpture Stone of Hope by Lei Yixin. It is considered one of the finest sculptures of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. When we walk into the West Potomac Park in Washington D.C., and we marvel over how beautiful the stone is. While it is an exceptional piece of pale pink granite, everyone’s amazement is also drawn to what Lei Yixin did with it. We marvel at how this artist painstakingly chiseled such incredible detail in stone. And at about 30 feet tall, this was no weekend project. Lei Yixin worked for about two years on his sculpture.

As God’s creation, our lives are to point to the glory of our Creator. God calls us to live for His glory—and it’s in His glory we find out greatest purpose.”

We don’t just glory in the sculpture; we glory in the sculptor. It’s not simply Stone of Hope; it’s also about the artist. We can’t look at this sculpture and not think of who carved it. As God’s creation, our lives are to point to the glory of our Creator. God calls us to live for His glory—and it’s in His glory we find out greatest purpose.

Yes, God speaks to us. However, God is holy and loving. As a result, God will never say or do anything that is unholy or unloving—and He would never call us to do something unholy or unloving.

* How would you respond if your friend claimed that God told him he did not have to forgive someone who had offended him?

* What would you say if a coworker asserted that God told her it was okay to abort her perfectly healthy unborn baby?

When people say that God told them to do something that is contrary to His nature, we can be confident that they have not heard from God. He always speaks in ways that are consistent with His character. He makes no exceptions. God never speaks out of character!

When people say that God told them to do something that is contrary to His nature, we can be confident that they have not heard from God.”

We hear in Exodus 34 the very words of God about His faithfulness and unchanging character. And with that, we’ll gain the confidence to trust Him in what He says through whatever way He chooses to speak.

My husband was diagnosed with a very serious illness that almost took his life about seven years ago. We had to take a huge step of faith, because he could no longer work. There were months we struggled to pay bills and even had to limit what we bought at the grocery store. This was a path we had not walked before; a path that did not give us many options. But we recognized the need to trust God and place our confidence and faith in Him.

The Lord did not provide a windfall of money all at once. Rather, as we trusted Him, God provided. At times, fellow believers would provide money in cards, or someone would press a check in my hand at just the right time. God spoke to their hearts, and they responded with gifts of love.

Everything God does in our life increases our faith in Him. We knew that God was walking with us, so we trusted Him to provide.”

Some wondered why God would not give us all the money we needed all at once, but we learned a valuable lesson in that process: Everything God does in our life increases our faith in Him. We knew that God was walking with us, so we trusted Him to provide.