Godly Passion, Holy Flame

An amazing saint went home to be with her Savior this year. This recording is just my humble attempt to pay tribute to the 57 years of love that she poured into my life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I'd like to share with you a play I wrote years ago, inspired by the extraordinary events in the hills outside Bethlehem on the original Christmas night. Although fictionalized, this account is drawn from my research into the story and background of the Bethlehem shepherds (as recorded in Luke 2), stirred together with some holy imaginiation of what it might have been like to experience that holy night, not to mention the years that followed...Music by Julius H. from Pixabay Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Many of you have already heard about the new podcast that I began recently. This is just a little promotional trailer that I put together to try to spread the word and to encourage other disciples who might be interested in the type of "deep-dive Scriptural analysis" that Project: Philippians is aiming to be.If you're interested in joining us on the journey, you can find the podcast here: https://shows.acast.com/project-phillipians (or just search for "Project: Philippians" on your favorite podcast app). Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'd like to invite you into a sneak peak of a new project that I have been praying about for months. It is an ambitious new venture -- one that could only be accomplished if the Lord is in it. But, if He is, I believe this project may have a lasting impact in the spirtual journey of many people. In this episode, I'm announcing a brand new podcast that I'm launching today -- a podcast with one singular mission: to take listeners on a verse by verse "deep dive" into one of my favorite books in Scripture: Philippians.For those of you who want to join me on this journey, head over to Project: PHILIPPIANS -- https://shows.acast.com/project-phillipians Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Regardless of how old you are or how many years you already have under your treads, your story is not finished yet. Neither is mine. And the challenging question that has been swirling around in my head recently is, "What am I going to do with the time I have left?" As I've been meditating on this, I've been inspired by the story of Caleb, the man who kept charging hard into God's adventures even into his eighties. That's the type of man I want to be. And, earlier this week, the Lord gave me a little glimpse of that future in a way that has made me yearn for it even more.Joshua 14:6-14 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As Thanksgiving approaches, I want to share just a few things that I'm particularly thankful for this year. Not least of which is an amazing get-together that I got invited to by a guy named Jesus.John 1:37-39 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I'd like to introduce you to one very special Hebrew word that has begun to transform my prayer life. הִנֵּֽנִי It's pronounced "hin-nê-nî", and it encapsulates, what I believe to be one of the most important postures of a servant's heart.1 Samuel 3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you lost the passion? Has your flame grown dim? Has the spiritual fire of your soul dwindled down to nothing but glowing embers? I've been there. I know the feeling. But today, I'd like to share with you some verses that the Lord God has placed on my heart, because I want to help rekindle that fire on the hearth of your heart. Men, I believe there is nothing more important in our spiritual lives than fanning into flame the eternal fire of communion with God.Leviticus 6:12-13; 9:23-34; 10:1-3 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome to the final episode in Season Two of the Holy Flame podcast. I have to say Farewell, for a while, but I just I'd leave you with you a final verse, a final challenge, and a final prayer. Hope to see you again in the Fall! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In a world filled with distractions and diversions, it is all too easy to get a hearts off track and out of focus. I'd like to share a story with you that God has used in my life to help fix my thoughts and heart back on the Son. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Sometimes all it takes to get back on the path is just a little reminder. And sometimes... the more the better. Today I'd like to share with you a few thoughts from the jogging trail that have helped keep me on the path.Isaiah 30:21 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today I want to read through another epic book of the Bible: Ephesians. I love this book because it's like a dense gem -- a summary of the entire Bible. All the major themes of Scripture converge in this one little letter. From Creation to the Cross to the Coming again; from grace, to peace, to love, to warfare. It’s all here in one condensed little book. I pray that these themes will wash over you like never before. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The book of Philippians was written by the Apostle Paul while he sat chained in Roman custody. But it's a letter that explodes with the heartfelt enthusiasm of someone who has clearly learned how to fortify his joy regardless of his circumstances. I invite you to take the next few moments to sit at Paul's feet and listen to him as if you were hearing him speak these words for the very first time. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How would your friends rate your joy level? Would your wife or your colleagues characterize you as an uncommonly happy person? I'm pretty sure that is not the first adjective that would come to my friends' minds if you asked them to describe me. But recently I started pondering those questions and thinking about how much glory God would receive if that were to somehow flip in my life. So I asked the Lord about it. And I'd like to share with you the surprising (and happy) answer that He gave me.Romans 15:13 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Today I want to share with you a short reading from one of the most classic books in all of Christian literature. The book is called Abide in Christ, by Andrew Murray. Murray was a great and heroic saint of the late 19th century whose books have stirred many souls through the decades. He's long been one of my favorite authors. This chapter was particularly stirring to me, so I decided to share it with all of you. I pray that it blesses you as it did me. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Some of you some of you know what it's like to get to the end of yourself, after giving everything you've got, and then slam right into the brick wall of exhaustion. Long distance runners know all about it, but it's not just athletes that can deplete their resources.I'd like to give you two words that can help you bust right through that wall. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Psalm 63:4 calls on us to "praise the Lord as long as we live, lifting up our hands in His name." For some of you, this gesture of raising hands to praise God might be perfectly natural for you. Others are a little less comfortable with this type of expression in their worship.  But regardless of your own personal worship "style", the fact that God asks us to do it should cause all of us to ask, WHY? Why is this important to Him? What does it mean? What should it mean? These are some questions that I have been pondering this morning, and I'd love to share my thoughts with you. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In today's episode I'd like to offer a years-end challenge to the men who are on a journey with the King.  Join with me as we pause for just a few moments on the side of the trail to take stock of where we've been and a gander at where we need to be going.   See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

[First published: Aug 2019]Some passages of Scripture can become so familiar to us (especially those that we hear every holiday season) that they are at risk of losing their impact in our hearts. It is my prayer that Isaiah's famous "Christmas prophesy" might be rescued from such a fate, because it is truly one of the most astounding portraits of our Savior in all of the Bible. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Recently I was inspired to study the backstory of one of the little-known characters in the Bible -- but one who has had a profound impact on the history of the entire Church. What began with just some curiosity on my part turned into a major historical/Biblical research project and a short (unpublished) article along with this podcast. It's all about the backstory of John Mark, the gospel author. I had no idea, when I first started researching him, how deeply I'd be moved by his life story. I'm sure I don't to justice to it, but, then again, that's why I wasn't selected to write a gospel!For anyone who would like the full text of this article, you can find it here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.