Rekindling Podcast: Recent Episodes
Rekindling Ministries
Rekindling our passions for God, others, & self - by applying the details of Scripture to the details of our lives.
We (Shannon, Craig, Danielle, Erica, and Ian) continue the discussion on how to submit to our governing authorities, and how to be politically engaged, all with the right heart-set and mind-set.
This episode, we (Shannon, Erica, Ian, Danielle, and Craig) look into what it looks like for a Christian to respond to governing authority figures they do not agree with.
Here in this discussion, Shannon, Zach, and Craig discuss the biblical teachings on wealth, expectations for church leaders, preventing offense, and rebuke/correction, and how all this shapes our thoughts on pastors who use their wealth to buy lavish things. This was in part due to Craig seeing recently the Instagram thread 'Preachers & Sneakers'. : )
We finish our discussion of some of our personal 'fringe' theologies - this time discussing Annihilationism (the idea that those who reject God and are thrown into the lake of fire are consumed - their soul is destroyed and they cease to exist - rather than burning in conscious torment forever) and 'simple salvation' (what are the minimum requirements for God giving you eternal life?).
Continuing the discussion of our favorite fringe, non-traditional, or debated theologies - in this episode, we talk about the theories around the Nephilim of Genesis and eschatological topics like pre-tribulation vs. two-wrath and pre-millennial vs. post-mil vs. a-mil.
Discussing tiers of theology (primary, secondary, and tertiary), young vs. old earth, micro-evolution vs. macro-evolution, and God granting free will and deciding to partner with humanity in order to accomplish things.
Continuing the discussion from episode 01, on why people have difference perspectives on philosophy, politics, theology, etc.
Why do people have different perspectives on various issues such as philosophy, politics, and theology?
Just a final recap, with some final thoughts & encouragement from Shannon, wrapping up Season 03 (for now), with a quick glimpse into what is coming next.
Happy New Year, everyone!
LEADING: first being a trustworthy follower of God as leader of your life (see below for following); then acquiring or receiving authority, developing or receiving a vision and giving shape to it, and then in entrusted stewardship, shepherding & guiding a group within or toward that vision, with competence & excellence (showing, teaching, persuading, training, empowering, affirming, and disciplining as necessary to get buy-in), setting the example through action & sacrificial serving.
FOLLOWING: loving the leader (and all that entails), heeding (give attention to the leader and their goal, purpose, & means), submitting (consent to their authority, trusting in their decisions & enforcement), and obeying (be or act in accordance to the goal and means).
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of the previous episode on Power & Strength and recap explanation of the Unpacking process; an introduction to this concept of Leading & Following, including original wording, underlying meanings, and related concepts.
43:08 - working through the summary of what we learned going through the relevant Scripture passages about the step by step process of what leadership entails.
1:31:08 - working through the summary of what we learned going through the relevant Scripture passages about the step by step process of what following entails, especially as it pertains to our culture today and to what to do if our leader is leading poorly.
2:42:46 - some specific suggestions on how to be a good leader; final thoughts and wrap-up.
POWER & STRENGTH: a fire in the bones; the spiritual, physical, mental, emotional, or verbal capacity to exert power (energy) to either remain steadfast & unchanged by another force/desire or to influence or produce some effect.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of the previous episode on Joy; an introduction to the concepts of power & strength, including their original wording and underlying definitions; noting other related concepts to this.
26:33 - based on all the relevant passages, looking at what the Bible says power & strength are, what this means in regard to God's omnipotence, and how this plays out as God offers us to tap into that power so that we may accomplish good, love, and justice.
1:28:43 - other notes on where weariness comes into play, what can hinder our ability to tap into God's power, and what the benefits to using God's strength for good are; final thoughts on implications, application, and personal take-aways.
JOY: a merry contentment moving to high-spirited exhilaration leading to expressions of bounding celebration, that comes from simply choosing to think thankfully on a plethora of good & noble things. (Joy takes place in mind, heart, and body; sowing cognitively, reaping emotionally, celebrating actively.)
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of Peace; an introduction to the concept of Joy and looking at its original wording and underlying meanings; discussing the issue of contentment and its relationship to joy.
24:31 - coming to a conclusion on the biblical definition of 'joy'; understanding that joy and happiness are the same thing biblically; elaborating on the implications of that and discussing a practical approach to experiencing more joy.
56:02 - working through the six 'baskets' of joy, the variety of sources of joy and what you can think on and experience to find more happiness (God, transformation, justice, 'spices', community, and Heaven); Jesus as a great example of someone with a lot of joy.
1:44:14 - realizing the benefits of joy; pointing out hindrances to it; final thoughts and wrap-up.
PEACE:
- a state of external undisturbed tranquility, free from any kind of turmoil or unpleasantness
- a state of internal prosperous serenity, free from any angst or damage, thriving in spiritual/emotional/intellectual well-being
- a state of relational pure harmony, a strong, close bond of friendship, free from any hostility or distrust
[Note: the Scriptures talk about each, with a focus on internal and relational.]
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, & counsel; some initial thoughts and challenges when it came to recording this episode and the need for peace.
17:19 - looking into the original wording of peace, finding a biblical definition, and discussing its details, nuances, sources, hindrances, and benefits.
1:26:36 - final thoughts, implications, and application for peace.
KNOWLEDGE: to perceive & consider some truth or fact (varying in significance, scope, or certainty); to experience something & acquire knowledge through it; to recognize by some mark or be intimately acquainted with (such as a person)
UNDERSTANDING: achieving a thorough familiarity with the meaning, nature, or significance of something
WISDOM: acquiring deep, penetrating insight that results in skillful, practical mastery (such as self-governance)
COUNSEL: to offer wise ideas or guidance in the systematic, arranged pursuit of some objective (after first giving careful consideration to what you know)
What do Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom, and Counsel refer to? How does one achieve them? And what do they result in?
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of the previous episode; an introduction to the concept of knowledge and its associated topics; original wordings & initial foundation.
23:05 - a summary definition of knowledge, understanding, wisdom, and counsel; breaking down the Scriptural patterns, nuances, and details of these.
1:05:35 - final thoughts, implications, application, and take-aways.
HUMILITY (as a vassal): having a deep, awe-filled adoration of my perfect Lord, excitedly yielding to & serving Him, comfortably conscious of my low-ness & shortcomings, letting Him take care of me. / kneeling in adoration, submission, & security (“kara kana” )
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - recap of the previous episode of 'fear'; discussing a little about the unpacking process and the confidence it builds; looking at the original wording and foundational ideas behind biblical humility.
22:40 - working through the key passages on humility, figuring out what exactly it is, and how to achieve it.
59:33 - understanding the benefits of humility; looking at the relationship between humility and suffering; final implications and take-aways.
DREAD-FEAR: an unpleasant, intense uneasiness or reluctance to experience some potential ill, pain, harm, or loss [shaking in dread, avoiding]
EXCITED-AWE-FEAR OF THE LORD: a profound awe of God, intensely interested in His extraordinary superiority, resulting in the unafraid, unswerving loyalty and sincere reverence that is due Him [shaking in excitement, drawing to]
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a recap of the previous episode that put the pieces of the puzzle together (looking at a snapshot of all that we have been teaching so far this Season).
10:19 - diving into the concept of fear, looking at the initial Hebrew, Aramaic, & Greek wording, along with the key principles from this study.
32:27 - going specifically into the Scripture passages on 'fear' and 'fear of the Lord', and discussing the practical implications of how to increase your fear of the Lord while decreasing your fear of all other things.
1:35:45 - wrapping up the conversation.
We've been talking about this episode for some time. In this season, we have spent 52 hours, 4 minutes, and 27 seconds presenting our research on Scripture, hope, Heaven, faith, maturity, love, glory/glorify, inter-determinism, good, evil/sin, suffering, prayer, grieving, patience/perseverance, righteousness/justice, judgment & punishment, grace, compassion-mercy & forgiveness-mercy, and anger.
Now we try to tie it all together, putting each of these individual pieces into one portrait, and present to you some of the core concepts of what the Scriptures are telling us about life and what it means to follow God.
Because we've laid out so many elements in a complex flowchart, we thought it would help to create a visual for you (shout out to Tory Doughty for creating this!). So use this picture and follow along with us through the episode.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - explaining what this episode is about, what we're aiming for in this season (why we've been doing all this), and a quick rapid-fire defining of the eighteen pieces of this puzzle.
23:31 - walking you through this mapping: who God is and what He's doing, what our initial, core responses should be, what happens when we obey, what happens when we disobey (understanding how punishment & rebuke work), the point of repentance, and how to handle it when someone wrongs you or a friend.
1:25:26 - the benefits of this picture, how to practically live this out, final thoughts & implications, and telling what's next.
ANGER: a strong feeling of displeasure (annoyed, vexed, irritated, agitated, distressed) that results in some form of hostility or affliction toward.
This is an interesting topic, with a challenging conclusion - namely that God intends for His mature followers to release themselves of anger in any and every situation, and make no decisions nor take any actions in anger. Anger, as powerful a tool as it is, is left only for the perfect, all-loving, all-wise, all-powerful God to use if needed.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a recap of where we've been so far this season & where we're headed; a recap of the previous two epidoses on Punishment and Mercy.
25:11 - an initial observation on what the Scripture says about anger; looking at the original wording and key definitions; a theory on the difference between anger and hate; going through the OT & NT passages on God's anger.
1:35:10 - going through OT & NT passages on man's anger; forming a conclusion about anger - that it plays no role in the mature believer's life.
2:18:30 - addressing push-back and those who disagree with these conclusions; benefits of resisting anger; final thoughts.
MERCY:
compassion-mercy:
- having affinity for another (‘womb’ cherishing),
- sympathetically aware of their distress,
- and actively, practically, softly contributing to the alleviation of that distress (for both victim and victimizer)
forgiveness-mercy:
- restraint in the midst of provocation,
- releasing oneself of any anger or resentment toward an offender,
- refraining from enforcing what may be due or right,
- moving the responsibility for compensation & penance off of the wrong-doer and onto God (trusting Him to compensate you for your suffering),
- extinguishing the offender’s guilt (because of God’s atoning work),
- and gaining or regaining goodwill and favor toward them.
I (Shannon) love this episode, especially explaining the practical concept and process of Forgiveness. Here we look briefly at what compassion-mercy looks like (which plays a lot into the love concept we did earlier this season), and then dive deeper into what forgiveness is, why it is so hard and yet powerful, and what it looks like in action.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of what this season has been all about, a quick review of the previous episode of 'grace', and an introduction to mercy.
15:09 - looking at the key original wording and definitions of mercy (compassion and forgiveness) and discussing the overarching idea of compassion (what it is and what it looks like in action).
41:06 - going deep into the concept of forgiveness (reviewing the issue of sin and wrong-doing, exploring what humans typically want/expect after someone does something wrong, seeing what Psalm 51 can tell us, and discussing how much a healthy grieving process helps).
1:36:30 - coming to a full definiton of forgiveness and what the implications and applications are for it (as well as how it intereacts with love, justice, punishment, etc.).
2:20:47 - looking at the benefits of mercy, a last few thoughts & comments on the topic, and wrapping up.
GRACE: showing favor toward another
- delighting in another … and in sincere goodwill, freely offering them generous, beneficial gifts
- (fueled by your love for them, singling them out in delight … thus these are simply unmerited, awesome gifts)
- pleased with another … and in sincere goodwill, offering them generous, beneficial rewards
- (due to noticing their good actions … thus these are simply merited, awesome rewards)
- thus it is possible to seek & increase one’s favor in another’s eyes, through good actions
Grace is a word that is used frequently among Christians in a wide variety of ways - unmerited favor, getting what you don't deserve, patience, compassion, prayer, etc. Thus it can be confusing when reading about grace in the Bible; what it is it referring to? Well, that's what this Unpacking episode is for. What exactly does the Bible say 'grace' is? How does it play out in God's kingdom? What are the implications for us in our daily living? Listen and learn some cool things!
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick recap of what this season is all about and where we're headed, as well as a specific recap of Judgment & Punishment; some thoughts on grace before we get started.
21:12 - looking at the original Hebrew and Greek wording for the concept of grace; getting into the nuances and complexities of grace (including merited vs. unmerited grace); benefits of grace.
1:12:53 - a concluding definition of grace, implications & applications for us, and tensions between grace and other concepts; personal take-ways and wrap-up of the discussion.
JUDGMENT: a careful, discerning evaluation of how well one obeys or disobeys a charge (beneficial command) of God.
PUNISHMENT: visiting & addressing the results of a judgment, with an imposing of some loss, difficulty, pain (LDP), or death in response to a wrongdoing.
There are a lot of varying approaches and thoughts to the issues of judgment and punishment; it is definitely a charged topic. And so we wanted to carefully, comprehensively look into the picture the Bible paints about what it means for God to judge people, what role punishment plays in divine justice, and the implications of that for us followers of God.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a recap of righteousness & justice; an introduction to this study on judgment and punishment, how it affected us personally as we went through the research and came to the conclusions we did, and some key things to keep in mind as we launch into presenting our conclusions.
10:14 - initial wordings & definitions, related concepts, and concluding definitions of the concepts of judgement and punishment.
35:09 - exploring the details and nuances of God's system of judgment and punishment, how it may play out in any given scenario, why, and what it results in.
1:19:16 - appreciating the benefits of God's system of judgment and punishment, the key implications & applications for us followers of God, and final take-aways.
RIGHTEOUS-JUST (BE/DO; character/behavioral): doing what is right or making things right.
RIGHTEOUS-JUSTIFIED (HAVE; status): having a right relationship/standing with God, due to your sin not being taken into account, for it is uncounted/erased, removed completely off your record, making you innocent (this has even greater glory than sin being counted against you).
*that which is right: accurate, true / loving, good / authority to do or have something.
What exactly does it mean to say someone is 'righteous'? And how does that play into justice?
And as far as justice goes - what is it? how does it work? if God is just, why does so much wrong occur? how are we supposed to pursue justice?
Timestamp:
00:00 - a recap of patience & perseverance; an introduction to the concepts of righteousness and justice; starting with the original wording & definitions according to Scripture; including other related concepts.
22:34 - understanding the vital concept of 'simple view of justice' vs. 'complex view of justice' from the book of Job; coming to a conclusion on what exactly righteousness and justice are.
44:42 - exploring what is 'right' and what justice looks like in action; appreciating the benefits that come from this.
1:08:39 - diving into the implications, applications, and tensions that come from these insights of righteousness and justice.
1:42:48 - wrapping up the discussion.
PATIENCE: choosing to allow and endure any kind of difficult thing (suffering, pain, tribulation, persecution, wrongdoing, temptation, sin, etc.), remaining internally steadfast and undefeated, without anger or complaint, refraining from enforcing what may be due or right, instead responding with understanding, tolerance, calmness, and acts of love, persevering toward some greater good or benefit (rejoicing in the results).
We are continuing with trying to wrap our minds around the existence of evil, sin, and suffering, why it occurs, how God responds to it, and how we should.
In the midst of praying and grieving and recovering from suffering, what does patience, endurance, and perseverance look like? Is it true that it means we are to, at least to some extent, allow the bad to happen to us? Where does justice or judgment and punishment come in to play?
Join us as we spend the next two+ hours diving in deep to what the Bible has to say about patience and perseverance and why it is such a critical component to the mature Christian's life.
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - a quick review of what we're trying to do this Season and a recap of our previous episode on grieving and recovering from suffering. Along with understanding this is going to be an uncomfortable, challenging episode
11:36 - starting with the original biblical language and wording regarding patience, endurance, and perseverance; initial observations; related concepts.
47:41 - key verses, benefits of patience, a reminder of the Flight-Fight-Persevere lens.
1:39:56 - putting it all together, identifying a final definition of patience, and discussing application.
SUFFERING: any degree of loss, damage, or pain (LDP) leading to mental, emotional, or physical brokenness, anguish, or weariness.
GRIEVING: honestly feel, expressively mourn, and slowly release the pain caused by suffering.
RECOVERY: after or in the midst of suffering, the process of moving to restoration and greater fullness.
In Episode 3.12, we looked into Suffering - what is it, what are the different types, what are the different causes, and why does God allow it. In that episode, the purpose was to understand the existence of suffering from a biblical perspective; thus, we only discussed briefly how one should/can respond to suffering.
In the next episode (3.13a and 3.13b), we looked deeply into Prayer - what it is, what does it accomplish, and how does it work. Because prayer plays strongly into persevering through suffering.
Now, here in Episode 3.14, we look more closely at the recovery process, and what it looks like to healtily respond to and recover from suffering that we may endure. Dr. Vicki Farrow joins us to give us some insights both from a spiritual and psychological perspective.
0:00 - a quick review of the previous episodes on Inter-determinism, Good, Evil/Sin, Suffering, and Prayer, and how they have all led up to this episode.
26:18 - how to approach this study; the original biblical language and wording regarding grieving.
41:28 - what suffering initially triggers in us / the five-cornered table or mountain.
1:38:18 - the results and benefits of recoving from suffering in this healthy fashion; and other notes & insights on the recovery process.
2:00:24 - some notes for the comforter who is helping someone through the recovery process; final thoughts and encouragement.
This is a big one (part 2). In my opinion, the three core sources to growth/maturity that the Lord has given us are Scriptures, Prayer, and Community (in addition to other great resources, like the sacraments).
We tackled Scripture in episodes 3.01 and 3.02 of this season. Now, over two episodes, we look at prayer. What is prayer exactly, according to the Bible? Why should we pray, what are the benefits? And how does prayer work, what are some of the details of this concept? We also attempt to answer questions such as 'what does it mean to pray without ceasing?' and on 'what basis does God grant requests?'.
[Make sure you check out Part 1 in the previous episode, 3.13a!]
0:00 - a quick review of the first episode on prayer - what it is and the motivations and benefits behind prayer.
6:36 - initial steps and things to keep in mind when praying as a communion with and conversation with God, including clearing your mind & heart, and just thinking about what you know about Him.
32:46 - practical thoughts on discerning/hearing God's voice, and meditating on what He's telling you.
58:29 - elements included in you talking to God
1:24:17 - concluding with a summary of what prayer is, implications for that, and how it all might be applied.
PRAYER:
- communion with God; first and foremost, it is simply an intimate experience of His presence, connecting with Him a very real way, sharing time with Him, without even the need for words. [Psalm 62:5-6 NASB, Matthew 28:20b]
- conversation with God; it is also a two-way dialogue with Him, listening to Him as He speaks and He listening to you as you speak. [Job 40:1-7]
This is a big one. In my opinion, the three core sources to growth/maturity that the Lord has given us are Scriptures, Prayer, and Community (in addition to other great resources, like the sacraments).
We tackled Scripture in episodes 3.01 and 3.02 of this season. Now, over the next two episodes, we look at prayer. What is prayer exactly, according to the Bible? Why should we pray, what are the benefits? And how does prayer work, what are some of the details of this concept? We also attempt to answer questions such as 'what does it mean to pray without ceasing?' and on 'what basis does God grant requests?'.
0:00 - a quick review of preceding, connected unpacking concepts and preview of the topic of prayer.
8:57 - getting into the original wording and foundational meanings of prayer, and coming to a preliminary conclusion on the definition of prayer
45:33 - looking at some of the powerful benefits of prayer, as well as some of the other, important factors that play into prayer.
And be on the look-out for the the second episode on prayer, we dive deeper into the interworkings, methods, and results of prayer.
SUFFERING: any degree of loss, damage, or pain (LDP) leading to mental, emotional, or physical brokenness, anguish, or weariness.
What is suffering, why does it exist, why does God allow, how are we to respond to it?
Zach and I truly hope this discussion can be encouraging and strengthening, to prepare you for any future suffering you may experience or that someone you care about ends up experiencing. Take your time going through this episode, chewing on it, praying, and letting God sit with you as you work through this issue.
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:
[FYI - this is a 3+ hour episode. We had thought about splitting it up due to its length, like we did the evil/sin topic, but we felt that we wanted to keep all the parts of the exploration/discussion together, so that if someone comes to this episode because of suffering they are experiencing, they could take a day away from everything, listen to this episode in its entirety, and then just prayerfully meditate on it.]
00:00 - an introduction to the episode, things to keep in mind as you listen through the discussion, and quick recaps of other unpacking topics and definitions that are critical in understanding so that you can even more deeply understand the issue of suffering. These include love, good, evil/sin, interdeterminism, and several of the spiritual lenses from Season 01.
37:43 - getting into the terminology, wording, and core definitions behind the concept of suffering, looking into key passages that describe what suffering is, and coming to a conclusion on the Bible's definition of suffering; along with a side note on the diverisity of pre-suppositions and take-aways that occur in these unpacking studies.
1:04:55 - moving into the detailed nuances and different aspects of suffering, including the degreed nature of suffering, the two primary sources of suffering (God-initiated and all-others-initiated), varied types of sufferings, the corresponding implications of suffering, and key passages on the reasons for and purpose of suffering.
2:25:24 - investigating the results or benefits of suffering or choosing to healthily, scripturally respond to suffering.
2:29:18 - tying all this together, identifying the most critical components of suffering, and discussing practical application in dealing with suffering - including trust, prayer, proper mindsets/perspectives, grieving and finding comfort, choosing forgiveness, growing stronger, etc.
[One last time, Zach and I truly hope this episode can help as you or others process through the issue of suffering. I am saying a prayer right now as I type this out - please let God walk with you through this!]
The seven hour exploration into evil and sin finishes up with this episode! Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
Here in the final part F, we explore specifically what Scriptures have to say about what our response(s) to evil and sin should be. First, what can we do to preemptively to minimize sin in our lives? As with God, what roles do love, hatred, justice, patience, forgiveness, punishment, discipline, encouragement, strengthening, etc. play in the process? What does it mean to grievingly acknowledge our sin? What does biblical rebuke & encouragement look like? And how will all this effect life?
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:
00:00 - a quick recap of the first five episodes (3.11a-e) on the defintion of evil/sin, what it results in, why it exists in such volume in life, what the specific sins are, and what God's responses to sin are; also, each of Zach, Connor, and Shannon's thoughts on which episodes they've found most impactful so far. And an overview of how this episode is organized.
11:57 - highlighting key passages on man's response to sin, followed by a proposal of various preemptive measures to minimize, limit, or even prevent sin from occuring (in our lives and others').
34:30 - discussing what it looks like to biblically respond to sin after it occurs (first for you, then for others); as with God, it involves walking in step with the Spirit, loving ourselves and others, acknowledging & grieving & hating sin and the detriment it causes, embracing patience with & forgivenss of the sin, so that we can then renew a steadfast spirit to best implement discipline/strengthening to prevent future sin. [This includes a detailed, scriptural concept of biblical rebuke, which looks differently than what we normally see and is actually very encouraging, powerful, and transformative.]
1:04:10 - tying it all together, finding a conclusion about our proper response to sin, the benefits of such, and discussing practical application suggestions and encouragement!
[Please, after you have listened to the entire series on evil/sin, leave us a comment, let us know that you think. What helped? What challenged you? Did we leave anything out? And as always, if you have any questions, do not hesitate to contact us at info@rekindlingministries.com!]
The seven hour exploration into evil and sin continues. Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
Here in part E, we explore specifically what Scriptures have to say about God's response(s) to evil and sin. What roles do love, hatred, justice, patience, forgiveness, punishment, discipline, encouragement, strengthening, etc. play in the process?
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:
00:00 - a quick recap of the first four episodes (3.11a-d) on the defintion of evil/sin, what it results in, why it exists in such volume in life, and what the specific sins are; as well as a vulnerable talk on the journey to re-thinking and better understanding how God reacts to sin.
18:43 - looking into God's love of humanity, His hatred and grieving of sin, the criticalness of His patience with and forgiveness of sin because of atonement, His emphasis on guidance and discipline/training/strengthening, and the selective/particular role of anger & wrath when needed.
44:32 - discussing implications, encouragements, pushbacks, and application in our lives according to God's various (incredible) responses to sin.
The seven hour exploration into evil and sin continues. Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
Here in part D, we take a look at a fairly comprehensive list from NT passages on what the Bible considers evil/sin. As you begin to grasp the sheer volume, and the specificity of this list, we hope it convicts and gets your attention, so that you can be even more intentional than you already are following through on Scripture's guidelines - both commands and prohibitions - understanding the benefits of the former and the detriments of the latter.
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:
0:00 - a quick recap of the first three episodes (3.11a-c) on the defintion of evil/sin, what it results in, and why it exists in such volume in life; as well as talking about one of the goals for this study in changing the way we look at sin to be more in line with the picture Scripture paints.
13:48 - looking into the different 'categories' of sin, starting with the unforgivable sin of blasphemy of the Spirit, then reviewing a large list of specific sins (commands not done or prohibitions partaken of); SEE THE LIST WE USED BELOW.
1:06:49 - discussing observations, implications, and applications from this list, including revisiting the issue of 'muddy fields', our individual core weaknesses, and how to deal with them.
Tier 01, Unforgivable Sins:
- blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, not believing in Jesus & confessing Him as Lord [John 3:16, Rom 10:9; Luk 12:10]
Tier 02, Forgivable Sins:
Whenever you do not obey a command, such as:
- hunger & thirst for righteousness, draw near to, and keep your attention on God, ask, seek, knock [Dan 9:3, Mat 5:6, 7:7, Jam 4:8]
- study, reflect on, and remember Scripture [Psa 119, 1 Tim 4:6]
- pray without ceasing [1 Thes 5:17]
- fast [Mat 6:16]
- love and know God intimately [Mar 12:30, 1 Jn 4:2]
- have deep, active faith in God [Mar 11:22-24, Luk 12:22-31]
- exalt, glorify, praise, and worship God [Luk 4:8, 1 Pet 1:7, Rev 19:5]
- fear the Lord [2 Cor 5:11]
- have humility [Jam 4:10]
- confess and repent of your sins [1 Jn 1:9]
- be baptized [Act 2:38]
- work out your salvation w/fear & trembling [Phil 2:12]
- walk worthy of your calling, be sound in faith, present yourself as one approved [Eph 4:1, 2 Tim 2:15, Titu 1:3]
- walk in step with the Holy Spirit, being led by Him [Gal 5:16-18]
- be obedient to His commands [Act 5:29]
- receive knowledge, understanding, wisdom, counsel, fear of the Lord, and power [Isa 11:1-3]
- fix your eyes on the unseen [2 Cor 4:18]
- think on whatever is good, pure, noble; hold on to what is good [Rom 12:9, Phil 4:8]
- be thankful, content [2 Cor 12:10, Col 3:15]
- rejoice always [1 Thes 5:16]
- be confident in the Lord, bold [Eph 3:12]
- be gentle, tender [Titu 3:2, Jam 3:17, Eph 4:32]
- be pure in heart [Mat 5:8]
- be dignified, reverent [Titu 2:7]
- endure and persevere through suffering and persecution [Rom 5:3-4, 1 Cor 4:12]
- be patient, turn your cheek [Mat 5:39, 1 Thes 5:14]
- forgive, show mercy [Mat 6:14, Luk 17:4]
- accept one another [Rom 15:7]
- honor one another [1 Pet 2:17]
- love one another, have compassion, treat well, be kind toward, serve [Mk 12:31, Lk 6:31, Col 3:12, Gal 5:13]
- give your cloak, go the second mile [Mat 5:40-41]
- mourn with, comfort [Rom 12:15, 1 Thes 4:18]
- bear the burdens of [Gal 6:2]
- encourage [1 Thes 5:11]
- evangelize & go on missions [Mat 28:19-20]
- show hospitality [Rom 12:13, Heb 13:2]
- sing together [Col 3:16, Jam 5:13]
- submit to your elders/authorities [Heb 13:17, 1 Pet 2:13]
- be prepared for every good work [2 Tim 3:17]
- use the spiritual gifts God gave you for edifying others [Rom 12, 1 Cor 12, Eph 4, etc.]
- pursue justice [Mat 23:23]
- be quick to listen and slow to speak [Jam 1:19]
- control your tongue, speak seasoned with grace [Col 4:6, Jam 1:26]
- teach, remind, refute [1 Cor 4:17, Titu 1:9]
- exhort, warn, admonish, rebuke [2 Tim 4:2]
- confess to one another [Jam 5:16]
- discipline (train/edify), correct, turn back [Eph 6:4, Heb 12:11]
- bless those who curse you [Luk 6:28, Rom 12:14]
- be temperate, self-controlled [Gal 5:23, Titu 1:8]
- live at peace with each other, preserve unity [Eph 4:3, 1 Thes 5:13]
- shine like stars, cities on a hill, salt & light [Mat 5:13-16, Phil 2:15]
Whenever you partake of a prohibition, such as:
- selfish-ambition, self-seeking [1 Cor 13:5, Jam 3:16]
- show arrogance, conceit; brag [1 Tim 6:17, Jam 4:16]
- jealousy, envy, greed [Rom 1:29, 13:13]
- idolatry [1 Cor 10:14]
- rejoice in unrighteousness [1 Cor 13:6]
- quenching the Spirit [1 Thes 5:19]
- have doubt, worry, fear [Mat 6:34, 10:31, 21:21]
- lie [Col 3:9]
- rudeness, inappropriateness [1 Cor 13:5]
- coarse joking, foul language, or foolish talk [Eph 5:4]
- drunkenness, carousing [Rom 13:13]
- sorcery, drugs [Gal 5:20]
- sexual immorality, adultery, homosexuality [1 Thes 4:3]
- judging [Mat 7:1-2, Rom 14:13]
- taking wrong into account [1 Cor 13:5]
- quick-tempered, provokable [Titu 1:7, 1 Cor 13:5]
- grumbling, complaining [Phil 2:14]
- bitterness [Eph 4:31]
- wrath, anger [Gal 5:20]
- hatred [Titu 3:3]
- malice, slander, gossip [Col 3:8, 2 Cor 12:20]
- provoking, exasperating [Gal 5:26, Eph 6:4]
- take revenge [Rom 12:19]
- caught up in civilian matters [2 Tim 2:4]
- quarreling, strife, dissension, factions [Prov 20:3, Gal 5:20, Jam 4:2]
The seven hour exploration into evil and sin continues. Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
Here in part C, we look deeply, broadly, biblically, philosophically into why might a good, loving, just, sovereign, perfect God allow the sheer volume of sin and evil that He does, even though He hates it. This can be a very illuminating, encouraging search for you. We find it the best, most comprehensive explanation we've ever come across. Please consider taking time to work through this episode, chew on its propositions, and be encouraged by its implications.
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode:
0:00 - a real quick recap of the first two episodes (3.11a-b) on the defintion of evil/sin and what it results in.
2:39 - thinking through initially the question of why God allows sin - the problem of evil and theodicies that attempt to explain it, a quick recap of the concept of inter-determinism, and discussing traditional answers to why God allows evil/sin, and why they may be incomplete.
21:05 - presenting a fairly comprehensive, powerful, enlightening theory as to why God intentionally created a broken prologue and what it means for us.
1:08:41 - some thoughts & feedback & encouragement regarding this proposal.
1:16:32 - given this idea of why God allows evil/sin, now looking into more detail into why humans (including Christians) sin, some hope in the midst of that, and why sin is serious rather than critical.
1:37:17 - forming a final conclusion that given the full story God wants to tell sin was necessary, potential pushback against that and responses to that pushback, and implications of this going forward.
[Invitation link to the Rekindling band app: https://band.us/n/aea3wcHf72n3Y]
The seven hour exploration into evil and sin continues. Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
Here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode B:
0:00 - starting with a quick recap of the first episode (3.11a) on the defintion of evil/sin.
2:26 - looking into what happens when we commit evil or sin, what the specific results, reactions, or consequences of sin are.
14:30 - considering whether evil/sin is a 'critical' issue or a 'serious' one.
24:21 - acknowledging the benefits of resisting sin
25:24 - understanding why God hates sin
28:30 - some quick comments on the application of resisting sin (more details in episode 3:11f) and wrap-up
Here is the calendar of Spring studies and groups. I really want to encourage you to consider taking one or more of them, as each of them are designed to stir your passions for God, others, and self more, help you hone your perspectives on life and increase your biblical understanding, encourage you to improving your decisions and behavior, and and contributing to you finding more love, joy, and peace.
They are:
KNOW THYSELF – an 11-week study into figuring out how God wired you and for what purpose. Sundays 1:30-3:30pm, Feb 04 – Apr 15. Cost is $90/person or $150/couple, which covers all the material, all eleven sessions, and the 4-hour 1on1 mapping (where we lay out all your answers, identify patterns/themes, and come to a conclusion on what your calling is). Limit 7 people, and these slots fill quickly.
KNOW THYSELF II – this is has long been in the works, and we are finally rolling it out! For anyone who has already taken Know Thyself and identified what the niche in life is, KT II will help you put together a course of action to make your calling a reality. This will be done via a combination of encouraging group sessions and 1on1 sessions with a really talented coach, Stephen Feilds. The cost is $90/person which covers six total sessions (a steal in the coaching world). (For details on start date and location, contact us at info@rekindlingministries.com)
UNPACKING: Patience/Endurance – a 4-week comprehensive study of Scripture into what patience and endurance entail, how they are developed, and what they result in. Cost is $20/person. Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm, Feb 06 – Feb 27.
UNPACKING: Anger – a 4-week look into Scripture to see what anger is, why & how God uses it, and what we are to do with it. Cost is $20/person. Saturdays, 10am-noon, Feb 03 – 24.
UNPACKING: Prayer – an 11-week study into what the Scriptures say about prayer, what it is, what it results in, and practical ways to pray without ceasing. Cost is $10/person. Sundays, 11:15am-12:30pm, Feb 04 – Apr 01.
UNPACKING: Grief – a 4-week study of Scripture and psychology into what the grieving process looks like and results in. $20/person. Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30pm, Apr 03 – 24.
UNPACKING: Judgment/Punishment – a 4-week challenging, Scriptural study of what judgment is and how it works, and what role punishment plays in the process. $20/person. Saturdays, 10am-noon, Apr 07 – 28.
If you want more details on the topics or their locations, or want to register for any of them, email us at info@rekindlingministries.com. Payments are due the first session of class, and can be done via cash, check, Cash App, Venmo, or credit card.
Rekindling Band App Invite link: https://band.us/n/ada5w4B1p537k
EVIL/SIN: primarily, a turning from God or His beneficial goods and secondarily, a turning to something detrimental (to you or others).
Thus begins an almost seven hour exploration into what evil and sin are according to Scripture. Given the scope and sheer volume of information on this issue, we have broken the study into six sections:
a: a definition of evil/sin
b: what evil/sin results in
c: why a perfect, good, loving, and omnipotent God allows evil/sin
d: a working list of all the evils/sins the Bible mentions
e: how God interacts with and responds to sin
f: how we are to minimize, interact with, and respond to sin
And here is the TIMESTAMP for this episode A:
0:00 - an introduction to unpacking the concept of evil and sin, and explaining why this study was developed and how it will be presented over six sessions.
24:27 - looking at the initial terminology of and philosophy behind evil and sin, including other overlapping, relevant unpacking issues like love, good, etc.
52:26 - coming to a conclusion on the scriptural definition of evil and sin.
GOOD: a biblical is good is something that (subjectively or objectively) is inherently valuable [G0], pleasing [G1], beneficial [G2], and/or right/straight [G3].
What exactly does it mean when the Bible refers to something as good? What does this tell us about God and life? (Hint: it helps us better understand why a good God allows evil/sin and suffering.)
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - an introduction to unpacking the concept of good and how this all ties in with the issues of inter-determinism, evil/sin, and suffering.
22:33 - looking at the initial terminology and philosophy of good.
52:37 - highlighting key notes from each of the sections of Scripture.
1:43:14 - coming to a conclusion on the scriptural, 4-part definition of 'good'.
1:47:32 - discussing some of the inter-workings, nuances, and details about all that is 'good'
2:06:03 - benefits of pursuing what is 'good'
2:13:10 - final thoughts, take-aways, and application of this study
INTER-DETERMINISM: the spectrum concept that the reason anything occurs is due to some combination of divine, angelic, human, and animal decisions and actions, whether it is hard (irresistible) or soft (influential), active or passive (with a possibility of randomness being a factor as well). The exact combination ratio will vary from situation to situation and person to person, dependent upon a wide possibility of factors.
Alright, here is one of the biggest, important 'rabbit trails' of Christian theology - the issue of inter-determinism, i.e. how does God interact with the events of life or why do things play out the way they do?
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - an introduction to the concept of inter-determinism, preliminary things to consider
23:27 - definining key terms & ideas, such as 'sovereignty', 'determinism', 'free will', etc.; also discussing the potential psychology behind different theories and the need for respect, humility, and open-mindedness in this discussion
1:37:48 - explaining the concept and components of 'complex determinism'
2:08:37 - discussing the spectrum of possibilities and the four basic camps of thought on divine determinism
2:45:34 - final take-aways & application
GLORY: a resplendent heaviness (glowing like heated metal in multicolored radiance, with a substantive presence, and with great worth and rank).
GLORIFY:
- to make resplendently heavy or increase something's resplendent heaviness
- to recognize, revel in, reflect, and reveal God's resplendent heaviness.
What exactly is 'glory' according to the Bible, and what does it mean to 'glorify' God?
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - an introduction to unpacking the concept of glory
12:09 - original wordings, key definitions/terminology, relevant passages & concepts
28:44 - a working definition of glory and glorify
55:45 - details, nuances, interworkings of glory
1:29:29 - benefits & results of glorifying God
1:48:01 - how glory relates to love
1:59:57 - take-aways & application
LOVE is of: (Mk12:28-31)
HEART: strong emotional affection for, delight in, and supernatural affinity with (aheb, agape)
- beholding beauty & value, a passionate treasuring (Songs)
- longing to see, seeking after, inviting in & vulnerably sharing life with (Songs, Pro, 1Th2:8,3:6)
- unashamedly, lavishly celebrating the object of affection (Songs)
SOUL: willful, committed, loyal, devoted, covenantal faithfulness to (chesed; Rom 12:9-19)
- sincere, pure, fervent & earnest, not lacking zeal, in truth & deed (Rom12:9-19, 1Pet1:22,4:8, 1Jn3:18)
- a willingness to lay my life down for (Jn15:13)
- humbly obedient to God, keeping His commandments (Jn14:15)
MIND: an intentional disposition of always desiring good for one another and all people (1Th5:8-15)
- rejoicing in truth rather than unrighteousness (1Cor13)
- making of things right/just (in speaking & doing) (Mic6:8, Pro14:22,Rom12)
- compassionate empathy, truly seeking to understand how a person is wired and what they are going through
- patience & forgiveness of wrongs (Unp:Patience, Unp:Mercy, Luk7:47, 1Cor13, 1Th5:13)
- bearing and enduring the sins and struggles of others (1Cor13)
- covering over sin (not disclosing it, not creating discord) (Pro10:12, 1Pet4:8)
- grieving the wrong, without anger, bitterness, resentment, or irritation (Gen6:6, Eph4:31)
- not taking revenge, instead repaying evil with good (Rom12:9-19)
- refraining from enforcing what may be due or right, in the moment
- moving the responsibility for atonement (compensation) off of the wrongdoer onto God*
- not taking wrong into account (extinguishing their guilt; 1Cor13)
- regaining full goodwill toward (Pro16:6)
- willing to reconcile (dependent upon the wrongdoer’s confession & discipline/training)
- not unbecoming or rude (1Cor13), not provoking others (Gal5:26)
- not causing any to stumble, make every effort to what leads to peace and mutual edification (Rom14:15-19)
- living in peace and harmony with one another (Rom12)
- honor one another above yourselves, regard each other as more important (Rom12:9-19, Phil2:3)
& STRENGTH: an active, abundant, practical, sacrificial contribution to well-being
-
spiritually, emotionally, mentally, physically, socially, & resource-wise
-
hospitable (Rom12:9-19)
- serving and helping one another as needed (Gal5:13, Phil2:4)
- rejoicing with those who rejoice, mourning with those who mourn (Rom12:9-19)
- encouraging the fainthearted and helping the weak (1Th5:14)
- caring tenderly and gently (1Th2:7), comfort, treat with tenderness (2Cor1:4-7, 2:7)
- protecting, rescuing, saving (2Sam22:20, Ps146:9, Jhn3:16)
- blessing, showing favor/grace (Unp:Grace)
- sharing the gospel/good news (1Th2:9)
- provoking others to love and good works (Heb10:24)
- teaching kindness (which includes establishing and protecting kings) (Pro20:28)
- diligently identifying wrongs & pruning to right (Pro3:12)
- speak truth, teach, encourage, implore, exhort, rebuke/admonish, discipline, & correct others to walk in a manner worthy of the lord (for the unruly & those in opposition), all done restoratively & gently, not harshly (1Th2:11-12,5:14, 2Tim2:25)
- reluctantly willing to use suffering (sours, wind sprints) when needed; relenting when needed
- edifying, building up one another (1Th5:11)
- always trusting and hopeful (in God and the potential of others) (1Cor13)
- …
- with a physical intimacy with spouse (Songs, 1Cor7:5)
Okay, here's the big one! What exactly is "love" according to Scripture? How does one receive it and offer it? What does it result in? Why is this the most important thing in God's plans?
TIMESTAMP:
00:00 - an introduction to unpacking love
15:41 - original wordings, key definitions/terminology, relevant passages & concepts
1:26:28 - a working definition of love
1:31:33 - details, nuances, interworkings of love in action
2:17:26 - benefits & results of such love
2:23:30 - the criticalness & superiority of love
2:30:14 - take-aways & application
As Shannon is out of town this week, we'll take a break from the Unpacking Series and upload a fun interview he and Zach did back in October on 90.1 The Light with Isaiah Wilhelm.
In the first section, they discuss the question "Hasn't science done away with the idea of God?"
In the second section, they discuss the question, "If Jesus rose again in 3 days, can it really be called a sacrifice?"
In the final section, they team up with the DJs and play a round of word games.
(FYI, there's a couple of short silent spaces; keep listening, the show continues!)
Christian growth/maturity:
- the further advancement (leveling up) into our individual full potential,
- which comes through deliberate, gradual progress over time,
- as we augment, enable, and tweak our spiritual nature (thoroughly, in every necessary detail),
- by applying the details of Scripture to the details of our lives as we walk in step with the Spirit,
- until we reach complete, excellent, perfectly sound, Christ-like character (according to our design),
- so that we may most fully love God and others.
- [which will be rewarded in Heaven]
Christian maturity is the gradual process of deliberately walking in step with the Spirit, to enhance every necessary detail of our spiritual nature, until we become the complete version of who Christ designed us to be.
Following up on the episode on Faith, we now look at the deeper aspects of faith, where we are maturing in our application of the details of Scripture, 'leveling up' and becoming the more complete persons that God designed us to be.
Timestamp:
00:00 - introduction to spiritual maturity
06:02 - original wordings, key definitions/terminology, relevant passages & concepts
35:08 - a working definition of Christian maturity
46:09 - details, nuances, interworkings of the maturation process
1:36:00 - benefits & results of maturing in your faith
1:49:51 - take-aways & application
FAITH: being persuaded by God to sincerely acknowledge who Jesus is (Lord & Savior) and being progressively stirred to walk in step with the Spirit.
Faith = Belief (the internal acknowledgement of who God is) + Trust (an accordingly, ongoingly active response to that belief)
What exactly is faith according to Scripture? How does it work, how does one acquire it? What does it result it? What can a practical take-away be from this study?
TIMESTAMP:
00:00 - introduction to the concept of faith
05:49 - original wordings and key definitions/terminology
15:13 - a working definition of faith, along with analogies and examples
38:59 - how faith works, how it plays out, the mechanics of it
1:11:10 - some tangent, yet important, questions that come from all this
1:37:05 - the benefits & results of faith
1:47:14 - surprise guests!
1:59:31 - applications & take-away from this study of faith
HEAVEN: the Eternal Kingdom of God; the physical, perfect realm that all followers of Jesus will live in and enjoy, in full relationship with God, forever.
Prepare to get your world rocked. There are some amazing details about what Heaven is going to be like according to Scripture, along with some with incredible potential details that we won't know until we get there. So let's go through a 3-hour foray into all these things, and be encouraged, comforted, and inspired!
TIMESTAMP:
0:00 - introduction to the topic of Heaven
14:57 - why it's good to think about Heaven
16:56 - the complex nuances of Heaven and life after death
1:01:42 - known and potential details of the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven
2:15:35 - some notes on 'hell'
2:23:32 - how to get into the Eternal Kingdom of Heaven
2:31:54 - application and take-away from this study on Heaven
HOPE: to hold onto and take refuge in the confident expectation of some good thing that is coming.
What is the concept of hope according to the Bible? What are the specific hopes we can have? If we cling to those hopes, what does it achieve?
Timestamp:
0:00 - introduction to hope
8:42 - the wording & definition
21:02 - the details & nuances
56:12 - specific hopes
1:10:46 - application
Given the multicolor reasons we offered last week as encouragement to tackle the Scriptures, this week we get into how you can approach the Bible - whether via the traditional exegetical approach, Larry Crabb's "66 Love Letters" method, or unpacking concepts comprehensively in detail.
What exactly is the Bible? What's so impressive about it? Why should we study it?
In this episode, we look at how & when the Scriptures were formed, how they were transmitted & translated through the centuries, what they include, and why we can trust they are infallible, transformative, and authoritative.
Welcome to Seaon 03 of the Rekindling podcast series! Here in this initial episode, we explain the reasoning and methods of the "unpacking process" of Scripture. It's a good chance to come at the Bible in a slightly different, refreshing way. Give it a listen!
A quick overview of the "7 Steps to Change" paradigm - a process that can help you better achieve making changes in your life. These include discontentment, finding a resonating solution, collecting all the relevatnt details, making the decision, application, adjustment, and repetition.
A quick overview of the '7-Fold Life' assessment tool - paying attention to and organizing the emotional, spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, resources, and God-elements of life, to really hone who you are and help you become the complete version of who God designed you to be.
A quick overview of the popular 'muddy fields' concept - those core flaws or struggles that you have in life and how to healthily, scripturally deal with and counter them.
A quick overview of the 'Flight-Fight-Persevere' lens. In any given tough situation you face, what is the right answer/solution according to Scripture: escape the bad, overcome and defeat it, or endure and grow stronger through it?
A quick overview of the spiritual lens, "Spectrum". In a world that often deals with things in black or white, all-or-nothing responses, it is important to remember that reality occurs on a spectrum, and better understanding that will enable you to more accurately see the full picture and make better decisions.
A quick overview of the spiritual lens, "Be-Do-Have" - focusing first on internal character and attitude development, making you better equipped when it comes to accomplishing tasks and behaving in proper ways, and then turning to the wise stewarding of resources.
A quick overview of the spiritual lens, "Eternal-Internal-External". Letting the things of God and scriptural insights have a stronger pull on your attitude and emotions than the circumstances surrounding you.
A quick overview of the spiritual lens, "Sweet & Sour". Expanding on the 'pro/con' mentality by understanding that within 'pros', there are good/beneficial things that will make you smile, as well as good/beneficial things that will make you wince.
A quick overview of the spiritual lens, "7-Stage Journey". Among the possibilities of atheist, agnostic/apathist, seeker, believer, disciple, ambassador, or co-heir, which are you?
This is the final episode of the Know Thyself series; in it, we look at how to put all your answers together and identify and map out the patterns in the results. And we finish with what to do with all this, and what this means for you now.
I, Shannon, sincerely pray that this has been a magical ride for each of you. I hope that you have found at least one enlightening and encouraging thing about yourself and I hope it affects your life in a very real way!
What kind of person do you want to become?
What kind of things do you want to accomplish?
What kind of things do you want to have?
What are your internal magnets - what draws you to your fleshly side, what draws you to your spirit-led side?
What are your external magnets - what kind of people and environments do you flock to and what kinds do you avoid?
What are your natural talents that God imbued you with at birth?
What are your spiritual gifts that God gave you after committing to Him?
What are your core, fleshly weaknesses that you most struggle with?
And the link to the spiritual gifts test: http://buildingchurch.net/g2s-i.htm
How do you 'do' life, how do you tick? What are the different nuances to your personality? How do they contribute to your purpose in life?
LINKS FOR THIS EPISODE:
DISC: www.discinsights.com/cyber/scripts/disc.asp
www.free-disc-profile.com/
www.123test.com/disc-personality-test/
KEIRSEY: www.keirsey.com/4temps/overview_temperaments.asp
STRENGTHFINDERS: http://www.strengthstest.com/strengthsfinder-20-access-code.html
LOVE LANGUAGES: www.5lovelanguages.com/
ENNEAGRAM INSITUTE: www.enneagraminstitute.com/
FASCINATION PERSONALITY TEST: www.howtofascinate.com/about-the-personality-test
HAPPINESS STYLE: www.jenniferdukeslee.com/happiness-style/
LEARNING FROM YOUR STRENGTHS: http://www.ministryinsights.com/leaders/leading-from-your-strengths-profile/
Rekindling Ministries: www.rekindlingministries.org
If you were to break your life into stages, what would it look like? What have you experienced in life and how has it effected you? Are there any patterns that may clue you into your calling in life?
... what are your values and priorities in life, how are they ranked, why, and what does that mean for your daily life?
... what are your core beliefs and paradigms, and what does it mean that you have them?
... let's begin a journey where we explore the nuances of how God has wired you and for what purpose!
... explaining the seven steps one can go through in successfully implementing change: discontentment, finding a resonating solution, getting all the details, making the decision, application, adjustment, repetition.
... as well as wrapping up the season and tying everything together.
... introducing a tool for helping you sort the different areas of your life and improve the health/quality of each - emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, socially, physically, resourcefully, all with God at the center.
... a popular, powerful, down-to-earth discussion of sin and how we are to respond to it, especially when it concerns those core struggles we have within.
...hashing out the process of deciding whether to escape, conquer, or endure/grow stronger through the challenges of life.
...walking through the need to view the important issues of life on a spectrum rather than thinking in a black & white, all-or-nothing fashion.
...talking about putting faith & internal character development first, performance & accomplishment second, and stewarding of resources third.
...discussing what it looks like to let the things of God be a stronger pull on you than the things of life.
...discussing the importance of recognizing the good things of God that will make you smile and the good of things of God that will make you wince.
... Shannon & Zach explaining the concept of spiritual lenses and discussing the first lens, the overarching paradigm, of "7-Stage Journey" and what it may look like as you seek God.
Are you an atheist, apathist/agnostic, seeker, believer, disciple, ambassador, or co-heir?
... Shannon sharing his story & background and explaining why Rekindling exists, what we aim to accomplish, and how you the listener may benefit from jumping into this series.