Patterns of Truth Podcast: Recent Episodes
Patterns Of Truth
A place for casual discussions of Biblical principles and difficult questions that face the Christian believer. We believe that the Bible can speak to todays issues, giving us the wisdom and courage we need for our lives. Find us online at patternsoftruth.org
When you think of good Christian fun, several things might come to mind: youth group, mini golf, bowling, ping pong, and Bananagrams. There’s nothing wrong with any of those things. Still, today’s episode is about the wide diversity of hobbies, leisure, and adventurous activities that real Christians engage in to keep life interesting. At the same time, we look for the Lord’s return and balance work, faith, and family life.
Questions we ask:* What do you enjoy? * What are your hobbies? * What are the common barriers Christians face when it comes to having fun? Is it wrong? * Do non-Christians like this activity too much? Does that automatically mean I shouldn’t do it? * This world is a wilderness – does that mean we can’t enjoy anything while we are here? * How do we reconcile the idea of being pilgrims in this world with the enjoyment of earthly blessings? * In what sense are we pilgrims? Context matters. * How does Colossians 2:21 shape our understanding of fun as Christians? What does this verse tell us about the balance between enjoying life and maintaining our faith?
How do issues like being overly busy or feeling guilty impact our ability to prioritize enjoyment?
Guilt – “Redeeming the time” (Ephesians 5:16) – If you have spare time, how should it be spent? Is it wise to spend it on entertainment? Or something else?
Guilt – “The pride of life” – Am I investing too much into entertainment and the things of this life?
Conclusion:One takeaway I have from this conversation is that everything we do in this life should not be centered around work, career, or advancement. Yes, we have to live, but our relationship with the Lord, fellowship with others, and what we do during “downtime” are so important.
As always, we must use biblical principles to navigate our Christian walk. Be happy – enjoy your life! When considering an activity or hobby you’re unsure about, ask the Lord to help you evaluate it!
Thanks again for joining us at the Patterns of Truth podcast! Our goal is simple: to inspire meaningful dialogue and foster spiritual growth in our relationship with the Lord. Tell others about the podcast and submit your questions!
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Question:Why was Satan allowed in the garden?
Answer:Satan AllowedThe description of the creation of Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter 2 is followed immediately by the appearance of Satan at the very beginning of chapter 3. Verse 8 of chapter 3 gives the further impression that God was accustomed to visiting Adam and Eve in the evening. Putting this together gives the distinct impression that the appearance of Satan was very soon, if not immediately after Adam and Eve were placed in the garden. This brings to mind the account of Satan coming before God in the book of Job (Job 2:1-2). There it was God Himself who brought Job to Satan’s attention, which led to Job’s trial.
In contrast, the story of Elisha mocking the prophets of Baal, “he is on a journey, or perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened” (1 Kings 18:27), is humorous because we know that the true God is never “asleep” (Ps. 121:3-4) or inattentive to the events in His creation. So, we must realize that it was in God’s sovereign wisdom and will that Satan tempted Adam and Eve. He knew what would happen. In fact, as we will see, Eden was not God’s purpose for Adam and Eve. They were actually better off after the Fall. Just as Job had a necessary lesson to learn, God had a far higher purpose for mankind than to dwell in Eden. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
God’s PurposeGod’s purpose in creation can be seen by considering 1 Corinthians 15:46 with Acts 2:23 and John 12:24. In these verses we read, “But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual.” To provide the basis for this “new creation” we read “ Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.” and “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God.” So we see from this that God’s purpose from the beginning, even before creation, was the redemption of mankind, not sustaining them in a perfect garden on this Earth. This purpose finds its resolution in the New Jerusalem and the New Heaven and Earth.
The garden was certainly “pleasant” as the name “Eden” means. In Eden, everything considered desirable for life was provided: food, a place to live, companionship, fellowship with God, purpose, and useful work in an idyllic environment. For Adam and Eve, it was a witness of God’s goodness and thus exaggerates the lie of Satan that God was withholding something good from them. Their disobedience showed the weakness of their condition. Their failure represented the general failure of mankind. But, it provided the opportunity for God to reveal the redemption plan that was to be the basis of a permanent relationship with God. It is very important to realize that Adam and Eve were actually better off after the fall than being in the garden. In the garden, their relationship to God was based on a legal principle; whereas after the fall, God provides the promise of redemption, and their subsequent relationship with God is based on grace accepted by faith. In addition, the world they were thrust into was the perfect training ground for them as sinners. As Paul learned, he needed the thorn. (2 Corinthians 12:7–10)
Rather it was for them to trust his grace
So, it is not surprising that the record shows that Satan was allowed to immediately enter the garden to tempt Adam and Eve. Certainly, God could have prevented this but it was not his plan to keep Adam and Eve sequestered in a protected garden. Rather it was for them to trust his grace, living a life in a world that was contrary to their old nature, and learn the goodness of God in the face of trial. This provided the necessary discipline to instruct them in the ways of God’s grace and learn dependence in the face of their own frailty. It is important to recall here that it is the glory of the Lord Jesus, as Son of Man, to walk in the creature’s place. This would have an immeasurable reward.
We thank Thee, Lord, for weary daysWhen desert springs were dry,And first we knew what depth of needThy love could satisfy.Days when beneath the desert sun,Along the toilsome road,O'er roughest ways we walked with One,That One the Son of God.We thank Thee for that rest in TheeThe weary only know,That perfect wondrous sympathyWe only learn below.The sweet companionship of OneWho once the desert trod:The glorious fellowship with OneUpon the throne of God.We know Thee as we could not knowThrough heaven's golden years;We there shall see Thy glorious face ---Here understand Thy tears!And here in peace, with Thee we goWhere Thou, our Shepherd, trod,Still, learning through our need belowDepths of the heart of God.Anonymous (Spiritual Songs #329)
You might be interested in:* What was the purpose of creating the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?
* What Is Meant by Scriptural Inerrancy?
* Did God Plan for Samson to Sin?
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Today we’re talking about guaranteed ways to overcome Imposter Syndrome as a Christian. We’ve all gone through it. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not as skilled or accomplished as others perceive you to be – you’ve gone through imposter syndrome. if you’ve experienced persistent doubt and fear of being exposed as a fraud – you’ve experienced imposter syndrome. Well, you’re not alone.
We will tackle reasons why impostor syndrome can manifest itself in the life of the believer and, also, how to fight back – but from a biblical perspective.
The solution for imposter syndrome isn’t about believing in our achievements and skills – it’s about recognizing who we are in Christ.We’ll share our own experiences with imposter syndrome, and people from the Bible who went through it and use God’s response to these individuals as a model for how we can navigate our own experiences.
Three ways God’s people struggle with imposter syndrome:* 1) our identity * 2) our walk or manner of living * 3) the work the Lord has called us to do in His Name
Question to consider:Have you ever dealt with imposter syndrome in your life? Why? How did the Lord answer your insecurities?
What do we say to someone who is a new believer who does not feel holy, saved, or pure?
As Christians, we still sin from time to time. What do we do when the Devil comes to us, accusingly, saying we don’t really belong to the Lord? What do we do with the guilt?
In Genesis, the Lord called Moses to lead the Children of Israel out of Egypt. But Moses says that he is unqualified. How are Moses’ words a reflection of imposter syndrome?
How do we express similar ideas? Are there other Biblical figures who had similar hesitancy?
Are there Biblical figures who did not express hesitancy? How did they respond to the call?
What’s our responsibility or role in working on ourselves when we experience Imposter Syndrome as Christians?
Most professional advice on dealing with imposter syndrome is to “believe in yourself.” That has its uses – but…
For the Christian, the answer to overcoming imposter syndrome is never to look inward for a solution – we look upward, to the Lord.Let’s remember that imposter syndrome is a common struggle, but it doesn’t define us. Our identity in Christ, our walk, and the work He has called us to do are all anchored in His promises. So, whether you’re feeling like you don’t fit in or struggling with doubts about your abilities, remember this: Recognize who you are in Christ. He gives us the power to do what He says.
You are not an imposter; you are a beloved child of God.
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Did you know that about 26% of all pregnancies end in miscarriage? That means, you probably know someone who has experienced a miscarriage and baby loss – or maybe, you’ve gone through one. Or more than one.
In this podcast, we discuss the difficult topic of miscarriage and baby loss and what that means when you’re a Christian. Miscarriage isn’t an easy thing even though many people have experienced this type of loss and grief. Sadly, miscarriages are common but each person and family experiences it in their own unique way. We might feel a loss of control, fear, confusion, stress, and heartbreak. God’s voice may seem far away during these times. Even as Christians, it can be difficult to know how to pray and care for those grieving losses of this kind.
Elyse, Nathan, and Traci are our guests today.
A few verses of comfort to someone whenever they are ready to hear them.* “…You put my tears into Your bottle. Are they not in Your book?” – Psalm 56 * “…They that know Your Name will put their trust in You: for You, Lord, have not forsaken those that seek You” – Psalm 9 * “Preserve me, O God, for in You do I put my trust” – Psalm 16 * “In my distress I called on the Lord and cried to my God: He heard my voice from His temple and my cry came to Him, into His ears” – Psalm 18 * The Lord is near to them that have a broken heart and saves those who are crushed in spirit” – Psalm 34 * “Trust in Him at all times…pour out your hearts before Him: God is a refuge for us.” – Psalm 62
Questions covered in this episode:1. In a world that is touched by death, pain and loss are inevitable. How do we reconcile our faith with the reality of this type of grief? 2. When going through unexpected loss, we need truth – doctrine, and principles from God’s Word, the Bible, to help us make sense of what is happening to us – and what the Lord is doing. What aspects of a biblical framework can we turn to when faced with the tragedy of miscarriage and baby loss? 3. Losing a child hurts – what does it look like to depend on the Word of God when you’re grieving? 4. How do men deal with miscarriage and loss differently? What are needs that often go unseen? 5. Miscarriage and loss are very painful. How can we grieve and long for a child while making sure that motherhood doesn’t become an idol (something we worship)? 6. Many people talk about “breaking the silence” and encourage others to share tragedies publicly – but there are people who don’t want to announce their pain. What steps can we take to get private support? 7. How can we, as a community of Christians, better support those grieving “invisible” losses, so to speak?
ConclusionYou might be suffering silently and this podcast helped you in some way. We implore you to reach out to other believers in your immediate vicinity who are trustworthy and lean on them for support to walk through this with you. Lean on Christ, God’s word, and God’s people.
It’s hard – it might look like no one you know can understand what you’re going through. Pray – ask the Lord for wisdom and to direct you to the right people to speak with. We are the Body of Christ. When one member suffers, we all suffer.
Helpful Resources* Skillful application of Scripture * Safe in the Arms of God, John MacArthur * Learning through Loss Bible Study, Sandy Day (www.calebministries.org) * Grief: Finding Hope Again, Paul David Tripp * The Moon is Always Round, Jonathan Gibson
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We can easily say that Christians shouldn’t boast about material wealth or career advantages we might gain in this life. But we have all done it in some way and our current culture encourages “flex culture” in the name of networking, casual conversation, and celebrating yourself.
What is Flex Culture?
Flex Culture is when someone shows off their wealth, socioeconomic status, or educational level to others – namely, on social media.
Roy and Peter join our host Patricia and together they answer the following questions and more:
- What does it mean to be “addicted to influence?”
- How can we differentiate between ambition and chasing after worldly pleasures?
- How do we overcome the comparison trap?
- What practical steps can we take to respond when we’re faced with the temptation to compare ourselves to others?
Thank you for listening to another Patterns of Truth Podcast. As always, our compass for this discussion is the Bible. Our mission is to uncover the truth about our Christian journey and discover the patterns that shape our lives before God. Remember, the Enemy doesn’t take a day off from trying to distract us, but the Lord reminds us to stay anchored in the unchanging truths of the Bible.
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You’re probably expecting another podcast about this topic where, for the tenth time, someone is telling you about the ills of social media – or its endless virtues – but this is not what we’re going to do! This episode is about how Christians of a certain age (maybe gen z christians?) have experienced social media use and their faith as more and more platforms emerge. Today’s conversation is just about sharing where we are.
We’re asking questions like:
- What was the first social media platform you joined? What year was it?
- Why did you join that platform? What did you get out of it at the time?
- What are some some positive things social media has brought to your life?
- Has the Lord spoken to you about social media’s role in your life?
- Where are you now with social media and why? What boundaries have you set up (if any)?
We hope that this discussion made you think, gave you some answers, and, maybe, piqued your interest so you dig deeper into the topic. Ultimately, our goal is to start conversations, stimulate curiosity and engage our critical thinking. What’s the point? To grow closer to the Lord.
If you found this podcast valuable to you, please subscribe and rate the podcast! It really help the algorithms push this content to more people that may also find it useful.
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Today’s thought-provoking podcast episode is, “Does the salvation message make sense?” Most of our audience members are believers who heard the salvation message all their lives. But if you haven’t heard it before it can sound very strange, confusing, and as one of my friends said and I quote “easily dismissible.”
In this episode, we will delve into the reasons behind the belief that Jesus needed to die on the cross as part of the salvation message.We will also consider objections to the idea that God required a sacrifice for human sin, and examine the implications of these objections for our understanding of salvation.
Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give a reason for the hope that is in you.
We hope that this discussion made you think, gave you some answers, and, maybe, piqued your interest so you dig deeper into the topic. Ultimately, our goal is to start conversations, stimulate curiosity and engage our critical thinking. What’s the point? To grow closer to the Lord.
If you found this podcast valuable to you, please subscribe and rate the podcast! It really help the algorithms push this content to more people that may alos find it useful.
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Welcome to our 26th episode of Patterns of Truth Podcast. Today we are revisiting prayer, but with a different thought in mind:
Praying in God’s will.
Is there a wrong way of pursuing prayer? How do we reconcile the difference between God’s delight and our desires? How does Psalm 37 play into all of this?
Host Patricia, regulars Peter, Krista, and guest Steve Campbell are here to discuss those questions and more. We will be learning not only from our speakers’ personal experiences but also from the Word of God, Old and New Testament, to see what it means to pray confidently and in God’s will.
Thanks for listening to this podcast on prayer! Check out another podcast on the same topic, Pray Without Ceasing featuring guest blogger Elyse Casimir. We would love to hear from you, whether it’s your own experiences with God and prayer or a question you might have; if you have a question, submit it through the Ask a Question tab on the website. See you next month for another Patterns of Truth Podcast!
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Join Peter in the Bahamas as he interviews Billy and Leah Slater at their kitchen table!
The Slaters were both called individually—Leah in ’94 and Billy in ’95— to serve God in the Bahamas nearly thirty years ago, neither knowing exactly what would happen when they left their hometown in Wisconsin.
Hear about the work they started out with at the Adventure Learning Center and Ranfurly Home for Children, how they went from friends to sweethearts, and how their home, “The Castle,” became a transitional home to help teens and young adults.
As Billy and Leah share the work they’ve been doing and the life they’ve been living in a place most think of as tropical bliss, we get to see “the flipside of paradise,” as Leah calls it; the people they’ve come alongside, the day-to-day challenges, but also the encouragements.
If mission work scares you, just like it does for many of us, take encouragement from the advice we get from Leah and Billy:
Start small, start where you’re at, get involved, and see what happens.
Thanks for listening to another Patterns of Truth Podcast, where we enjoy sharing not only what God shows us in His word, but also the work He is doing through normal people in every part of the world. If you enjoyed this podcast, check out some of our other interviews below:
- Lessons In The Jungle With Aunt Peg
- Around the World With Eugene Vedder
- Reyold’s Wrap: Foiling The Devil In Eastern Europe
- Let’s Talk About Camp
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What’s the harm in calling Jesus “Yeshua” if that is how His name was said in Hebrew or Aramaic? What about “Meshiach” or “Messiah?”
What’s the harm in calling the Lord Jesus by this accurate title?
Welcome to another Patterns of Truth podcast!
Joining Peter at the mic today are Q&A bloggers Daniel and Aaron and a new member of our team, Deewan. They’ll be discussing the Sacred Name movement (also the Hebrew Roots movement) and its impact on us in North America and elsewhere in the world.
To start us off, let’s take a look at some of the basic questions—
- What is the sacred name movement?
- Where did it get its start?
- What are the fundamental beliefs of the movement?
—before we dig deeper into the topic and learn from Scripture and our guests’ personal experiences.
So often, the English language is described as “weaker,” and words that hold deeper meaning in other, more ancient languages seem to lose their potency. So, if English-speaking believers just call Him “Lord Jesus,” have we unintentionally disrespected Him? As Christians, we should revere God and the Lord Jesus, and throughout the Bible, we see how important the names of God are; even in the New Testament, many followers of the Lord Jesus call Him “Lord” instead of just “Jesus.” What can you say about the modern practice of referring to Him as “Jesus” without the title of “Lord?” Have we been unintentionally irreverent? Have we diminished the sacredness of His name?
As Millennial and GenZ Christians, should we adjust our language? Does it matter to God if we do so or not? Is it legalistic to follow the pattern that is found in the Bible – and encourage our peers to do so as well?
Let’s take a look!
Thanks for listening with us; we hope you, like us, were able to take away something from this podcast and be challenged in how you speak about the Lord Jesus. If you’re interested in reading up more on this topic, Daniel and Aaron have both written Q&A posts for Patterns of Truth on this topic:
- “Must We Address Jesus Using His Hebrew Name?”
- “Is the name “Jesus” only the earthly name of the Lord?”
Check these great articles out and share them with a friend!
We hope this discussion made you think, gave you some answers, and maybe, piqued your interest so you dig deeper into the topic. Ultimately, our goal is to start conversations, stimulate curiosity and engage our critical thinking. What’s the point? To grow closer to the Lord. See you next time!
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On this last episode recorded in 2022, we asked a bunch of people this question.
What has the Lord taught you in 2022?
Some of the answers included how to listen to others and talk about the Lord, profound thoughts in scripture, about forgiveness, getting into Gods word, personal identity, and many responded that the Lord also taught them patience. We’ll ask YOU the same question! Write your answers in the comments and let us know.
Thanks for joining us this year on the Patterns Of Truth podcast! We hope it has been helpful to you and a source of encouragement for your life. If it has, please rate us on Spotify, and leave a review on Apple Podcast. It really does make a difference and helps introduce the Patterns Of Truth podcast to more people that could benefit!
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Joining Patricia and Krista in a special interview, once again, is Brian Reynolds! He recently (as of the recording of this podcast) returned from a trip to Poland, Romania, and several other Eastern European countries.
Now typically, our podcasts focus on finding the Patterns of Truth in Scripture and how they apply in our lives, and the majority of our listeners and readers hail from North America so our applications usually focus on that demographic. But as Patricia says,
- “It’s always good to turn our attention to other places in the world where Christians are who have different experiences.”
So that’s what we’re doing today! Brian, who was a guest in one of our earliest podcasts, is a full-time servant missionary who serves the Lord in many ways. Brian has been to the country of Romania several times prior to the pandemic, and this summer he had an opportunity to spend three and a half weeks in Romania and Poland respectively, to share the Gospel and teach God’s Word to the people in these countries.
We hope you enjoyed listening to our interview with Brian, and that you were encouraged by the ways God has been working in these countries at “such a time as this.” If you want to check out our previous interview with him, check it out here!
The post Reynolds’ Wrap: Foiling The Devil In Eastern Europe appeared first on Patterns of Truth.
“He never does anything purposelessly.”
Welcome to another Patterns of Truth podcast! Joining Peter in today’s conversation is our special guest Peg Sawires, also known to many as “Aunt Peg.” She’s a wonderful, encouraging woman who’s led quite an adventurous life. In this podcast, we’ll get to hear a bit of her story.
“‘Do you mean to tell me I can know my sins are forgiven?’ He said, “Yes, you can know!” And he invited me to sit beside him, and he explained.”
As Aunt Peg began sharing her testimony (3:30), her experiences highlighted how important it is for people to hear a clear, personal gospel message. That Christ died for each of us to make atonement for our sins individually, that His death and resurrection aren’t something generic and abstract but that they have a powerfully personal impact. She grew up knowing the general story, but it never answered the deeper questions and convictions she had from a young age. It was through her brother bringing her to a bible study where someone took the time to talk with her that she finally found the answers she’d been searching for.
From there, Peter dives into Aunt Peg’s eighteen years serving the Lord in Africa (6:26). We get to hear about how the Lord led Aunt Peg to the Republic of Congo (at the time Zaire) to teach the Bible to students at a missions school. And throughout the podcast, we continue to hear about how God reaffirms His desires in our lives if we look to serve him. We hear examples through financial hardships, times of danger, times of suffering, and times of joy:
During our conversation with Aunt Peg, there’s a theme question (asked at 12:18); and it’s a question pretty much all Christians have wondered at some point.
How can we know the Lord’s will? Aunt Peg answers Peter’s initial question and then, throughout the rest of the podcast, shares examples from her life and time in the Congo that show God’s desire to share His Will with* us. The Lord doesn’t just tell us what to do or expect us mindlessly to do as we’re told. He wants us to trust Him and see how He encourages us with His provision and care, even when we’re given difficult tasks.
We hope you enjoyed this interview with Aunt Peg as much as we at Patterns of Truth did. Her experiences and words of encouragement have given us a beautiful example of how God leads. Thanks for joining us!
*Comments shared by Aunt Peg are not intended to be teaching in nature, but are based on her experiences.
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Whether you create art or “enjoy artistic work” as Roy does, every one of us finds something to be captured by when it comes to art. But what is art? More specifically, can art – visual, performance, digital, literary, etc. – and Christianity go hand in hand? But what is art? In this episode entitled […]
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This episode is called “Desperate for the Right Person” and we will be dealing with the topic of dating, courting, match-making, marriage – all-of-the-above that is related to finding lifelong companionship as a Christian. true love, the excitement, the struggle, heartbreak, the recovery, the love songs This is a topic people continue to be fascinated […]
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What is the multiverse? A multiverse? Multivers-es? It’s quite a hot topic of discussion. Films like Back to the Future and Star Wars, and books like The Cosmic Jackpot and The Privileged Planet, are examples of works, both literary and cinematic, that humans have created to explore ideas like “Are there worlds outside of our […]
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Concluding our Be a Witness series, our conversation today includes Peter, Roy, Patricia and guest Rob Lederer talking about reaching out to the STEM audience. Our “Be a Witness” podcasts are a mini-series we’ve done to talk about how we can be a witness to people who have experienced Church Hurt, Sexual Abuse and the […]
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Welcome back to another Patterns of Truth podcast! Joining Patricia at the mic today are Roy, Krista, and Lars as they continue a discussion we had in a previous podcast. Our last podcast on this topic, “What’s a Good Argument?” dealt with the question should Christians argue, and how to argue well—check it out if […]
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What is a good argument? Aren’t we supposed to all get along? How is arguing going to solve anything? Join us for today’s “Cat Killer” episode, where Peter, Patricia, and Roy take a good look at what arguing should and shouldn’t be, what Scripture says, and what the environment is for arguing, because in some […]
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Welcome! Join our podcast team: Patricia, Peter, Krista, and Roy, as they talk about what books of the Bible and books about the Bible they’re reading. One thing that stands out from today’s podcast is that there are many ways to read God’s Word. You can take a chapter a week and incorporate some memorization, […]
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“…We are still a group of people who are fallen and prone to make mistakes. In general, people will disappoint us, doesn’t matter if they are believers or unbelievers,” -Peter But if that’s the case, why does being hurt by Christians hurt more than some other types of hurt we can experience as believers? Welcome […]
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Faithful: adj. to be consistent/constant to; to be true/adhering to a standard. Today’s question will be addressed through a “Perspective” episode. These are episodes where we discuss a topic and try to present its different perspectives to help our audience appreciate the complexity of the subject and hopefully give guidance on finding biblical truth in […]
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If the Bible is God’s word. . . which Bible should we read? Welcome back to another Patterns of Truth podcast, and today we’re doing a “Catkiller,” a podcast where we dive into a topic related to the Bible to understand it as much as possible. (Don’t worry, no cats were harmed in making these […]
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Welcome to our new “Be a Witness” series! We’ve been working on this for a while, and with each topic have invited those with experience in these fields to help us learn how to be a witness. Peter hosts today’s podcast, and our guest is counselor Emmanuel “Viv” John, a Christian psychologist who has served […]
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“The Lord loves to encourage” And what an encouragement this interview was. Welcome back to our podcast! Today, Peter is interviewing his brother-in-Christ, Eugene Vedder. Eugene’s been serving the Lord in one capacity or another for over 66 years! He’s taught Bible classes in southern schools in the 1950s, travelled to East Germany as a […]
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Patricia, Krista, and guest Elyse are back in another Measure Twice episode where we “take a second look at what we think we know about Christian life and see what the Bible actually says. . .to better navigate and to find a pattern for the reason why we live our lives before God.”
Today’s podcast is called “Help! My Church Doesn’t Talk About Sex Enough!”
First of all, why does talking about sex make us feel uncomfortable? And why should we not be? (3:59)
In this podcast specifically, we’re talking about sex as more of an “umbrella term,” as Patricia puts it (6:04), to address the questions sent in to us by you, our followers, and listeners. Questions such as:
•In a world that centers around sex, do we need to talk about sex as much as everyone else does? (8:03)
•How do we get the discernment, the ability to know what’s dangerous and what’s not? (13:59)
•”Are we [viewing sex] from God’s filter? His lens? Or the world’s lens?” as stated by Elyse, points us to a bigger question- how does God Himself view sex? How do we get that lens and avoid twisting it into a worldly way? Where do we start? (18:21)
•Why is it hard to have positive conversations about sex? (23:35)
•What’s the solution? (41:20)
As the conversation continues, our podcasters give insight into some of the misconceptions brought about by not talking about sex, where our focus should lie, the consequences of viewing sex the way the world views it, the difference between being tempted versus yielding to it, and how we as Christians should and can have these discussions in a way that’s Christ-centered and God-honoring, while still giving or getting the help we need.
Thanks for joining our latest Measure Twice! If you want to get involved in the discussion, scroll down to the comment section; if you have a question, scroll up to our “Q&A” drop-down menu. Patterns of Truth is here to engage with you and to help you search out the truths to be found in God’s Word.
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Today’s podcast brings us another “Measure Twice” episode with Patricia, where we take a second look at what we think we know and re-examine what the Scripture actually says. Joining her are guests Krista and Elyse Casimir, one of our blog authors (check out her “Living God’s Way” posts here).
So here’s an age-old question: can I change God’s mind if I pray? That’s the question Patricia starts us off with in today’s Patterns of Truth podcast. Listen along as we delve into this question as well as a few others like—
“What is our role in prayer?” (18:58)
“What can I do if I feel like God doesn’t hear me when I pray?” (28:55)
—and then even go into a few Psalms like Psalm 44 (15:23) and Psalm 5 (16:33) and see what they share with us about talking to God.
Thanks for checking out our “Pray Without Ceasing” podcast! To join the discussion, because that’s what Patterns of Truth is here to do, you’ve got a few options. Have a thought or a verse to share? Scroll down to our comment section. Have a question? Scroll up to our “Ask a Question” box. We read every comment and every question, and we would love to hear from you!
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