Ryan Enser, M.Div. Podcast: Recent Episodes
Ryan Enser
The Faith vs Works problem, at first glance, may seem to need an either/ or solution, but I think when you look at James 2:14-26 you'll find that "faith and works" is what God has expected from us from Abraham at the beginning of the Bible to Jesus Christ and the rest of the New Testament.
This podcast is about all the content that Ryan Enser, M.Div. published in 2021 including books, videos, articles, and an online course.
In this podcast you’ll find out what the name Emmanuel means, where the name Emmanuel comes from, and why Jesus is called Emmanuel.
I remember watching the news of the Iraq War in 2003 and talking to friends and family about it. We all confidently talked to each other like we really knew the Iraq War. My perspective changed after coming back from serving in the U.S. Army Infantry in Iraq in 2007. Like before going to war, I watched the news on television and talked to friends and family about it. What was different now was I had first-hand experience of the Iraq War, while my friends and family did not. They didn’t really understand what they saw on the news and there was no way for me to completely share my experience with them.
I think the same is true for Christianity. Someone with first-hand experience with following Jesus Christ has a different understanding of Christianity and they can’t completely share it with those that don’t have that experience. Doing religious ceremonies, going to church, even reading the Bible can be like watching the news on Iraq, but never having been there.
I want to encourage you to search your own heart and find out if you have first-hand experience with Jesus Christ or if you just know about him. Throughout history each person who has become a follower of Jesus Christ has had to move from knowing about him to knowing him. There is no substitute for first-hand experience with Jesus.
My wife and I have faced some large setbacks in life like the deaths of our friends, which has taught me many lessons. One is that going through hard things with God helps you to be a compassionate person. When someone else goes through something very difficult, I have become a better resource for them than I used to be. Going through difficult things motivates me even more to become more like Christ in the way that he was compassionate and empathetic.
In this installment of the series How to Enjoy Reading Your Bible we’re going to explore the book of Hebrews. The main point of Hebrews is "Don’t fall away from Jesus because there is nowhere else to turn for salvation." Listen to find out more about the main point, the “2 bite-sized pieces,” the main concepts of the book, and finally “what you should do” to apply the book to your life.
The Story of Christianity, Vol. 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation Justo Gonzalez https://amzn.to/3f3Lll8
I highly recommend Justo Gonzalez’ "The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation." His book shines a light on influential women who were not given much ink in other histories and shares about many indigenous people of North and South America who shaped the Christian faith during the colonial period.
Artist: Niki
Song: Positive Pop Dance
https://soundcloud.com/lukyanovnikita/positive-pop-dance-royalty-free-music
Geronimo was an Apache Native American who was removed from his land by the United States government. When I lived in Lebanon, I found out that what is happening to the Palestinians is very similar to what happened to Geronimo and the Apaches. I don't agree with what the United States did and I don't agree with what Israel is doing.
For more on Geronimo https://www.history.com/topics/native-american-history/geronimo
Artist: Yme Fresh
Song: CRWN
What did we learn from smoking that is applicable to the vaccine? Science was right about smoking and it’s right about the Covid vaccine. People make up all kinds of excuses to avoid change, even people who love God still don’t like to change. Personal experience only gives you so much information, that is why we have research because you may not have known enough about enough people to uncover the truth that research can discover. So if you know anyone who is struggling with getting the vaccine, maybe offer them the story of how the church changed its mind on smoking and maybe they will give the vaccine a shot! (No pun intended)
Tim Horton’s coffee https://amzn.to/3gUFjVp
MAF low heart rate training method https://amzn.to/2SobcLN
Quote from Justo González: “But what is of paramount importance for the story of Christianity is not so much how sincere Constantine was, or how he understood the Christian faith, as the impact of his conversion and his rule both during his lifetime and thereafter. That impact was such that it has even been suggested that throughout most of its history the church has lived in its Constantinian era, and that even now, in the twenty-first century, we are going through crises connected with the end of that long era.”
González, Justo L. . The Story of Christianity: Volume 1: The Early Church to the Dawn of the Reformation (p. 131). HarperOne. Kindle Edition. https://amzn.to/33cJXpq
Christianity Today interview with Michel Abs, Leader of the Middle East Council of Churches https://www.christianitytoday.com/news/2021/february/middle-east-churches-christians-muslims-lebanon-mecc.html
In the podcast I discuss the catastrophic second wave of COVID-19 in India as well as things I'm doing:
"Where is God?" Chinese Edition: https://amzn.to/3sTcomM
"Where is God?" English: https://amzn.to/3sRzNoW
New Course coming soon: "The Keys to Spiritual Growth"
Running Writing with my son
Philemon is about how Jesus truly changes lives. Listen to this episode for a full explanation of the book.
What motivates your behavior? In Titus we learn what should motivate Christian behavior as well as many other things. Listen to "Enjoying Titus!"
Disney+ has seen great success during the pandemic because it has been intentional about supplying personnel and resources for its online media service. The church should follow this example of using online platforms to spread the messages of Jesus Christ and the Bible as a whole.
If you knew you were going to die soon, what you want to tell those closest to you about the Christian faith? Paul was at the end of his life when he wrote 2 Timothy, so we get to find out his last words to Timothy in the Book of 2 Timothy.
What is the big deal with church doctrine anyway? Find out in this episode on the book of 1 Timothy.
Revenge, suffering, and the Antichrist? It's all in 2 Thessalonians. Watch until the end to find out how to put this book into practice in your life.
Are you ready for what's coming in the End Times? 1 Thessalonians tells us what is coming and what it takes to be ready for it. Listen until the end to find out what you should do with the knowledge from 1 Thessalonians.
Don't skip over the short book of Colossians! In this podcast you'll find out the important message that Paul has for us in his letter to the Colossian Church. Listen until the end to find out what we should do differently in our Christian lives.
What is left for us to do if we are walking well with the Lord Jesus? In Philippians, Paul answers this question and more! Listen until the end for practical tips for those who are doing well in their walk with God.
What does the Apostle Paul have to say to us from prison? Listen to this podcast to find out what Paul wants us to know about being "in Christ" as he writes to the church in Ephesus.
If you're a bit fuzzy on exactly what the gospel is, listen to this podcast! The Apostle Paul wrote Galatians to clarify what the gospel is, and what it isn't. In this podcast, you'll learn the main point of Galatians and it's 3 main parts. At the end you will have to decide if you will use the gospel to attain eternal life.
If you've overlooked the book of 2 Corinthians in the past, listen to this podcast! You will learn the main point of the 2 Corinthians and its 3 main parts. After listening you'll be to really enjoy 2 Corinthians!
This podcast will unlock the book of 1 Corinthians for you. You will hear what the author wants you to know, the main point of the book, and the four main divisions of the book, making it much easier to understand.
Have you ever thought that the Book of Romans is hard to understand? Then this podcast is for you! I'll give you the main point of the book and a 4 part breakdown in plain language. Before you know it, you'll be "enjoying the book of Romans!"
This podcast will give you the main point of the Book of Acts and break the book down into 3 parts. After listening you'll be confident to read the Book of Acts by yourself and really enjoy it!
This podcast discusses the fourth and final biography of Jesus' life in the New Testament, the Book of John. It explains the main point of the book, that Jesus is the Son of God, and divides the book into four bite-sized pieces to make it easier to read on your own.
This podcast will help you to enjoy the Book of Luke by breaking the book down into 5 bite-sized pieces that are tied together by Luke's main point that "Jesus is the Son of Man." Use this podcast to get an overview of the contents of the Book of Luke, so you can enjoy reading it on your own.
This podcast introduces you to the Book of Mark in 5 bite-sized pieces which makes the book much easier to understand. Mark's main point is the "Jesus is a servant" and you'll see how he emphasizes this point throughout his book. Use this podcast to grow more comfortable with reading the book of Mark so that you can enjoy reading it on your own.
This podcast gives you an overview of the book of Matthew, so that you can feel comfortable picking up the book and reading it yourself. I cover the main point of the book, that "Jesus is the King" and break the book into 6 bite-sized pieces that make it easier to understand what Matthew is trying to tell us.
This new series will give you the tools you need to enjoy picking up and reading your Bible. The 2 secrets that all people that enjoy their Bibles know are that they need help reading it and they have a purpose for reading it. Listen for ways to use these secrets and enjoy reading your Bible.
From my experience racism is everywhere, around the world and in our personal lives. This message will help you see that racism is perpetuated by people not getting into each other's lives. We need to really get to know people, if we are going to be less racist.
I talk with Jason Beedon about his work with Bridges, the international student ministry of Cru, at the State University of New York at Buffalo. He provides us with insight into how ministry is adapting to social distancing and advice for us who are struggling to stay connected during this health emergency.
Pastor Jon Shuerholz tells us about how Cornerstone Church on Grand Island, NY is adapting to ministry with restrictions and social distancing. He draws from his decades of church leadership experience to recommend ways that we can stay connected with the body of Christ.
This is a discussion about how to be resilient, since I just had a big failure during one of my livestream events. I followed the way to be resilient that Jesus shared in Matthew 7:24-27. I hope you can be resilient, as well, by hearing and doing what Jesus says.
Knowing that our citizenship is in heaven gives us security as we face many challenges in our lives. Where is God? God is with us in the person of Jesus Christ, granting us citizenship in heaven.
Many of us are looking for God in this difficult time of change in our world. In this episode you will find out that God is with us in the person of Jesus Christ, providing a path to contentment.
Using Paul's discussion about how he found the secret of being content in Philippians 4:11-13 and Jesus' analogy of the house that is built on the rock from Matthew 7:24-27, you will see that God and contentment are within your reach.
This is the sixth video in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source.
Many of us take constants like gravity and the speed of light for granted. How about God?
The memory verse for this message is Hebrews 13:8.
This is the fifth video in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source.
This message is entitled A Bad Hand? because I ask the question, is suffering really being dealt a bad hand?
The memory verse for this message is Philippians 3:10-11.
This is the fourth video in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source, especially Titus 2:11-12. This message discusses gains, spiritual gains, and how God desires us to live a life of spiritual gains.
The memory verse for this episode is part of Philippians 2:12 “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
This is the third podcast in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source. This message discusses union with Christ from Galatians 2:20.
The memory verse for the week is part of Galatians 2:20.
This is the second podcast in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source. This message discusses physical rest and spiritual rest in the context of Hebrews Chapter 4.
The memory verse for the week is Hebrews 4:10 "for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his."
This is the first podcast in the series Where is God?, which discusses God's relationship to the corona virus epidemic using the Bible as my source. The promise of God is that we will have joy with Jesus Christ for eternity. If we look for our joy in Jesus Christ, we will find real joy. We will not be able to find truly satisfying joy in the temporal things of this life. The key passage is from John 16.
The memory verse for the week is John 16:33 "But take heart; I have overcome the world.