The Encounter: Recent Episodes
Redeemed LA
In a world filled with constant temptations, corruption lurks in the shadows, waiting to consume us. Our desires often pull us into its grasp, leading us down a path we never intended to treat. Join us as we rummage into the subtle temptations that challenge our beliefs and explore the often-ignored aspects of our own vulnerabilities.
Educated ≠ Wisdom
Children ≠ Clones
Our purpose is to be a greater generation than our parents, but it isn’t easy when we have generational chains. Through the Lord our chains are broken, weights are lifted, and prosperity is here.
Am I a hypocrite? Or am I struggling to be better? Am I simply a rule follower? Or am I in love with God? It’s a fine line between too strict or too liberal. These should be things we think about as we are growing in our faith. Lend a listening ear to find the perfect balance in The Lord.
Just as our parents appreciate obedience so does our Father in heaven. Obedience is greater than sacrifice, because it is the greatest sacrifice. To leave our will and do what the Father says means to die to ourselves. Although we may not understand in the moment why we have to put our head down, say amen, and just obey; later on we realize it was the right and best thing to do. We need to constantly remind ourselves that God already knows the future and that His plans for us are to prosper us, give us hope, and a future. God sees the whole movie while we just see small snippets at a time. Allow God to take control even if you don’t quite understand.
The toxicity that has infiltrated the church of pretending to be perfect and holy because parents are or because they have an important position. Let us not forget we have ALL fallen short of the grace of God. God doesn’t look at who our parents are to determine what kind of person we are. He sees us as individuals, who needs help and grace. We see David who didn’t let himself be seen as a “fill in” to King Saul’s armor. He chose to let his victory be accomplished with what God had given him. His own identity.
What are the purposes for living? What are our purposes for the kingdom. How do we learn what our purpose is and whose opinion really matters. What do we do when we are belittled and unrecognized? Questions all asked in our heads but never said out loud. Tune in to find your recognition
Most of the time, we are self-centered and just consider our own interests. We pray to God for assistance in self-awareness. When in reality we should acknowledge God and His glory instead.
Just as there are four moon stages, there are four seasons. Spring cannot exist without winter and vice versa. Following the pattern of nature, in order to see our “fruit” we will have to go through a “winter.” Recognizing our season means recognizing the time to sow and the time to reap our harvest. What season are you in? And most importantly, are you able to recognize it?
You tried the world, had “fun” in hopes to fill the void in your heart, to fill the part of you that wanted to be validated by somebody. Yet when it came to needing to depend on someone, depend on so called “friends”, you are forgotten and lonely once again. There was one, one who remembered us in our lowly condition, one who’s lovingkindness endures forever! Tune in to hear about the one who is Jesus Christ who so gracefully showed us everlasting kindness.
The words that come out of our mouth show the abundance of our heart. The words we speak have the ability to hurt or uplift someone. Gossiping brings the person down. The story might have truth to it but it mostly contains lies to keep the other people engaged. Like Miriam and Aaron they spoke bad about their brother Moses and got punished (Numbers 12). Gossiping never brings anything good; in the moment it can be entertaining but in the long run it brings hate and bitterness
Be careful ears what you hear. Listening is good for learning. But learning about someone’s privacy isn’t. We can fall into a cycle of talking bad about people, but also listening can contaminate us too.
It’s easy to fall into spiritual laziness, not being able to find the motivation to open up the Bible or even say a prayer. Caught up in the troubles of life we forget about the most important part of our lives: making sure our spirit is fed. Just as our body needs to be fed, so does our spirit!
There are 2 types of thought in today's age, the mentality of the world and the mentality of those who follow God. It’s really difficult to maintain that constant reminder of how a follower of Christ is supposed to think and to differentiate ourselves from the thoughts of the world. Hence, it’s important we go back to our fundamentals to keep in remembrance of how we should always go back to where we started. How can we train ourselves to replace our mentality with one like Christ?
As we use our mouth to praise the Lord, we can also use it to condemn a friend. Just as God spoke the world into existence we can speak blessings or curses into people’s lives. In Luke 6:45 it states, “for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks”. So what is in our hearts? How could we tame our tongue according to the Spirit when it is filled with deadly poison?
Psalms 119:105 says, “Your word is lamp to my feet and light into my path”. Our feet lead us to the destination of our choosing, whether good or bad. In Matthew chapter 7 verses 13-14, the Bible talks about the path we chose to walk in our life and its consequences. Which path are you on right now? Do you know where your feet are leading you?
Our hands do so much for us. We can create beautiful things with extreme precision or destroy things in brute strength. In the Bible, we see numerous examples of how humanity uses their hands to be destructive and rebel against God. From the Tower of Babel to the golden calf, from Solomon’s temple to Abraham’s altar on Mount Moriah. We as followers of the Almighty can choose to edify or destroy through the work of our hands. We invite you to reflect upon yourself today and think what are you using your hands for?
As Christians, one of our most important senses to keep healthy is our hearing. Romans 10:17, “faith comes from hearing, from hearing the word of God.” Yet it is one of the biggest things we neglect. From music and gossip to advice, we constantly choose what we listen to. Even as we sleep, our ears never stop hearing, we just ignore the sound, similarly we often choose not to hear our Father in heaven. Today we dare you to ask yourself if you have been ignoring the voice of God in your life in exchange for the seductive whispers of the world.
It is often said that eyes are the windows to the soul. It is true. Matthew 6:22-24 says, “The eye is the lamp of the body, if your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.” The enemy often presents sin as enchanting temptation to our eyes. He presented Jesus with riches; the world right before his eyes. Yet Jesus recognized the lies and deceit and was able to resist. How do we protect, utilize, and strengthen our eyes during our walk with Christ?
The Bible places communion with our brothers as one of our top priorities. The key to this communion with one another is Godly love. A love that surpasses all understanding and goes beyond church walls. We even have the responsibility to continue pouring out God’s love to those who have left the flock. We challenge you today to reflect on whether you have been a good brother or if you have been like Cain who said, “Am I my brother's Keeper?”
You say you believe but you lack faith. You say you trust Jesus but don’t obey. You seek a faith of convenience but not a relationship. You look for a way out of your problems instead of attempting to get to know who He really is. You believe you have faith just because you take up a seat in church, but even the Apostles Peter and Thomas, who saw Jesus’ miracles firsthand had no faith. Today we dare you to take a look at yourself and determine, are you a true believer or just another unbelieving believer.
We were dead in the works of our sin, but He found us and breathed life into our dry, dead bones. Rahab, a prostitute destined for a life of slavery could not see beyond her present situation. Ruth, born from a cursed lineage destined for destruction. Although their circumstances seemed inescapable, our redeemer paid the price for their freedom. This undeserving act of love is something we take for granted. Let’s challenge ourselves to see the true significance of our redemption.
As we walk with God, many of us tend to get used to going to church, praising, and hearing the word then going on with our lives. Our spiritual conditioning becomes stale and routine. We forget to challenge ourselves spiritually, to remind our hearts to look for God wholeheartedly; sometimes, fail to even exercise our spirits at home. Today we question, have we reached a lull in our spiritual growth? Is it time to seek more?
The single, most impactful event in history; so tragic, but yet so beautiful. Imagine a stranger knowing all your faults and still deciding to take the consequences for everything you’ve done. Hated, mocked, abandoned, repetitively tortured yet still willingly sacrificed himself out of pure love. Today we dig deep, into the act that we often take for granted.
As Christians, is persecution to be expected? In John 15:18, Jesus tells us “if the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you”. Jesus was hated and targeted throughout his life, even though he was destined to bring salvation to the world. Despite the pain and suffering he went through, Jesus still tells us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us in Matthew 5:44. In our times of persecution, will we be able to bless and pray for our accusers the way Jesus did first?
Jesus as a human but also the son of GOD walked on this earth, not only to speak the good news, but to show miracles that cause growth to our faith in Him. Miracles were not only to show the supernatural power of God but to teach us a spiritual lesson. In John 9:3, Jesus explains that the blind man was not blind because of his parents’ sin or his own sin but to show God’s power. Join us as we speak about the many miracles Jesus did on Earth and the teachings behind them.
“Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity.” (1 Timothy 4:12) As youth, much of what we do is regulated by our parents including when and for how long we go to church. Many youth today wish that they could serve God as freely as others serve yet there are different circumstances that prevent them from doing so. But we have news for you, you're not the only one. Jesus was limited to how much he could do as a youth and was even forgotten at church. Today we learn how to be the example for our parents and families in our walk with Christ, much like Jesus set the tone for his family.
Throughout the letters of the apostles, we see them give GOD the glory, but what does that really mean? Through our lives we find it easy to glorify God in our hills, but in our valleys we easily forget to continue to do this. In these battles we must remember that Paul tells us in Romans 11:36, “of Him, and through Him, and to Him are all things.” How will we give God the glory he deserves in the times where we don’t have what we want?
“My body, my choice,” but is it really? Abortion is a hot topic issue that many Christians find themselves indecisive about. Especially when the bible is used to support it. Don’t allow yourself to be swayed by popular opinion, instead stand firm against the current.
The same power that allowed fire to descend from the heavens is the same power that lives within us. We become so used to hearing these historical events that they become like fairytales to us. Instead of hearing and reading about these stories, why don’t we ask God to equip us to be the main characters that He uses to show his glory.
The prince of darkness threatens to overtake us at every turn. He lures us with the promise of a good time and happiness. We forget that we have been commissioned to be the light of the world, to be separated from the darkened that threatens to consume us. Our loving Father sent his Spirit to guide us to live lives set apart and consecrated for him. So if you find yourself in a position where the night never seems to end, do not hesitate or doubt, the Holy Spirit will lead you to a life of devotion for Christ.
Many youth avoid coming to church because they feel helpless in the face of sin. We feel like despite how many times we try, we always fall short, destined to fall in the same ruthless cycles. But there is hope, Acts 16:26 tells us of a moment of such deliverance, “suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose.” Join us today while we take possession of the freedom the Holy Spirit has so freely given us.
Isn’t it hypocritical that we as Christians claim to always be full of joy and blessings? When in fact, we may be going through a hard time? Coming into church we greet one another by saying we are blessed. Yet it’s highly unlikely that we are all happy. What people don’t understand is that when being filled with the Holy Spirit, joy is no longer a feeling but a spiritual state. In todays episode, we challenge you to change your perspective of joy.
“But the Holy Spirit will come on you and give you power. You will be my witnesses.” Acts 1:8 ERV. As we can see, the Holy Spirit didn’t only come to console but also to give power to those who believe in Jesus. These are to bear witness to the power we gain through the Spirit of God.
Tribulations in our lives as Christians are expected; they overwhelm, tire, and bring a huge unavoidable sense of loneliness. Yet our hope is not lost, in 2 Corinthians, Paul tells us our God is a God of all comfort. God sends us His Spirit as a Helper to give us His strength in our weaknesses. But who is this God of comfort?
We come to church with the expectations of hearing the word of God and it changing our lives. However we don't come with the right heart to receive it. We allow the seed to grow in a hostile environment that doesn't give us the results we need. Or without realizing it our heart is a dead zone in which the word cannot thrive. What we need to do is change the conditions of our hearts to change the product of the word. What are you willing to do to cause the change you are looking for?
The Spirit cannot abide in a room of idols, much like it can not abide in us if there is something else seated on the throne of our hearts. As youth, we vow to put God first; but slowly, and sometimes without even realizing, we try to balance God with all the other enjoyments the world offers us. We say He is first but when it really comes down to it, God is nowhere in our hearts. Instead, we become a room full of worthless idols.
The magnitude of God’s love is so difficult for us to understand because as humans we are so disloyal. Yet his love remains steadfast even when our heart is attracted to things it shouldn't be. Once in His loving arms we “backslide” into the arms of sin. Sadly, we don’t even feel remorse for our infidelity. Nevertheless He still chooses us and crowns us as his beloved bride. To understand God’s love today we look into one of the premiere examples shown in the bible.
There is a verse that says when we ask God for something, he will answer. However, his answer might not be what we want it to be. What will our reaction be when God says no? Will we be angry, will we throw a tantrum or will we accept what God has answered?
We are expected to have the Holy Spirit, but sometimes our heart gets in the way and deceives us. Our hearts are so easily manipulated that we confuse overwhelming emotions with the Holy Spirit. When we are young it is difficult to realize that people are not crying from emotion, but because the spirit in us is being embraced by the presence of God. And sometimes in our ignorance we fake being in the spirit just so we won't feel left out. How do we stop living in emotion and start being led by the Spirit?
Although it might seem like church is full of acts that might be interpreted as rituals, such as taking the holy supper, being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit; none of these physical actions matter if there isn’t an internal change. A real encounter with the spirit causes growth in areas such as patience, love, joy, etc. Producing these spiritual fruits is the core of our walk in Christ.
Although it might seem like church is full of acts that might be interpreted as rituals, such as taking the holy supper, being baptized in water and the Holy Spirit; none of these physical actions matter if there isn’t an internal change. A real encounter with the spirit causes growth in areas such as patience, love, joy, etc. Producing these spiritual fruits is the core of our walk in Christ.
The blood of Jesus serves to transform, redeem, and purify us. It’s deeply ingrained as a part of our faith, however from the outside it can look like a very odd practice. But in reality, the simple act of taking the bread and wine is so rich in symbolism, meaning, and essentially marks a change in reality. It is so powerful, it affects body, soul, and spirit. The words tradition, custom, and ritual don’t encompass the true essence of this act.
An encounter with Christ leads to actions that from an outside view can look weird. It leads us to baptism in both water and the Holy Spirit. As an onlooker it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and maybe even a little hesitant to open yourself up to participating in these actions. These are more than just ritualistic acts, they are a way to connect with God on a whole new level. They allow us to experience him in new dimensions. Stay with us today while we demystify the baptism of water and the Holy Spirit and delve into the beauty of their benefits.
In times of distress how do we put our faith in God? It’s so hard to lean solely on him especially when we don’t understand why we have to go through trials, or pain, or moments of complete devastation. It’s so easy to revert into trusting our own understanding, our own strength especially when we can see immediate results of our actions. However, it’s in these moments of blind trust in God that He chips away at our imperfections to form us more into Christ’s image. It’s in these moments that He says “be still and know I am God.” Check us out on our other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
As young adults, we find ourselves with more responsibilities and facing more decisions. This includes deciding whether to have a hands on or off relationship with God. (i.e. people who believe in God but don't exercise their faith) We find ourselves influenced toward or away from God by our friend group. We become confronted by a pivotal decision; follow Christ or don’t. Some people believe loving God from afar is enough but is it? If we’ve made the decision to embrace the world, can we still return? Check us out on our other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
This place, this world, this society, all around you, always dragging you down. What once made you uncomfortable seems less and less “bad” as the world quietly seduces you. Making you so well-adjusted to your culture that you mold into it without even thinking, stunting your growth, and shaming you for thinking differently than what’s socially acceptable. Your spirit that was once loud and urging, becomes quiet in the world. But beware, and get out! “Hear, read, and save the scripture IN you”, don’t allow the world to tie you to it.
Immanuel means God with us. Often we feel like God has been silent or absent in our lives. Even the people most known for being close to God in the Bible felt this way sometimes. Yet we feel justified to question why we don’t feel Him. When instead we should be questioning, are we with God?
Trials of health can be some of the most trying times for us as humans. We wonder why God doesn’t heal us or why He allows us to suffer through it the pain and hardship. It’s hard to accept that though he is our healer, he works on his own timeline not ours. The beautiful thing about His healing is that it heals our body, soul, and spirit all at once. When His healing moves, it leaves no imperfections, faults, or leaves things half done. Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
The world makes us believe there are specific things we should do to gain inner peace. It leads us on a wild goose chase looking for peace in all the wrong places. We look everywhere and we forget that the one true source of peace is Jesus. Jesus came here to restore the peace that was cut off when humanity sinned. He left a peace that encourages us and strengthens us in every challenge we face. A peace that nothing on earth can ever compare with.
As we go through difficulties in life, we ask God to provide but feel that our prayers return vacant. If He is a limitless God, why do we feel like He isn't providing? Could it be what is limited is our faith? In this podcast we talk about what God provides and how to open our eyes fully to what God gives us. Join us while we learn how to trust in the Lord wholeheartedly!
Humans, Plants, Planets, Space, Eternity; we see all the amazingly intricate creations & yet still wonder who made it. We struggle to believe in the limitless God who creates. We still question whether he is “I am the Great I am,” Alfa and Omega, The Beginning and The End. Today He responds to us saying “I am “_____”.” Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
Have you ever felt like there was no direction in your life? Walking and being guided but with no results? With the Holy Spirit being your GPS, you are to find what is God's plan for you! We may have been praying and asking God for things in our life but there's no response just yet, but is it according to God's will?
Are your past negative experiences at church stopping you from drawing near to God? Tune in to learn how to let go, and allow God to heal your wounds. PART II Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
Are your past negative experiences at church stopping you from drawing near to God? Tune in to learn how to let go, and allow God to heal your wounds. Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
You know eye for an eye. You know turn the other cheek. Or do you? Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
The world tries to pressure youth to conform to its socially acceptable norms. Why should you stand firm in your beliefs? Find out in today’s episode! Check us out:https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
What is the best safeguard against false doctrine? The Bible regularly read, regularly prayed over, regularly studied Check us out in other platforms: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
Does my peace come from meditation? Does repetition cause good things to happen to me? Check us out on YouTube: https://linktr.ee/rdmdla
The devil disguises himself as an angel of light and presents us tools that are seemingly good for us. Listen in to learn for zodiac sign and crystals negatively affect our spirituality. Check this episode put on YouTube : https://youtu.be/LqBZIW93sQA
Fear not, for I am your God. Check this episode out this episode on Youtube https://youtu.be/zPnzDytRwYw
You’d be able to hold onto more blessings and keep your spirit alive if your hands weren’t so full of the grudges you’re carrying so closely.
I can achieve “everything” in God who gives me strength.... Can I really? Tune in to find out.
Sometimes surviving in our current condition feels impossible. Tune in to learn of a hope that makes all things possible.
Prayer isn’t just a step by step process. There’s so much more to it than what meets the eye. Join us as we delve deeper into what it means to establish a connection with God.
Worship, that moment of intimacy where it’s just you and God. But what differentiates your actions from singing lyrics to truly worshipping? Tune in to find out!
The broken, the underrated, the unwanted, and the indebted came to this place along side David, they left this cave as strong soldiers knowing their identities. Understanding that their purpose was to serve God. Lets dive in into this beautiful story .....
We often think that since we come to church we have a relationship with God. Sadly, we are just blinded by religion. In this episode we will talk about a relationship that can endure all, love all, and please him and not our flesh.
Listen today to learn how religion sets rules but a true relationship with Jesus sets free.
As a kid we only thought Superheroes wore suits of armor. But guess what….we have suits of armor of our own. We may not be like Ironman or Batman with their fancy suits and gadgets but the armor God gives us is way stronger and better.
Prophets are the megaphone God uses to edify, exhort, and counsel those who hear. But not all prophets are who they claim to be ... Today we discuss what a prophet is and how to discern the real from the posers.
Influencers and trends teach us to measure our value with likes, comments, social approval. In today’s episode, we invite you to find your true value in the only measure that really matters, Jesus Christ.
Drugs can always be a quick fix to the problems but what is the cost? You can hear first hand experience of what drugs can do and how God helps you get out of substance abuse.
Your peers have a lot of influence in your life, and together we will see how we can work through that with the Bible. lets dive in.
As humans we tend to want definitive answers. As Christians we seek a measurable amount of acceptable evil before we become cast away by God, before our salvation is stripped away. In this episode, delve deeper into what it means to be saved and where the point of no return is.
Are you comfortable with your service at church or do you constantly look for more? Whether it be a sheep or a pastor, are we for called for more or remain the same?
Would you trade your salvation for a plate of beans? What if you did, are you destined not to be saved? Let’s find out.
Maybe something like “biblebeater, a person who’s overly religious and takes their Christian beliefs waaaaaaay to seriously. An unflattering label to say the least. Why should we take our religion and faith wherever we go?”
Have you ever experienced “perfect love?” Tune in today to learn about how God demonstrates His perfect love, and how we can become reflections of His love.
It lures into a false sense of security, until it has us within its sickly grasp.What do we do if we find out were toxic or in a toxic relationship? Listen in today to learn how God will lead us from the trap of toxic love into freedom.
It starts off as a rush, the knowledge you’re doing something you aren’t supposed to. But it isn’t long before you become a slave, a slave to lust.
Inexperience is our downfall. As youth, our raging hormones play a huge role in our actions, especially when it comes to young love. How can we tell when it is love and not lust that drives us to be with a person?
Has the media corrupted our expectations of what love is? Let’s get ready to talk about dating culture and learn how God wants us to date and view love.
Tell me who you’re with and I’ll tell you who you are. When the right set of friends can make or break you, how do we set ourselves up for success?
Rona has us with our masks on but spiritually we gotta keep the masks off. How do we come as we are, when all we want to do is hide our faults and imperfections?
Chains have the power to debilitate our growth physically, spiritually, and emotionally. This week we dive deeper into the topic to learn exactly what it means to break free and how.
A chain: something that confines, restrains, or secures. Today, we learn how to keep our parents pasts from impacting our future and most importantly, how God can pave a new path for us to walk on.
How can we repair the bad blood we have with our parents? How can we gain a trust that’s already been lost? In today’s podcast, we learn to love and become obedient to our parents just as Jesus was to his parents.
As young christians, we not only face pushback from the world, but sometimes from our own family. How can we show our families what Jesus means to us and why we choose him first.
This world wants to tear us apart and our enemy will start at home, our siblings should be our allies but sometimes they are our worst enemies. Let God heal our households so they can become united in his name, his nature, and in his testimony.
You asked, we answered! Don’t miss out on this exclusive Q&A podcast, where we cover a variety of topics you and your fellow listeners contributed.
Juggling school, work, family, and church can be very overwhelming. But when we learn to set God as our number 1 priority, he makes everything else just fall into place.
How do we learn to forgive our oppressor? Why does it feel easier to hold on than it does to let go? Our hearts can be so stubborn, but through Jesus Christ, not only do we find forgiveness, but the way and the will to forgive.
Sometimes we find ourselves imprisoned by our shame, unable to worship or praise because of the constant reminders of our past. But when we find our faith in Jesus, we find our freedom.
When God formed us in our mother’s womb, He meticulously decided our sex. So what gives us the right to second guess Him? Today, we learn to see ourselves in the body God gave us; made perfectly in His likeness and image.
In this sequel, we learn how God transforms us from within to break us free from the conformities of this world. But most importantly, we learn why Jesus is the only trend that doesn’t go out of style.
As the world races toward anti-Biblical views, we as Christians must stay steady in our faith and show the tolerance that Jesus had for those who persecuted him. How do we keep still in our faith and how can we draw the line between His tolerance versus the world's tolerance?
As the seasons go by, we dish out the old and bring in the latest stylish piece. Are we dressing according to what God sees fit, or are we conforming to the latest trend?
In part one of this series, we drag out worldly clothing pieces to make way for modest and appropriate fitting items for each brother and sister of Christ.
Oftentimes we find ourselves seeking validation from social media when in reality, we should be seeking our validation from God. In this episode, we talk about the dangers of clout chasing and how we can use our social platforms to share the message of Jesus.
Stress: an everyday problem that everyone faces at some point in their life. We worry about the tomorrows, regret the failures of our yesterday and never enjoy the todays. How do we manage it? What does the Bible say about it?
How do we mask the way we really feel about ourselves? How can we follow what is valuable to God instead of following what’s valuable to the world?
How do we deal with deeper levels of depression? In this episode, we hear the experience of young person who brought themselves out of depression.
Depression has become common. Our daily routines have changed; some feel lost; others have lost hope. How can we deal with it? What does the Bible say about depression and overcoming it?
Our generation faces growing anxiety, as the world around us changes at a fast pace. How do we deal with anxiety?
Christmas? We discuss the origins of Christmas. Should we, as believers celebrate it? How do we share our view of it with others?
All of us encounter a decision point in our lives:
Will we choose the God of our parents and come to know Him as OUR true, living God? At some point we confront the decision...how do we choose? How do we overcome the temptations of sin?