The Pursuit with Dr. Chris Vaught: Recent Episodes
Dr. Chris Vaught
Welcome to The Pursuit podcast, the media ministry of Dr. Chris Vaught. Through passionate, practical and relevant messages our goal is to inspire and equip you with Biblical truths as you pursue after the heart of God. Check out www.chrisvaught.net to read, watch, and listen to all things Jesus, leadership, and inspiration.
We start 2024 with the goal of studying the book of Acts, and putting our faith in action!
This Christmas, know that before there can be peace on Earth, there must be peace in you!
We can get lost in our modern Christmas celebrations and forget who and what Christmas is all about. Christmas is about a person with a purpose!
We want your families to be built different from what the norm of society may look like. What does that take? Intentionality!
Ever wondered how the Bible became, well, the Bible? In this episode of The Pursuit, we discuss how the various writings were selected for the Old and New Testaments.
There are no perfect people in this world and when you strive for perfection in order to be accepted by others, you will constantly be faced with frustration, failure and self-doubt.
Coming from a spiritual perspective, what is keeping you from living the life you want to live?
With the Feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the present by remembering God's work in the past.
There is one subject that everyone wants to know about, but no one wants to talk about. What is that subject? Death!
We are all looking for purpose, and if we turn to God, He will show us our true purpose!
Are we all guilty of sin before God? Yes, we each are sinners by birth and choice. But what if that is only part of the whole truth God wants you to know?
How to pray when you don't know what to say? Today, we discuss how you can pray using the Bible to model your words to God when you can't seem to come up with your own. Praying the Scriptures is a powerful way to communicate to God.
Just like popcorn needs a microwave to be heated, you need the right environment to become what God wants you to become.
Defining the characteristics of gender is a topic that can potentially flame controversy. No gender role, responsibilities, or definition is more in debate or misconstrued than that of what it is to be a man. In this episode of Life on Point, we look at what the Bible describes as "manhood." What you find may surprise you.
Prayer is a pivotal part of the Christian life. In this episode, Pastors Chris and Darren speak on the point and manner of communicating with God through prayer.
Worship of the Lord is often tied to music exclusively. In this episode however, Pastors Chris and Darren discuss what worship truly is, and how to do so with a pure heart.
Community matters. People joining together to help and love one another as God commands is a beautiful thing!
Whether at home or in a church body, we are called to lead those around us into a God honoring life.
Music, giving, caring for people and many other things can be acts of worship, but aren't worship in and of themselves. What then, actually is worship?
The number one mission of a disciple of Christ is found in Matthew 28:19-20. We are to share the message of Jesus to the world!
In the busyness of life, it can be very easy to push our time with God to the side and lose our "first love." In this episode, Pastors Chris and Darren discuss the causes of and cures to spiritual complacency.
Have you ever prayed for God to reach into someone's life? What do you do if the answer to that prayer is you?
We can learn much about character and perspective by looking at the life of Daniel while he was held in Babylonian captivity.
How can we live victoriously when the philosophies and views of the culture around us are in opposition to our faith in God?
Forgiveness is at the core of the biblical message. In this episode, we discuss the complicated and nuanced layers of forgiveness and how God teaches us to approach this difficult subject, whether you are the hurt or the hurtful.
A frequently used word in Christianity is testimony. What does it mean? In this episode, Pastors Chris and Darren define the word and encourage us to use our story to tell others about Jesus.
Pastors Chris and Darren discuss the ever-popular Philippians 4:13, and explain the proper context when applying it to one's life.
A key to any attempt to understand God must include the ability to study the Bible soundly. In this podcast, we discuss a few tools to help us learn more about the Bible, but just as importantly, why sound study habits are critical.
Reference Materials Mentioned:
Willmington's Bible Handbook:
https://www.amazon.com/Willmingtons-Bible-Handbook-Harold-Willmington/dp/0842381740
The New Manners and Customs of the Bible:
https://www.amazon.com/New-Manners-Customs-Bible-Significance-ebook/dp/B08HKD5L24
Holman Illustrated Bible Dictionary:
https://www.amazon.com/Holman-Illustrated-Bible-Dictionary-Brand/dp/0805499350
Tyndale Handbook of Bible Charts and Maps:
https://www.amazon.com/Tyndale-Handbook-Charts-Reference-Library/dp/0842335528
Blue Letter Bible:
https://www.blueletterbible.org
Bible Gateway:
https://www.biblegateway.com
YouVersion:
https://www.youversion.com
Disclaimer: The Pursuit Podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of the link providers listed above. I use all resources personally to study Scripture.
When faced with a challenge it can be difficult to muster the faith required to conquer it. On this episode, we look to a man often called the Father of faith and learn how Abraham trusted God even when his future was uncertain and his direction unknown. Join us as explore how to strengthen our faith when facing a hill in front of us.
Jesus asked us to live in this world as He did. In this podcast, pastors Chris and Darren dive into what that looks like and also what it is not. Thank you to Pastor Darren DeLoach for joining me again during this episode.
While most seek our "gift of the Holy Spirit," the Bible tells us that we should more actively desire to display "The Fruit of the Spirit." Pastors Chris and Darren discuss what it means to "bear" good fruit. Special thank you to Pastor Darren DeLoach for joining me.
The greatest privilege of a Christ-follower is the invitation from God to seek after Him. Not only are we invited to seek after God through prayer, but to also include times of fasting. What is the purpose of fasting? In this episode of the Pursuit Podcast, Pastor Chris and guest Darren DeLoach, discuss the topic of fasting and how to ensure that our motives for the fast are pure.
Walking with Christ is a journey, not a destination. In this episode, Pastor Chris and guest, Darren Deloach, the Outreach Pastor at Connection Point Church, take a look back at 2022 and discuss the mountain peaks and valleys of being a faithful follower of Christ. Then Pastor Chris gives the challenge for 2023.
Your secular life should not be separate from your religious life. The person God has called you to be is designed to display His hope and grace in every area of life. The challenge before us is to match our life's goals with the mission of God's Kingdom.
Everyone faces valleys in life. However, if we can remember the view from the mountain peaks and take wisdom from the Scriptures, we can press forward through the valley and reach the next mountain peak. In this episode, we begin a new series of messages entitled Take this Hill. If you grab the dream or vision God has prepared for you along with wisdom from His Word, you can be an overcomer when you find yourself in life's valley.
David Brickner, CEO for Jews for Jesus, joins us to discuss the Jewish celebration of Hanakkuh and how if there had not been a Hanakkuh, there would have been no Christmas. Tune in and find out how this Jewish celebration points to our Messiah.
2021 has been a roller coaster for many people. There have been ups, downs, twists and turns. Yet, in the shifting moments, there is one constant that has remained steady, God's presence. On this episode, we turn to the letter of Colossians and look at the blessings that God has given even in uncertain times.
Devotion, like love, is a multifaceted driver of human desire. Possessing a profound dedication to God will enrich your walk with Him. God seeks our devotion and is stirring our hearts to know His.
Isaac Newton once said, "If I've seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." In the world of Christian leaders and pastor, Ben Merold is a true giant. On this episode, we have the opportunity to listen and learn from a true spiritual giant.
How should people of faith respond in a chaotic world? When we study the first followers of Jesus, we see that their first priority was to pray specifically for God to empower and to guide them. The dates on the calendar may have changed, but the need to Christ-followers to seek God to empower us to live out His purposes and plans have not. This week as we begin a new series entitled, "The Stirring," we learn three important areas in which we need to pray.
Did you know that for your life to be aligned properly with God's plans and purpose, you must have a willingness to serve others? Jesus stated that His purpose fro leaving heaven and come to earth was to serve others and give His life that we may receive eternal salvation. The one deserving to be served, came as a servant, in order that we may be included in His Kingdom. On this episode, we look to Jesus' example on how to find the life we were meant to live by giving our lives in service to others.
Your greatest battle is often the one fought between the ears. On this episode, we turn to Philippians chapter 4 to employ principles to help us take back our thoughts.
No one likes to talk about finances, but as some scholars have noted, Jesus spoke more on how we should view and manage money and resources than He did Heaven and Hell combined. His emphasis on this subject should cause us to pause and dive into the principles He laid out for us in the Scriptures. God knows that if we don't learn how to master the money, the money will master us.
If we learned anything in 2020, it is that we don’t do well in isolation. Nor were you created to journey through life or your faith as a spiritual lone range. You were created to live, work and worship through a community of friends and a faith family. On this episode, we look to Scripture for guidance in realigning our friendships.
Jesus gave us the proper alignment for love. When we follow His design, we experience the joy and fulfillment of being in alignment with His plan and purposes. This week, we look at how to love our spouse, and even ourselves, in the manner that honors God.
Marriage is one of God's great testaments of love, grace and mercy lived out on full display every day. It's a miracle of two individuals being forged into one. Love is the glue that binds and therefore, It is vital that we keep our love in alignment with God's plan and purpose in the home. Life, with it's frustrations, fears, faults and failures can so easily derail our devotion and knock us off track. Yet, as we will hear in today's episode, following the direction Jesus taught on love will realign us so we can experience the fullness of what intended in the home.
Life has a way of knocking us out of alignment. In part 2 of this opening message, we turn to the Scriptures for help in taking the necessary steps to come into alignment for our God-given assignment!
Have you ever felt out of sorts? Life has a way of knocking you out of alignment physically, emotionally and spiritually. As we begin this new series of messages, we turn to the Scriptures for guidance on realigning our lives according to God's plan and purpose. The most pleasant place to be is in proper alignment with our creator.
One year after the chaos brought on society by the Coronavirus pandemic, now is a good time to stop for a moment and be reminded that God is at work in all things and He has a purpose for you! Listen to this week's episode, "Purpose In All Things."
In the deepest part of the Tabernacle was the Ark of the Covenant. The ark gave testimony to the people that God' presence with with them. That God provides, God instructs and God gives life! On this week's episode, we look back at how the Ark was a foreshadow of Christ and His presence in the life of His followers.
In ancient Israel when the High Priest entered the final stage of the Tabernacle, he was entering the holiest room on earth, the Holy of Holies. There he would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. This represented the blood of the innocent covering the blood of the guilty. Jesus, God's lamb shed His blood on Heaven's mercy seat to cover sins once and for all. Learn more about God's Mercy through Christ on this episode of the Pursuit.
In ancient Israel when the High Priest entered the final stage of the Tabernacle, he was entering the holiest room on earth, the Holy of Holies. There he would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifice on the Mercy Seat. This represented the blood of the innocent covering the blood of the guilty. Jesus, God's lamb shed His blood on Heaven's mercy seat to cover sins once and for all. Learn more about God's Mercy through Christ on this episode of the Pursuit.
Jesus stood in the Temple court and proclaimed that He was the Light of the world. Within the Tabernacle there also resided a light, a golden lamp stand. In this message, we are reminded that just as the light from the lamp stand guided the priest as they served in the Tabernacle, the Holy Spirit is there to guide followers of Jesus to shine for God in the darkness of our world.
The table is a place where connections are made and relationships are deepened. As the Priest entered the ancient tabernacle, their first stop would have been at a special table God designed to remind His people of the special relationship He desires with them. Even Jesus spent a special moment with His disciples around a table shortly before the cross. In this episode we gather around God's table to deepen our relationship with our Heavenly Father.
How do you respond to sin when you are striving to live for God? When you fall, how do you get back up? The second stop in the Tabernacle holds the answer. The water laver was the most visited place in the Tabernacle and for good reason. In this episode, we learn the value of washing in the water of the Word.
When studying the Bible, you will find that through the centuries, God has hidden great truths in the shadows of events in the lives of His people. One such example is the Tabernacle that God instructed the Jewish people to build 3400 years ago. As the writer of Hebrews teaches us, each piece of the Tabernacle's design teaches us a truth of our walk with God and how to deepen in our relationship to Him. In this first message of the series, we learn that it all starts with the Blood Sacrifice!
When the wind blows, it impacts everything and everyone in its path. In the same manner, the Holy Spirit influences us to follow Christ, be awakened to spiritual truth and move us to action. In this episode, we look at how to set ourselves in the path of the Holy Spirit.
Water is essential to your physical body, and in like manner, the Holy Spirit is essential to your spiritual life. in this episode entitled, "Holy Water," we dive into how the Holy Spirit sustains you, quenches your spiritual thirst and refreshes your soul!
During these uncertain times we are often left feeling inadequate for the tasks before us. Yet Jesus assured His followers that we would be more than conquerors, In fact, He assured us that we would have all the help we need. In this episode we begin a new series of messages entitled, "SuperNATURAL" and learn of the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a follower of Christ.
Be the Change Part 1: "Be the Change!" The world, and yes, the Church needs to change. Everyone seems to live in a state of anger and offense, and we wonder why we as Christians can not impact those around us. It is time for the Church to "Be the Change". and this change must begin in our hearts. Be Light; Be the Change.
In this special Father's Day message, Pastor Chris asks us to look closely at our lives. Are we fathering another by living a Christ-like life? And maybe, more importantly, do we reflect the Father's nature so closely that our life mirrors His desires and heart?
Anchor Part 5: "Fuel for Our Hope" Pastor Chris outlines the "16 Deadly D's" and the many strategies Satan uses to destroy our hope. We are then reminded of the truths of Scripture, and if we meditate on them, the Holy Spirit can direct our life and faith by them.
Anchor Part 4: "A Hope for the Return" Though no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, when Christ will return, we have hope in knowing He WILL return. Numerous passages in Scripture tell us as much, but warn about focusing on the signs. We must "look up" and focus on His return, and share the Gospel so those around us may avoid judgment and celebrate with us in the rescue of His return.
Anchor Part 3: "A Hope That is Eternal" As we have looked at the Hope that we as believers have in Christ, we begin to see the promises and the nature of God. And one of His promises is that we will live eternally with Him. And because God promised it, we can gain an unquenchable hope that permeates throughout our lives. Not only is this a hope for eternal life, but also, a mandate that God wants us to share that hope with others.
"A Hope That Endures" We all face storms, which can be dark and confusing. Storms are out of our control and can bring about hopelessness. God may not even keep us out of the storms we face. But He will be WITH us. God is our anchor in the storm. God is our HOPE.
"A Hope to Live For" The hope Jesus provides is immeasurable and unending. By virtue of His resurrection, we have promise that we can LIVE WITH HOPE. That in everything, no matter how it appears, we can have a peace knowing that hope in Christ is strong and secure.
This world offers much. It offers the opportunity to succeed, to fail, to love, to hate, to live, and to die. But there is one thing that no amount of money, family, or government can provide...HOPE. Without hope, we live a life of uncertainty. But in Christ, we are promised that we will have HOPE and hope eternally.
Unveil Part 4: "Unveil In Us" God gave many hints of His plan throughout the history of Israel. These hints, or foreshadows, are peppered in many places of the Old Testament. Nowhere is it more obvious than it is with the Temple of God. The awesome thing is that God intended His grace and His mission to be available to ALL that call upon Him. And through the acts of Jesus, we now possess the Spirit of God in us that believe, and through that Spirit, God will unveil His grace toward others.
Unveil Part 3: "Unveil Through Us" The grace of God was unveiled on the cross through Christ. But the moment Jesus left this earth, God's plan was unfolded to reveal another layer. Until Jesus returns, His love and grace would be unveiled by His Church. God's grace will be unveiled through us.
Welcome to The Pursuit podcast, the media ministry of Dr. Chris Vaught. Through passionate, practical and relevant messages our goal is to inspire and equip you with Biblical truths as you pursue after the heart of God. Check out www.chrisvaught.net to read, watch or listen to additional resources.
Welcome to The Pursuit podcast, the media ministry of Dr. Chris Vaught. Through passionate, practical and relevant messages our goal is to inspire and equip you with Biblical truths as you pursue after the heart of God. Check out www.chrisvaught.net to read, watch or listen to additional resources.