Christ 2R Culture Podcast

How will the world end? Will it be due to climate change? Will it be from war in the Middle East? As Christians, what signs tell us the end is near? As we continue our study in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11, we look at the end of the world and what the Bible says about Christians predicting and preparing for its arrival.

When a Christian dies, where do they go? When Jesus returns, what happens to a Christian’s body? Will the dead miss out on the glorious return of Jesus? These are some of the important questions Paul answers for the Thessalonians and us.

Harold Camping of Family Radio predicted that Christ’s return and the world’s end would occur in May 2011. In no surprise, he was wrong. In his enthusiasm for Christ’s return, he provoked people into selling their property, giving him millions of dollars, and making other foolish decisions. In spite of putting up over 5,000 billboards, his preoccupation with Christ’s return did more harm for the cause of Christ than good. How should we prepare for Christ’s return? If Jesus was to return in the next 5 years, what should we do today? In this study, we find the answer.

A common question for young adults is, “How far is too far when it comes to sex?” In this study, Paul answers that question and tells us how to pursue sexual purity in a sex-saturated world.

What does good spiritual leadership look like? In 1 Thessalonians 3, Paul gives us an X-ray of his heart, showing us his love for the Thessalonians. This window into Paul’s soul helps us understand what good spiritual leadership looks like in the church.

If Jesus didn’t rise from the dead, what happened on resurrection Sunday? Join us as we examine the last 2,000 years of alternative explanations for the resurrection and see how they ultimately prove Jesus’ resurrection is true.

Recently, my father went to the doctor for an X-ray. This gave the doctor a true picture of his bones. In 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20, Paul gives us an X-ray of his heart. We get a chance to see the heart of a good pastor. By seeing a good pastor, we can be a good pastor.

Have you squandered an opportunity? Have you seen someone so close to a good thing but miss it through a foolish decision? As we continue in 1 Thessalonians, Paul contrasts the Thessalonians and the Jews. One makes him glad as they embrace the gospel with limited opportunity, the other makes him sad as they reject it after countless chances to embrace it. Join us as we learn how to choose wisely with the gospel.

Today, most men are encouraged to be couch potatoes rather than bold leaders. There are plenty of manipulators, scammers, and those who lack character in positions of power. More acute than the leadership crisis in the world is the crisis of leadership we have in the church. Many of us don’t know what makes a good spiritual leader or how to be one. Join us as we learn what the gospel teaches about good spiritual leadership.

Artificial Intelligence makes it harder to distinguish between a deep fake and reality. It generates lifelike videos, where only experts can tell the difference between fantasy and reality. Deep fakes are nothing new when it comes to the Christian faith. Many claim to be saved by Christ but, over time, walk away from Him. How can we tell the difference between genuine faith and fake faith? Join us to learn the difference.

When life is difficult, it is easy to become discouraged. We long for easier days. As Christians, when society is against us, it is tempting to think our relationship with Jesus will fade and the church will wilt. As we begin the book of 1 Thessalonians, we find the opposite is true. 1 Thessalonians is the story of healthy Christians and a thriving church in a city hostile to the gospel. Join us as we learn that God does some of his best work in us and through us when the world is against us.

How do we handle the wounds of life? The world tells us to get even. Recently, a man in Colorado shot a dog to death because days earlier, it was in a fight with his dog, so he plotted revenge. War in the Middle East never ends because of a commitment to revenge instead of extending forgiveness. In this study, we look at what the Bible says about the aroma of forgiveness from the life of a Christian introduces people to Jesus.

David saved Israel from their enemies through the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. In the book’s closing chapter, we find one enemy from which David couldn’t save the nation. That was God and his just wrath against their sin. Join us as we finish the book and see the need for a better king named Jesus!

Zvika Greengold was celebrating Yom Kippur at his Israeli kibbutz when he heard the sound of a jet fighter. Realizing there would be no military exercises on a religious holiday, he turned on his radio and learned that Egypt and Syria sprung a surprise attack on Israel. It was October 6, 1973. As a reserve tank commander, Zvika ran to his tank and drove it to the Golan Heights. Force Zvika singlehandedly held back two thousand advancing Syrian tanks, giving the Israeli military enough time to mobilize. After 30 hours of fighting, Zvika emerged from his tank, burned, wounded, and too exhausted to walk after destroying forty tanks and thwarting five Syrian divisions. His sacrifice and courage saved the country. As we continue studying 2 Samuel, we meet the mighty men God put around David. We will learn of their heroic deeds and how God used them to save David and the kingdom. When God raises up a leader, thankfully, he also raises up a team.

Have you listened to a worship song and found your heart resonating with the song’s words about the goodness of God? Many of us know that experience. As the author of 2 Samuel prepared to draw his book to a close, he shared one of David’s final songs. It is a song where David looks back on his life and worships God for all the goodness shown to him. In the song, he answers the question, “What can we do to put ourselves in a position where we experience the abundant goodness of God?”

As we come to the last four chapters of 2 Samuel, instead of organizing themselves chronologically, they look back on David’s kingdom, God’s kingdom, and the relationship between them. Chapter 21 discusses some of life’s biggest questions, such as, “If there is a good God, why does he allow natural disaster and suffering?” Join us as we turn to the Bible for answers to some of life’s biggest questions.

Every election season politicians make promises. The promise to lower the debt, solve immigration, and reduce taxes while raising our benefits. What should we expect from our flawed leaders? As David’s kingdom is restored after Absalom’s coupe, we see the limits of human leaders and why Jesus is the better king we need.

The world into which Jesus was born was a harsh place. He was born in a stable because the inn had no room and people had no compassion. He grew up in poverty. He grew up in a world where the Roman government heavily taxed their people and crucified all who resisted. For entertainment, the Romans watched gladiators kill one another and animals dismember defenseless humans. The gothic tribes of Europe that eventually overran the Romans were not better. They practiced polygamy, blood sacrifices, and abandoning their children in the forest. They raped, killed, and burned everything and everyone they met. When Jesus came, the gospel message conquered Rome, conquered the barbaric tribes of Europe, and conquered the darkness of every culture it penetrated. Join us as we learn how the birth of Jesus brought civility to the world.

Jesus changed many things in this world. He changed education, medicine, science, civilization, arts, and politics. Most importantly, he came to change us. Jesus came to save us from our sin, to be the savior of the world. In our final message of this series, we look at how Jesus saves lives, and how he can save yours today.

In today’s world, who can you trust? Stockbrokers don’t always pick winners. Doctors make mistakes. Fortune tellers are virtually never reliable. Whose word is good? Is the Bible simply another authority we cannot trust? In this study, we examine what the Bible claims to be and do in our lives.

In the 1946 film classic, It’s a Wonderful Life, the character played by Jimmy Stewart gets a chance to see what life would be like had he never been born. In many ways, that movie is the springboard for this series. The film’s main point is that each person’s life impacts everyone else’s. Had they never been born, there would be gaping holes left in their absence. This series aims to help us realize Jesus’s enormous impact on history.

From 1955 until 1962, the world’s largest statue of Soviet dictator Josef Stalin loomed over Prague. The 17,000-ton monster dominated the skyline. When sculptor, Svec Polesny, applied to build the monument, he never expected to win the opportunity and spend the next five years of his life building it. During construction, the size of the project overwhelmed him. He fell into depression, became an alcoholic, and had an affair on his wife, which resulted in her committing suicide. As the monument neared completion in the spring of 1955, the project took so much out of him that Svec took his life. In the same way, Absalom was consumed with building a monument for himself. He wanted to leave a lasting legacy no one would forget. Like Svec, his attempt to build an unforgettable monument led to the end of his life. Join us as we study the story of Absalom, a man obsessed with being remembered.

When was the last time you struggled with forgiveness? It is hard to forget and forgive after someone has said or done something hurtful. How do we work for unity and restoration in the church and our family? As we continue our study in 2 Samuel, we will examine how David worked for unity in a divided nation and the tensions that tried to tear it apart.

Politicians manipulate their peers. Parents manipulate their children. Employees manipulate one another at work. As we continue our study in 2 Samuel, we see political manipulation in David’s kingdom. When David fails to deal decisively with his rebellious sons, he is manipulated into placing Absalom, his murderous son, just outside the kingship. Join us as we learn the importance of genuine repentance before restoration.

In 1942, Red Cross packages arrived for prisoners in German concentration camps. When the Red Cross asked for an accounting, 23,000 packages were missing. When Nazi German collapsed, many of these packages were found in the barracks of SS officers. The packages were not intended for them, but they took them anyway. In 2 Samuel 15, that is what we find. Absalom attempts to seize the kingship from his father, a kingship that doesn’t belong to him. In David’s darkest days, we learn about conspiracy, manipulation, and how to rely on God when all hope is gone.

On September 11, when the Twin Towers in New York were attacked, many were late for work. They were frustrated because they were caught in traffic or overslept their alarm. What appeared to be a problem was God’s grace in their life as they were not in the World Trade Center when it was attacked. Many times, God has a way of taking the evil plans of those who are against us and carrying out God’s grace to us through it. In 2 Samuel 16, we meet three of David’s enemies who are unwittingly used for God’s good purposes.

In most cases, we are told of biblical figures to emulate, such as Enoch, Noah, Moses, and Jesus. There are other biblical figures we are told to avoid, such as the Jews who hardened their hearts after the Exodus and Lot’s wife. At the top of the list of biblical characters to avoid in the Old Testament is Ahithophel. He was an evil genius committed to destroying the life of David. In this chapter, we learn about the difference between man’s plans and God’s plans. No matter how brilliant or creative we may be, God’s plans will always prevail. That is why it is always wise to work with God’s plans for his chosen king instead of against them.

What are the dangers of passive parenting? What happens when fathers are too busy at work to play an active role in comforting and correcting their children? What happens when children are left to act on their urges and instincts? In 2 Samuel 13, we get a window into King David’s passive parenting and the disaster that followed when he failed to discipline his sons. It is a chapter that will motivate every parent to be involved in guiding their children, no matter what their age.

One of the fictions we hear during the political season is that a leader’s personal life has no impact on public performance. We know that this is untrue. What happens at home never stays at home. It follows us to work. A personal life that lacks character and integrity will lead to a public one that looks the same. If ever there was a man whose private life influenced his public world, it was King David. After committing adultery and murder in private, this brought God’s public judgment on his family and nation. What must we do if we sin in private? If we ask for God’s forgiveness, can we escape the consequences of our sins? Join us in 2 Samuel 12 to find the answers to these questions and more.

The election season is in full swing. Candidates text and call our phones. We see political advertisements on YouTube and television. Every candidate promises to turn the country around. While some candidates are better than others, the sad truth is that all candidates will fail us. They are flawed human beings, just like us. In 2 Samuel 11, we see that even David, a man after God’s own heart, fails his nation. He gives in to sexual desires and has an affair. What left him vulnerable? What fatal choices did he make? How can we avoid repeating his mistake? Most importantly, now that David sinned so spectacularly, is there any hope for his future? Join us for answers to these and many more important questions about moral failure.

Building wealth has become problematic in recent years, especially with soaring inflation. Half of American households do not have enough cash reserves for an an unexpected $400 expense. The most brutal hit is the lower class, with an income between $23,000 and $40,499. Their net worth fell by half in recent years. Payday loans and credit cards are some of the biggest financial killers offering easy access to money at predatory rates. What does the Bible say about building wealth? In this study, we look at what the Bible says about money, how to grow it, and how to avoid losing it.

On September 11, airplanes were hijacked. Two were flown into the Twin Towers, and another into the Pentagon. Flight 93 did not reach its target (probably the White House) thanks to a handful of ordinary people that God used to make a difference. As we continue our study on how God uses ordinary and broken people to make a big difference, in 2 Kings 5, we meet an unnamed junior high girl who was captured and sold into slavery. God used her to reach the second most powerful person in the Syrian empire. If God can use a broken and ordinary person like her to grow his kingdom, God has a good plan to grow his kingdom through you and me.

In the finals of the 2004 Olympics, Perdita Felicien of Canada tripped on her first hurdle and then fell into the adjacent lane taking out Irina Shevchenko of Russia. Felicien was ranked number one in the world when she started, but her race ended in defeat. The Christian life is also described as a race. What does it take not just to start but also to finish the Christian life well? Caleb was one of only two in the Exodus generation to see the Promised Land. Join us as we learn from his life about how to start and finish life well.

Life can be difficult. Discouragement is a common human experience. Sometimes, the purpose of the insignificant things we do seems impossible to understand. We may want to give up. Without encouragement, life can be burdensome. Without encouragement, we begin to think God is unconcerned for us. This is why the Bible tells us to encourage one another. We are to remind one another that God loves us, He promises to equip us for the challenges we face, and we are Christ’s precious treasure. In this study, we meet a man in the early church named Barnabas. He was nicknamed the son of encouragement. Join us as we learn how God used this ordinary man and his simple words of encouragement in life-changing ways.

Richard Stevens, a British psychologist from Keene University, conducted an experiment in which people immersed their hand in ice water. He concluded that the act of swearing during the experiment enabled participants to have an increased pain tolerance of up to 33 percent. Does this mean we should curse when in pain or around difficult people? Join us as we look at what the Bible says about cursing.

Jack LaLanne was a pioneer in American fitness. At age 62, he swam the length of the Golden Gate Bridge underwater while handcuffed and towing a 1,000-pound boat. At age 70, he swam towing 70 rowboats with 70 people in them for one mile while handcuffed and shackled on his feet. At age 96, he gave an interview claiming he would live forever! His arrogant boasting didn’t help when shortly after the interview, he contracted pneumonia and died. In this study, we learn what the Bible says about how our ego shows up in our words as boasting, flattery, and exaggeration.

In 2013, Justine Sacco, a communications executive with the media company IAC, sent a sarcastic tweet to her 170 Twitter followers just before boarding a plane for Africa. The tweet dripped with racial animosity — “Going to Africa. Hope I don’t get AIDS. Just kidding. I’m white!” During her 11-hour flight to Cape Town, the tweet spread like wildfire from her tiny band of Twitter followers until she became the number one worldwide trend on Twitter. Hundreds called for her firing. Thousands labeled her as a hate-mongering racist. She had no idea that during her 11-hour flight when her phone was off, she became an Internet sensation. When she landed, she lost her job. She couldn’t find work for months, all because of a tweet with 12 slanderous words. As we study gossip and slander, we will examine how gossip spreads and the damage it can cause.

In 2017, while struggling with depression, 15-year-old Molly Russell took her life. During the dark struggle, she turned to social media for help. Before her suicide, she interacted with over 2,100 posts about suicide and self-harm on Facebook and Instagram. The words of the posts convinced her that instead of seeking help, she should take her life. Recently a British court held Meta, Facebook’s parent group, liable for her death because of the words they chose not to censor. As we begin our series on taming the tongue, we learn what the Bible says about the power of words and the importance of using every word we speak to honor God in our life.

Shaquille O’Neill, the four-time NBA champion and one of the greatest basketball players ever, renounced his celebrity status in an interview with the New York Post. He feels celebrities are “freaking crazy.” He doesn’t like how they treat people, what they do with their life, and what they say. “That has never been me.” Shaq said, “I hope to be remembered for my kindness both on and off the basketball court.” In 2 Samuel 10, David also shows incredible kindness. The question is, will people embrace or reject the kindness of the king?

In 1932 Franklin Roosevelt made a speech in Pittsburgh where he talked about the importance of restraining government spending. Four years later, he wanted to speak in the same city in favor of government spending. He asked one of his advisors what he should do. They told him to deny the works he had spoken four years before! In 2 Samuel 9, David could have done the same thing and conveniently forgotten about a promise he had made almost twenty years before. Instead of going back on his word, David shows us the importance of keeping our word and being men and women of integrity.

What will it be like when Jesus returns? How will He treat those who have rebelled against Him? What will happen to those who longed for Him? In 2 Samuel 8, we preview Jesus’ eternal rule as God’s anointed king over creation through the lens of David, God’s anointed king over Israel. Join me as we look at what Jesus’ leadership will be like in our future.

The story is told of how Louis XIV requested that at his funeral in the cathedral of Notre Dame, all be darkened — except for one candle burning on his casket at the front. When Massillon, the court preacher, rose to give the funeral sermon, he walked over to the casket and blew out the candle. He began his funeral message with the words, “Only God is great! Only God is Great!” In 2 Samuel 7, David was overwhelmed by God’s goodness to him. We learned that because God is so good, the best thing we can pray for is the fulfillment of God’s promises.

What should you do when you have made it? What should we do if we can retire? Join us as we learn from King David what to do when we are to financially comfortable.

In 2003, in Texas, 19 people died after being left inside an airtight truck trailer. At the time, it was called the nation’s deadliest smuggling attempt. While the driver of the trailer truck was clearly at fault, the sin began years before with illegal immigration. In 2 Samuel 6, we learn that the harsh and surprising consequences of sin often begin long before with a pattern of lesser sin. Join us as we learn the blessings of consistent obedience to God’s Word.

On Sunday, December 4, 2016, a man with a rifle came into a northwestern Washington D.C. pizza shop and started shooting. Thankfully he was arrested, and nobody was hurt. It was the motive for his crime that was shocking. The pizza shop, Comet Ping Pong, was accused on Twitter of serving as the base for a pedophile sex ring involving presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and members of her campaign. The accusations of the pizza shop sex ring were re-tweeted and re-posted on social media so many times that many considered them true. Is the resurrection the same way for the Christian faith? Was the resurrection fake news that was repeated so many times that people believed it to be true? Join us as we learn why the resurrection of Jesus from the dead is a fact we can trust.

In Psalm 130:5, David writes, “I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word, I hope.” David waited over a decade for God to keep his word and make him king. The double-digit years of waiting were filled with discouragement, near-death experiences, and difficulty keeping peace in a nation at war. The story of David’s rise to power is an encouragement for all of us who find ourselves waiting for God to answer our prayers.

Have you found yourself stuck in a situation where you do not know how to move forward? It may be a difficult marriage or job. The only options to find relief are ungodly choices? What should we do? Join us as we learn how David faced times when there was no god-honoring path forward.

In May of 2016, John Houser opened fire in a movie theatre. Teacher Allison Martin and her friend, Jena Beaux were credited with helping save lives after the gunman opened fire. They shielded others with their bodies. Both of them were shot. Allison managed to pull the fire alarm emptying the 300-person theatre complex before more were injured and killed. When police arrived, John Houser turned the gun on himself and took his life. When interviewed after recovering in the hospital, Allison talked about the importance of forgiving the man who shot her. Join us as we learn how to work for peace and forgive those who hurt us.

What kind of leader are you? What does a godly leader look like in our dog-eat-dog world? 2 Samuel 2 is a contrast between an egotistical leader who is eager for war and a godly leader who is eager for peace. Join us as we learn what godly leadership looks like and the futility of rebelling against Jesus, God’s chosen king.

Adoniram Judson was a student at Providence College in 1808. He grew up in a Christian home, but in college he was captivated by a group of students who embraced Enlightenment ideas from Europe. He was especially fond of an upperclassman named Jacob Eames, who persuaded Adoniram to abandon his Christian faith and adopt deism. Adoniram moved to New York to pursue a life of pleasure in the theatre. It was at that time when he stayed in an Inn. It just happened that the man in the next room was dying. All night long Adoniram heard his cries of anguish and pain. It shook him to his core. Without God, how would he face the end of his life? In the morning, he asked the innkeeper who was in the room next to him. It was Jacob Eames. He died that morning. That death changed Adoniram’s life. He returned to his faith and become a missionary. In 2 Samuel 1, we see another death that changed a life. The death of King Saul changed David’s life.

Adriana Kuch was a 14-year-old freshman viciously beaten by girls in the hall of her New Jersey high school. It was a planned beating, with other students recording the incident on their cell phones. The purpose was to upload the video to TikTok and become famous. Two days after the beating, after hundreds of hateful comments on the video from people she didn’t know, Adriana committed suicide. So far, there are three students charged as an accessory to her death. Many of the students involved in the beating video now wish they had made a wiser choice of friends. As we continue our series on Spiritual Health, we learn how healthy Christians pursue wise choices, not just avoid openly sinful ones.

John Patton was a missionary to the cannibals of the New Hebrides Islands. Shortly after arriving, his wife and his newborn son died. He was forced to guard their bodies to keep cannibals from eating them. Rather than leave, he pressed on staying for the next 35 years. In a remarkable transformation. over three decades, every native on the islands gave their heart to Christ. Do not underestimate the way God can use the power of our witness to change a life. In this message, we learn how a healthy Christian can be an effective witness for Jesus.

John Patton was a missionary to the cannibals of the New Hebrides Islands. Shortly after arriving, his wife and his newborn son died. He was forced to guard their bodies to keep cannibals from eating them. Rather than leave, he pressed on staying for the next 35 years. In a remarkable transformation. over three decades, every native on the islands gave their heart to Christ. Do not underestimate the way God can use the power of our witness to change a life. In this message, we learn how a healthy Christian can be an effective witness for Jesus.

Recently the heat went out on our Spencer campus. People came to church in winter clothes, boots, and mittens. The good news is that they came. What brought people to church was the relational warmth of the people, not the temperature warmth of the building. Would you rather attend a church with a warm building but cold people or a church with a cold building but warm people? Join us as we look at the relational warmth of the church and how it reveals the true state of our spiritual health.

n 1977, Maria Rubio of Lake Arthur New Mexico was assembling a burrito when she noticed the skillet marks on one of her tortillas resembled what she thought was the face of Jesus. Excited, she showed it to her husband and neighbors, who also thought the burn mark on the tortillas looked like Jesus. She went to the priest to have her tortilla blessed. The priest, who was not accustomed to blessing tortillas, reluctantly agreed to its blessing. Mrs. Rubio took the tortilla home and put it in a box on a pile of cotton. Mr. Rubio built a special altar for it and put it in a wooden utility shed in the backyard. The shine of Jesus of the tortilla was open for visitors. Within months more than 8,000 people came to visit the shine. In two years, 35,000 people had visited the shrine in the wooden tool shed in the Rubio’s backyard, all to see Jesus on a tortilla. People kept coming for 28 years. Then in 2005, Mrs. Rubio’s granddaughter took Jesus the tortilla to school for show-and-tell, there, the tortilla was dropped, and the shrine of Jesus of the tortilla came to an end. Worship should be part of a healthy Christian’s life. Join me as we learn the right and the wrong ways to worship.

What is the most valuable object on the planet? Is it the Mona Lisa? Is it the gold in Fort Knox? If a man is starving and within hours of death, none of the most priceless objects on the planet mean a thing. What he longs for are the essentials that keep us alive, food and water. When it comes to the Bible, we should not let our familiarity with the book cause us to underestimate the importance of the book. The Bible is like food and water. God uses it to create and sustain spiritual life. In this series, we discover the essentials for a healthy Christian life. Join us as we learn the importance of regular Bible study for a healthy Christian life.

Schools have adopted a new system of writing for children. It is called Inventive Spelling. Children are allowed to write words in any way that feels right to them. This is intended to help children feel good about themselves and build self-esteem. Is allowing encouraging children to do whatever feels right to them the right way to raise our children? Join me as we look at God’s instructions on how to raise children.

Queen Elizabeth died on September 8, 2022. She was the longest-reigning British monarch. An estimated 250,000 people visited her casket, and representatives from 168 countries attended her funeral. The queen’s funeral was the most-watched television event in the twenty-first century. It is an understatement to say the queen’s death was a big deal. As we finish 1 Samuel, we come to the death of King Saul. After a 40-year reign, his death led to a national crisis. Join us as we look at King Saul’s death and what we can learn about living and dying well.

Robert Robinson is the author of the hymn “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing.” After writing the hymn, he walked away from God. While traveling in his elderly years, he met a woman who was reading the hymn he wrote! When she asked him about the hymn, his eyes flooded with tears as he told her that he was the author but walked away from God. The young woman reassured him of God’s love for him, no matter what he had done. He turned his heart back to the Lord and was restored as a Christian. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we see how God’s grace restores backslidden David. God’s amazing grace is eager to restore any of us who have wandered away from Him.

We live in a world filled with fear. There is fear of war in Europe, fear of inflation, and fear of COVID. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel we see Saul lived his life and final days in fear. The good news is we do not need to be that way! Join us as we learn how to live life without fear.

In 2010, the journal of Cognitive Therapy and Research examined the way depression changes the decision-making process. The researchers concluded that the likelihood of someone making a poor decision increased with the number of depression symptoms one develops. As we return to 1 Samuel, we find David battling depression as he is exhausted after running from Saul for years. In desperation, he stops relying on God to protect him. He relies on himself and makes poor decisions. Join us as we learn what can happen in our life when we wander from God.

In 1914, Wrigley introduced Doublemint gum. The name came from chemists who realized a double distillation process improved the flavor. Just as doubling the flavoring process made gum better, in the Bible sometimes repeats similar stories to drive its point home. In 1 Samuel 26, David has another opportunity to take Saul’s life, but he again chooses to respect Saul instead of killing him. Join us as we find out why choosing not to take revenge a second time made things better.

The people we choose to surround ourselves with are some of the most significant decisions we make. “Show me your friends, and I’ll show you your future,” says motivational speaker Jim Rohn. A good Christian friend is better than a thousand followers on social media. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we find how God uses Christian friends that can speak candidly and lovingly to us when they see us making sinful or unwise choices.

In the movie The Straight Story, 73-year-old Alvin Straight from Laurens, Iowa, travels to Mt. Zion, Iowa, to mend a broken relationship with his 75-year-old brother Lyle from whom he was bitterly estranged. Alvin’s legs and eyes are too compromised for him to obtain a driver’s license, so he hitches a trailer to his used John Deere 110 tractor and sets off on the 240-mile six-week journey to restore the broken relationship with his brother while they are still alive. It is an amazing story of forgiveness and loving an enemy. 1 Samuel 24 is another story of the power of forgiveness as David finally has the chance to kill Saul. Instead of killing Saul, he chooses to love and forgive him. Join me as we learn the power of forgiving our enemies.

Have you played Nascondino? That is the Italian name for the game hide-and-seek. Italy hosts the hide-and-seek world championship on a large playground each summer in the city of Bergamo with 70 teams from 11 different countries. In the Bible, hide-and-seek is more than a game. For David, hide-and-seek was a life-and-death struggle as he ran from King Saul. Join us as we learn the good God intends in our life when we endure difficulty.

Bryan Brown is a Christian attorney who is licensed to practice law in Kansas and has been admitted to the bar of the U.S. Supreme Court. His application to the Indiana Board of Law Examiners was denied based on his admitted adherence to God’s laws above human laws. He was required to receive a psychological assessment after they asked him about his views regarding the final judgment, sexual morality, and gender roles. The Letters of John remind us we should not be surprised when the spirit of the antichrist shows up around us and we are hated like Jesus. Join us in our study as we meet an Old Testament antichrist and learn how to avoid his seductive work to destroy God’s people.

In 1993 Harrison Ford starred in The Fugitive. In the movie, Harrison Ford played Dr. Richard Kimble, a man who was wrongfully accused of murdering his wife. He escaped from custody and put the U.S. Marshalls on a wild chase as he narrowly and often creatively slipped from the grasp again and again. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, David has become a fugitive. He is on the run. He is also narrowly escaping attempts on his life. The stress of his world falling apart gets the better of him, and he starts relying on himself instead of turning to God for strength, wisdom, and rescue. Join us as we learn the danger of relying on ourselves instead of God and how to return to God after we have walked away from Him.

34-year-old Joaquin Romero was helping a woman get hooked to a zip-line platform when she started sliding out on the line. He grabbed her harness to stop her but couldn’t hold her back. Both slide to a position of about a hundred feet above the ground. Fearing the woman would fall because of his extra weight, he made the heroic decision to put her life before his own and let go, plunging to his death. In 1 Samuel 20, we meet Jonathan and learn how God used him when he put God’s plan to save David’s life in front of his own. We learn why God loves to use people who are willing to give up their own will to get behind God’s will for the future.

Cats are said to have nine lives for their uncanny ability to survive near-death circumstances. As we continue our study of David in 1 Samuel, we learn that David is like a cat. Saul couldn’t kill him, no matter how hard he tried! God helped David escape death more than nine times! Join us as we learn how God’s hand of protection works not just in David’s life but in our own.

In 2015, Malcom Gladwell wrote his book David and Goliath: Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants. He claims David and Goliath is a lesson on how to handle obstacles, disadvantages, disabilities, and other setbacks in life. Is the story of David and Goliath nothing more than a lesson on how to face hard times and find victory when you are the underdog? Join us in this study as we learn what David and Goliath teach us about God and the confidence we can have in him.

The news is hard to watch. Politics and manipulation are everywhere we look. The Internet filters the news. The media spins the news. Underhanded schemes to smear political opponents surface all the time. This is nothing new. In 1 Samuel 18, we look at God’s involvement in politics and how God has a good plan that will succeed, no matter how hard people fight against it.

Have you noticed something is terribly wrong in the world? The evening news is a constant stream of world horrors ranging from wars to school shootings. There is suffering, death, sickness, deception, outright lying, and evil everywhere we look. People are popping Prozac like Tic Tacs just to deal with it. What has gone wrong? In this study, we look at the many ways sin shows up in our lives and the bad excuses we use to justify our sin. It will all help us understand why Jesus can be the only answer to the problem of sin.

Have you noticed something is terribly wrong in the world? The evening news is a constant stream of world horrors ranging from wars to school shootings. There is suffering, death, sickness, deception, outright lying, and evil everywhere we look. People are popping Prozac like Tic Tacs just to deal with it. What has gone wrong? In this study, we look at the many ways sin shows up in our lives and the bad excuses we use to justify our sin. It will all help us understand why Jesus can be the only answer to the problem of sin.

The Department of Education has proposed a new Title IX rule that demands colleges treat students by their gender identity, not their biological sex. That means a transgender man, who identifies as a woman, will live in a woman’s college dormitory and use the women’s shower facilities. A young woman is to have no say, nor is the school to alert her in any way that her roommate will not be a biological female. How are Christians to respond to the legal push to affirm the transgender life? Is sex-change surgery the answer? How do we help our children if they struggle with transgender desires? These are just a few of the questions we will answer as we look at what the Bible says about transgender.

The Los Angeles Angels struggle as a baseball team. The last time they won the world series was twenty years ago. They could use a little help to win a few games. The Disney movie “Angels in the Outfield” is the fictional story of the Los Angeles Angels receiving help from actual angels to win their games. While real angels probably won’t help us catch balls, pitch strikes, or hit home runs, they are constantly at work in our daily life. Join me as we find out how God has angels at work in our daily life.

America is fascinated by demons and the occult. Television series like Buffy the Vampire Slayer are popular. Movies like The Exorcist and Poltergeist are well-known. While the media presents dark spiritual forces as fantasy, the Bible tells us the power of Satan and his demons are very real. Join us as we learn what the Bible says about Satan, demons and how Christians should engage in spiritual battles.

Have you tried dieting? One of the secrets of dieting is removing food temptations from your life. The Oreos go in the garbage. Healthy foods go in the refrigerator. There is no more walking by the snack machine at the office. Removing food temptations is one of the best ways of beating dieting temptations. We are tempted with more than food. In this study, we learn how Satan, the world, and our own fleshy desires work together to tempt us to sin and how to beat them.

An Internet survey claims being eaten by sharks, burned to death or buried alive are considered some of the people’s worst fears. What is your worst fear? This week, as we continue in 1 Samuel, we will learn what the Bible says about the Holy Spirit and why its absence in life is one of the worst things that can happen but its presence is the best. Join us as we learn how the Holy Spirit changes lives.

In any group, people have different points of view. In our postmodern society, we are taught all points of view are equally valid. Our opinions are just products of our experiences so no point of view is better than another. Does that work? Join me as we discover why truth does exist and how we can find it.

The YouTube Channel “Caught in Providence” are the real-life cases of Judge Frank Caprio who is a judge in Providence Rhode Island. It is the real-life story of people with their traffic tickets, speeding tickets, and parking tickets and the excuses they give to try to get out of them. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we are looking at five excuses we give to justify sin and why none of them work.

If you love the game show Jeopardy, you are familiar with Mattea Roach. She was on a 23-game winning streak and well ahead of the second-place contestant when she wagered $1 too much in the Final Jeopardy round bringing her reign to a crashing end. She is not the only one to snatch defeat from the jaws of certain victory. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we see how King Saul snatched defeat from a certain God-given victory and what lessons we can learn to not follow in his footsteps.

In June of 2017, Alex Honnold climbed El-Capitan in Yosemite park using a style of climbing known as free-soloing. Climbing the 7,573 granite rock without safety equipment was a feat most considered impossible. His astounding climb was filmed with cameras and drones to produce the stomach-churning movie “Free-Solo”. Daunting rock cliffs and fearless climbers are nothing new. This weekend, as we study 1 Samuel 14, we find a daring free-solo rock climb in the Bible.

When Elon Musk bought Twitter he paid a premium on the stock giving shareholders more than the stock was worth. Was that a foolish decision or was Elon wiser than we realize? As we continue our studies in 1 Samuel, we learn about foolish choices and how to avoid making them.

How do you finish a career? Steven Slater, a former JetBlue flight attendant, made a dramatic exit. A passenger refused to stay seated while the plane was taxing to the gate. The passenger removed her luggage from an overhead bin striking Slater in the head. She then cursed Slater out for getting in her way. Fed up with his job, Slater grabbed a beer from the beverage cart, called out, “It has been great!” then activated the emergency evacuation shoot sliding his way to freedom. This weekend, in 1 Samuel 12, we find an even more dramatic career exit by the prophet Samuel as we learn how God uses repentance and obedience to take our worst sins and use them in ways we don’t expect for good.

As of the end of March 2022, it is estimated Russia has lost between 7,000 to 15,000 troops in its attempt to take over Ukraine. While that number is terrible, we should put that in perspective. Each day there are 6,400 Americans that die of cancer, heart disease, car accidents, and a myriad of other causes. That is 3.3 million people a year. The war between Russia and Ukraine brought about many immediate deaths, but it has not changed the ultimate number of deaths. It doesn’t matter if you eat healthily, buckle up, and avoid war… all of us will die. When that fearful moment comes, is there a way to know our next life will be better than this life? The Bible tells us Jesus came so we do not need to fear our death. Join me on Easter Sunday as we learn how we can know the resurrection of Jesus is true and how Jesus’ resurrection changes our future.

Every once in a while, I like to share a little something extra. This is the worship music from Easter morning at the CrossWinds Spirit Lake campus. I hope you are encouraged in Jesus. The team did a great job! The link in this podcast is to a video of the service, Enjoy!

While churches are full on Easter morning, many people in churches are frustrated with Jesus. They feel like He let them down. He didn’t protect them from life’s tragedies. If Jesus isn’t living up to your expectations, you are not alone. In the week before Jesus’ death, the crowds in Jerusalem felt like Jesus let them down. Join us this weekend as we find why what Jesus did on the cross is better than anything else the crowds wanted Him to do.

On June 18, 1940, Winston Churchhill delivered a speech to Britain after the fall of France to the Germans. Churchhill braced England for a battle upon which he believed the survival of Christian civilization now stood. He believed that if England did not successfully hold off the Germans, the whole world, including the United States, would plunge into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister by Hitler’s perverted science. If England lasted a thousand years, he was sure history would look back on their defense of freedom in the face of Hitler’s fury as the nation’s finest hour. This weekend, we look at King Saul’s finest hour as he rallies a nation in a last-ditch effort to defend freedom and stop an evil tyrant.

Porch pirating is a popular business. In New York City alone 90,000 packages go missing daily. What can people do to fight back against the thieves? Homeowners have come up with creative ways of payback. One inventor created a package called “the blank box”. It sets off a blank shotgun shell when the package is taken from the porch. Another created a package filled with manure that explodes when opened after being stolen by a thief. In those neighborhoods, porch pirates are thinking twice since packages are not turning out to be what they expect. This week, as we continue our series of 1 Samuel, the people of God get the king they asked for, but like a porch pirate opening a bait package, the king didn’t turn out the way they expected.

How much control does God have over the details of our day? When the alarm doesn’t go off, our car tire goes flat, or the grocery store is out of our favorite peanut butter, are those details of life God is orchestrating for a good purpose or just annoying inconveniences? As we continue our study of 1 Samuel we find how God shaped the ordinary events of one man’s life to move him from a country farmer to the king of a nation.

This week the war on Ukraine dominated headlines. Behind the death of thousands and destruction of the second-largest nation in Europe is one man, Vladimir Putin. He has unchecked authority in Russia and enough power to destroy the world in war. How do tyrants like Putin come to power? What will they always do once in control? These are some of the questions we will cover this weekend as we continue our studies in 1 Samuel and look at the problem with a king.

William Leverett barged into a Connecticut church and confessed to worshippers that he was the man who killed a Harford jogger and mother four years before. Prior to his confession, the homicide had no leads. The pastor and a handful of parishioners knew what they had to do. They took him to the police and helped him turn himself in. William Leverett knew he could never begin to heal from his pain until he confessed and repented of what he had done. As we turn to 1 Samuel 7, we find the power of repentance to experience God’s forgiveness and favor in our lives.

If you have a relative that served in a war, chances are they came home with something from the front lines. While most war trophies are a privilege to possess, some people wish they never brought them home. Danny Nightingale was jailed for 18 months after he plead guilty to possessing an unregistered 9mm pistol that he was given to him after his 2007 tour in Iraq. This week, as we return to the book of 1 Samuel, we will look at the ultimate trophy of war — the ark of the covenant — and we will learn why the Philistines regretted bringing it home.

In the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark, Harrison Ford was in search of the long-lost ark of the covenant. It was a race between Indian Jones and the Nazis. They believed the army that found the ark first would become invincible. Was that true? Join us this weekend in 1 Samuel 4 as we search for the ark and learn the danger of trying to make God serve us.

The leadership challenges of our time are enormous. Russia is preparing to invade Ukraine. ISIS is reconstituting in the Middle East. China is destabilizing the world. What is the answer to the leadership challenges of our nation? As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we see God’s answer to the leadership challenges in Israel and what they teach us about facing the leadership challenges of today.

Statistics tell us that social media is putting teenagers under more cultural pressure. This results in over half of teenagers drinking alcohol and over forty percent of teenagers trying drugs. How should parents handle rebellion in the lives of their teenage and adult children? Join us this weekend as we continue our study in 1 Samuel and meet Eli’s rebellious sons. We will learn lessons on how to parent children who refuse to listen and the responsibility children have for making wise choices.

On February 7, 2021, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Superbowl with a score of 31-9. A Superbowl victory deserves a celebration. How would the city of Tampa celebrate in a COVID world? To encourage people to keep their distance, the city celebrated with a boat parade down the Hillsborough River in downtown Tampa. In our study of 1 Samuel, we have seen God rescue Hannah from her barrenness by the birth of Samuel. How will she celebrate God’s win in her life? Join us this weekend as we learn how she celebrated God’s victory and the promise she saw of a win for God’s people in the future.

First-time mom Hayley Sexton painted the nursery pink. She had a girl’s name picked out. All of the baby shower gifts were for a girl. In two different ultrasounds, the doctor assured her she was having a girl. To her surprise, she gave birth to a boy! Children don’t always turn out the way we planned. As we continue our study in 1 Samuel, we learn from Hannah about preparing our children for the future and dedicating them to God.

In the sweltering heat of August in 1885, six and one-half inches of rain fell in Chicago in only 24 hours. Sewage from the city’s 750,000 residents and runoff from the stockyards washed into the Chicago River. The polluted water flowed into Lake Michigan. According to an exaggerated story in the Chicago Tribune, this toxic brew was sucked into the city’s drinking water. Soon people claimed that cholera, dysentery, and typhoid were ravaging parts of the city. In later years it was said that one in eight Chicagoans died from the toxic water. For years this was known as the 1885 Chicago epidemic. The problem was that when an investigative writer began researching the story in 2000, she found the entire story to be a hoax. In reality, fewer people died in Chicago in 1885 than in other years. The entire 1885 epidemic was gossip and urban legend that took on a life of their own and was assumed to be true. There was no evidence to back it up. Many people feel the same way about the Bible. Is the Bible is nothing more than a collection of word-of-mouth stories or is it factual truth? Join me as we learn why we can trust the Bible and why we need to let the Bible saturate our life.