Episode 107 • September 5, 2026 • 11 min read One body, many members means every believer is essential. Explore participation, honest fellowship, correction in grace, and building one another up.
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Episode 106 • August 29, 2026 • 9 min read Leaving church can feel like losing your place. This reflection explores religious obligation, isolation, Christian fellowship, and belonging to the body of Christ.
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Episode 105 • August 22, 2026 • 9 min read (1 Corinthians 13:8–13) Are spiritual gifts for today? Paul says miraculous gifts would cease with maturity, while faith, hope, and love would remain.
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Episode 104 • August 15, 2026 • 10 min read (1 Corinthians 14:26–33, 39–40) How did the early church worship? 1 Corinthians 14 shows a participatory gathering ordered around building up the body of Christ.
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Episode 103 • August 8, 2026 • 13 min read (Acts 20:17, 28–35) Church leadership roles and responsibilities in the New Testament center on shared oversight, servant leadership, and care for the whole body.
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Episode 102 • August 1, 2026 • 8 min read What does a Christian look like? Christian identity rests in Christ, not in religious performance, comparison, or fear.
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Episode 101 • July 25, 2026 • 6 min read Sometimes suffering takes us beyond feeling, but never beyond God’s love. This honest conversation explores grace at rock bottom and the hope we can share with others.
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Episode 100 • July 18, 2026 • 10 min read (2 Samuel 12) David committed grievous wrongs, yet Scripture remembers him as a man after God’s own heart. This companion Bible study explores Nathan’s confrontation, David’s repentance, forgiven guilt, and the difference between punishment and consequences under grace.
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Episode 99 • July 11, 2026 • 8 min read It can seem easier if God simply gives us a list of things to do. But the Christian life is not built on religious performance. Questions about children, salvation, and baptism remind us that our assurance rests in…
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Episode 98 • July 4, 2026 • 13 min read (1 Corinthians 7:14) What does it mean that the children of a believer are holy? This companion Bible study looks at Paul’s words in context and explains why they matter.
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Episode 097 Date 06-26-26 What If the Kingdom Has Already Come? For many Christians, the return of Christ is the great event still waiting on the horizon. Sermons, books, and prophecy conferences often point toward a future Second Coming, a future Kingdom, and a future fulfillment of Revelation.…
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Episode 096 Date 06-19-26 Thy Kingdom Come: Is God's Kingdom Already Here? When Jesus taught His disciples to pray, He included one of the most well-known phrases in Scripture: "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6:10) Millions of Christians…
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Episode 095 Date 06-12-26 The Hope of Eternal Life: What Did the Apostles Really Believe? For many Christians, it's almost automatic to assume that believers go immediately to heaven when they die. But is that what the apostles taught? When Peter stood before the crowds shortly after Pentecost,…
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Episode 094 Date 06-07-26 Are Babies Saved? What the Bible Really Says Are Babies Saved? One of the most emotional questions Christians ask is: "What happens to babies who die?" Many believers instinctively answer, "They go to heaven." While that conclusion brings comfort, does the Bible explicitly teach…
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Episode 93 • May 30, 2026 • 8 min read How to pray to God without pressure: prayer grows from reconciliation, honest relationship, and confidence in your Father, not a spiritual formula.
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Episode 092 Date 05-23-26 Identity in Christ: Living Without Fear Can a believer ever be displeasing to God? Many sincere Christians live with an underlying fear that every mistake disappoints God or damages their relationship with Him. Yet the New Testament presents a radically different picture—one centered not…
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Episode 91 • May 16, 2026 • 7 min read The church definition in the Bible begins with people, not a building: believers drawn to Christ, joined together, and sharing His life in grace.
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Episode 090 Date 05-09-26 The Early Church vs. Modern Church: Rediscovering Grace Was the Early Church Different Than Today's Church? Many believers eventually reach a moment when they begin asking an important question: "Is this what Jesus intended His church to be?" For countless Christians, that question comes…
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Episode 089 Date 05-02-26 Peter's Template for Grace Living Did you know that in Peter's second epistle, he gives the readers a template for Christian living? He tells us exactly what grace living should look like. How do we live by the faith that we've been given? He…
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Episode 088 Date 04-26-26 What Does Divine Nature Mean? (2 Peter 1:3-4) Key Questions About Divine Nature What does Peter mean by calling Christians partakers of the divine nature? What is this divine nature? How can we know it's ours, and what happens if our actions seem more…
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Episode 087 Date 04-20-26 Everything Pertaining to Life and Godliness is Yours Understanding the Promise The main message in 2 Peter 1:3 is that, according to scripture, believers already possess everything pertaining to life and godliness. God gives us this gift when we put our trust in the…
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Episode 086 Date 04-11-26 Does God want us to be Happy? Defining Happiness Today I’ll be exploring the question, “Does God want us to be happy?” Many people define happiness in terms of health, wealth, relationships, and achievements, often feeling discouraged when these are lacking. But does God…
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Episode 085 Date 04-04-26 What was Paul's Thorn in the Flesh? Understanding the Thorn In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul describes a messenger of Satan sent to torment him, calling it a thorn in the flesh. Its purpose was to prevent him from becoming conceited as…
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Episode 084 Date 03-28-26 What is Fellowship with God? A Study on Christian Fellowship, Suffering, and the Grace of God Before His crucifixion, when Pontius Pilate questioned Jesus, He proclaimed: John 18:37,38 ESV For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the…
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Episode 083 Date 03-21-26 Is Jesus Coming Back? Personal Beliefs and Questions About Christ’s Return What are your beliefs regarding Christ’s return? Do world events prompt you to wonder, "Is Jesus coming back soon?" Consider what has led you to this question: Is it scripture, or is it…
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Episode 082 Date 03-14-26 Did God Create Good AND Evil? Introduction In Christian theology, the question "Did God Create Good and Evil?" has sparked centuries of debate. As we examine this topic, we will ask: Did God Create Good and Evil according to scripture, or is there another…
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Episode 81 • March 7, 2026 • 12 min read (Matthew 7:21–23) What did Jesus mean by “I never knew you”? Read Matthew 7:21–23 in context and see why this warning does not erase assurance in Christ.
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Episode 80 • February 28, 2026 • 9 min read (Galatians 2:20) Christ lives in me is more than a Christian slogan. Galatians 2:20 describes a new life rooted in union with Christ, faith, and grace rather than self-effort.
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Episode 079 Date 02-21-26 Heavenly Rewards and Crowns, oh my! The Pursuit of Heavenly Status: Are We Seeing It Wrong? Is the Christian walk all about earning heavenly rewards and crowns for the next life? If we are earning some sort of special status in heaven for our…
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Episode 78 • February 14, 2026 • 11 min read What is a pastor in the Bible? Scripture connects pastors with shepherds, elders, and overseers rather than simply a modern church title.
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Episode 77 • February 7, 2026 • 8 min read (Malachi 3:8–10) Is tithing in the New Testament required? Read Malachi 3 in context and see how giving under grace differs from Israel’s tithe.
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Episode 76 • January 31, 2026 • 25 min read Ten common church teachings tested against Scripture in context.
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Episode 075 Date 01-24-26 Holy Living Hypocrisy Out here in the Midwest, churches love to teach on what they call holy living. It’s not just here though, you can travel all around the united states and find the same thing. You’d think an area called “the bible belt”…
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Episode 074 Date 01-17-25 Why Does God Allow us to Suffer? When we think to ourselves “why does God allow us to suffer” our minds will drift into all kinds of places. Many people use worldly suffering as a reason to accuse God of being evil or even…
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Episode 073 Date 01-10-25 Love Like Jesus The Healing at the Pool In John 5:2-9 we read of a man who had severe physical illness. In fact, he was completely unable to walk for 38 years. Jesus approaches the man and says “Do you want to be healed?”…
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Episode 072 Date 01-03-25 An Update in the Name of Jesus Welcome back everyone. I hope that you guys are doing well out there and have some things to look forward to in the new year. It’s my hope that new episodes of the Waking up to Grace…
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Episode 071 Date 12-27-25 Is There a Benefit of Salvation Now? Welcome back everyone! I hope you had some time to relax and enjoy time with your loved ones over the holidays. We’re getting back into the swing of things today with a message on salvation that you…
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Episode 070 Date 12-20-25 Is Jesus Working in my Life? Welcome back everyone, we just wrapped up our series on abiding in Christ and today we’ll be asking the question: Is Jesus working in my life? In Christian circles we often hear it said that the Holy Spirit…
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Episode 69 • December 13, 2025 • 9 min read What does it mean to stand firm in the faith? Scripture connects endurance with abiding in Christ, dependence on His strength, and hope through suffering.
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Episode 68 • December 6, 2025 • 10 min read (John 15:2) What does John 15:2 mean? See why the Father prunes fruitful branches, why pruning is not punishment, and how dependence on Christ bears fruit.
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Episode 67 • November 29, 2025 • 10 min read (John 15:7) What does John 15:7 mean? Jesus connects asking with abiding, New Covenant access to the Father, God’s will, and a life of dependence on Christ.
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Episode 66 • November 22, 2025 • 8 min read (John 15:1–6) What do the vine and branches mean in John 15? Israel, belief, unbelief, and covenant context help explain the branches thrown into the fire.
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Episode 65 • November 15, 2025 • 8 min read (John 15:1–6) Abiding in Christ is rooted in believing Christ. John 15 and 1 John connect abiding with the indwelling Spirit, love, fruit, and confidence before God.
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Episode 64 • October 5, 2025 • 13 min read What does Romans 14 mean by the weak? Follow Paul, the Law, and Jew-Gentile fellowship to see why the usual answer deserves another look.
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Episode 63 • September 21, 2025 • 12 min read (Galatians 2:11–14) Paul rebukes Peter in Antioch because Peter’s conduct contradicted the truth of the gospel and treated Gentile believers as though they belonged outside the inner circle.
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Episode 62 • September 7, 2025 • 11 min read (Romans 2:11) God shows no favoritism. Paul brings Jew and Gentile onto the same ground before God and helps us understand his gospel and mission.
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Episode 61 • August 24, 2025 • 13 min read Ten reasons futurism affects how Christians understand the second coming of Christ, the rapture, modern Israel, prophecy, and life in the New Covenant.
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Episode 60 • August 10, 2025 • 9 min read (Romans 2:7) Romans 2:7 connects glory, honor, immortality, eternal life, resurrection, and the redemption believers now possess in Christ.
Episode 59 • July 27, 2025 • 13 min read (Romans 2:9–11) What is the Day of the Lord? Follow Paul and Jesus through Christ’s coming, judgment, resurrection, and the end of the Old Covenant age.
Episode 58 • July 12, 2025 • 20 min read (Romans 2:9–11)
Why did tribulation come to the Jew first? Follow Romans 2 through Israel’s covenant warnings, Jesus’ words about Jerusalem, and their fulfillment in AD 70.
Episode 57 • June 27, 2025 • 10 min read What is preterism? This companion study explores full and partial preterism, Jesus’ timing statements, AD 70, and the eternal New Covenant.
Episode 56 • June 1, 2025 • 8 min read (Romans 2:1–11) Romans 2 meaning becomes clearer when Paul’s rhetorical opponent, judgment language, works, and the Jew-first argument are read in context.
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Episode 55 • May 24, 2025 • 8 min read (Romans 1:29–32) Who will not inherit the kingdom of God? Read Paul’s warning lists with his reminders that believers were washed, sanctified, and justified.
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Episode 54 • May 17, 2025 • 9 min read What does freedom in Christ mean? Grace frees us from condemnation and self-righteousness so we can follow the Spirit, renew our minds, and trust the Lord.
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Episode 053 • May 11, 2025 • 8 min read (Romans 1:21–28) What does Romans say about homosexuality? Read Romans 1:21–28 in context, including what Paul means by God giving mankind up and the “due penalty for their error.”
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Episode 52 • May 4, 2025 • 10 min read Romans 1:18-20 and Psalm 19 challenge the usual natural-revelation reading and raise a bigger question: was the gospel itself being declared in the heavens?
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Episode 51 • April 26, 2025 • 10 min read (1 John 1:5–2:2) Is confession of sins required for forgiveness? Read 1 John 1:9 in context and see why believers rest in Christ’s finished work.
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Episode 50 • April 19, 2025 • 9 min read What is the purpose of the church? Scripture points beyond passive attendance toward a body that gathers to participate, encourage, discern, and build one another up.
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Episode 49 • April 13, 2025 • 11 min read (Romans 1:16–17) The righteous shall live by faith. Romans 1:17 points from human effort to God’s righteousness revealed in Christ, from faith to faith.
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Episode 48 • April 6, 2025 • 10 min read (1 Corinthians 1:4–9) Can sin break your fellowship with God? Paul points believers to God's faithfulness and a secure standing in Christ rather than a cycle of losing and restoring fellowship.
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Episode 47 • March 30, 2025 • 11 min read (Romans 1:8–15) What should Christians pray for? Paul’s prayers show what to pray for when grace, spiritual growth, peace, and life with God shape our attention.
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Episode 46 • March 24, 2025 • 8 min read (Romans 1:8–15) What does Paul’s prayer teach us about prayer? Romans 1:8–15 points to thankfulness, spiritual strength, God’s will, and confident access to the Father.
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Episode 45 • March 16, 2025 • 10 min read (Romans 1:1–7) What is a saint in the Bible? Paul calls ordinary believers saints, not sinners. See what that identity means for sin, grace, and fellowship with God.
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Episode 44 • March 8, 2025 • 9 min read Religious cognitive dissonance tells Christians they are secure in Christ while making acceptance feel conditional. Grace brings those contradictions into the light.
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Episode 43 • March 2, 2025 • 10 min read What does “It is finished” mean? Scripture traces Christ’s victory from Eden to the cross, fulfilled prophecy, and restored fellowship with God.
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Episode 42 • February 23, 2025 • 11 min read What is the divine council in the Bible? Trace the heavenly host, the sons of God, spiritual rebellion, and Yahweh's sovereignty across Scripture.
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Episode 41 • February 16, 2025 • 11 min read (Romans 1:1–7) How to be obedient to God begins with Paul’s “obedience of faith.” See why biblical obedience grows from belief, grace, and Christ rather than rule keeping.
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Episode 40 • February 9, 2025 • 9 min read Is Jesus Yahweh? Follow Romans 10, Philippians 2, YHWH, and the meaning of Yeshua to see how the New Testament identifies Jesus with Israel’s God.
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Episode 39 • February 2, 2025 • 9 min read (Romans 1:1–7) What does it mean to be chosen by God? Follow Paul’s words about calling, predestination, justification, and the security believers have in Christ.
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Episode 38 • January 26, 2025 • 9 min read What is biblical fellowship? See why fellowship grows from shared life in Christ, truth, love, and the unity of the body rather than religious performance.
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Episode 37 • January 19, 2025 • 10 min read What is biblical discipleship? Explore Luke 14, John 6, John 15, and whether discipleship is a second tier of Christian life.
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Episode 36 • January 11, 2025 • 10 min read (Romans 16:1–7) Who was Junia in the Bible, and was she really an apostle? Romans 16:7 and early Christian evidence point to a woman among the apostles.
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Episode 35 • January 5, 2025 • 11 min read What is an apostle in the Bible? Paul’s calling shows apostles were sent by Christ, not appointed by men, and helps answer whether apostles exist today.
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Episode 34 • January 1, 2025 • 8 min read Traditions of men can feel biblical simply because they are familiar. Compare inherited church traditions with Scripture and the first-century church.
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Episode 33 • December 23, 2024 • 8 min read The letters of Paul were written to teach, persuade, and build up real churches. See what their style and setting reveal about truth and participation.
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Episode 032 Date 11-24-24 Is the Law written on our hearts? The Trap of Religion and the Solution of Grace I have heard it said that what keeps people from reading their bibles and what keeps people from taking interest in the Lord is their sin. I think…
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Episode 031 Date 11-16-24 You will know them by their Fruit (2) The Crossroads Analogy You are walking down the road one day and approach an intersection where you must go left or right. Your destination can only be found on one of these paths, but you are…
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Episode 030 Date 11-08-24 You will know them by their Fruit (1) Introduction: The Spiritual Planting Our scriptures talk a lot about fruit bearing. Have you ever questioned what fruit you are bearing as a Christian? Have you even questioned the fruit others are bearing? If we look…
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Episode 029 Date 10-05-24 The Spirit and the flesh I would imagine that most of us have heard plenty of ghost stories in our lifetimes and seen plenty of media on the television about paranormal activities. I am not going to be talking about ghosts today, but rather…
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Episode 028 Date 09-22-24 Getting Closer to God The Marriage Analogy: Connection and Distraction My wife Melissa and I have always been busy people. After we met and shared lengthy discussions together, we didn’t waste any time getting married. In the beginning, we spent as much time together…
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Episode 027 Date 09-14-24 Bring Fellowship to your Christian Gathering As we wake up to grace, our minds become renewed, it becomes easier and more natural to put our focus on the Lord in all situations. This Christ based focus that begins to occur when we receive the…
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Episode 026 Date 09-08-24 Cast Your Anxiety on Christ A Portrait of Resilience When I think of the most resilient and determined people that I know, my Father in law immediately comes to mind. This man and his wife have persevered through some serious hardship and he will…
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Episode 025 Date 08-30-24 End Times are here again?! Introduction: The Daylight Savings Analogy It was Sunday morning, my wife and I were routinely preparing ourselves to go to our local church and hear that weeks message. We headed out of the house and talked along the way…
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Episode 024 Date 08-27-24 Sleepwalking Through Christian Life A Personal Analogy: The Football Dream When I was young, I loved to play sports. I was very active and full of energy. One day I convinced my Dad to throw the football around with me. I wanted to start…
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Episode 023 Date 08-17-24 Let go of Christian Legalism The Water Skiing Analogy: Learning the Hard Way When I was a young child, my parents took me out with them on a friends boat so I could experience water skiing. The first thing you have to do when…
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Episode 022 Date 08-10-24 Complete in Christ (self effort not included) The Parable of the Smudged Glasses Several years ago now, my wife Melissa and I needed to find a new dentist. We found an option nearby so we went in to have a cleaning done. When I…
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Episode 021 Date 07-16-24 Alive in Christ but Dead on our Feet? The Reality of the Resurrection in Humanity We all know that Christ Jesus died for our sins; We all know that Christ rose from the grave to defeat death; We now imagine him being in the…
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Episode 20 • July 11, 2024 • 11 min read Your identity in Christ is more than a position. In Christ you are a new creation, reconciled to God, and learning to live from His finished work.
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Episode 19 • June 16, 2024 • 7 min read (Hebrews 12:4–11) God chastises those He loves? Hebrews 12 points to loving discipline and endurance in persecution, not renewed condemnation for forgiven sin.
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Episode 18 • June 12, 2024 • 12 min read What is biblical discipline? See how Scripture distinguishes Christian correction, consequences, and growth from punishment and condemnation.
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Episode 17 • May 27, 2024 • 13 min read Does God punish Christians for sin? This study distinguishes God’s punishment from discipline, consequences, and the believer’s settled standing in Christ.
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Episode 016 Date 05-17-24 Eternal Torture is not found in Scripture - Part 2 Today we are going to continue our discussion on hell and eternal punishment. Eternal Torture is not found in Scripture- Part 2. Addressing Luke 16 If we are going to talk about Hell and…
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Episode 015 Date 05-10-24 Eternal Torture is not found in Scripture- Part 1 Welcome to the waking up to grace podcast! Today we are going to explore the concept of hell and eternal punishment. Eternal Torture is not found in Scripture- Part 1. Historical Context: The Destruction of…
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Episode 014 Date 05-04-24 James: The Gospel Before the Cross Introduction: The Timing of the Letter Today we will be continuing our study on the letter of James. James: The Gospel before the Cross. In our last study we talked about the three James’ that may have written…
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Episode 013 Date 04-28-24 Faith Without Works is Dead: An Introduction to James Today’s episode is going to be about the letter of James. Faith Without Works is Dead: An Introduction to James. When you think of the letter of James, what stands out to you? Are there…
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Episode 012 Date 03-24-24 1 John Chapter 5: Discussion Whether you are waking up under the grace God has given you, waking up to the understanding of God’s amazing grace, or just curious what this is all about. Your are welcome here at Waking up to Grace! Introduction…
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Episode 011 Date 03-16-24 1 John Chapter 4: Discussion Introduction and Purpose Today we are going into Chapter 4 of Johns first Epistle. 1 John Chapter 4. Our purpose is to help you understand scripture, and understand context. We want you to be confident that you can pick…
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Episode 010 Date 03-09-24 1 John Chapter 3: Discussion Introduction 1 John Chapter 3. Melissa and I have been looking forward to this all week. I hope you guys get as much out of this as we did. It is so refreshing to be able to learn from…
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Episode 009 Date 03-02-24 1 John Chapter 2: Discussion Review of Chapter 1 and Context In summary of what we learned from chapter one of John’s first epistle, also known as 1 John in our bibles, the author was proclaiming eternal life to his readers. He proclaimed this…
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Episode 008 Date 02-25-24 1 John Chapter 1: Discussion Introduction to the Study Lenny: 0:18Welcome, everyone. Today we are beginning a study on the first epistle of John, John's first epistle, also known as First John, in our Bibles. We chose this because we realize that there's a…
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Episode 7 • February 18, 2024 • 9 min read (1 John 1:9) Do Christians have to keep asking God for forgiveness? Read 1 John 1:9 in context and rest in Christ's completed forgiveness of sins.
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Episode 6 • December 17, 2023 • 13 min read (Romans 9–11) What did Paul mean when he said “all Israel will be saved”? Romans 9–11 reveals the remnant, true Israel, and why God’s promise never failed.
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Episode 5 • July 10, 2023 • 9 min read What is spiritual baptism? Follow faith, Acts 2, Acts 10-11, Acts 22, and Mark 16 to see why saving baptism is the work of God by His Spirit.
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Episode 4 • July 9, 2023 • 10 min read Is baptism necessary for salvation? This study compares water baptism with Spirit baptism and explains why the water itself does not save us.
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Episode 3 • April 28, 2023 • 7 min read (1 John 1:1–10) What happens to unconfessed sin? Read 1 John 1:9 in context and see why confession, forgiveness, and fellowship are not a revolving cleansing cycle.
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Episode 2 • April 23, 2023 • 9 min read (Hebrews 9:11–17) What is the New Covenant in the Bible? Hebrews shows when it began, why the cross is the dividing line, and what that means for life under grace.
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