The Braveheart Podcast

In this podcast, Peter finishes his series on ABIDING by diving into 1 John 4. We love because he first loved us. Walking in love is the key to abiding in Christ. Send us a textSupport the show

In this podcast Peter dives into John 6 and explores what it really means to abide in Him. What did Jesus mean when he said that the bread that he would give for the life of the world would be his flesh? How do we practically receive this meal? The quality of our spiritual life hinges on our ability to receive this meal.Send us a textSupport the show

In this podcast, Peter talks about one five-letter word that determines the quality of our Christian life. ABIDE. From knowing the truth, experiencing freedom, bearing fruit, and being confident at the Lord's return, Peter shows us that abiding is more than just a fancy spiritual word.Send us a textSupport the show

Peter sits down with Mr. Sanate himself, Alzavian Jones to speak about sin. What is sin? How do we identify it? How can we overcome it and live a life of righteousness, peace, and joy? Send us a textSupport the show

Braveheart Ministries is witnessing an ordinary move of God begin to take place. In this podcast, Peter sits down with his friends from Cincinnati, Ohio to discuss what God has done over the last year. Through humility, simple obedience and the power of the gospel, God is moving through ordinary people in an extraordinary way. For more information visit www.braveheartministries.orgSend us a textSupport the show

"Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread." --Luke 24:35Peter sits down with his good friend Chris Klimis to discuss a "new sound" through which Jesus is being revealed to the Church. On the road to Emmaus two disciples were walking with Jesus and yet they didn't know it. It was only until Jesus broke the bread that he was revealed to them. The sound of the breaking of bread represents the intimacy of the new covenant...with God and one another. Send us a textSupport the show

Joy is underrated. Most of us think that joy is sort of like the cherry on top of a decadent ice cream sundae that we could do without if needed. It is treated as a luxury instead of a necessity. And the result of this lack of value that we place on joy is many of us living in depression and apathy. Depression is running rampant. Joyless Christianity is not Christianity. Christianity without joy becomes some vacant moral code of excellence that people must strive to achieve in order to receive some token of God's love and blessing. It is anathema to the gospel. It is contrary to life in the New Covenant. But for many, it has become normal. Marching through life with no smile. No warmth of affection or care for fellow man. This doesn't have to be the case. So if we are not experiencing this joy, what is the problem? Who or what is stealing our joy? If those things should be producing joy in our lives, and they are not, what's wrong? Something must be taking our attention away from all of this glory! What is that something...? I believe that "something" is what the Scriptures call a "sin conscience". A conscience that is defiled by sin is a conscience that is more aware of its own weakness, sin and failure than it is the cleansing power of the blood of Jesus. Our consciousness of God and his abiding presence is directly affected by the cleanness of our conscience. Our conscience is not the Holy Spirit, but I do believe our conscience can perceive the Holy Spirit. And the quickest way to deaden our senses to God's spirit and his presence is to allow our conscience to be dominated by an awareness of sin. This awareness of sin is not the same as an acknowledgement and confession of sins. Hebrews 10:1-4"For since the law has but a shadow of the good things to come instead of the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered each year, make perfect those who draw near. Otherwise, would they not have ceased to be offered, since the worshipers, having once been cleansed, would no longer have any consciousness of sins? But in these sacrifices there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins."Send us a textSupport the show

How did God in the flesh, Jesus Christ, walk the earth for so many years but was not recognized by most? What is it about God that he can hide in plain sight? He came to his own, but his own did not recognize him. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. (John 1:9-10)It was people's perceptions about how the Messiah would come that blinded them to his manifest presence. Can you imagine, prior to Jesus' ministry, how many ordinary and mundane interactions Jesus must have had with people? How many times did people dismiss him, ignore him, insult him or even joke with him. The breath they used to speak to him was given by him and they knew it not! Jesus' ways are so contrary to our ways. His humility offends us at best and keeps us blind to his nearness at worst. What if Jesus was hiding in plain sight? What if he was not far from you? What if you could discern his presence even now? If you do not now see, experience and enjoy Jesus...then you should look differently! It can be hard to find Jesus in all the cultural hiding places. In the foggy mirrors of politics, religion and pain. But the good news is that Christ has been revealed to us. And in this revealing of Christ, we are forced to think differently about God. We are forced to open our minds and expand our hearts to believe that there is a good God who is for us and not against us. That there is a kind and loving Father that longs for us his children to know him intimately.Send us a textSupport the show

2020. If we tried to sum up this year with a single word, TRIAL seems most fitting.  From a global pandemic and subsequent economic challenges to the loss of loved ones, riots, racial tensions boiling over and an election year marked by unprecedented vitriol and uncertainty, we have been bombarded with ample opportunities for discouragement. But as sure as these trials have come, we have this precious light, God’s word that has and will always illuminate our path. Read this exhortation in the first chapter of James:“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” (James 1:2-4)I keep hearing this phrase rattle around in my spirit. “DON’T WASTE A GOOD TRIAL.”The year of 2020 has tried us. It has tried our nation. It has tried the church. It has tried our families and our businesses. It has tried our own hearts and resolve to keep the faith. And yet, in spite of what we may see or feel about 2020, I believe with conviction  that within this trial is an invitation to do some heavenly mathematics! “COUNT it all joy…”LOOKING FORWARDAs I look to 2021, my heart is filled with expectancy and excitement for all that God is going to do. We received more testimonies this year from our simple resources of people getting unstuck in their relationship with God and starting to enjoy the freedom and power of the New Covenant. But I believe the best is yet to come! In 2019 God gave us a vision of planting Braveheart groups all over the world to see the fruit of this gospel multiplied in the hearts of his people. To train and equip ordinary people to be loved by an extraordinary God. And the result? Burning hearts that live to see others experience the same joy and freedom that they have found in Christ. What has started as a vision, has become a reality. In November of this year we held our first ever Cultivate Training. Around 100 people came together from around the nation to be equipped to cultivate the faith of the gospel where they live. From pastors, mothers and fathers, businessmen, teachers and everyone in between, we gathered to encounter Jesus and to receive his love for his people. We now have more than 30 active Braveheart Cultivate groups (some of these groups are local churches where pastors have adopted our simple resources!) across the country and in a few other nations. Our heart is to continue to pour into these Cultivate Leaders, empowering them to raise up even more leaders! As you look forward to 2021 with us, imagine the impact these groups will have on the Church as this humble, grassroots discipleship movement continues to grow. Imagine believers coming alive to God, falling in love with Jesus and being empowered to make his Name known. This is the cry of my heart. To wake the sleeping giant that is the Church and to see her take her rightful place in the world as a beacon of hope, a messenger of reconciliation and an expression of unconditional love to a dying world. Send us a textSupport the show

A friend of mine recently sent me an article by John Piper called, “Did Jesus say we are gods?” that I found interesting. Though I honor John Piper and his amazing teaching and pastoral ministry, I wrestled with the conclusion he makes in the article from the Scripture in John 10 that is being referenced. This podcast is not a rebuttal, it is merely another perspective from the same text. As with any topic that can be debated, I try to approach it with humility, knowing that we all see in part. My desire (as I know is the case with Piper and other Bible teachers) is that people come to know God intimately through his Word and by His Spirit and that that knowledge of God converts into a life of holiness and fruitful kingdom work. The problem I have seen with accepting dual nature teaching (we are simultaneously both sinners and saints) is that it creates double-mindedness within the believer. When we are feeling sinful thoughts or desires we just assume it is because our sinful nature is at work. When we have a moment of inspiration and see some fruit of the spirit in our lives we assume that God was able to break through. So for many believers we have become comfortable identifying with the first Adam, but uncomfortable identifying with the last Adam. And why does Jesus pray that we are included in this divine union? So that the world may BELIEVE! Our union with God is necessary in order for the world to know and to believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that his work of reconciling humanity back to the Father is more than just belonging to some religious organization. Becoming a disciple of Jesus Christ is to become a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1), to be born of God (John 1:12-13), to no longer be stuck in sin (1 John 3:9), to be one flesh with Jesus (Ephesians 5:29-32) and to be one spirit with him (1 Corinthians 6:17). It is to possess the righteousness, holiness and beauty of his character. And should we take this precious union with Jesus Christ and use it for our own gain? Should we use our freedom as a cover up for evil? Should we serve our carnal nature with this gift of God?! NEVER!On the contrary, as Paul says in Philippians 2, we should have this mind in ourselves, which belongs to us in Christ. Can you see it? God has given us the RIGHT to become children of God (John 1:12-13). He has given us permission to no longer identify with our fallen nature but to identify with our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. To become little gods, little image bearers of the One true God of all the earth. And in doing so, we would follow in his steps by not thinking that this divine nature means that we are equal with God...NO! We are to follow Jesus by taking on the form of servants, by humbling ourselves in love and using this surpassing power entrusted to us in jars of clay to serve and bless a dying world. Send us a textSupport the show