Mission Focused Men for Christ

Episode Summary: The great theologian Augustine prayed famously, “You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless until they rest in You.” King David would have been the first to affirm Augustine’s observation about human nature in general and his own longings. He begins Psalm 63 with the words. You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you. David knew that he was created to enjoy a love relationship with God. But the event from David’s life that we study in this episode reveals David learning an important lesson about God’s presence: You can’t enjoy that presence if you ignore the holiness of God.  For Further Prayerful Thought:What does God’s presence in your life mean to you?How would you summarize the lesson David learned when Uzzah was struck dead as they moved the Ark to Jerusalem.What are your thoughts about remembering the holiness of God in our everyday lives. Why might that be important?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary: YESTERDAY’S spiritual passion doesn’t supply TODAY’S spiritual energy. Fired up hearts through Scripture inspiring us or by seeing God’s hand answering our prayers ignite our passion for the moment or day. But all too quickly that passion cools, as the rain from a new day’s storms hits—circumstances that go all wrong, obstacles that make simple tasks harder than they should be, our own disappointing failures. Spiritual passion seems to dissipate quickly, and before we know it, we are discouraged, disheartened, and unmotivated. This episode looks at one of the lowest points in David’s life, how he recovered his spiritual passion, and the lessons we can learn from him.For Further Prayerful Thought: What aspects of David’s depleted condition in 1 Samuel 30:1-6 stand out to you? With which of them do you most identify?What stood out most to you about the four ways that David strengthened himself in the LORD his God?Why might it bring encouragement to those facing trials to realize that nearly every worthwhile endeavor has three stagesFor the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary: In the beatitudes, Jesus paints a portrait of spiritual vitality and health into which Christ’s kingdom members are being transformed. But at the root of that transformation process is cutting out the cancer of sin. Such excision of sin requires both confessing it, the first beatitude, and grieving over it, the second beatitude. The combination of these two attitudes is called repentance. The problem is that Christians can be lured into a kind of shallow, incomplete repentance that is destructive. It might be compared to surgery to remove the cancerous tumor that misses part of the tumor. Paul calls it “worldly sorrow that leads to death.” In contrast, says Paul, is “godly sorrow leading to repentance.” This godly sorrow corresponds to getting all the tumor and then using chemotherapy to destroy what is microscopic and missed. This kind of sorrow is the heart attitude Jesus refers to in the second beatitude. “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” It is an attitude that is exhibited by David. It is described in unmistakable detail in Psalm 51, which he wrote after being confronted with his sin of adultery with Bathsheba and murder of her husband, Uriah. It is chemotherapy for sin.For Further Prayerful Thought: How would you defend the argument that confessing our sins is not enough; we need to grieve over them.What most stood out to you about David’s confession of his sin in Psalm 51?How does Jesus’ claim to be the messianic suffering servant whose ministry is described in Isaiah 61 show that his mission goes beyond going to the cross so we could be forgiven for our sins? What clues in Isaiah 61 and the second beatitude point to Jesus’ current work of restoration—fixing whatever was broken by sin?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: Early in Jesus’ ministry, on a small mountainside outside of Capernaum, Jesus picked up his verbal pen and painted a portrait of human life when it is restored to the way it is intended to be, by his power to overthrow sin. This portrait of kingdom life begins with eight heart attitudes that comprise righteousness. Today we examine the second of these beatitudes, not only because it is so fundamental to spiritual flourishing, but because it was clearly portrayed in King David’s heart after he was confronted with his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah by the prophet Nathan. This priceless attitude is a broken and contrite heart. Jesus said, Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted (Mt 5:4). For Further Prayerful Thought: How would you summarize the meaning of the second beatitude, Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted?Jesus called us to grieve over our own sin and the destruction sin brings into others’ lives before he presses on to the call to spread the kingdom of righteousness over the earth. Why might this order be important?As we looked at five perspective adjustments that we might have to make about the awfulness of our sin, which are expressed by David in Psalm 51 which ones stood out to you most. For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Summary: This episode continues our series on the life of David by examining his battle to fight the temptation that survey’s reveal is at the top of men’s temptations—overcoming lust and, if married, directing their sexual desires totally towards the wife of their youth. We study David’s fall and the lessons we can take away from this biblical example.For Further Prayerful Thought: How is the story of the weasel taking down the eagle similar to lust’s takedown of David?What are the outer conditions and inner conditions when sinful sexual lust is most appealing to you?How would you summarize the price tag of David’s sexual sin?How is David an example of letting his failure drive him TO God and not AWAY from God. (You might want to look at Psalm 51—written after David was confronted by Nathan.)For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

The discussion dives into the misconception that the gospel is purely personal, arguing for a broader narrative that includes creation and restoration. It highlights the importance of Christians engaging actively with the world, rather than separating from it. The podcast contrasts a simplified gospel with a richer four-chapter story, emphasizing our mission to restore God's creation. The hosts reflect on historical decisions, like those from the Council of Nicaea, connecting faith to social contributions such as healthcare. Ultimately, it's a call to embrace our role in God's transformative mission.

Episode Summary: Though we associate Jesus’ arrival on a donkey with children and palm branches, those actually with Jesus who shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” saw his arrival as the coming of the promised Messianic King who would fully and finally overthrow their enemies. This episode is devoted to better understanding the nature of Christ’s kingship and kingdom, which was not only misunderstood by the crowd and his disciples but is misunderstood by many Christians today.  For Further Prayerful Thought:What stood out to you from David’s foreshadowing, Ezekiel’s prophecy or Jesus’ triumphal entry that emphasized our calling to fight Satan?What stood out to you from David’s foreshadowing, Ezekiel’s prophecy or Jesus’ triumphal entry that emphasized our calling to battle our sinful nature and strive for godly attitudes?What stood out to you from David’s foreshadowing, Ezekiel’s prophecy or Jesus’ triumphal entry that emphasized our calling to join in Jesus restoration of everything on planet earth broken by sin?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary: Since it is the nature of men to want to win in everything they do, Christian Christ-followers want to win as disciples. Paul defines this success as reaching spiritual maturity, but such a target on the wall can be nebulous. In I Samuel 24, however, David displays three striking marks of spiritual maturity that give us a clear example to emulate. This episode explains these three marks of spiritual maturity.For Further Prayerful Thought:How can you better follow David’s example of listening to a biblically trained conscience even in the face of overpowering circumstances and peer pressure?If you think about it, Satan’s revolt and Adam and Eve’s sin were a defiance of God’s authority. How can Christians oppose injustice by those in authority but guard against movements that play upon sinful envy or rebellion against authority?What do David’s words to Saul teach you about how to forgive one who is unjustly harming us?For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary. Many of us haven’t thought much about protecting our families, not just physically but emotionally. Feelings of depression, worry, bitterness, worthlessness, and fear can devastate our loved ones. One of the most eye-opening questions a husband can ask his wife is, “Are their fears that sometimes grip your heart?” This episode is designed to help us know how to cope with our own fears and know how to help our kids and wives deal with theirs. We will sit at the feet of David and see what he learned when terror filled his heart because he was captured and taken to the king of Gath—the ruler of the hometown of Goliath whose head David had cut off.For Further Prayerful Thought:Although the pressure point you have faced may not be fear but another strong emotion, what can you learn from the first Psalm we studied, Psalm 56 about trusting God with the situation, the emotion in order to rest in God?Notice that as David pens Psalm 34, which looks back on the terrifying experience of being captured by the Philistines, he voices intense determination in the very first verse, to bless the Lord at all times. How do you think his experience of being captured and rescued from Achish strengthened this determination?What do you think of the idea that David’s invitation to everyone in Psalm 34, “taste and see that the Lord is good” is an excellent approach to evangelism. How might this idea shape our efforts to share Christ with those around us? For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary. Christians find universal comfort in knowing that the Bible never flatters its heroes but exposes their numerous flaws. Such honesty inspires us with hope because we know that we ourselves are deeply flawed. Such a hero was David who had big successes but even bigger failures. This episode provides encouragement for all of us as we see David succeeding bigtime, failing bigtime, but always getting back up after he falls. For Further Prayerful Thought:How is David typical of most Christian men?Consider the three steps David took in Psalm 59. Why might these steps enable us all to pass the test of our faith when we face impossible situations?David learned some hard lessons through his dishonesty, which cost the lives of the priestly families at Nob. Which of these lessons most stands out to you?Has your sin hurt another so badly that you have trouble believing that Jesus’ blood can really wash it' away. If so, ask Jesus to help you. Remember, every person sitting beside you in church is a murderer because it was our sin that sent Jesus to the cross. For the printed version of this message click here.For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)