The Living Waters Podcast

In today's episode, the guys discuss the story of Lazarus, the man Jesus raised from the dead. We read in John 11:1-3, “Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair. So the sisters sent word to Jesus, ‘Lord, the one you love is sick.’” This last verse shows that the relationship Jesus had with His friends and disciples made them feel loved and valuable. This also tells us something about our affection toward other people. Our heart and disposition towards others should be like Jesus, and we too are the ones Jesus loves. Mark also points out the words found in John 17:23, “Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me,” which show that God loves us just as much as He loves His son, Jesus.  The story of Lazarus continues in John 11:5-6, “So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, he stayed where he was for the next two days.” The sisters thought Jesus would come immediately and without hesitation once He heard that Lazarus was sick. However, Jesus waited two days before He even came to see Lazarus. His intentional delay to stay where He was is an act of love. In this time in history, they usually waited until day three or four until they declared someone to be dead. If Jesus had shown up after only one or two days, then everyone would have simply said Lazarus wasn’t really dead. Jesus wanted to make sure there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that Lazarus was as dead as he could be. To Mary and Martha, those two days of waiting seemed like Jesus didn’t care or wasn’t coming, but He knew better. God works in mysterious ways that don’t necessarily line up with our timing or often don’t make sense. However, God is sovereign and is working all things together for our good and His glory, even when we don’t understand.  This story of Lazarus shows the importance of His timing and that we need to trust the Lord in every circumstance. Nothing allows us to touch people more than being at peace. We are least effective when we are stressed or fretting, so the best way we can freely love each other is to trust our Father. He is weaving a beautiful tapestry over each of our lives, even though we can’t see all the pieces yet. The resurrection of Lazarus is a sign of the future resurrection when all things will be made right, all death will be reversed, and all tears will be wiped away. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss what happened on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:13-25, where two men are walking. Jesus had died and risen again, and He started walking with these two men who told him the story of all that had happened in since the Crucifixion. However, they didn’t know Jesus was resurrected or recognize Him as the Messiah. Jesus took the time to interact with them and touched on their humanity by asking them why they were sad. Jesus had just defeated and put to shame all of the schemes of the enemy, and He chooses to encourage and talk with these men. This is a statement of Jesus’ love for His people in that the Creator of the universe cares for each one of us.  Even though they were followers of Jesus, these men did not recognize Him while they spoke together. Luke 24:16 tells us that God used His divine power to prevent them from recognizing the Messiah, and only opened their eyes much later. Jesus was teaching through the Old Testament, taking them through the law and the prophets. He took the time to open them up to Scripture and show them God’s love. Jesus wanted their faith in Him to rest on the testimony of the Scriptures, not on their own personal experiences or emotions. It wasn’t until after Jesus reveals Himself through the Old Testament that their eyes are opened. Oscar points out how Luke tells this story through a chiastic structure, where the main point is centralized and framed symmetrically by the narrative.  Jesus is known for asking questions and answering questions with a question. His way of questioning invokes critical thinking which makes a person consider what they believe and why they’re saying what they’re saying. All the Old Testament points back to what is true. The Scriptures create a heart that burns within you and the truth will set you free. These disciples were doing a Bible study, talking to Jesus about the Messiah, and they didn't even know they were talking to the Messiah Himself!  Walking to Emmaus, these disciples had just heard the news that Jesus was crucified, and perhaps even watched it happen. They’re discombobulated, walking home thinking that it was over, believing that God hadn’t followed through on His promises. They expected that Christ would overcome Rome and put them back in economic prosperity–they were not expecting a spiritual renewal. The King had to die so the rest of us could live. Their understanding of what God was doing was misaligned. They missed it, so it begs the question: how often do we miss it? Our own human biases cause us to stray, and we then begin to question God. We must be careful, stay in the Word and allow the Scripture to beSend us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the fragility of life and how this should influence the way we live. When we go through pain or health issues, it makes us think about how quickly life can go. The guys start by sharing recent experiences in their own lives: Mark thought he’d had a heart attack that was heart problems instead; Oscar tells a story of when he’d gone to the emergency room and ended up blacking out from not eating for 8 hours while waiting; Ray had kidney stones; and two of Living Waters board members had passed away very unexpectedly. We will all experience pain and tragedy, so how does this inform the way we live as Christians? Psalm 23 states, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.” Everyone thinks Psalm 23 is speaking of death, but it’s actually speaking about life here and now. When you are in the shadow of something, it means you’re in close proximity to it. The light dissipates the darkness just like life does to death. We are walking through the valley of the shadow of death right now, but the Lord is with us. They also talk about how so often those who have every reason to complain from a human perspective don’t complain and instead focus on the frailty of life and eternity.  Our modern culture likes to keep death at a distance. We don’t talk about death, we prolong it and we like to dress it up. Throughout history, when a person died, the family would embalm the body, dig the grave, and mourn. Now, the family members don’t clean the body or embalm it; other people do. We don’t deal with death physically, but faith helps us to deal with death spiritually. The more faith we have in Jesus, the less fear we will have in the face of death. We will be in eternity with our Father in Heaven and God will reconstruct the world back to the way it was meant to be.  As Christians, we don’t have to fear death, but there is futility of life for those who don’t know Christ. Solomon searched high and low to find anything to fulfill his soul, but he declared that all is vanity. But in the light of the fragility of life, believers can glorify God in two ways: by living out a righteous life and proclaiming the gospel to the lost. We need to tell everyone about Jesus and His love for all of us. From Scripture we know that death and sin go hand-in-hand. If we can’t hate sin for what it is, we must hate sin for what it does.  Psalm 39:4-5 states, “Show me, Lord, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting my life is. You have made my days a mere handbreadth; the span of my yeaSend us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the story of Jesus wielding a whip and topping over tables at the temple in Jerusalem. This account showcases the reality of who Christ was, in contrast to who He has been shaped to be in this modern age. Today, Jesus is widely regarded as timid, weak-kneed, and a nearly feminine figure. This story, however, shows the strong man He truly was. It’s also worth noting that Jesus speaks harsh words several times in the New Testament, but they are most often towards religious leaders. Only a handful of times did He speak those words to people outside of the church.  After reading the account of the story in John 2:13-16, the guys discuss whether this occurrence sealed His fate, since He called God’s temple His Father’s house. The story that precedes this is the cursing of the fig tree, which tends to come off as totally confusing for a first-time reader of the Bible. However, it is significant because God often referred to His own people as fig trees. Many scholars believe that Jesus’ first action as king is to pass judgment on the religious leaders. We can see a parallel between the incident Jesus was dealing with at the time and what we see happening today with the taking over of what was meant to holy and using it for wicked, greedy means.  In this story, the same Voice which called the world into existence is bringing judgment in order to cleanse the temple. After the joyful Passover had taken place, Jesus entered the temple and saw the craziness of His father’s house. He immediately grew angry with righteous indignation and began to turn over tables in the courtyard. We see this very same thing today in our own churches. While we likely won’t set up tables to exchange currency or tote a cage of high-priced pigeons, our churches do have elaborate decorations, elegant attire and world-class music which take away from God’s message. If Jesus were to step into our churches this Sunday, He would be looking for the misfits, marginalized, and outcasts. We would dare to say that Jesus would “overturn the tables” there, too. Every single person alive today needs a clearing of their own temple, to allow the Holy Spirit to enter our lives, turn over our tables, and thoroughly cleanse us. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the stoning of Stephen, the first recorded martyr of the church. When we look at faith preachers of today, figures like Stephen and Job are not their favorite to talk about, but the experiences of those two men reflect the promises of the Scripture which tell us that we will experience trials and tribulations throughout our lives before entering the Kingdom. We should all look at Stephen and ask God to help us have a heart like his should we find ourselves in circumstances like he experienced.  What makes Stephen’s story so powerful isn’t that he dies, but how he died. While he was being stoned, he cried out to Jesus to receive his spirit and not to hold this sin against his killers. In this, he echoed the words of his Savior on the cross. We are reminded that Jesus died for our sins so that we may follow His example. We all should want to live and die like Stephen, full of faith, trust in God, and the love of God. He even went out preaching in the open air. Christians sharing the message of God should be bold, courageous, and able to share despite persecution. The essence of the Christian law is to always keep our eyes on Jesus, which is precisely what Stephen did. We are reminded that our lives are not our own. We have been bought for a price and eternity is coming, and Christians should move through the world with the mindset that all will be well. We should never stop sharing the gospel with others to let them know that the war against sin and death has been won. This is a message worth running for and worth dying for. There will come a day that we will be ushered into the Kingdom of Heaven, and on that day everything will make sense. Until then, however, things are bleak and dark. We must think back on those who gave their lives so that the truth of the gospel could be preserved and learn from their example. Stephen was not bitter at his death because he understood the reality of eternity. In closing, we are encouraged to be doers of the Word. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In this episode, the guys discuss the Sermon on the Mount, which is the greatest sermon ever preached by Jesus. When studying this sermon, it’s important to understand who Jesus is preaching to and why. Jesus is preaching on a mountain in Israel that overlooks the sea of Galilee outside of the city. Matthew 5:1 states, “Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain, and when He sat down, His disciples came to Him.” This first shows us that Jesus was preaching to the disciples; He was not intending to teach to a big crowd, but was teaching His friends.  In biblical times, revolutions would often be started by someone preaching outside of the city and here we see Jesus starting a spiritual one. Jesus was ushering in a new covenant for His Kingdom and this sermon completely changed the ethical values of the entire world. In this sermon, we see intentional parallels between Jesus and Moses. Both of them went up a mountain and Moses brought down the Ten Commandments, while Jesus brought down the Law to our hearts. Jeremiah 31: 33 states, “‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will they teach their neighbor, or say to one another, “Know the LORD,” because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the LORD.” In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about the beatitudes, which are defined as a state of great joy, blessedness, or extraordinary happiness. There are eight beatitudes that Jesus proclaims and these laws point us to Jesus, bring hope, and speak to our hearts inwardly.  Next, the guys talk about how the beatitudes are a way of salvation before God and revealed Jesus’ authority. Jesus spoke with authority because all authority has been given to Him. His preaching and the light of the law shows us that we’re poor in spirit. When we realize that, it gives us a mournful heart and a deeper thirst for righteousness. The more we’ve been forgiven, the more we will be gracious to those around us. There are five different perspectives on the beatitudes including: Catholic, Lutheran, Calvinist, liberal, and dispensational views. The one thing in common across these views is that all the scholars and theologians in these fields recognize the “already, but not yet” status of the beatitudes. These beatitudes make everyone equal in this new inverted Kingdom.  As Christians we will be persecuted, but God will reward us for following His word. This is why you can leap for joy the next time someone is persecuting you! Leaping for joy is also a way of having an eternal mindset that someday we will all be together in heavenSend us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the lessons to be learned from the life of Job. The book of Job stands out in many unique ways: it is likely the oldest book in the Bible, about a non-Jewish person, is set in a place far away from Israel, and is written in a way that should be acted out as a play. Job was a man of devotion who cared deeply about his children’s souls and spiritual state. As parents, we need to be students of our children, studying them regularly and treating them as individuals created by God. We should be gentle and respond to their failures in the way that God would. Job feared God and shunned evil. Nowadays, we tend to think about the battle between good and evil as a wrestling match between God and the devil in which only one side will prevail. However, in the Scriptures, we get the sense instead that Satan merely embodies evil as a dog on a leash who God gives permission to do things within set parameters.  Then, the guys discuss the need for creating space for lamenting, which we see in Job, the Psalms, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes and more. Lamentation can be a worshipful way of crying out to God and asking where he is and why hardship is happening. This draws you nearer to your Savior, even when your questions are unanswered. It is important to remember, however, that there is some lamenting which is dishonoring to God’s glory and magnitude, and we must humbly remember that God is sovereign. There is nothing wrong with being open and raw towards God so long as we remember that He is on His throne and all things are working for His good.  We should be slow to speak and quick to receive all that he has to offer us.  God tests Job by taking away all that he holds dear, from his children to his physical health. But all the while, Job never curses God for his miseries. His illness became so intense that his friends no longer recognized him, and they even began to speculate what sins Job had committed in his life to deserve the anguish he was experiencing. If we are not careful, we may also find ourselves also trying to rationalize the negative aspects of our lives in this way. God knew all along how much suffering Job could bear and did not allow Satan to cross that limit. When he reached that limit, God stopped him and his attacks on Job ended, the sign that God is always in control. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys carry on their character studies by discussing the life of King David. David is a true enigma in terms of how he rose to prominence, reacted in different situations, and how even after his sin God still called him a man after His own heart. This goes to show that there are genuinely godly men who fall to temptation, just like David did. David was a warrior, king, and poet. He was a man who stood up for what was right and who was unafraid of doing God’s will. Additionally, he was a writer of poems and songs which were born from the overflow of love in his heart. God prepared David for what he was to do in the world by making him a shepherd in his youth. When we focus on the joy of our salvation the way David did, our lives should naturally progress to the next step of proclaiming and sharing that joy with others. Cowardice, the guys explain, is indicative of looking too closely at ourselves and taking our eyes off God. We see David’s heart of integrity and trust in the Lord while Saul was out to kill him at every turn. Then, after Saul was killed by someone else, David called for a national mourning for him. We see a demonstration of his loyalty in the covenant made with Jonathan, and his fulfillment of it. We are reminded that above all, Christians should not just have integrity and follow through with their promises, but should strive to go above and beyond them.  We also know of David’s sins of committing adultery, blaspheming the name of God, lying, and committing murder. When we share the gospel with others, we, like the prophet Nathan, should compel people to own their sins. In a world that finds virtue in vices, it is more important than ever to put a name to sins. It is possible for someone who sins “big time” to still be saved. God has chosen to use sanctification throughout our lives to conform us to the image of Christ, and in the midst of that we can still fail and sin. But God has provided a principle to deal with that failure: genuine repentance. Failure is only failure when we stay down. If we learn our lesson from it, we may get up and move on. By virtue of the fact that we are still alive, we know that God is not finished with us yet. For anyone listening who may have committed radical sin, you are reminded that you are not an outcast to God. The Lord wants you to come back to His arms and allow Him to restore and rejoice over your repentance. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In this episode, the guys discuss Moses and his story. Moses is known as a pillar of faith. He was born in a time when Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, was out to destroy the children of Israel, so Moses’ mother hid him for 3 months. They placed him in a basket in a river where Pharaoh's daughter found him and brought him up as her own. Moses grew up with the Egyptians as the son of Pharaoh. When he later finds himself in Midian after killing a man, Moses helps some girls being harassed by shepherds, and then eventually marries one of the women.  Next, they discuss the burning bush and how Moses took his shoes off because he was on holy ground. The flames did not consume the bush. Likewise, Moses was able to stand in the presence of the God who is a consuming fire but doesn’t get consumed himself. This moment is the turning point for an incredible change in Moses. We see Moses transform from a prideful, arrogant man who tries to take control and power in Egypt, to a humble man who knows he has no power without God. However, Moses pushed back with God by giving excuses for why he could not save his people. Exodus 4:10-13 states, “Moses said to the Lord, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.’ The Lord said to him, ‘Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say.’ But Moses said, ‘Pardon your servant, Lord. Please send someone else.’” God’s angered burned toward Moses because of his response, and He could’ve evaporated Moses but chose not to. The challenges and doubts that Moses faced in life are an example for us. Every trial we face pushes us to the cross and causes us to remember that it’s not about us, but about God. Witnesses also don’t need to be eloquent; we just need to repeat what we’ve seen and heard.  The plagues start in Egypt when Pharaoh does not let his people go. These plagues include water changing to blood, frogs, flies, hail, and then finally, the killing of every first-born son. Usually, it takes the removal of our most prized possession to bring us to our knees. Pharaoh also could’ve killed Moses, but this shows God’s hand of protection over Moses. It’s a beautiful reminder that when God’s hand is upon you, you don’t need to fear. He will do what He needs to do to use you for His glory. They also talk about how the plagues are the Egyptians’ ramification of idolatry.  Once Pharaoh finally lets the people go, he changes his mind and chases after them. TheSend us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the lessons to be learned from the life of Joseph, one of the most influential characters of the Old Testament. We are reminded that God intended for us to learn lessons from these stories and give us hope through His Word. In Genesis 37:3, we are told that Jacob loved Joseph more than any of his other sons because he had been born to him in his old age. This offended Joseph’s brothers and the rainbow tunic Jacob made for him only made his brothers resent him even more. The guys discuss the role of favoritism in families and the many responsibilities and expectations which tend to fall on the sons. The hatred of Joseph’s brothers took them so far as throwing him in a pit and nearly killing him for revenge. Jealousy of man, they reveal, is complete insanity. It is important to distinguish the jealousy of man vs. the jealousy of God. When God is jealous on our behalf, it is for our good and protection. The root of man’s jealousy is selfishness and the inability to rejoice for others. This is often birthed out of being discontented in who God has made us and what He has allotted for our lives.  Joseph’s story is not dissimilar to the story of Adam in the garden. As Adam was given stewardship over the garden and everything in it but one tree, Joseph was given stewardship over the entirety of Potter's property except for his wife. Though Adam was tempted and fell, Joseph resisted the temptation. Through Joseph’s faithfulness, God provided a way of saving the land from famine. The story of the Bible is not a collection of individual stories, but rather one sovereign story of God sovereignly saving a people for His glory. Genesis 50:20-21 and Genesis 45:5 are the two verses which help us fully understand the story of Joseph. These verses show Joseph’s belief that God was intimately involved in everything that happened to him. He understood that he had no right to vengeance because he was not God. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro