The Living Waters Podcast

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys talk about the story of Jonah, one of the stories of the Bible which is most mocked by atheists because it is seen as impossible. However, as Christians we know that with God nothing is impossible. Listeners are reminded that God created heaven and the earth out of nothing, therefore anything is possible. As students of God, we need to allow His Word to say what it says and be what it is. Jonah?s story is presented as history, not fiction. God is a miraculous, extravagant God who holds the whole world in His hands. When we begin to explain God?s Word away to make it more acceptable to the present culture, we are denouncing God?s truth. 

The most fascinating thing about Jonah?s story is just how short the book of Jonah could have been. If he had obeyed God?s order to cry out against the wickedness of the city, he never would have endured the belly of the whale. Jonah?s sin was not disobeying God, but that he was angry with God for loving his own enemies. However, God loves everyone, enemy or not. As Christians, we must also go out to spread God?s Word with love in our hearts for our own enemies. Jonah?s story goes to show how blinding hatred can be that it dims our view of Christs? love and compassion. 

When talking about these figures from the Bible, we should remember that we have something they don?t: the cross, which serves as evidence of God?s love for us. Thus, we should be forgiving of our enemies and love them just as God does. While Jonah spent three days in the belly of a whale, Jesus spent three days in the tomb. It is the very same power of God which caused the whale to spit Jonah out which also resurrected Jesus from the dead. Jonah?s sin was what put him in his predicament, but it was our sin which sent Jesus to the cross. In this way, Jesus is the better Jonah. We should all aim to be men who God may use at all costs. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to leave a legacy by learning to lovingly lead. When leadership is not exerted in the right way or with the right heart, major tragedies can ensue. Today, the church is in big trouble as we live in this ?celebrity Christian pastor? era. Being a pastor, however, means to be a shepherd of a local flock. Preaching to your people alone should be the highest priority. When we act as leaders ourselves or gravitate towards other leaders, we should be looking for Christ-like leadership. The overall disposition of Jesus as a leader was that of a servant. 

A largely deceptive element is not realizing the impact of our leadership we have as friends, acquaintances, and parents. There are definitive things parents often do when raising their children which may create the kind of atmosphere in which bitterness and brokenness grow, and vice versa. Leaving a legacy for your family begins with recognizing the legacy of sin in yourself. Genesis alludes to the idea of generational sin. You do not need to be a perfect parent, but you do need to be a parent who is willing to put sanctification on display for your wife and children. When thinking about leadership and legacy, the most important question we should ask ourselves is where our hearts are. When love is not infused in leadership, authoritarianism results. The love we should have for our spouse will be limited by our understanding of God loving the church as sinful people. 

Finally, hear about the marks which would leave a legacy of love. These include lifting others up, putting your own needs behind the needs of others and abandoning self-defense mode. We should always strive to leave a legacy that will magnify the Lord over ourselves. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the importance of time. To begin, listeners are reminded that time is the most precious resource of all, and wasting time has ramifications. This is why waking up early and being intentional with your time is very important. The New Testament speaks volumes to this idea. The early church has been accused of spending too much time together, as they would gather in the morning and stay together all night long. This is a prime example of not being bound by time. Although punctuality is part of being courtesy, it doesn?t hurt to remove some of the parameters surrounding time in an organized way. 

 We all have a problem with how we organize our time. For example, where young people spend more time sleeping in, older people tend to waste time on media cycles or sitting around the house after retirement. We are only redeeming our time when our minds and hearts are focused on the glory of God. This could be done in the process of education, in fellowship or through restfulness. God gave us restfulness as a gift and something intrinsic in what it means to be human. Where we put our attention is ultimately how we redeem our time and what we become in the long run. As Christians, we should integrate the Lord in every area of our lives. 

Jesus did meet every need. He left one town to preach to another, left people in line waiting to be healed, hid away to pray and got tired. He spent 30 years in training and just 3 years in ministry. He did not try to do it all and yet he did everything God asked Him to do. Grind culture is not meeting the glory of God as God wants us to also be creatures of rest and thoughtfulness. The way we should redeem our time is not by being as efficient as possible, but by glorifying God. Listeners are reminded that everything we do in this life that is not chasing the Lord is transient. We should also walk in wisdom towards non-believers and share the gospel to reach the lost. Discipleship requires a great deal of time and investment. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode the guys discuss anxiety, an unfortunate mark of our modern lives. Everything about the modern age is intended to make us feel most comfortable, yet this is clearly not working. This is because we are not meant to be the center of our own universes. For example, God created us to till the ground and have a relationship with the food we eat and the environment around us. As humans, we were intended to spend uninterrupted time in Creation. 

The guys define anxiety as a feeling of worrying or unease, typically about some outcome. By looking for distractions from our anxiety, we are actually diving deeper into our anxiousness in the long run. It is rest that our body needs to defeat anxiety, not busyness. When Peter saw a resurrected Jesus with his own eyes, his anxiety disappeared. To overcome anxiety, we should orient our lives in such a way that points us to Christ through prayer and meditation and take extended time to disconnect from music and technology to truly converse with God and spend time in His creation. When we are disconnected from the earth, we are missing out on God and His gift to us. 

We so easily forget that we are promised an eternity with the Lord. God gives us sacred moments to remember this truth, but we must make our eyes available to notice them. The more we really see these instances, the more anxiety dissipates. Then, they make the distinction between genuine concern and anxious worrying. Issues are not issues at all, but rather the steppingstones to get us to where we are meant to be. The great antidote to anxiety is to speak with God. When we go before God in prayer, we go before our father who knows and loves us unconditionally for who we are and has a plan for our lives.  

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to find freedom from fear. First, the guys describe fear as a crippling emotion that destroys one?s ability to function effectively. It?s like a wild dog that you must keep on a short leash so you can control it. We fear physical things (spiders, snakes, heights) and intangible things (failure, what people think, etc.), and these fears can hold us back. However, not all fear is a terrible thing, and our own limitations give power to the work of God.

Next, the guys discuss how the fear of man is a snare. This kind of fear is usually brought on by three different causes: the desire for power, praise, and reputation. First, we are afraid that other people will have power over us. We also fear feeling inadequate by not receiving praise from other people. For reputation, we fear what other people will say or think about us. We can idolize acceptance by others because we wish to be part of a group and belong. We fear being ?an outsider.? It is a constant snare to need approval from someone else because their standards and expectations are always changing. Even if we do get others? approval, it still won't be satisfying because true approval can only be found in Christ. When we look vertically to Christ instead of horizontally to other people, it frees us from those exhaustive ways of living. 

Lastly, the guys talk about how we have been designed in our very DNA to fear, and specifically to have a healthy fear of God. When we don't look to God as the One whom we fear, we will fear other things. Fear can be healthy, like when the fear of dying motivates us to put on a seatbelt. When we develop and keep a healthy fear of God and spend time with the Lord, then this will shift our fear from that of things back to its rightful place: God. In Psalm 3, David is shifting his view?he started off talking to his Creator about the problems with his enemies and how they have power over him. Then, he focuses on his Creator and how only He has power over him. When we focus on the Lord and the bigger picture, it will change everything. Being fearful is also a spiritual battle because Satan is the father of lies. 2 Timothy 1:7 states, ?For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.? The Holy Spirit lives in us and gives us the freedom to live out our faith boldly. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss patience. There are three areas in our lives in which we can lack patience: in God?s sovereignty, in God?s creation, and in His handiwork. The epitome of arrogance is being impatient with others who are being sanctified, forgetting how long it took for us to be sanctified ourselves. In Corinthians 13, the first description of love is that it is patient. Patience doesn?t mean we sit around with our hands folded. Rather, it evokes constant trials and endurance. One of the very best ways to exercise patience is through demonstrating composure. 

The cure for impatience with the fulfillment of God?s timetable is to believe His promises, obey His will and leave the results to Him. It is easy for us to become discouraged when God?s plan is taking longer than we expected. Listeners are encouraged to trust the process which God has set in place for each of us and not wish that things were happening on your terms instead of His. We should never forget that God is at work and there is ultimately no waiting room in His plan. Wants and desires in life are always transferring from one thing to the next. If wanting for a future spouse becomes a future savior, you will never truly be satisfied when you do achieve the thing you thought you wanted most in life. However, if you shift that mindset to finding your true joy and satisfaction in Christ alone, then you may pursue a spouse joyfully as an additional gift given to you by God. At the end of the day, it all comes down to the sovereignty of God and His promise to bring all things to completion. 

One of the biggest mistakes Christians make is applying their understanding of God?s sovereignty to only the big milestones in life, when it applies to every aspect of life. Sovereignty is defined as God?s divine right to do as He pleases. Impatience, we are reminded, is a pathway to destruction, especially in the lives of those we love most. To get to the bottom of our impatience, we must challenge the false idols of our hearts which can be anything, even good things, that we prioritize over God. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss meekness, which is defined as ?mild of temper, soft, gentle, not easily provoked or irritated.? Meekness is often mistaken as weakness, but it is not the same thing. Meekness is strength under control, or power channeled for the benefit of other people. An example of worldly meekness is Oscar?s friend who is a successful pro fighter. He plays basketball with friends, but when it gets a little rough he tells others to take it down a notch. He has confidence in his own personal power and strength, but he displays self-control for the sake of other people. We need to have the same spiritual meekness with others by recognizing that the strength that we have comes from the power of the Holy Spirit and it?s not ours to boast over, but God?s to put on display. Jesus was the epitome of meekness. When Jesus was in the Garden of Gethsemane about to be crucified, Jesus said to Peter, ?Do you not know that my Father can send 12 legions of angels?? He had power under control, but it was connected to love. 

Next, the guys discuss how wisdom and truth go hand-in-hand with meekness. Truth without wisdom and meekness is like ingredients that haven?t been baked?it can?t be enjoyed. James 3:13 states, ?Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom.? Wisdom has an attribute of meekness in it and wisdom is the true application of knowledge. Meekness is not thinking lowly of yourself, but not thinking of yourself. Selfishness is a huge root cause of sin. Even through storms, we can embrace what God is doing in our life even if it is difficult. We can embrace the trial because we know He will be with us in the midst of it. 

Lastly, the guys talk about how there is a huge misunderstanding between what the world and Christians define as meekness. Meekness is yielding your will to God?s will and dying to your desires. In order to grow in meekness, we must die to ourselves and have the right view of God. To have the right view of God, we need to discipline ourselves in willingness to sit quietly in the presence of the Lord. This will allow the conviction of the Spirit to bring things to light in our hearts and minds. Colossians 3:12 states, ?Put on then, as God?s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.? Every day, we need to choose to put on the word of God and have discipline to do what the Lord wants in our lives. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss giving up gossip and snuffing out slander. Gossip is the most consistent sin in the lives of Christians and all of us are guilty. It is very easy to sin in gossip because it is seen as a ?respectable sin,? but all sin is evil in the eyes of the Lord. It is important to remember that anyone willing to gossip to you is also willing to gossip about you. Gossip diminishes humanness in others. We are all created in God?s image. If we slander or diminish something about others, we are diminishing something about them which reflects their Creator. Gossip is also usually lies or half-truths. As Christians, we will disguise gossip as prayer requests or secondary theological disagreements. We spin gossip because we gravitate towards it, and confirmation bias will push us to gossip and slander others. 

Next, the guys talk about what makes us indulge in gossip. First, we are all sinners so we are drawn to sin, but gossip also makes us feel higher than the person we are talking about. There is a legalist inside of all of us that is trying to prove our worth and be worthy of righteousness. However, the only thing that makes us worthy is not what we have done, but the blood that?s been spilled for us. Proverbs 16:28 states, ?A dishonest man spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends. A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends.? The enemy wants us to rebel and earn righteousness without God, but we need to honor God in the way we speak by thinking through what we are doing, why we are doing those things, and what we are saying. A good question to ask yourself is: would I say that if this person was present? 

Lastly, the guys discuss the remedy for gossip and how to stop. Gossip can cause damage to friendships, families, and within the church. We need to stop the fire of gossip before it spreads. James 4:11-12 states, ?Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister or judges them speaks against the law and judges it.? Gossip is a contradiction?we cannot use the same mouth with which we bless God to also curse our brothers. When we hear something, the Bible states that we must be careful to take accusations against an elder without one or two witnesses. When we talk about others, we need to look at the motive in our own hearts. When in a conversation that has turned to gossip, tell the person gossiping that you think it?s best to not talk about that, or that you feel uncomfortable with the conversation. Most of the time we gossip with the people we are closest to, so we can talk to our family and friends about calling each other out on gossip. You can also use a code word for gossip when you are together. We need to have humility

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss Samson, who was a famous warrior and judge in the Bible. He was known for his strength which came from his uncut hair. There are so many ?heroes? shown in the Bible, but they all have faults, sin, and issues. These people in the Bible demonstrate to us the Lord?s patience and how genuine the scriptures are. There are a couple ways to look at the story of Samson. The first is through the view of morality, or what you should or should not do according to Samson?s example. We also need to realize that Samson?s story also points us to the gospel through the parallels in his story to Jesus. First, Samson is considered a judge of Israel, but he points us to the great judge, Jesus. Samson?s mother was barren for a period of time and Jesus was born to a virgin mother. An angel announces both Samson?s and Jesus? birth, but the angel told Samson?s parents that he would begin to save the Israelites, while the angel told Jesus? parents that He will save the Israelites. Samson filled the world with dead bodies, but Jesus filled the world with His body. Jesus did not come to defeat His enemies, but to save us all. Samson points the way to Christ. 

Judges 13:5 states, ?You will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and his hair must never be cut. For he will be dedicated to God as a Nazirite from birth. He will begin to rescue Israel from the Philistines.? Samson had the purpose of being set apart for God, but that?s not what happened in his life. Samson was repetitive in that he was used by the Lord but continued to go back to sin again and again despite the fact that he knew better. It is easy to sin, but hard to live for righteousness. We have never been tempted to be righteous when things don?t go our way?we are always tempted by sin because we live in a fallen world. We need to ask God to use us for His will and His purposes instead of our own. We don?t see the bigger picture, so we need to trust that God will answer our prayers with what we need. Any trials we have in our lives are just stepping points to get us to where we need to be. 

Next, the guys talk about the theme of sight in Samson?s story. Judges 17:6 states, ?In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes.? Everyone used their sight to determine what was right or wrong. Judges 14:1-3 states, ?Samson went down to Timnah, and at Timnah he saw one of the daughters of the Philistines. Then he came up and told his father and mother, ?I saw one of the daughters of the Philistines at Timnah. Now get her for me as my wife.? But his father and mother said to him, ?Is there not a woman among the daughters of your relatives, or among all our people, that you must go to take a wife from the uncircumcised Philistines?

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the most recognized Bible verse in the world: John 3:16. This verse states, ?For God so loved the world that He gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.? This verse can be quoted by non-believers and can be seen everywhere you look, but it is one of the most misunderstood verses in the Bible. When we know Bible verses, we can either become so intimately familiar with it or know it so well that we gloss over its significance, and don?t grasp what it really means. In order to understand this verse, we have to look at the context. In the verses prior to John 3:16, Jesus is having a conversation with Nicodemus, telling him that unless one is born again they cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus was a Jew, leader, and teacher of the law, and heard this truth for the first time. 

Next, the guys talk about how we misunderstand this verse in the way we approach it. In our hyper-individualistic culture, we read that God loved the world so much that He had to give His only Son to save us, but that is not the way it's meant to be read. This word ?so? can actually be translated as ?in this way.? Instead, God loved the world in this way that He sent His only son. This is saying God?s love is actionable and here is how He loved the world. This change of looking at the verse shifts it from a man-centered or a man-focused view, to instead look at what God did. It made no sense for God to save man because we all sin. God so loved the world not because He needed us, but because we needed and still need Him. People all over the world hear that they need to be saved, but never hear why they need to be saved. As Christians, we need to tell others why we need God and how He has changed our lives. 

Lastly, the guys discuss how in Numbers 21:8, God?s people escaped Egypt, but they were tired, grumbling, complaining, so God showed His wrath by sending a curse through poisonous snakes. Then the people repent, and God instructed Moses to construct a bronze serpent and instruct the people to look at it. In order that the Israelites may be saved, God makes them look at the very thing that was cursing them. This shows a distinct parallel to Jesus in that He who knew no sin became sin to save us. We must look at Jesus to be saved and just like the serpent was on a pole, Jesus was sacrificed on a cross. Christians also want to detach from the wrath of God because we want to view God as oozing with love, but that doesn?t rightly paint God as the judge of the universe. We all deserve to go to hell because of our fallen nature, but God already paid the fine for us and reconciled the world to Himself. We can?t have a God of love if we don?t have a God of wrath. True love is sacrifici

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss Legion, or the ?disgusting demoniac.? In our world and culture today, there is no limit to wickedness. They discuss the story in the New Testament with the demon-possessed man where Jesus cast the demons into pigs. In the Bible, Mark 5:1-5 states, ?They went across the lake to the region of the Gerasenes. When Jesus got out of the boat, a man with an impure spirit came from the tombs to meet him. This man lived in the tombs, and no one could bind him anymore, not even with a chain. For he had often been chained hand and foot, but he tore the chains apart and broke the irons on his feet. No one was strong enough to subdue him. Night and day among the tombs and in the hills he would cry out and cut himself with stones.? This man had an unclean spirit known as ?Legion,? and when Jesus cast out the many demons from the man?s body, the demons begged to go into the pigs nearby. Those pigs then ran and hurled themselves off the cliff. 

This story is a very strange one, but has a deeper meaning for Christians and for those who are not believers. It happens in a gentile land and shows that God can do whatever He wants with His creation. The Kingdom of God and kingdom of man don't play well, but in this story, Jesus is reconciling and bringing it back to how it should be. These 200 pigs that were killed were not just pigs, but symbolized how our comfort and wealth can be disrupted by the Kingdom of God. The Kingdom of God will always disrupt our plans and our own personal glories. When God comes, all that stuff gets turned upside down. 

Next, the guys discuss how Jesus sometimes says things which are difficult to hear. We have a modern-man image of Jesus, but what He says clashes with how we view Him. This shows that we need to bow our perspectives to what God says about Jesus, not our own views. We also will do the same thing with Scriptures. We believe the Scriptures that we want to follow, and then we label other verses as misunderstood because we don?t like what they say. Thomas Jefferson actually cut up the Bible to say only what he wanted it to say! As believers, we need to recognize when we?re wrong and our need to repent. God is not created in our own image, but the other way around. If we never allow God to be God, then we never come to a place of repentance. 

Lastly, the guys discuss how the evil one has come to kill, steal, and destroy. In this story of Jesus casting out the demon, death is part of it. The enemy wants to do the opposite of Jesus, and sometimes he disguises his plans as something God would do, like reciting Scripture but using it for evil. Self-harm is another form of Satan?s plans, and these can include cutting, burning, hair pulling, and alcohol abuse, to nam

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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 become a part of us. 

The guys also discuss how people try to turn this story into a legend or myth

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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 years is as nothing before you. Everyone is but a breath, even those who seem secure.? Our world lives as if we?re

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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 heaven with Jesus. The guys also talk about the reality of hell and how the most loving thing we can do is to tell ot

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. Then, God shows His glory when He parts the Red Sea and delivers His people, while Pharaoh and his men get swallow

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar 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. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In this episode, the guys discuss the father of God?s chosen people, Abraham, and his faith in God. He fathered Isaac, who fathered Jacob, which led to Jesus and the disciples. We cannot understand the New Testament without understanding Abraham. Jesus offered freedom to the Jewish people, but they claimed they were already free because they were the sons and daughters of Abraham. What they did not realize is that Jesus was there to fulfill not the covenant of Abraham, but God?s covenant with his people through Jesus? sacrifice. 

First, the guys discuss Abraham?s story. He came from a pagan background and had no idea where he was going when God told him to leave his father?s house, but he answered the call of God. Abraham was 75 years old when God called him to leave his home, 86 when he fathered Ishmael, 99 when he was circumcised, and then 100 when Isaac was born. His life shows us that God?s timetable is not our timetable. It is so easy for us to get worked up and to not understand why God didn't answer our prayer. Ecclesiastes 3:11 states, ?He has made everything beautiful in its time.? God will bring about His promises, but it may not be in our timing. 

Abraham?s name was first ?Abram? meaning ?high father,? then he went to ?Abraham? meaning ?father of a multitude.? After years of waiting and then finally receiving the promised son Isaac, God asks Abraham to offer Isaac up as a sacrifice. As heir, the first-born son was very important in the family. They were usually viewed as a prized possession and would carry on the legacy and provide for the family. God calls him to offer up Isaac as a sacrifice to challenge the potential idolatry in his heart. Abraham goes up the mountain with no other sacrifice except his son, and then God stops Abraham from killing Isaac. Abraham was strong in his faith and his faith brought glory to God. The guys use the metaphor of marriage to explain this. When Ray talks about his wife and how he completely believes in her faithfulness, others know of her integrity. If he proclaimed the opposite of her, it would be an immediate insult to her integrity if he didn?t trust her. The same is true with God. When we have faith in God and talk about his faithfulness, it proclaims His goodness and character to others. It?s also important to note that Abraham did not have blind faith, but his faith was built on substance. In those days, as part of forming a covenant with someone, animal carcasses would be cut and lined up. Then, you would walk between the lines of carcasses, which would represent what would happen to you if you broke the covenant. The servant passes through the carcasses by themselves, or the servant and master walk through together?the master never goes through by themselves but that?s exactly what

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys kick off their mini-series of character studies by discussing the life of Noah. Before diving into today?s character study, we are reminded that God has given us these stories through His Word so that we may find hope and comfort in them. Noah was the first-born son of Lamech, who represents the 10th generation of man on the earth. At age 480, God commanded Noah to build an ark. As we look through the Scriptures, it becomes apparent that God sovereignly chooses who He chooses despite who they are. Noah had the grace of God which he did not personally deserve, merit, or earn. However, amid the mocking of his people, Noah responded to God?s command and followed through. He leveraged his entire life on an unforeseen promise of God that the flood was going to come. 

In the story of Noah comes the lesson that we too need to be quick to respond when God speaks. Because God?s law is the byproduct of His nature, the law of God has been written on man?s heart as we are all made in His image. Noah is a foreshadow of what is to come. We are to proclaim the righteousness of Christ and herald His name as far as we can for people to get right. Eventually, a day of reckoning will come. In fact, all the characters we will be discussing in this series are a foreshadowing of Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, Noah faithfully responds to God?s call in the face of persecution and builds a ship out of wood and nails to be rescued from judgment. Ultimately, Jesus was the better Noah because Noah was, at the end of his life, found drunk and naked and cursing his own son without offering forgiveness. Jesus was stripped naked, drank from the cursed cup, and prayed for our forgiveness so that we too may be sons of God. We are reminded that we should all move throughout our lives in Godly fear, recognizing just how close we are to standing in front of the Lord and giving account for our lives. In a world which is growing darker, Christians have the ability to extort the text to get people to respond in faith to the righteous call of God until Christ eventually comes back to reign. To those who God may use them mightily, the guys offer closing advice. We continually will have war and struggle, yet God will continually be faithful even when we are faithless in order to complete His mission. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to deal with unwanted thoughts. Thoughts are silent, invisible voices in our heads that hold great power, and are often a window into what's going on in our heart. If you?re not meditating on truth through God?s word, you?re going to believe that lies are true. In the Bible, Philippians 4:8 states, ?Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.? Our thoughts give birth to either things of the Lord or sin. When sin begins in our mind, we need to attack it and then reorient our thoughts to the Lord. Colossians 3:2 states, ?Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.? We need to set our mind on things above because every action starts with a thought. 

What about the struggle with unwanted thoughts that pop into our heads? If we struggle with gambling, we avoid going to the casino. But these unwanted thoughts fly into our heads without warning. For these, we need to remember our thoughts are not just coming from ourselves, but also come from the enemy. There is a spiritual war going on right now over your mind. When these thoughts pop up, we need to not dwell on them but let them leave our head just as quickly as they came in. The issue is when we determine not to let them go. We fight these thoughts and spiritual warfare by attacking them with scripture. When we fill our mind with God?s word, we can march forward on our knees and defeat the enemy. 

The change in our thought life starts with an investment in knowing God?s word, which comes from meditating on scripture day and night. It is vital that we fear the Lord, because if you don?t fear God, then you won't cast those sins or thoughts out.  Temptation will be part of our lives for the rest of our time on Earth, but we need to detox our mind and stop going back to the catalysts that trigger these sinful thoughts.  Your thoughts are not really unwanted if you?re consuming or looking at things that cause those thoughts to pop up in your mind. These thoughts will continue to torment you unless you change what you are consuming. The average person consumes 6,000 to 10,000 ads a day by their own choice. You can choose what you look at. If you are unsatisfied with your thoughts, is it possible that you've been starving yourself of the word of the Lord? Do not be self-deceived but know that the cause of our unwanted thoughts is likely due to ourselves. However, God can cleanse our minds and give us new thoughts if we ruminate on His word, attack these thoughts with scripture and choose what we consume each day. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

It is natural to want to be friends with and seek approval from our peers, but how far is too far? In today's episode, the guys discuss how to stop being ?men-pleasers.? The Bible shows us that there are two fears: the fear of men and the fear of God. If you live your entire life trying to please others, it?s like continually trying to hit a moving target. People's expectations are always fleeting, and this will be a never-ending battle that will leave you exhausted and empty. Men are wicked and sinful, and our love for heroes is fragile. We see this reflected in the suicide rates of celebrities, who are so accustomed to pleasing men that when the favor of fans falls apart, they lose their identity and worth. It is impossible to please both man and God. Galatians 1:10 states, ?Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.? If we are trying to please men, we can?t please God. All the satisfaction that you need has been placed on the cross. God knows, loves, and accepts you because He made you, and all the approval you need is from Him. 

Next, the guys discuss a hypothetical situation where something could be pleasing to both men and God. In these cases, we should examine our motive. Pleasing the Lord should be the heartbeat of everything we do. Desiring the approval of men is also a form of worship, because worship is anything that we prioritize above God. Out of a desire to ?fit in,? we become imitators of those around us, which exposes us to the danger of an identity crisis. If we try to be like other people in this fallen world, we become like a fallen creature ourselves, where pleasing people prevents us from accomplishing God?s purpose for our life. We must choose to be who God made us to be, so we can glorify Him and share the gospel with others. 

If the apostles in the Bible tried to please men instead of God, then they would not have been martyred for their faith. The guys discuss John F. Kennedy and John Lennon who were worshiped by the world. But when they lost their lives, the big question isn?t how handsome or rich or famous they were, but were their sins forgiven? People-pleasing may be seen as a ?respectable sin,? but it is still a sin that creeps up secretly, unannounced and unnoticed. To keep this sin in check, we must be proactive in overcoming it. The guys suggest praying preventative prayers multiple times a day, studying and memorizing scripture, and reading books. If you don't act to change something, then that's evidence that you don't really want to overcome it. When we recognize our weakness, it drives us to God. We are not to serve ourselves or our culture?we are commanded to keep the Kingdom

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to cultivate healthy fellowship, friendship, and accountability. Many of us, when we come to Christ, believe that all our non-believer friends won?t stick with us. This is part of the price of discipleship. There is, however, something steeped in a gospel community which non-believer friendships can never recreate. In a world where people are constantly trying to create community in every realm, most people are so starved of the sanctifying processes of lifelong friendships centered around the gospel. 

If you want friends, you first have to be friendly and reach out to others yourself. We are reminded that Jesus referred to his disciples as his friends, even Judas. Friendship includes a closeness in which two people are intimate and open with each other. True discipleship, historically, consists of spending time on a regular, continual basis with someone who is older and wiser than yourself. Sometimes, people?s experience at church can morph into a facade. However, individuals are encouraged to gain understanding of the true value of fellowship and seek it out on their own. This enables them to move out of facade and into authentic behavior, which in turn helps to cultivate authentic relationships. We should keep in mind that there are things which God wants for our lives, even if we don?t think we want them. It all comes down to being?or becoming?the kind of person that will cause people to gravitate towards you. 

There is a difference between godly friendships and friendships with non-believers for the sake of the gospel. Love wants to meet the greatest needs, and the greatest need for anyone unsaved is the gospel. We must make ourselves available during regular day-to-day interactions with our non-Christian acquaintances and neighbors, or they will likely never know that our door is always open when they are in need. A hallmark of fellowship is the willingness to live your lives side-by-side in good times and bad. Finally, we are reminded that true Christian fellowship includes openness and accountability on both sides. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss Satan tactics and traps for us as Christians. In order to defeat your enemy, you must know who your enemy is, and one of the biggest tactics of the devil is to make us forget that he is the enemy. The devil desires to be like God, and since he can?t be he will imitate anything that God does. Therefore, things that Satan is associated with are made to seem good. For example, have you ever started to read the Bible or pray, but then you get distracted by your phone? Satan is at work to distract you with anything else so that you won?t seek righteousness. He lures you with desires that pull you away from the glory of God. This is illustrated in C.S. Lewis? book, ?Screwtape Letters,? which illustrates the devil?s demons and how they are called to distract and dismantle Christians in any way possible. 

2 Corinthians 2:11 states, ?Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.? Satan has schemes, methods, and devices to make us fail, but we are not to give him a foothold. Being aware of his schemes makes it easier to resist the devil so he flees from us. One of his traps is luring us away from the simplicity that is found in Christ. Simplicity is found in the gospel, but the devil has been studying man for thousands of years and knows what will trip you up. Charles Taylor points out that man was created to worship, and the devil wants us to shift our worship of God to other lowercase gods including our nation, family, politics, sex, or sexuality. These powers of the age lure us into thinking that the things of this world are the answer when the only answer to our fallen world is the gospel. 

Next, the guys discuss the second trap of the devil, which is trying to look spiritual or godly. Our world and culture have this mindset that ?It?s all about me.? But when you become a Christian, you are to give up all your rights and make your life about Jesus and others. We all have gardens in our hearts where we need to pull out the weeds and plant flowers of righteousness in their place. For example, if you have the weed of pride, you can plant the flower of humility. Planting the opposite flower will help you get rid of those weeds, and this is made possible by having God?s love in your heart. We focus so much on assuming a defensive posture, but when we go on the offensive instead and do righteousness, that will make the devil flee. When we are walking in the Spirit and on guard, we will more easily recognize his schemes. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss whether Christians should engage in self-defense. We read in Matthew 5:38-39, ?You have heard that it was said, ?Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.? But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.? Jesus was speaking to the issue of retribution when He said this. According to the Old Testament law, this was considered equal retribution. He was not being literal in this verse?he was talking about the principle. This ?slap? could also be referred to as an insult and not a physical act. We need to be careful in thinking that the most loving thing we can do is to turn the other cheek. We must have wisdom and ask God for guidance in all situations, especially regarding insults or harm from other people. 

When considering violence, we can look towards Jesus? teaching and His reaction to persecution as examples. Christ rebuked Peter when he cut off the ear of a high priest because Peter was interfering with God?s ordained plan, and instead taught his disciples to be nonviolent in the face of persecution. The guys discuss Augustine?s theory of a ?just war? and the concept that war can be waged for the protection of others. Modern-day pacifism calls for individuals to lay down and let others walk all over them, but the scriptures call us to carefully consider the image-bearing qualities of one another as well as ourselves in order to correctly measure our response to others. As Christians, we are not expected to be passive or unresponsive when someone is trying to insult or hurt us or our family. It is our responsibility to care for the needs of our family and ourselves, and to help those who have a need or are in a weakened position. Psalm 82:3 states, ?Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy.? We need to cautiously consider every situation and exercise discretion, since not all situations are the same. 

Lastly, the guys share some practical advice. First, you should not put yourself in dangerous or tempting situations. If you are ever questioned by the police, you should never answer questions unless there is a lawyer present?even if you are innocent. When driving, just get into the slow lane and let other vehicles go by. We must use discretion in the context of persecution and seek the Lord on how to conduct ourselves.  

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss tithing. Unfortunately, it is a common misconception that Christian churches are money-hungry and selfish, but is it really true? We are commanded to tithe in Scripture, but for what purpose, and is it still required today? The guys share a story about a pastor who decided to stop passing around an offering plate because he saw that the majority of the congregation were giving either out of guilt or spontaneity. Then, they dive into the scriptural instructions for giving as Christians. This is a topic which is quite controversial within the church. 

The first time we see tithing referenced in the Bible is in Genesis 14, when Moses tithes to Melchizedek. The American way of looking at money is very capitalistic and industrial. However, a Biblical way of viewing finances is that all the things we own belong to the Lord, and we are simply stewards of those things. The Lord gives us stewardship over His things, and we should rejoice in gratitude that He allows us to enjoy a portion of it. In the Old Testament, tithe was given to the priests for the upkeep of the chapel so that there were goods for offering, as well as charitable tithes every third year. 

Many scholars would argue that tithing is no longer a requirement because it is a Mosaic Law. However, the New Testament calls us to give generously out of stewardship to the preaching of God?s word, the building up of God?s Kingdom, and to those in need. Our response for the love which God has shown us is to give back to Him without hesitation all that we have. God judges what we give by what we keep for ourselves. Giving is the best way to fully demonstrate our love for others, and God Himself loves the cheerful giver. The key is that our giving should reorient our hearts to the great Giver in Heaven. As the episode wraps up, they reiterate that there is not one set amount which believers are required to give. We are also reminded that the Biblical doctrine of generosity is completely antithetical to the customs of modern times. For anyone feeling shame around the fact that they have not been generous enough, you are urged to look towards God and understand that it was He who never held back a thing. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss why women may not be pastors. It is not that women don?t have the ability to be pastors, but that God has given the role of a pastor to men. The reality is that women are equally capable of understanding the Word of God and communicating it. In this episode, they don?t aim to diminish the value of women or their spiritual gifts. God commands women to teach other things, including how to serve their husbands and love their children. Today, we have seen a surge in women pastors as the church has become desensitized towards many things. 

Rather than devaluing women and their contributions, it is important to recognize that Jesus elevated women in ways that had never been seen before. He was ?pro women? to the max, but he simply didn?t choose them to be apostles. Women ought to be built up in their theological understanding of God?s Word and truth and should be equipped and guided in their spiritual gifts. However, the Scriptures make it clear that men have the role of a pastor. When it comes to God?s design for the church, the Bible does not miss a single word or point. 

This is a topic which has caused the rest of the world to look confusedly at the church. There are some things in the Bible which are difficult to grasp, but we must be careful that the things which are plain and simple are widely accepted. The world?s culture really wants to blur the lines between men and women, but the Scriptures embrace the beauty and reality that men and women have specific roles in the church and the home. This should not be seen as a restriction, but rather an invitation to reflect the glory of God. There is beauty in God?s intent to make even the details of the organization of the church speak to His glory and the roles of the Trinity. Similarly, the public can tell when the church is not conceding to God?s commandments. In closing, they reiterate that God restricts women from serving in certain leadership roles and instead calls them to serve in equally important and complementary roles. We should rejoice over the fact that God has called different people to serve different functions. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how women should submit to their husbands. This is a topic which makes many people feel uncomfortable, but is a legitimate question for many Christians. Many people write this topic off completely due to today?s culture. However, when the church becomes a reflection of the culture, we are in big trouble. Submission is not a reflection of inferiority. In fact, Christ consistently submitted to His own father. 

Part of the reason why so many people cringe at this topic is because we have terrible examples of leadership in the world today. We should never look to modern times for examples of leadership, but rather to Christ and how He led the church. It is valuable to speak about servant leadership just as often as submission. It is pointed out that every good leader is just a follower of someone else. If our wives submit to us, this means that we are submitting to God first and foremost. We often forget how much God emphasizes oneness within marriage. Each of us has the responsibility to fulfill our roles and create the type of atmosphere that will be most conducive for our husband or wife to fulfill their role. The secret to a perfect marriage is for husbands to love their wives as God loved the church and for wives to submit to their husbands and love their children. 

We are reminded that wives' disobedience to their husbands is nearly blasphemous to God?s Word. Next, the guys offer examples from their own marriages in which submission played a role. To men, submission and leadership should look like your wife joyfully growing and thriving to be more like her Savior. God has created your wife in His image, and she has a unique understanding of what she is bringing into the household. Many times, the husband and wife are working together to understand God?s will for your life and home. Listen as they run through the things which a wife?s submission is not. Submission means that a wife sees herself as part of her husband?s team, supporting his decisions and recognizing that her husband has the authority to make the final choice. Finally, sisters listening are reminded not to feel ashamed to submit to their husbands, but to live the truth of God?s word. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss having childlike faith and Jesus? words in Matthew 18:2-4, ?Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.? Jesus said this in response to the disciples arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom, which is a relief because the disciples are so relatable to us. Jesus displayed so much tenderness towards little children. We will always be there for our own children and never leave them, even if we are not pleased by their actions. We can trust in our Heavenly Father like kids trust in their earthly father. There is nothing that can be uncovered to be held against us that hasn?t already been covered by the grace of God. Scripture also tells us that you won?t even enter the kingdom unless you become like a child. 

It's one thing to know what childlike faith is, but it?s also important to understand what having childlike faith is not. It?s not a rebuttal to answering tough questions. It is not meant to be an excuse to not go deeper into God?s word or with our relationship with God. Having a childlike faith is also not blind or ignorant?as a Christian, we need to always be ready to give an answer for our faith. Rather than remaining ignorant, we must be informed Christians who study God's word. This is where we will see growth and live in wonder of God and all He has done for us. Childlike faith is relational faith in God. Like the trust, care, and confidence children have in their earthly parents, we can rest assured in childlike faith in our Heavenly Father. When you catch a glimpse of God?s character, it is easy to trust in God and believe in His promises. 

Finally, the guys discuss what childlike faith looks like and the qualities that children have. Children are teachable, trusting, carefree, loving, and have a humble heart. They talk about three qualities in particular: comfortable dependency on the Lord, reverence and respect for authority, and admiration and wonder. It is hard for some adults to respect authority because they want to be the only authority in their lives. Also, we have every reason to be in awe of the Lord. Taking a pause to enjoy God?s creation or contemplate all He has done can help you to keep that awe and wonder. Another reason to be in awe of God is to remember all the times that God has forgiven us and will still use us for His purpose. Our future is secure as Christians and we are forgiven by the only one who truly could condemn us. Children are also very forgiving and quickly forgive others. The last thing the guys discuss is how childlike faith all comes down to belief. We all believe in something, but belief in the Father and His love for us is the only one that will set us truly free. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss spiritual gifts and how to discover yours. The Lord gives us gifts that are imperishable and irrevocable for the purpose of His kingdom. Our culture is enamored with the whole theme of purpose, but very few things indicate greater purpose than when God gives something. He gives us spiritual gifts for and with a purpose because He wants us to be a part of His epic story. He has created each one of us uniquely with His gifts for a specific role. God saves us and gives us a commission and the tools to go and complete that commission. Our spiritual gifts are given to us so that we can serve others. There are no unemployed Christians?everyone has a role and needs to be an active participant in the church. When we aren?t active with the gifts that God has given us, we stifle our spiritual growth and joy.  

Next, the guys talk about how we need to use our spiritual gifts. Identifying our spiritual gifts might limit how, when, and where we serve. The better question is: how can I best serve the people around me? Sometimes, if we believe that we don?t have a certain gift, then we won?t use our abilities to play our part. We should not find identity in the gift, but our identity is in being a child of God. Also, we mistake our spiritual gifts for our fruitfulness. Just because you are good at your gifts, doesn't mean you?re growing in the Lord. The Lord gives us these gifts because He wants us to use them in a specific way. The use of our gifts should be shining His light for His honor, not for ourselves or our glory. 

 
Finally, the guys discuss how to identify your spiritual gifts, and they first say you need to understand your own gifts in the context of the local church. There, you can exercise your gifts and try new things, and then receive affirmation on what your spiritual gifts are from preachers, family, and friends. We must not be selfish with our spiritual gifts or jealous of each other. We must be thankful knowing that God knows us and created us for this specific time in history, and to own the role that we get to play in His story. A question to ask yourself is: how can you be prideful of what someone gave you? Every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Light. We are birthed into the Body of Christ and need to be in community with others. You will see fruit and results by operating that gift. Some of the spiritual gifts the Bible talks about include prophesy or ?speaking forth,? ministry or servants of any kind, teaching, exhortation, giving, and leading. Lastly, God does not need us, but He invites us to work with Him because He loves us and wants us to participate in His good work. We can play a role and be on the front lines of His glory in using our spiritual gifts for His purpose.  

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss national tragedies and how Christians should react to these situations. As a culture, our world is news-fanatic and it?s in our sin nature to want to hear about the bad news. Social media and news outlets built an algorithm that fires us up in anger. They have figured out how to tap into our sin nature and make money off it. It is important to study all sides of the news because every piece of news could be portrayed differently depending on which outlet you are receiving it from. 

Next, the guys discuss how we as Christians should respond to tragedies and news. First, we should respond with lament, which is a crying out and a longing for the return of Christ. We see countless times in the Bible where songs and poems show lament. It is also normal to ask questions and ask God why when tragedy occurs. They then pose the question: how do you know God?s faithfulness unless you?re put through the ringer? It is an act of worship to ask why, but also to say, ?We trust you, Lord, and we simply don't understand.? If unanswered or unrecognized questions in someone's faith builds up, then they will pile up and will create outright doubt in God. Even though it is natural to ask questions, we also need to be careful not to put God on trial. Another good question to ask is: How did Jesus respond to tragedy? Tragedy is a reminder that this is not our home and there won?t be any tragedy in Heaven. 

In addition, the guys talk about how to help nonbelievers as they walk through tragedy. First, we need to give people the gospel, or good news. You may not think it?s the right time or want to be sensitive to their needs, but it is always the right time to share the gospel. We also need to weep with those who weep. When tragedy happens, there is an invitation to speak into their lives and show sympathy toward their suffering. Constant prayer for wisdom is also key when tragedies happen. C.S. Lewis once said, ?Pain is God?s megaphone to arouse a deaf world.? Pain insists on being attended to. When we feel discomfort over and over again, or it gets worse, we have to pay attention to it. This is the same thing with salvation and our soul cries out when we experience tragedies in our lives or witness it in others. 

Finally, we all have hope as Christians that Jesus will come back and make it right. We need to be informed on the news and understand what's happening in the world, so we can pray for everyone. We are God?s representatives and light in this dark world. Tragedies remind people of their mortality and make them recognize their need for the Savior. Lastly, they discuss how we all need to be the hands and feet of Jesus, but also proclaim the gospel and give all the glory to God. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss communion and how this practice is extremely central to faith. They talk about how communion is a sacred doctrine and how this sacrament symbolizes a recognition and renewal of a covenant with Him. Communion is also viewed differently in various denominations of faith. In Catholicism, they believe in transubstantiation, that the bread and wine physically change into the body and blood of Christ. Other denominations believe that the elements coexist with the real body and blood, but they don?t believe this actually changes into Jesus? physical body or blood. There is also an orthodox or reformed view of communion, which says that the spiritual presence of Christ is in and with the elements of communion, but not His physical presence. As Christ followers, they believe they are saved and are continually being saved. This renewal of communion shows that the covenant is equally important today as it was on the first day. 

Next, the guys talk about how communion has become flippant in some churches and this practice has lost its sacredness. They also discuss the frequency of communion in that we should be taking communion every Sunday. If we teach every Sunday in church, then we need to take communion every Sunday. In the scriptures, the disciples took communion regularly before a meal because that was the precedence that you met on Sunday for a meal, and the meal was communion. 

Finally, the guys discuss what communion itself means. Communion is the breaking of the bread, which is the meal at the Lord?s table. There is a spiritual significance in that and a chance where you can examine yourself and your heart. Jesus says in regard to communion ?do this in remembrance of me.? Communion is all about remembering what Jesus has done for us, what He is currently doing and what He will do in our lives. We also need to remember God?s second coming and what a beautiful privilege that communion is. They also say that communion is a testimony to unbelievers, and an invitation to someday join in this sacred practice. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to experience personal revival. Personal revival, E.Z. explains, is gained by coming back to the things that put you in the place of understanding that Christ is the center of it all. In this state, a person has integrated Christ into every area of their lives rather than living by compartmentalization. This comes from having a hunger and thirst for righteousness and being in the presence of God. 

Simply put, there is no global or national revival without personal revival. Oftentimes, we can go about our Christian lives and duties but forget that the primary reason the church exists is to be a tabernacle of witness. If we want to be effective, we must present our bodies as a living sacrifice to God and not hold anything back. The miracle of personal revival is that we love doing the acts God wants us to do. Part of the challenge for many is the lack of obedience and short attention span. Discipleship, however, requires daily discipline and unwavering obedience. Once we begin to practice obedience despite how we feel or are being told, we begin to be revived. 

Next, hear about some ways we as believers can stir up our own personal revivals. It is crucial for every Christian to understand that we would not be alive if not for God?s grace. Because God has given us this life, we owe Him everything. Despite its connotation, repentance is one of the most beautiful words because it is a sign of hope and the potential for forgiveness. Repentance is always connected to a change of behavior. A liturgy, for example, is a spiritually-forming habit. One of the main characteristics of historically great men of God is that they all had discipline. It is important to realize that the things we place the most value on will impact how we behave. One can obtain discipline by realigning our value system to coincide with God?s value system. Our daily habits are a way of realigning our compasses. Spending time in God?s word, prayer, and devotion will realign your compass and make sure you are pointing towards heaven. In closing, we are reminded that devotion is not just a daily ritual lasting a few minutes, but the act of submitting ourselves completely to God. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to handle criticism and correction. Though the word ?criticism? often comes with a negative connotation, we are reminded that criticism can be constructive, too. When it does come our way, the very first thing we should do is slow down and consider the source. Coming from a loving friend or family member who cares for you, criticism should always hit deeper than when coming from someone you are not close to. We all need someone in our lives who is not impressed by us, who God can use to sanctify us and offer constructive criticism. When that person approaches you with loving correction, you should listen. 

We can often find ourselves undone based on the criticism we have received. However, it is important to consider the substance and truth of the criticism. We should practice seeking truth rather than defending rights. The reason we usually don?t like criticism is a result of our pride, but as believers, criticism can be beneficial when we are in the right mindset to receive it. This can go the other direction, too, when it comes to giving constructive criticism to someone else. When we are correcting someone, we should do it with humility and gentleness because we don?t always have the full picture of what might be going on. These instances can be viewed as the opportunity to have a loving conversation with somebody so the truth may be revealed. 

It is crucial to remember that everything in our life in terms of our conduct boils down to the fruit of the Spirit and of love. When we correct without seeking our own, it is out of consideration of 3 things: the person has sinned against God, hurt themselves, and hurt others from undermining the testimony of the gospel. In this case, we?re seeking the best not for ourselves, but for God and others. The only way to achieve this selflessness is through patience, time with the Word, and prayer. Finally, we are urged to be open and receiving of correction which comes from a place of love. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to reach those who have strayed from the faith. The majority of people who have ?backslidden? actually had a false conversion to begin with. This does not refer to the times in which a Christian struggles with his faith. There are many, unfortunately, who profess to know Christ but really do not. The longer we walk with the Lord, the more stories like this we will be able to recall.

There are gateway sins which open the door to stray further from God. Someone who has strayed may find themselves in the position of wondering how they got to the place in which they find themselves. In the book of John, Jesus speaks of sin as an addictive behavior. The way to put sin to death is by looking to the Cross. Only God can offer us the strength to write off the things which rob us of our everlasting joy. Research shows that 85% of Americans pray. However, most of these prayers tend to be selfish rather than giving glory to God. The prayers of the righteous, however, are angled towards the glory of God rather than the glory of man. 

It is important to acknowledge that many people who stray from their faith have been hurt by their church. When a pastor falls, for example, it causes many people's faith to be rattled and confusing. For these people, we are called to be the rod of God and bring these lost people home by listening, understanding, and empathizing. We must go after people with the heart of Christ, welcoming others back to the faith. Similarly, we should be very careful of the judgmental spirit which may creep into us as the result of watching someone stray. Listeners are reminded that online pastors are not a replacement for having a local church of your own. The Bible often equates sin to not living. Then, listeners are offered points of self-reflection for consideration to determine if they are in danger of a backslide of their own. Finally, we receive valuable advice on how to avoid a potential backslide and reestablish our faith and relationship with God. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the English writer, John Bunyan. His most famous book, The Pilgrim?s Progress, has been printed 250 million times. He was born in 1668 in Elstow, England. Married at 21, and was brought to Christ through the Christian books his wife brought into their marriage. He recounts the many overwhelming temptations he felt to let go of his faith. 

Charles Spurgeon was radically impacted by Pilgrim?s Progress and quoted it often in his own sermons. In Pilgrim?s Progress, Bunyan stresses that no matter who you are, you can exercise faith in God. For anyone listening who has the desire to create, there is an opportunity to reach out into the Heavenly realm and bring back something which displays the glory of God. This same calling which John Bunyan exercised to write his books is still prevalent in our lives today. He wrote 9 books while imprisoned. After four years of being saved and becoming a minister, his sermons began to draw huge crowds. Though he was a very poor man, Bunyan became popular during the restoration of King Charles II, during which time those who would not conform to the church of England were arrested. In January of 1661, Bunyan was thrown into jail with the opportunity to be released if only he stopped his preaching, which he declined. In a stunning reversal, by the age of 59, Bunyan had become one of England?s most famous authors. In 1688, while riding through heavy rain to reconcile a father and son, he became ill and died. 

Much of the greatness Bunyan produced was born out of times of great difficulty and struggle. We are reminded that God has a plan for each of our lives. We must trust in Him and learn to not despise the difficulty He places before us. Then, the guys touch on prayer as one of the most difficult practices of Christians. We are reminded that God is a God who both listens and speaks. In closing, listeners are urged to run to Jesus and be forgiven. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how we can witness to our family and close friends. Often, the people closest to us are the most challenging to share the gospel with. When new believers want to begin sharing the gospel, they should not begin by focusing on the sins of others, but rather by repenting for their own sins first. It is by owning up to our own sins that we are best able to proclaim the gospel to others. Doing this takes a great deal of humility. However, when we finally come to know the Lord and are transformed by Him, we get excited to forgive other people and be forgiven ourselves. 

Before making the effort to reach our family and friends, we should first examine ourselves and our own contrition. This can be used as a springboard to show others that every single sin from every single person can be forgiven in the eyes of God. In addition to an apology, it is always necessary to ask the other person for their forgiveness. A large barrier when it comes to witnessing to our own family members is their knowledge of the person you might have been in the past. Another hurdle is the fear that they may write you off completely. We should remember to put our trust in the Lord and take risks for the sake of the gospel. It is absolutely key to approach everyone, even nonbelievers, with kindness and gentleness. 

When we really love someone, we are motivated to demonstrate that love in continuous outreach and thoughtfulness. When we live the Christ-like life, the term ?witness? is not just a verb, but is also a noun. When your actions don?t align with the things you are preaching and how you are living yourself, the disconnect is obvious. Asking for prayers for those we love who are unsaved is another way we can witness to others. Prayer is the means by which God moves His hands. When the time comes to finally speak the gospel, sharing testimony is invaluable. Remember that nothing can get in the way of expressing genuine love and sincerity. We have a unique opportunity with the internet to reconnect with people from our past and offer the gospel. Finally, we are urged to be charged by our praise for God. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

This is the final instalment of Ray Comfort?s devotional on Initiative. It is true that you can receive a word from God to step out in particular ways, such as when Ray and his family left New Zealand to come to the United States in 1989, but when it comes to sharing the gospel, we already have the command from God in the Great Commission. When you?re a Christian and you are filled with the desires of God and you want to see the lost saved, then you will pray and see the hand of God move again and again to answer those prayers. Not because you?re praying for something that you want, but because you are praying the will of God himself. God honors little things that you start. Ray has seen this happen over and over again, like with the upcoming ?Operation London,? which is already fully funded, and even when he began filming his witnessing encounters, which Ray could never have imagined would be as successful as it has been.

Initiative has been defined as ?doing the right thing without being told.? This is evangelism. God has called us, and scripture entreats us to act boldly for the sake of the gospel. Pray for creativity and initiative, then begin and do something. Do what you can, trust in the power of the gospel and the Word of God, and you will see the desires of your heart, God?s desires to see the lost saved, come to fruition.

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

Ray Comfort continues his exhortation on Initiative, today speaking of his efforts to write a book that ended up becoming a best-seller, and later even turned into a movie! God also supplied the needs for a circulation ministry that would eventually become Living Waters. Before he became a Christian, Ray would never have thought to do many of the things he has done for the sake of the gospel, and that is because when he was born again God gave him a new heart. As a new creature in Christ, Ray?s desires are now God?s desires. Why does Ray have a desire to reach the lost? Because that is God?s desire!


Some people are so afraid of messing up that they don?t start anything. Ray has started many projects, books, and tracts that he hasn?t finished. There have been many times where Ray has ?walked on water? and sunk and had to call out to Jesus to raise him up. But as he delights himself in the Lord, he can trust that God will give him the desires of his heart, which are God?s own desires.

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

Often, we are hindered by the thought that we must sit and pray over an idea before acting on it, but Ray Comfort shares the scriptural principle that when we trust God and the power of His message, we need not fear to act in order to serve him. Looking at the story of David vs. Goliath, he says that, when we see an opportunity to glorify and serve the Lord, we must take the initiative and do so. Then we can watch how God blesses our efforts. He illustrates this by telling a story about the time he had an idea to purchase a bus for use in ministry. By taking initiative and acting in faith, he was able to see how God provided means and opportunities for the gospel to go forward.

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss King Charles III in light of the upcoming coronation. Before jumping into the conversation, they clarify that their intention is not to promote any particular eschatological view, but rather are focusing on what people are saying in regard to this topic. The world seems to have an insatiable appetite for royalty. A coronation, they explain, is when the church recognizes the king, who takes an oath to defend Protestantism against Catholicism. Charles actually became King of England the moment his mother the Queen died, but the coronation ceremony solidifies it. This is a good example of what is going on right now with Jesus. In His ascension, Jesus became King of all the world. But, our waiting for the second coming of Christ is almost like waiting for the coronation of the King. Jesus is still the King, and there will be a day in the future when everybody on earth stops for His coronation. 

Scripture commands us to honor our king, and though they do not deserve it, we should obey this commandment. King Charles has tripled in popularity since the death of Queen Elizabeth and is set up to inherit the throne with the accolades of people all around the world. Every world leader of respect will be in attendance at the coronation ceremony. The guys particularly look forward to the opportunity churches have to reach millions at the coronation. They touch on the excitement of handing out their tracts at the coronation this coming May. 

Finally, the guys discuss a common current opinion that King Charles is the Antichrist. By definition, the Antichrist is supposed to be a ?man of lawlessness.? King Charles, given his position, is above the law and it is impossible for him to be prosecuted. The guys are not urging anyone to actively worship the king, but we should be wary of such theories and instead use this as an opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Their excitement for this moment lies in the opportunity it presents to share the gospel with millions of people. As Christians, our hearts should explode with excitement when we think of unity for the sake of the gospel. Operation London is the perfect example of how believers, regardless of our differences in eschatological views, can gather together for one day. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the Trinity. Part of knowing God is knowing the Trinity. People often think of the Trinity as a box to check rather than diving into learning about the details of it. Part of becoming a Christian is knowing the beauty, goodness, and glory of God. We can do this when we know God as the trinitarian He is. It can be easy to get caught up in knowing every detail about the Trinity, but we must remember that to truly love God is simply to gaze upon His beauty. An accurate view of the God as Trinity is the foundation upon which we can worship each of the 3 persons of the Godhead. To worship God correctly is to worship who He is exactly. 

The Trinity is not an easy concept to wrap our minds around, but we must yield to Scripture rather than to what we feel. James White shares that the Trinity is found in the gutter of the Bible, right between the Old and New Testament. In this section, people experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and were steeped in trinitarian doctrine. The distinct word ?Trinity? was never actually used in the Bible, but trinitarian language is used all throughout. Though Scripture states that there is only one God, it also refers to three distinctly different persons that are called God. There is one divine nature and substance of God, but 3 divine persons who form this interrelated God. 

It has been said that you can only trust someone as much as you truly know them. When we intermix all of the different attributes displayed by God, we begin to form a clear picture of who He is. If we are going to make any pursuit in life, why not make it to know God better? The Trinity is something we need to deal with regularly to really know Him. Modalism, the doctrine that God is a person who manifests Himself in 3 different ways, is the biggest misconception of the Trinity. It is crucial to understand that Jesus is not half human, half divine. Since there is nothing quite like the Trinity, it can be difficult to explain. In closing, listeners are urged to examine the Scripture and be committed to it. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys talk about two very important topics: baklava and Mormonism!  Understandably, they spend most of their time on Mormonism, which is one of several cults that arose in the wake of nineteenth century revivalism in America and continues to try to wedge itself under the umbrella of Christian groups/denominations.  The Mormon church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, developed in a context in which Christianity was cut off from church history and the original languages of the Bible, opening itself up to heretical offshoots.  Mormonism has 16 million adherents worldwide, the majority of whom live in the US; the faith also boasts significant wealth and a number of high-profile members, including Mitt Romney and Donny and Marie Osmond.  While Mormonism is known for kind members and for verbiage that can sound a lot like Christianity, Christians need to love truth (and Mormons!) enough to hold the false claims of Mormonism up to the standard of Scripture.

The guys run through the history of Mormonism, beginning with its foundational belief that there was a ?great apostasy? shortly after the apostles died that God chose to resolve through revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith.  The alleged revelation to Smith was codified in Mormon texts which were added to (and valued above) the Christian Bible.  The church continued to develop through splits, migration, persecution, and even a formal foray into polygamy.  Shifting gears, the guys run through some of the main errors within Mormon doctrine, such as a deeply flawed doctrine of God, the belief that humans can become gods and are basically good, and the belief that the place of grace in salvation is simply to make up for what a person?s works can?t attain.  In speaking to Mormons, there is a proper place for highlighting doctrinal issues within their faith.  However, the best starting point is to raise the question of how to be saved and to get to the gospel.  There are many resources available to help Christians understand Mormonism and how to evangelize Mormons; we are without excuse to be able to engage faithfully and in love!

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss tips for healthy communication. To begin, they each share the areas in which they find communication most difficult. When it comes to disagreements, it is most important that we exercise understanding in the perspective of the other person. Without understanding each other, it?s nearly impossible to ever find a middle ground.  We should also always strive to convey our own perspectives in a way that is easy to understand. Communication is far more than just verbal, our expressions and body language matter too. Proverbs 15:28 reminds us ?The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of  the wicked pours out evil things.? 

As Christians, we are not to let any unwholesome or filthy language come out of our mouths. Our tongues reveal the abundance of our hearts. Thus, we should be very careful about what we say, because we don?t want to ruin our testimony by saying something ungodly. So many problems in life could be prevented if we took a moment to think before speaking. Similarly, we should converse with the goal of understanding, rather than making our own side heard. Because of our pride, our inner lawyer often wants to come out and defend or prove ourselves to whoever we are speaking to. Instead, we should be slow, humble, and approachable. We should also be tactful and determine whether it is the right time, place, and way for a discussion to take place. If a confrontation is taking place, we should always lead by giving a person the opportunity to confess. Asking questions rather than jumping to conclusions can save a lot of heartache. 

We must remember that every word we speak will be accounted for on Judgment Day. In addition to this, good communication is the biggest key to a healthy and happy marriage, so we should communicate about our preferred communication with spouses and the people close to us. Finally, listeners are left with specific questions we should ask our spouses in order to grow in our communication with one another. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss how to know God?s will for your life. Of all the things Christian struggle with, this topic is likely at the top of the list. We all want to know God?s will and understand what He has in store for our lives. There is one extreme in which we feel that we need to seek out God?s will in everything, but when we are too hypersensitive we can become un-Biblical with our ways of pursuing knowing His will. On the other extreme, we might think that God doesn't pay attention to the small choices we make on a daily basis. To really be able to hone in, we should recognize that there are two kinds of God?s will: His secret will and His revealed will. The secret will is God?s sovereign rule over all things. His revealed will is what He has revealed to us through Scripture how He wants us to live our lives. We must really understand and obey His revealed will before we can know His hidden will. 

The guys believe that the ultimate way to come to know God?s will is to do what feels right (within the bounds of Scripture) and love Him in the process. His true will is to go to all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, and do everything we can to serve the lost. We should seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all else will follow. As Christians, we should aspire to be so close to the heart of God that we are familiar with the sound of His heartbeat and the rhythm of how He works. Then, we should turn to the Word in which He reveals His thoughts and character. Finally, we will be prepared to go about our lives and pray as things arrive. God is bigger in the ways that He works than we think, and we need to have a heart of trust. 

There are different callings for our lives. The first is the calling towards salvation, the second is that covenant calling in marriage. The guys unpack knowing whether he or she is ?the one,? and the commitments of marriage compared to the mainstream fairytale view of marriage. As we walk with the Lord obeying his word and relying on His Spirit, we will find that we are given the mind of Christ in order to make the best decisions to honor His will. As the episode wraps up, the guys reiterate that God?s hidden will never contradicts His revealed will. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

In today's episode, the guys discuss the marvels of meditation. Christian meditation is a lost art form in our journey to become more like our Savior. Today, our society has an understanding of meditation that is mostly eastern and includes the idea of clearing your mind and becoming one with yourself. All throughout the Scripture, however, prayer and meditation are two sides of the same coin. God desires for us to spend time in His Word and meditating. 

Before getting into what Christian meditation is, the guys discuss the purpose of it. Meditation is a method for us to become more like our Savior by filling our minds with God?s words and truth. For many people, there is a big gaping hole in the sanctification process for meditation. While we should meditate on the greatness of God and the promises of His word, we should also meditate on the subject of Hell to motivate us to reach out to the lost. Biblical meditation is not actually clearing our minds, but filling them with God. It can be used as a catalyst to set the tone for our entire day. 

The common man sees everything the Christian man sees, but the Christian pauses to connect things to the Lord and unlocks transformation in their life. We should not be afraid of silent moments, but rather should welcome these times as an opportunity to better know God. The more you know God, the better you can accept uncomfortable situations and circumstances around you. When we meditate on the Scriptures, we talk to ourselves about them, churning over in our minds the meanings, implications, and applications to our own lives. In adoring God?s word, we are led to become more like Him. In closing, we are reminded that the practice of meditation is a muscle which we need to build up, so don?t be discouraged if it doesn?t click right away. The guys leave us with a few helpful tips for getting into a routine of meditation. 

Thanks 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 [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!

Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (?E.Z.?) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro