The Living Waters Podcast

The topic for today's conversation is focused on anger, an emotion which can have massive repercussions. Anger itself is not sin, as God himself feels wrath. Anger which is not sinful  is the kind of anger born out of love. Sinful anger, however, comes from idolatry and false loves. Along those lines, anger and bitterness are two signs of being focused on oneself and not trusting God’s sovereignty in life.  Ephesians 4:26-17 says, “Be angry and do not sin.”  Righteous anger serves and protects and gets angry at sins and injustices. Unrighteous anger is inward and self-serving to our desires. Anger only reveals what is already boiling inside of you. It is not enough to just subdue anger, we have to kill our idols and recognize we don't deserve authority and power. If we walk in the spirit, we won;t fulfill the lust of the flesh. Proverbs 22:24 says, “Make no friendship with an angry man and with a furious man, do not go, lest you learn his ways and set a snare for your soul.” Humans unconsciously imitate the things we observe, thus we as Christians have to be careful about the people we surround ourselves with and the media we consume. We are created to be reflectors, and when we aren’t reflecting God we are reflecting other things. Scripture promotes the idea of self control rather than anger.  Shifting the discussion to the things which are righteous to be angry over, the guys discuss righteous indignation towards evilness and sin. If we are really being selfless and not self seeking, we will realize that when someone sins it is against God and is hurting themselves and hurting others. Thus our anger is for the sake of God’s glory, the person’s well being and the well being of others. The guys offer advice for someone who considers themselves an angry person. Steeping ourselves in the love of God and Jesus, and knowing that love is unprovoked allows us to walk in the spirit. We must also view our actions from an eternal perspective rather than a temporal one, and always be assessing our hearts and realize the motivation behind our feelings.  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!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

Today, the guys consider the justice of God - which, for Christians, is one of the sweetest things imaginable. The reality of Christianity can be validated in all that the Apostles endured for the sake of Christ. It is the justice of God which allows His believers to rest after all they have been through. A Biblical understanding of justice is that God acts right, always. This means we never have to question His actions or His plan. He rights all wrongs, and we can find comfort in knowing the evil done unto us will not go unpunished. As Christians, God calls on us to be the same.  Using the natural is a good way to help people understand the spiritual. When we find ourselves asking how God can create something as evil as Hell, we must instead remind ourselves that there must be retribution for such worldly evils. Every single thing will be perfectly dealt with, perfectly, in the perfect justice of God. Those of us who have experienced such worldly suffering will find comfort that those debts will be fulfilled. We see the justice of God perfectly illustrated in the cross of Calvary. We want a God of wrath and justice who deals with sin in the ways it should be dealt with. Ultimately, justice is the vehicle which delivers the wrath of God. We have the choice of taking God’s hand in mercy, though if we don’t, we can’t deliver ourselves from His justice.  Contrary to popular opinion, with God there is no such thing as mere forgiveness, there is only justice. God’s justness is a launching pad for believers and non believers alike to understand and long for the reality of the Gospel. We all long for the glory of God to manifest itself on earth, though self righteousness and pride prevent us from realizing that the things we hate most about the world are the very things we find inside of ourselves. To long for heaven is to recognize that we too are sitting on the judgment seat. The desire for justice separates man from beast. When we understand that we too are part of the problem and are deserving of the wrath of God, we realize we are free from it because God himself paid it on His behalf.  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! Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

Today, the guys consider the wrath of God - an essential component of faithful preaching, but also a reality that is often misunderstood, ignored, and even maligned. Contrary to popular belief, the wrath of God is not an embarrassment or flaw within Christian theology; rather, it is part of what holds the whole picture of the gospel together. While atheists and deconstructionists argue that the wrath of God indicates a bloodthirstiness in God and divine child abuse and child sacrifice, they miss the workings of the Trinity in the sacrifice of Jesus. God didn't inflict undue suffering on a person lesser than He, but the second Person of the Godhead - the eternal Son who is co-equal with the Father - took on the sin of His people and willingly laid down His own life. Ultimately, God bore God's own wrath toward sin and sinners. To not hate evil would make God morally reprehensible, but the disconnect humans face is that they simultaneously want and need God to bear wrath toward evil and are themselves evil. As terrifying as this disconnect is to face, we need to feel the weight of it. We cannot rightly grasp the good news of the gospel and the mercy it holds out to us without first understanding the law, our breaking of it, and our standing as sinners before a holy God who hates evil. It is only in view of God's wrath and our deserving of it that we truly understand our need for Jesus and are driven to cast ourselves on His grace! Seeing the truth of wrath allows us to see the beautiful exchange of the atonement. Jesus took on the sin of His people, and His perfect righteousness was imputed to them. The wrath due them was borne by Him, and when God now looks at them, He sees the righteousness of His Son. What great news this is! And because this news only arises out of the unadulterated reality of God's wrath understood in its own right, we must remember in our evangelism that the wrath of God is a necessary terror to the unconverted. It urges them to stop playing games and to flee from the wrath to come and find their refuge in Jesus. 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! Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can also find useful content at gracequotes.org.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

The topic for today's conversation is crucial, yet so hated by the modern church. The reluctance for pastors to preach on the holiness of God is, in part, because it is unfamiliar and taboo. We can only ever just begin to scratch the surface when it comes to Holiness. In fact, holy is the only word in the Scripture in which one word is repeated three times. The more our pastors proclaim God as holy, other, and separate, the greater the view we will have of Him. Jerry Bridges said, “Holiness describes both the majesty of God and the purity and moral perfection of His nature. It is as necessary as His existence... It is a perfection of all of God’s other attributes.” It is a misconception that someone focused on God’s holiness is harsh and uptaight, and Ray is the perfect example of this. Isaiah 43:15 says “I am the Lord, your Holy one, the Creator of Israel, your King.” D.A. Carson does a great job at helping us understand what he means by this, asking whether holiness is communicable or incommunicable. Holy is, in fact, an adjective to describe God.  Turning to the argument atheists often use in claiming God is an egomaniac for demanding us to worship Him, the guys discuss the idea that God’s glory and holiness is for our joy and good. When He calls on us to worship Him, it is all while knowing we will experience the joy which comes with knowing His glory. God’s law is a reflection of His perfection. When we break one, we break them all. Before we become a Christian, we feel relieved of our sins rather than enslaved to them. Galatians 4:8-11 states “When you did not know God, you served those which by nature are not Gods.” Finally, they touch on how the holiness of God affects their own preaching. Only God can bring us to a place of awe and wonder, so we should be careful in how we use those words. As the episode wraps up, listeners are reminded that without holiness, no one will see the Lord.  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!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

A discussion on the folly of atheism, with personal experiences shared by the hosts. The power of faith and prayer in converting atheists is explored. Counterarguments are presented against the idea that religion causes wars. The role of prayer in reaching atheist family members is emphasized. The author's transition to Christianity and the revelation of truth, beauty, and goodness in Jesus Christ are discussed. The challenge of using logic and reason in evangelism is explored, with emphasis on finding God beautiful.

After diving in with Olympic games and a chicken leg hopping competition, the group turns to the topic for today's episode: freedom from condemnation, that is, how to walk in God's grace.  The guys have spoken a number of times before about the issue of false conversion, but on the other side of the coin is the problem of a true Christian laboring under a sense of condemnation and struggling with eternal security.  This experience is all too common, weighing down Christians and keeping them from experiencing the freedom that is theirs in the gospel.  The voice of condemnation is founded on a quid-pro-quo foundation, and aligns with the human impulse to focus on performance.  Conversely, the gospel declares the grace of God in Christ, that is, His unmerited favor.  And how otherly this grace is!  God saves not because of our works, but simply because He decides to save.  He redeems not because He sees something lovely; rather, He redeems first, and only then is something lovely created in us. The gospel of grace must be central to the life of the Christian, and it is the antidote to condemnation.  Meditating on the gospel is crucial if we are to apply it in all areas of life, including to the experience of sin and the pressures of condemnation and fear.  The gospel of grace shows us that, though we will inevitably sin and struggle, Christ died for our sins and we are free - even time after time - to draw near to God in full assurance that He will draw near to us.  In light of the gospel, we see that God loves us as our Father, and corrects us in love rather than punishing us in wrath.  Stories of David, Jonah, the Prodigal Son, Peter, and so many more show us how God loves us and gives grace, and call us to always respond to our sin by getting up, receiving God's grace, and moving forward.  Even as we pursue righteousness, we do so from a place of sure acceptance before God and celebration of His kindness to us.  And ultimately, we foster humility by turning from our own sin to our gracious God; we honor God when we take Him at His word, and when we view ourselves as He views 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!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!Check out a few recommended books: Gospel Primer, The Discipline of GraceSend us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

The podcast explores the impact of media consumption on Christians, emphasizing the need for intentionality and mindfulness. It discusses the evolution of media consumption, the enticing nature of platforms like YouTube, and the importance of being wise with our time and interactions on social media. The hosts also discuss Ray's devotional books and their impact on readers, promoting the books on livingwaters.com and encouraging interaction with their podcast.

On today’s episode, the guys tackle the topic of Satan, demons, spiritual warfare and more. It is a subject the world mocks, but yet the world is being mocked by Satan himself. In fact, Satan’s biggest tactic is making people doubt his existence. The problem today is that people either take the issue of spiritual warfare far too seriously or not seriously enough. Modern rationalism encourages us to forget about our spirituality. We have to look to the scriptures to understand what God meant by spiritual warfare.  Though it’s not possible for a Christian to be possessed, we certainly can be oppressed when we give in to temptations. God will correct us because he loves us. Satan’s demonic forces tempt us to sin and oppose our efforts to obey God. Demonic oppression is when a demon is temporarily victorious over a Christian, hindering his ability to serve God with a strong testimony. Confession and repentance of sin are necessary to restore fellowship with God.  We can not be ignorant of Satan’s schemes which desire to devour us. Satan is real and he is very powerful. Listen as Ray touches on some of the schemes Satan has tempted him with. He reveals that you are never as much on the front lines of warfare as you are when involved in evangelism. This can come in the form of discouragement, tiredness or random depression. You must put on your shield of faith like Jesus did. The devil tries to steal from us in evil, deceptive and sinister ways.  For the believer who truly wants to be used by God to the greatest extent, we need to start with honesty. Satan is the father of lies and God is the compass of truth, so it would do us well to be honest in every part of our lives. Similarly, help is a beautiful prayer to God. It’s important to remember that demons can’t ultimately stop people from coming to Christ. God’s word is the ultimate shield of faith and we can cleanse ourselves by reading the Word. Even if we can;t remember it word for word, the scripture continually refreshes and waters up so that we can discern truth from error. Resisting the devil and seeking the Lord is an ongoing battle.  Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider leaving us a 5-star review, and we’ll see you next time!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

On today’s episode, the guys tackle the topic of gospel tracts. Listen as the guys share about the tracts they have given and received over the years. Many Christians assume handing out tracks will be a controversial act, but from the guy's experience it usually turns out to be a pleasant exchange. In fact, it could even be a life changing event for non-believers. Gospel tracts have been around long before even the printing press, and we can’t negate their effectiveness. They speak clearly and get right to the point without straying from the intended message. They never get tired or give up, and are always ready to speak directly to readers at any given time or location.  The Bible is the ultimate gospel tract which leaves nothing unsaid. Ultimately, a tract is the Bible condensed in some way. When distributing gospel tracts, we should remember that the worst thing which could happen is for people to not read them. On the contrary, the best thing which could happen could change someone's entire life. Living Waters designs tracts which are fun, joyful and lighthearted to give and receive. We need to trust that God will, in His own divine timing, use His gifts. The advantages of distributing gospel tracts don’t stop there. What’s more is the fact that every person can easily do it, a tract always sticks to its point and never loses its temper. Oftentimes, people who are too proud to be talked to will read a tract when no one is looking. A tracts always stays with a person even after the conversation has long since ended. Finally, tracts can lead people to Christ. When preaching and private talk are not available, you need to have a tract ready. A touching tract can serve as a seed of eternal life.   So, what makes a good gospel tract? Firstly, it must be engaging and able to hold the attention of readers. The main touch points include commandments, gospel, repentance, faith and resurrection. Finally, the guys offer advice for listeners in giving out gospel tracts. The guys recommend Living Waters’ tract simple tract for people who want to try handing out tracts themselves. However, there are tons of options on our website so you can find the one which best serves you.  Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider leaving us a 5-star review, and we’ll see you next time!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more. Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

On today’s episode, the guys tackle the topic of wisdom. The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. Knowledge is morals and information, while wisdom is the insight to know when vs. when not to take action. Most decisions we make in life require some knowledge, but a lot of wisdom. Our culture today is very rich in knowledge and poor in wisdom. Wisdom isn’t hidden from us, but rather hidden for us. Every human being has a conscience and the knowledge of right vs. wrong. Without God as an ultimate standard of truth, all we have are “truths”. Do away with God, and we do away with the truth.  Often, we as Christians forget our calling to vigorously pursue wisdom as proclaimed in Proverbs 2:1-6. In The Wisdom Pyramid by Brett  McCracken, he maps out how to seek wisdom. Though our first instinct to learn more about something is to turn to social media, if we really want to grow in wisdom this order must be reversed. First, we should seek wisdom in the Scripture, then to our church, then nature, then books, and finally, maybe, social media. The most practical way God grants wisdom is through the Word. We can have full assurance and confidence that whatever we ask of God will be heard and responded to.  Wisdom includes the ability to use the best means, at the best time, to accomplish the best ends. It isn’t merely a matter of knowledge, but the skill of practical implication of the truth. With knowledge comes pride, but with wisdom comes humility and patience. Wise speaks not of someone who knows the facts, but of someone who is skilled in Godly living. In light of eternity, everything that we do will reverberate and echo forever. Let’s not dwell upon this, but rather learn from it and move forward. Although our names will be forgotten, the name of our Savior will live on through the test of time.  Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider leaving us a 5-star review, and we’ll see you next time!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more.Send us Fan MailThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro