Purity For Life

In this bonus segment, Nate sits down with biblical counselor Ken Larkin to discuss some of the ways he studies the Bible, as well as some really helpful tools.  -- Methods we discussed: Reading scripture in various translations (00:28) Looking at words in their original language (01:55) Word Studies (03:34) Scripture Memorization (06:35) --- Resources we mentioned: Fighter Verses Verses Blue Letter Bible ESword Bible Gateway

There is no way we can live an overcoming Christian life without the (real) grace of God and love of God. So maybe that’s why the apostles gave really strong warnings about things that sounded like grace and love, but were nothing less than demonic counterfeits that destroyed people’s lives. 

Nabeel Qureshi grew up with a deep love for Allah, Mohammed and his family's heritage, and quickly became a confident and zealous proponent of his beloved faith. But when a Christian friend challenged him to closely examine the truth claims of Islam, his beloved faith could not bear the weight of honest scrutiny. In desperation, he cried to Allah for the truth, but what he found utterly shocked him.    Biographies we mentioned: Seeking Allah, Finding Jesus: A Devout Muslim Encounters Christianity by Nabeel Qureshi

If you've been in sexual sin for a long time, it’s easy to feel like, “This is hopeless. I’ll never be free.” But believe it or not, this is self-pity—just another one of Satan’s schemes to keep people away from true repentance, faith and salvation. In this episode, we look at how to know if you’re in self-pity and how to get out of it.

In this bonus segment, Nate sits down with biblical counselor Austin Kropf to discuss the different methods he uses to study the Bible. -- Methods we discussed: Paraphrasing scripture (04:47) The Inductive Study Method (06:50) Finding Key Words (12:53) Reading Commentaries (19:23) --- Resources we mentioned:  eSword (Download eSword here) Blue Letter Bible Bible Hub Precept Upon Precept

When it comes to things that lead us into sin, Jesus' stance is strong, uncompromising, even seemingly extreme. But He has promised that if we will listen to Him, our lives will be built on an unshakable foundation. 

Have you ever felt like sin drug you into a spiritual desert or a land of captivity? If so, the prophetic words in Isaiah 55 will resonate deeply with you. This timeless passage calls out to every lost soul: "Return to God!" so that we might find in Him a place of spiritual peace, security and prosperity.  --- Resource we mentioned: The Book of Isaiah, Chapters 40-66 by John N. Oswalt

In Psalm 107, this refrain is repeated four times: “Then they cried to Yahweh in their trouble, and He delivered them out of their distress.” Why the repetition? Because when we realize that we have sinned, and we know we are in deep trouble, we need to know without a doubt that God will answer us if we cry out to Him. 

For those who are being broken over their sin, and are turning to God in repentance, Psalm 51 is a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge. It is touching, brilliant, and artistic. But it’s not included in the Bible for us merely to appreciate it. It’s there like a blazing lighthouse, showing us how to return safely into the harbor of God’s redemption. 

If you aren’t in the habit of reading Christian biographies, we hope that this episode will inspire you to start. Aside from the Bible, Christian biographies can be some of the most helpful reading you’ll ever do. In this show, we’ll look at the remarkable life of Amy Carmichael, an Irish woman who gave herself entirely for the will of God in India.   Biographies we mentioned: A Chance to Die: The Life and Legacy of Amy Carmichael by Elisabeth Elliot Amy Carmichael of Dohnavur by Frank Houghton Bruchko by Bruce Olson Chasing the Dragon: One Woman's Struggle Against the Darkness of Hong Kong's Drug Dens by Jackie Pullinger    

In this bonus segment, Nate sits down with biblical counselor Michael Wheaton to discuss some methods he uses to study the Bible.  -- Methods we discussed: Familiarizing yourself with the text: (00:56) Finding key words: (04:23) Studying verse by verse: (06:08) Identifying themes and overall purpose: (09:28) Reading commentaries: (12:25) Putting these methods into practice: (14:50)                        --- Resources we mentioned: e-Sword - Download eSword here

When God visits a person’s sin in judgment, their lives begin to unravel. Frustration builds to misery, then gives way to despair, and often, finally collapses into ruin. But in Hosea 2, an astonishing picture emerges. God's deepest desire is not to destroy sinners, but to use the pain of judgment to open a doorway into total restoration. 

When you know that you've sinned terribly against God, where do you find the confidence to go back to Him? How can you know that He will be willing to receive you? Today we'll look at two passages that shed light on one of the most precious truths about God: He is full of mercy toward anyone who will repent.

George Barna recently reported that over 75 percent of Americans read the Bible once a month or less. According to Jesus, that is a recipe for spiritual devastation. Join us for our newest series, where you will be inspired and equipped to begin a life of studying God's precious word!

In times of extreme need, people often claim that they have no one to help them. But how often is that actually true, and how often is that just a feeling? And what do you do if you really don’t have anyone who is willing to help you? If you’re feeling like you have no support in your current situation, this episode is for you. 

There is no doubt that sexual sin and betrayal brings men and women into long seasons of terrible darkness. But Jesus is the light of the world! In this episode, Stephen and Kelly Hauck share very openly about their past life of sin and suffering to show that in times of greatest darkness, the light of Christ shines with incredible brightness.

When the Apostle Peter urged Christians to stand fast in the true grace of God, he implied that there is a false grace that we must avoid. We are living in a culture that is saturated with sensuality and perversion. We don't need a grace that leaves us unforgiven, unsaved and unchanged. We need something real, something full of life and power. In this episode, we play a sermon by Steve Gallagher where he shows us what true grace is, and what it's not.

In this episode, we're going to ask the question, "Should Christians use the word addiction?" To help answer that question, Dr. Daniel Berger helps us understand what the culture means by addiction and whether or not the Bible gives credence to those ideas.

In this episode, we look at two strategies for winning the war against sexual sin. The first is that we have to seperate ourselves from the spirit of this world. The second is that, as we do this, we must begin to seek God with all our hearts.

There have been many testimonies told from those who've gone through our counseling programs. Some of those testimonies are so similar to each other that they can become almost predictable, but we never get tired of hearing them. There is something powerful about God's individual, intimate involvement with each person that He comes to. In this episode, we walk through the story of Danielle. She had a relationship with Jesus from a young age, but for a long time, there wasn't much depth to her walk with God. She wanted to follow Jesus, but there were things that were really hindering her. And then her husband’s sexual sin really brought things to a head, and God used that trial to really draw her to Himself.