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The Living Waters Podcast

Enjoy the ride with this hilarious new Podcast as hosts (Ray Comfort, Emeal “E.Z.” Zwayne, Mark Spence, and Oscar Navarro) and special guests explore the pressing questions of our day with sound theology and apologetics! We would love to

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hear from you. How has the podcast encouraged you? Are there any subjects you’d like the guys to cover or questions you’d like them to answer? Email us at Podcast@LivingWaters.com, and you may hear your feedback and questions quoted on the next episode!

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  1. 73Ep. 72 - The Importance of Christian CounselingIn today's episode, the guys talk about the importance of Christian counseling.  Christian counseling is one means by which we may look at ourselves and our health in a holistic way; that is, from physical, spiritual, and mental lenses.  While people looking for counsel need to follow advice that Ray offers to read the Bible and obey what they read, they also need to understand that physical and mental realities impact overall well-being.  Counseling, the guys go on to explain, is a modern-day need.  It has not always been available, and Christians have lived for centuries without it.  However, the shift to modernity (and the isolation modernity fosters) has not been good for the human soul, and has created the need for a dedicated space for focused conversation on matters of the heart.  These conversations do not all need to take place in formal counseling contexts, though.  At its core, Christian counseling is simply Christians talking together, speaking truth to one another, and exhorting one another. Not all counseling calls itself "Christian," and even church counseling can be unhelpful.  The guys dive into what to look for and what to avoid in counseling, first warning against the dangers of secular counseling.  Secular counseling lacks a foundational sense of human nature, sin, and the remedy of the gospel.  It also tends to either offer no constructive input at all or point the counselee inward to the self.  Church counseling can go awry, as well, by taking a "just stop it" approach to helping people.  What people truly need is counseling that gets to the heart, seeing where they may be harboring idols and how the gospel applies to their lives and struggles.  The guys offer extensive counseling resources to explore, run through counseling principles, and explain why they espouse a counseling model called nouthetic counseling.  Nouthetic counseling involves "confronting a friend" and leads the guys to their final charge to listeners: do the work of counselors simply by speaking truth and wisdom into others' 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!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!Check out Ray’s book God Speaks. You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro41 min
  2. 74Ep. 73 - What Should Christian Discipleship Look Like?In today's episode, the guys talk about Christian discipleship and what it should look like. Not only do we see discipleship mentioned throughout the New Testament, it is at the very heart of the Great Commission. We often don’t focus enough on the fact that God holds all authority of heaven and earth. The guys define discipleship as any student, pupil, apprentice or adherent as opposed to a teacher. In the ancient world, it is associated with people devoted to a religion or philosophy. People tend to view the Great Commission as a commandment to go out and create converts, but really it commands us to make disciples. Disciples are followers of Jesus whose lives are marked by God and reflect His glory through thought, word and deed. The only way to make a disciple is by sharing a life with them and true discipleship is seeing how this individual we are looking up to handles day to day affairs.  The word disciple comes from the word discipline, which is exactly what we need to be a part of God’s army. Knowing that discipleship is a lifestyle creates better accountability for every believer. You can not make a disciple unless you are a disciple yourself. Christians are called to share the content of the gospel in the context of relationships that reflect God’s relationship with us. Then, they guys share advice for communicating with someone in a loving way when the conversation has gone off the path. On one hand, we should not be afraid to challenge a Biblical brother in his sin. On the other hand, we must be the type of person who is willing to confess his own sins. Part of Biblical discipleship is being comfortable in calling out our brothers. We must also realize that if we are not being disciples to our children, they will in turn be discipled by other people. The only real sign of true Christian growth is a life rooted in holiness.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro47 min
  3. 75Ep. 74 - Why Justification is So AmazingIn today's episode, the guys talk about Christian justification, the foundation upon which our faith is built. Justification by faith is one of the pillars of the reformation. Justification is defined as an act of God’s grace wherein he pardons all of our sins and accepts us as righteous in His sight, only for the righteousness of Christ imputed to us and received by faith alone. To be justified means more than to be declared not guilty, but rather to be declared righteous before God. Today, the doctrine of justification is under attack, specifically by Christians in the deconstruction movement.  However, confusing justification and sanctification will undermine the gospel and turn justification by face into justification by performance.  If we have been declared righteous, then sanctification will complete its work inside of us on that day when we see Him. The work of grace is absolute thoroughness because it comes from God, not from us. Oscar speaks to the significance of double-impunity and the selflessness of Christ becoming sin for us so that we may become the righteousness of God before Him. Often, we become so accustomed to the world of our faith that concepts like this don’t contain the weight they deserve. The more we see ourselves as sinners, however, the more graceful God seems in our eyes. We can’t begin to imagine God’s anger and wrath towards our sins. When we understand the righteousness of God and his wrath towards sin and sinners, then we are truly able to understand the love and grace shown to us on the cross. Diminishing His wrath also diminished His love and grace. Shifting gears, the guys discuss justification as a theology which should penetrate our daily lives, seep into the trenches of everything we do. Humans are programmed to be constantly justifying our own actions. When we truly understand what God has done for us and that he is ultimately pleased with us, all of those fears melt away.  Justification fortifies our life of those things, and what a relief that is!  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro46 min
  4. 76Ep. 75 - How Sanctification Really WorksIn today's episode, the guys focus on sanctification.  Sanctification occurs in two parts: initial sanctification occurs instantaneously when a person is saved and is all God's work.  This initial change involves being set apart for God and delivered from the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of Christ.  After conversion, we spend the rest of our earthly lives going through progressive sanctification, which is grounded in God's work of conforming us more and more to the image of Christ as we are involved and responsive. We play a passive role through dependence on God, and an active role through obeying and yielding to God.  God will ultimately complete the work He has begun of making us each holy as He is holy, but He uses our involvement as a means by which He completes this work.  Since we were made positionally holy at the time of initial sanctification, progressive sanctification is actually the process by which we become who we already are in Christ.  We are new creations, and as the flesh and Spirit continue to war within us, we can know that the completion of our sanctification is sure! There are several different views of sanctification, and the guys highlight the Wesleyan view with its practice of waiting for God to simply sanctify people out of certain sins.  Contrary to this view, the testimony of Scripture is that we must not sit on our hands, but rather get up and get moving!  The sign of a true Christian, the guys explain, isn't that someone has arrived.  Rather, it is that someone is sensitive to sin, continually responding to it by repenting and turning to Christ.  As the conversation winds down, the guys talk about the need for patience and accountability in relationships among Christians, as well as the importance of being in the Word every day.  We need to hear from God if we are to be changed; this requires the self-control of a daily commitment, and at times may require developing a taste for the different flavors of Scripture through increasing in knowledge of God Himself.  Ultimately, all the effort required of us is well worth it, as we can see the sweet reality of God renewing us after the image of His Son! 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 The Evidence Study Bible.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 Navarro46 min
  5. 77Ep. 76 - The Errors of Sinless PerfectionIn today's episode, the guys talk about sinless perfection and its many errors. There are two angles people most often take to this topic. First is that once you’re saved, if you’re really saved, then you become completely sanctified and you will never sin. The second view is that you can get to a place where you grow so much in the process of sanctification where you no longer sin. Those that hold on to sinless perfectionism not only don’t understand what the Scripture says, but they also don’t understand the true nature of sin itself. If a person was actually tuned in with both of those things, they would never believe they were perfect or could be perfect. To believe yourself free of sin is a sin in itself.  Especially for young believers, the doctrine of sinless perfection is extremely harmful because it bypasses the Gospel. Ecclesiastes 4:20 says “There is no one on earth who is righteous. No one who does what is right and never sins.”, while 1 John 1:8 tells Christians “If we say we have no sins, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”  We can never attain the level of Christ and must not forget what he did for us. Even if we’re not as far as sinless perfection, we Christians all need to be weary of the pull towards legalism and ​​antinomianism, through which we may give no weight to sin. Sin is not an enemy out there, but rather a beast that we are all constantly fighting from within. The Scripture tells us that even as Christians, we are living in habitual sin and rebellion from God. It is natural to desire a life without sin after we have been saved, but we must remember that we have the advocate of the Father on our side. We often talk about sin as simply the act of doing something unrighteous. Augustin saw sin as ultimately disjointed loves. As long as we live in this fallen and broken world as fallen and broken people, we are going to sin.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro48 min
  6. 78Ep. 77 - Hamming It Up with Ken HamToday, the guys share a special interview recorded at the recent NRB Conference!  The episode features not only theological and practical discussion, but a healthy dose of ribbing between an Australian and out resident New Zealander.  Who is the Australian, you ask?  He is none other than Ken Ham, CEO and founder of Answers in Genesis and a key figure in the development of the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum!  Oscar and his producer friend Eddie Roman caught up with Ken at the conference, and first asked him what the problem is in being a Christian and believing in evolution.  The problem, Ken explains, boils down to the need to take God at His Word and uphold the authority of the Bible.  If we work man’s view into our worldview and rework God’s Word to fit it in the area of creation and evolution, what is to keep us from doing the same elsewhere?  Even now, we’re seeing the generational impact of compromising worldview formulation, and the undercutting of Genesis 1-11 - the foundation of everything else to come - is leaving people open to question the rest of the Bible, too.   Moving forward, Ken, Oscar, and Eddie consider whether or not Christians are anti-science.  This question, Ken argues, requires careful definitions of terms.  There is a distinction between observational and historical science, and both Christians and non-Christians generally agree on the observational side of things.  Along the historical vein, there is frequent disagreement, but both the Christian perspective and the non-Christian “scientific” view require forms of faith.  Evolutionists, after all, believe in things that they cannot see or scientifically prove.  Ken roots the willingness to accept the wild notions of naturalism rather than affirming that God spoke and created in human nature and sin before wrapping up the interview with a connection to CRT, updates on the Ark Encounter and the Creation Museum, and an introduction to his new book, Divided Nation. 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 Ken’s books, Divided Nation and Creation to Babel.Learn more about Answers in Genesis, the Ark Encounter, and the Creation Museum.Learn more about NRB and its recent conference!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 Navarro43 min
  7. 79Ep. 78 - She Told Us How She Escaped an Assassin’s BulletToday’s episode features another special conversation recorded at the recent NRB Conference!  This time, Eddie is joined by Living Waters VP of Outreach and Operations, Miguel, to conduct the interview.  This interview is actually more of a testimony, and the guys are excited to introduce listeners to the encouraging and challenging story of guest Virginia Prodan!  Virginia is the author of Saving My Assassin, a memoir recounting her experience as a lawyer defending persecuted Christians in Communist Romania under the dictatorship of Nicolae Ceaușescu. Virginia trained to be a lawyer, with the stated aim of finding truth in the law books so that she could stand up for it in the midst of her troubled society.  Rather than finding truth in law, an unexpected visit to a client’s church led Victoria to see that the truth was, in fact, Jesus Christ.  She was converted, and saw that it was a God-given mission for her to defend the persecuted Christians no one else would defend.  As she fought on behalf of believers, she was declared an enemy of the state, arrested, beaten, and tortured.  Eventually, she even became the target of an assassination order.  Virginia’s God-enabled display of peace and love under profound pressure had a marked impact on those around her - from guards shaken by her forgiveness to her assassin who, with gun in hand, believed the gospel message she shared with him.  Virginia’s efforts had the attention not only of her nation’s dictator, but of the watching world, and even such prominent figures as President Ronald Reagan.  As she watched, she saw God at work bending the most powerful men in the world to do His bidding, protecting her, and ultimately reshaping her nation from a place of deep darkness to a place where Christians thrive.   Virginia hopes that her story will urge other believers to speak up and act on behalf of truth, letting themselves be used as tools in God’s hands.  In this way, they will see His power on display, and may even find themselves used to reshape the trajectory of their entire nation! 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 Virginia’s website to contact her, find resources, and check out her book!Learn more about NRB and its recent conference!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 Navarro46 min
  8. 80Ep. 79 - Exploring Near-Death ExperiencesIn today’s episode, the guys consider the topic of near-death experiences.  These phenomena seem to be rather common, and scientific study has even started to lend credence to them.  We as Christians may be inclined to write off these experiences, or even to be swayed by the emotional testimony of someone who claims to have had one.  But we need to consider near-death experiences with a respectful, humble attitude.  Like the Bereans, we want to hold the things we’re told up to the rubric of Scripture and see how they stack up.  So, does the Bible have anything specific to say about near-death experiences?  It offers ten examples of related situations, along with seven visions of heaven.  The common theme across all of these biblical events is the glory of God producing humility and fear, and these events offer parameters for how we might see God truly use near-death experiences today.  We also have a couple of important biblical guardrails to bear in mind as we consider near-death experience stories: the guardrail of the completeness of biblical revelation, and the guardrail of biblical context.  These two guardrails, the guys explain, teach us not to trust stories that claim to add to biblical revelation, and also keep us from proof-texting in our efforts to hold experience up to Scripture. While most near-death-experience stories ultimately miss the bar of biblical reliability, there is often reason to believe that those who claim to have had near-death experiences have, in fact, experienced something.  We don’t have to understand what exactly it is, though scientific research and studies based on cultural context offer some basic hints.  It is also absolutely possible for God to use near-death experiences to draw people to Himself; we don’t want to write off this possibility any more than we want to assume it.  Finally, we should bear in mind that near-death experiences, if nothing else, offer a segway to talk about the Bible.  They inherently involve the topic of death, which should direct our eyes to the One who rendered death powerless by defeating it on the cross! 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 The Evidence Study Bible.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 Navarro43 min
  9. 81Ep. 80 - What Does it Look Like When God Judges a Nation?In today's episode, the guys talk about the signs of God’s judgment on nations. There are many people within the church who are hesitant and afraid to talk about the aspect of God judging, but this is an important part of the story of the gospel. In order for us to truly understand the gospel, we have to see Him as a judgemental God. In the Old Testament, a nation is important because of God’s plan to do something through them. In the New Testament, the nation changes from a homogenous group of people to His church. According to Revelation, every single country nation is essentially Babylon, a prostitute to God’s goodness. God promises to destroy Babylon. Man derives pleasure from lawlessness and there is a fearful future that awaits those who indulge. We Christians simply can’t survive today’s day and age with just a brief devotion every morning. Rather, we need to grab a hold of God’s word and allow God’s word to go through us. The gospel is the ultimate hope for our nation. It’s easy to feel depressed and pessimistic when we look at the world around us, but the Gospel offers  hope. We must not fear for our children to grow up in this world, but instead be honored that God chose us to parent the generation facing the biggest challenges of our lifetime. God isn't scratching His head trying to figure out what to do with this world. He is preparing an army to drive away the darkness and to make Himself known over all the world. People don’t look at sin from the perspective of a holy, righteous and pure God. From our own perspectives as sinners, it’s easier to brush off. One of the biggest disservices we can do is assimilate ourselves into the way of the world. We should be in the world, but not of the world and watch God’s transforming powers work through us. We as a nation have lost God’s blessings of long life, health and prosperity as we have turned our backs on Him. With God’s commandments, we are reminded, comes blessings for obedience. Restoration all begins with revivals and repentance within 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!  Links:Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro48 min
  10. 82Ep. 81 - The Life of Jonathan EdwardsIn today's episode, the guys discuss the life of Jonathan Edwards. Looking at the lives and testimonies of Godly saints offers us a different perspective, inspiration and instruction. Jonathan Edwards is one of the most famous and impactful intellectuals to come out of American history, even in the secular world. His sermon, Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God, is studied in high schools and colleges alike.  Jonathan Edwards was born in 1703 in East Windsor, Connecticut. He is known as a great theologian, philosopher, a British American puritanism, a stimulator of the religious revival known as the Great Awakening and one of the forerunners of the age of Protestant missionary expansion in the 19th century. Rather than some theologians we hear about who lead poor family lives, Edwards was a dedicated husband and father to 11 children. The beauty of reading old theologians from a different era is that they had different blind spots than we do. This allows us to view things from a different lens and reveals more about who we are and the culture we live in today. Edwards became saved in 1721 under a delightful conviction meditating on 1 Timothy 1:17. His impact comes largely from the fact that he spent much time alone with God in the wilderness. At the age of 18, he had written 70 resolutions and meditated on them every single week of his life. Edwards and his impacts are considered to be cross-denominational. When he gave his sermon Sinners In The Hands of An Angry God, it was a frequent thing to witness a house full of outcries, convulsions and more coming from the audience with distress, admiration and joy. We often hesitate to bring fear into our gospel proclamations, however they should really be thoroughly flavored with fear. Edwards is someone who started life with the end in mind and lived a calculated existence. As the episode wraps up, we are encouraged to live a life dedicated to the Lord just like Edwards did, and remember that no figure is perfect.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro49 min
  11. 83Ep. 82 - How to Practice Biblical HospitalityIn today's episode, the guys talk about biblical hospitality. As Christians, we have the wherewithal to be the most hospitable people on the face of the earth. In a sense, hospitality is really a reflection of the gospel as it is the Golden Rule in practice. Listen as the guys share their best hospitality experiences. In Scripture, the word hospitality speaks of being a person who has given over by loving other people. The Dictionary defines it as the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors and strangers. God calls on us to be hospitable to everybody, even those we find difficult. Hospitality is meant to be a form of evangelism. The other side of hospitality is discipleship. As demonstrated in the Bible, hospitality is a key characteristic of a good leader. Similarly, Christians showing kindness and hospitality is the best form of advertising.  God does not bless us financially to raise our own standard of living, but so we may have more to give to others. We must not give only from the overflow while keeping the bulk of our belongings to ourselves. Romans 12 says “Contribute to the needs of the saints and sake to show hospitality. This is the way the Christian responds.” The real key to practicing hospitality is to do so without grumbling or complaining. Hospitality does take a certain amount of discomfort. To truly be hospitable means you’re going to put yourself in a place of sacrifice and discomfort. The reason why we do it is because Jese was hospitable to us. Even Christ, who was entirely self-sufficient, became dependent on other people’s hospitality. All of us have found ourselves in situations where we need someone to lean on for help. If you are in a situation where you don’t have much to give, you can turn to God’s grace. We must open out homes no matter what, but having a clean and pleasant home helps people to feel comfortable and welcome.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro47 min
  12. 84Ep. 83 - What’s Behind Self-Harm and Suicide?In today's episode, the guys explore what is behind self harm and suicide. It is their sincere hope to provide helpful answers and hope for listeners who may be struggling. Before diving in, they highlight the free resource Biblical Counseling. What often leads a person to self harm or even to suicide are painful, difficult circumstances they find themselves in. Each of our hosts share about their own personal seasons of difficulty and painful experiences. As Christians, we lose sight of the point and purpose of the trials and tribulations of life and that God is going to do whatever He needs to do to bring glory towards His name. However, down that road less traveled, there is beauty to be found. The reality is that when you become a Christian, you are signing up for trials, tribulations, persecution, temptation and suffering, but your name is written in Heaven. God always knows the things we need to know and the lessons we need to learn in order for Him to make us into who He wants us to be. The promise of the gospel is not that we will have a good life, but that Jesus will help us through life.  Rather than asking someone who is suffering why they have not yet moved on, we should reframe the question to ask how they are moving forward. Statistically, 17% of people will self harm during their lifetime. This is most common among girls, especially during the time they first become aware of sexuality, body image, and the opinions of others. On the other hand, 45,000 Americans die by suicide every year. A major reason for this is that so many people are living their lives in absolute futility without purpose, reason or the knowledge of right and wrong. The modern narrative of expressive individualism goes against the promise of the Gospel, which is that there is no need to define ourselves because we have already been defined by God. The Scripture offers stories about individuals who at one point no longer wanted to live, but later reaped the benefits of their suffering. God urges us to let go into His hands and allow Him to finish our story. As long as we are still alive, He is not finished with 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!Watch our film You Are Not Alone: Hope for Your Depression. You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro49 min
  13. 85Ep. 84 - The New Age Movement and its Demonic RootsIn today's episode, the guys talk about New Ageism. It is a deceiving name because there is, in fact, nothing new about the New Age movement. Satan’s lie, the first lie ever known to mankind, is the root of New Ageism. The movement was popularized in the 1970s and really took off in the 80’s. Many people tend to think of New Agers as hippies, but it is also popular among the social elite and affluent cultures. New Ageism is like a supermarket or smorgasbord where you walk in and take your pick of the products you want. The core pillars include separating oneself from western culture, emphasis on first nation beliefs, creation-centeredness and a focus on the person. At the heart of it is the belief that man can really become God.  There are only two world views: the view of the world and the view of God. Most Christians in the U.S. have, unbeknownst to them, adopted some form of  New Ageism within their faith. Meditation, for example, has been robbed of its Christian roots and manipulated into the secular world. When we meditate as Christians, we fill our minds with the knowledge of what God has revealed to us through His word. People following New Age clearly have a deep desire to understand themselves spiritually, it is just that they are being led in the wrong direction. To these people, a Christian may find common ground by mentioning the ways Christianity has not always fallen in line with the western culture they denounce. The beauty of Jesus is that He is a pre-Western figure. Everywhere we go, there are false gospels, lies and temptations which may seem harmless but will pull us away from understanding who our Creator is. The best way to protect ourselves is to read God’s Word and get involved with a faithful, local church. In community, we are protected. The bottom line is, if you claim to be a Christian but are not prioritizing Christ before all else, you are entering that realm of idolatry. It is something we as Chrisitnas need to be very careful about.   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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro43 min
  14. 86Ep. 85 - Why Today’s “Cool” Churches are Very UncoolIn today's episode, the guys talk about why today’s “cool” churches are, in fact, very uncool.  The presence of these churches is a pandemic today, and to understand it, we first need to clarify what the problem with these churches is.  The churches are marked by a number of common characteristics, including a pastoral focus on self-glory rather than God’s glory, an aim for relevance and fans/followers instead of reverence and converts, and a pervasive sense of consumerism both in the leadership and the pews.  They tend not to call out sin in the hearts of hearers or urge people to repentance, and have a “feel good” vibe rather than a gracious and uncompromising commitment to truth.  Celebrity pastors could be compared to a Christianized Tony Robbins - that is, their message is one of self-help, being more influential, and overcoming challenges to get to the next level.  In today’s “cool” churches, people reject what opposes their own ideas about who God is, and there is a clear connection between unhealthy pastors and unhealthy sheep.  The churches are also now in a season of shrinking; after all, they will never be able to outperform culture, or to keep entertainment value high enough to hold attention. In light of the prevalence of such churches, what should believers look for when discerning whether or not a church is healthy?  The guys offer several indications of church health, including fear of God, exposition of the whole Bible, a pattern of service, a commitment to church membership (with membership implying service and discipleship), evangelistic zeal, and accountability among the church leaders.  Further, the guys affirm, a healthy church will be marked by regular congregational practices: confession and repentance, opening the Word of God together, and taking Communion.  Ultimately, both motivation and content are crucial concerns as a believer considers a church.  If any listeners find themselves thinking their own churches are unhealthy, the guys recommend first taking certain steps toward a solution.  If that does not work, though, they should try to find a church where Christ is truly the center.  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 The Evidence Study Bible.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 Navarro45 min
  15. 87Ep. 86 - People Who Identify as Animals—Wait, what?!?In today's episode, the guys talk about the phenomenon of people identifying as animals.  This phenomenon takes shape in the community of furries, or “enthusiast[s] for animal characters with human characteristics” who use animal characters as online avatars and often even dress up as their animal counterparts.  The furry community is a sexualized subculture, wth a vast majority of its members at least engaging with furry pornography, and represents a perversion of human identity.  Whether furries actually dress up each day as animals or just use online personas (or “fursonas”), they are creating an identity distinct from their true selves, and are investing and finding value in something false and empty.  Their experience overlaps with that of the Otherkin, a person who identifies as a non-human being, typically wholly or partially animal or mythical being.  The furry community represents yet another step in the crazy progression of recent years; things we once wrote off as unfathomable keep happening - from gay marriage, to recognized pedophelia, to people pursuing relationships with inanimate objects.  As such, the community places itself squarely in the category of those things discussed in Romans 1 when Paul explains human sin and the experience of being “given over” to all kinds of evil.   How should we as Christians address this phenomenon and engage with people who identify as furries?  Well, to start, it’s helpful to know that over 60% of furry community members reported extreme bullying while growing up.  They are people who have been cast aside, laughed at, and hurt.  They are people who answer the question of the day - “Who am I?” - by living out of a battered sense of self.  These facts should give us a sense of compassion at the start.  We must also remember that the only thing that fundamentally differentiates us from them is the grace of God; apart from God, we are all lost and go our own way.  Furries need what we ourselves needed when God saved us: to understand who God is and understand self in relation to God.  We don’t need to get overly caught up in their crazy lifestyle to share the truth about God with them.  We just need, with gentleness and patience, to present the law and the gospel. 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 The Evidence Study Bible, 101 of the Dumbest Things People Have Done, and World Religions in a Nutshell.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 Navarro46 min
  16. 88Ep. 87 - The Lost Art of Christians Reading Good Books and its Tragic ImpactThe guys talk about the lost art of Christians reading good books.  It seems that, given the pace and availability of media, the new generation of young people reads less than previous generations.  Instead, they look to “YouTube University,” which offers information but does  grow you in wisdom.  These algorithms are designed to show you what you want to see and offer what’s clickable.  Good books, on the other hand, offer wisdom.  No doubt reading books comes with its fair share of challenges.  People have different natural inclinations toward reading (and some, though not all, even experience major changes in this area when converted).  People differ in their reading capacities, such as speed of reading and memory for content.  Some struggle with things like dyslexia that make reading more difficult.  But anyone can put their mind to gaining wisdom through books, and the more you read, the more you build up the muscle for reading.  If you have a hard time with reading, the guys urge, start by committing to one book and seeking accountability as you read it. He shaped us to read, and designed us to reap many benefits from doing so - the foremost of which is gaining knowledge of Him by reading His written Self-revelation in the Bible.  We should read varied books, from biography to theology and fiction, but we need to make sure the book we live in is the Bible.  The guys leave listeners with a list of recommendations for either personal or shared reading: Everything Sad is Untrue, The Discipline of Grace, Gospel Primer, New Morning Mercies, Basic Christianity, Knowing God, The Prodigal God, The Chronicles of Narnia, Lectures to My Students, and The Mystery. Be watching out, too, for E.Z.’s forthcoming book, Fight Like a Man.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 Navarro48 min
  17. 89Ep. 88 - How Important is Church Membership?In today's episode, the guys talk about church membership. They speculate that churches who don’t hold importance to membership and being reactionary against certain movements make membership a badge of salvation. However, this is something that is not a light matter and is extremely important. The problem with not having traditional membership is that it creates confusion around who is and is not really part of the church alongside a convenient lack of accountability.   Official church membership will change based on the type of church you go to. Often, achieving membership will start with taking classes from a pastor or elder. Here, new members will learn about the church’s statement of faith. There is also often some sort of covenant. Regular attendance, accountability and the recognition that you are to submit yourself to the authorities of the church. Church accountability lets pastors know that the sheep are a part of his flock. When you become an official member of a church, you are entering into a gospel-centered covenant between God and the local church, which he calls us to. Because of the consumerist culture we live in today, however, it is difficult to allow that to happen naturally as He intended.  Functioning as part of the church is at the heart of membership. We were designed to be known and loved in the context of a local gospel community. We see this longing for community everywhere, though this urge will only ever be truly satisfied in a gospel setting. Covenant is not just about your commitment to individuals, but also about their commitment to you through discipleship. If you are a believer listening to today’s episode, the guys challenge you to really ask yourself how you are functioning as a member of the body of your church. When we are not doing the things which God has called us to do, we are hindering the body of christ.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro42 min
  18. 90Ep. 89 - Why Bullying Should Make You AngryIn today's episode, the guys discuss the topic of bullying. To begin, they share their own stories of experiencing bullying. Humans like to see justice and retribution, but how can we as Christians demonstrate love for the bully? When it comes to justice, there are certain times when we see something and need to put a stop to it right away. If verbal interaction doesn’t stop the bullying from happening, there may be a precedent for getting physically involved. The other side of  the story is that bullies are often being bullied themselves by someone else. However, we are reminded that all of our actions come from the heart and this is not an excuse. We must find a way to show the bully compassion and empathy, recognizing that the things which happen to and around us shape our sin.  It’s so important as Christians that we discipline ourselves back into a gospel mindset and remember how we look in God’s sight. Bullying is often the misunderstanding of what a person in power should be like. The gospel, when understood, is revelatory and keeps you humble. Understanding our own need for grace should prevent anyone from becoming a bully when it comes to evangelism. The Scripture further admonishes us as fathers not to provoke our children to wrath, also a form of bullying.  If we see someone being bullied, we should intervene to the best of our ability and tell authorities so that the bully will not go on to bully another person. For anyone listening who may be currently experiencing bullying, you are reminded that your hope can not lie in the circumstances changing, because people will be people wherever you go. Rather, your hope should be in understanding who you are in the sight of God and who He is in you. It is also very important to forgive those who have done wrong to you and never carry resentment. Your identity and value comes from Christ alone.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro46 min
  19. 91Ep. 90 - The Amazing Life of Charles SpurgeonIn today's episode, the guys discuss Charles Spurgeon. For those listeners who are unfamiliar, Spurgeon was an extraordinary preacher and human who was radically gifted by God. He was born in England in 1834 and called the “prince of preachers” and “Silver Tongue”. We are reminded that, without idolatry, it is great to have heroes in the faith. Spurgeon really took to heart what it meant to commune with God. His early death at age 57 is a reminder that God does not need anybody, and we are all indispensable regardless of our gifts.  Spurgeon gave his first sermon in 1850 and joined a layman group shortly after, with whom he traveled to nearby towns to preach. He was asked to become the preacher of Waterbeach Baptist Church before becoming the pastor of the Metropolitan Tabernacle. He was not formally educated, nor did he attend Bible college. People know Spurgeon primarily for his preaching, and secondarily for his commentaries and devotionals. Most people, however, don’t know that he was an incredible pastor. Sturgeon was at the Metropolitan Tabernacle during the heart of the Industrial Revolution. When many other churches decided to leave the city and head to the suburbs, Spurgeon and the elders of the Tabernacle decided to stay in London and saw the opportunity to spread the gospel. They began over 60 organizations for those in need throughout the city.  Spurgeon was filled with light and joy, but also suffered from deep depression as a result of a personal tragedy, illness and stress. He believed that Chrisitan ministers should expect a special degree of suffering to be given to them as a way of forming them for Christ-like, compassionate ministry. He said,  “Many men owe the grandeur of their lives to their tremendous difficulties. There are some of your graces which would never be discovered if it were not for the trials in whom we experience.” A large takeaway of this discussion is the power of the written word. In closing, we are reminded that there is power in passing on truth and power in the example of a man whose life was surrendered to the Lord wholly and completely.  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!Be sure to check out Tough Consequences. 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 Navarro46 min
  20. 92Ep. 91 - How to Resolve Marital ProblemsIn today's episode, the guys discuss marital problems and how to solve them. To begin, they each share how long they have been married themselves. For many people, their weddings are the best day of their lives. However, the focus on the day of our weddings should be not on us, but on the covenant we are making before God. Our culture has a fundamental misunderstanding of what a marriage is. Rather than a stepping stone in the list of achievements, we should see marriage as a way in which we can glorify God and in which God can sanctify us.  Ultimately, marriages consist of  two sinners entering into a covenant together. In this covenant, God intends to use us to reveal sin in our lives and refine us to be more like our Savior. This means we will be challenged and the darkest crevices of our hearts will be revealed to our spouses. When it comes to healthy marriage, a theological foundation gained through reading the Word together is absolutely necessary. James 4 tells us that all human conflict is rooted in spiritual idolatry. One of the worst things a couple can do is work to change their spouse into each other's likeness. Instead, we are to evolve alongside our spouse into Christ’s likeness.  If you are in a stage of marital conflict, you are urged to start by thinking of where you yourself have sinned against God. Even among churchgoers, the divorce rate in the U.S. is about 50%. A survey by the National Association of Marriage Enhancement found that less than 1% of couples divorce if they engage in daily prayer together. Our oneness as a couple plays a key role in the proliferation of Godly offspring. If you are not in the habit of daily devotion or prayer with your spouse, the most important thing is to just start. When we think we don’t have time for something, we should remember that time is a symbol of our priorities and God desires for your priority to be Him, and then your marriage. A gospel-centered community is a foundational aspect of a healthy marriage that is missing in most marriages today. In closing, we are reminded that grace is always the key.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro47 min
  21. 93Ep. 92 - Repentance—What Does it Really Mean?In today's episode, the guys discuss repentance. Of anything, this is the topic Ray has had people give him the hardest time about. You can get someone to believe in Jesus, but if they have not repented, they are not yet truly saved. We are reminded that David would not have repented if he hadn’t trembled under the words of Nathan. Repentance will never come if we aren’t living under the law of the Ten Commandments.  There is a fundamental misunderstanding on this subject in terms of where we’ve come from as a ministry. Repentance means a change of mind, and with a true change of mind comes a change of action. This is one of the most positive words in the Christian vocabulary. It refers to the turning away from a destructive path and moving instead into God’s plan. Repentance should be even louder than the sin was. Luke 13:3 warns “Unless you repent, you will likewise perish.” When confession comes from a repented soul, there will be no holding back what comes out of the innermost being of the individual.  Repentance is commonly misunderstood, but most theologians agree that it fits in the very center of the conversion process. An aspect of repentance also means turning from your sins and towards your home in God. It is not about avoiding damnation, but about wanting to know the God who loves us and has died for us. God is not asking us to clean our lives up, but rather to lay our lives down for Him. Though it deals with justification, repentance doesn’t mean that we will never struggle again with sin. The life of a Christian is one of daily repentance as God gradually reveals to us the flaws we have as man. God has appointed a day on which he will judge all the world for righteousness. This alone should call us all to fierce repentance. As the episode wraps up, the guys reiterate that, despite its negative connotation,  repentance is actually a very beautiful and hopeful thing. A Christian who repents will be filled with so much joy that they will go out into the world and tell others about it. In closing, we are all urged today to repent today.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro47 min
  22. 94Ep. 93 - How to Break Free from SelfishnessIn today's episode, the guys discuss selfishness. We live in a culture which celebrates selfishness to the extreme and views it as the route to pleasure and happiness in life. Selfishness is one of the things which is constantly dying small deaths during our sanctification process which God continues to reveal to us. It can manifest itself in many ways and show up at random moments. It is also, however, an act of grace that God reveals those selfish tendencies to us so that we may repent and put our sins to death. We, as humans, all have the tendency to view ourselves as idols.  Walter Chantry defines selfishness as the controlling force of sinful living. It is the manifestation of the depravity of man’s heart and is the root of all sin. The roots of this depravity is especially prevalent in young children. Outside of Christ, the self is the idol to which all men fall. On the other hand, the cure to selfishness is love. Love does not seek its own, it demonstrates self-forgetfulness and desires to give ourselves away for the sake of others. The only way to truly become selfless is through the Word. God gave up his own life to pay for every selfish ambition that we will ever have, for the dark corners of our hearts which have yet to be revealed and as a ransom that we will have freedom from our sins. Servanthood is the ultimate epitome of selflessness.  Then, the guys offer advice for parents on things they can do to prevent their children from becoming selfish monsters. It is important to realize that any time you catch your child in sin, it is an opportunity for the gospel to come forward and for discipleship to happen. Our children should know from observation of confession and repentance that their parents are sinners, too. In closing, we are reminded that selfishness is a demonic thing which results in evil and confusion. In order to avoid it, we should turn towards Christ as our example.  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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro44 min
  23. 95Ep. 94 - How to Avoid Becoming WorldlyIn today's episode, the guys discuss how to avoid becoming worldly. They define worldliness as the love of the world and the pleasures within it. A friend of the world is an enemy of God. This, however, is not to say that we should not partake in worldly things such as having a job or being friends with non-believers. We may actively enjoy the things God has given us while still remembering that the earth is a place we are just passing through.  The story of Israel and the exile to Babylon gives a good example of how Christians should and shouldn’t live. The four ways the Babylonian Empire assimilated the Jewish exile are exactly how we tend to assimilate into our own culture. These are assimilation through isolation, indoctrination, assimilation and confusion. A major wordly trait Christians should be wary of is that of the wise and worldly man who thinks he can solve all of the world’s problems on his own. The whole principle is based on the idea that we were put into the world for a reason, but this does not mean that we are of the world. We must remember that worldliness disgusts the Lord and should feel visceral disgust of our own at the sight of worldly indulgences.  We can push back against the world by committing our heart, mind and soul to better knowing who God is. To know God is to immerse yourself in Him. We must be careful when walking through this world about the things we give our attention to. It all comes down to having a discernible understanding of what is corruptible to you and those around you. As we don’t conform to the patterns of this world, but instead allow ourselves to be transformed through God’s word, then we are equipped with discernment. Similarly, it is valuable to begin teaching our kids the lesson of discernment at a young age so they may avoid falling into worldliness.    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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro48 min
  24. 96Ep. 95 - Can Christians Smoke Weed and Drink?In today's episode, the guys discuss the substances of marijuana and alcohol. Beginning with alcohol, the guys stress that the idea is not to allow yourself to be mastered by these substances. If you are going to drink, you must do it in faith, because anything done not in faith is a sin. We are free to abstain from alcohol, but we are not free to condemn those who choose to drink in moderation. In scripture, wine is considered a gift from God. However, as we know, people have the incredibly sinful capacity to distort God’s gifts and make them into something atrocious. In the scriptures, alcohol is an important theological symbol. It is not by accident that the first miracle of Jesus was turning water into wine. We have to keep in mind that in our culture today, alcohol is not used as a symbolic celebration of what God is doing, but instead as a numbing mechanism. The very thing the Bible condemns, drunkenness, is the reason why people drink today.  Then, they apply everything just discussed about alcohol to the issue of marijuana. As the substance is being legalized, this is a huge question in the minds of many, especially younger people. Compared to wine being used in Scripture as an act of celebration, marijuana is a mind-altering drug used to get high. With this in mind, it’s difficult to see how a Christian could smoke weed with a good conscience. Recreational marijuana use can be compared to drunkenness in the Bible, which is a sin. We are reminded that when you are in God’s will, you will not want to partake in sinful activities. If you are questioning whether partaking in substances is okay for you to do as a Christian, this is demonstrating where you are in your relationship with God. We can't forget that our bodies are temples to the Holy Spirit, and marijuana is very bad for our bodies and impairs our intelligence.   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 find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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 Navarro49 min
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