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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- 97Ep. 96 - What is the Sin Nature All About?In today's episode, the guys discuss the destructive element of sin nature. They start off by saying there are two parts to a sinful nature- the historical depravity and how sin is played out in the life of a Christian. They first discuss that the original sin does not refer to Adam’s first sin, but comes from the guilt and tendency to sin with which we are born. However, we were not created to be sinners. Adam rebelled in the Garden of Eden and then brought on the nature of sin. Sin is in total depravity, which means that sin’s power affects the whole person. There is no part of man that can escape sin. If you could imagine a world without God’s hand on it or even if civil law was removed, we would see the complete evil that human beings would do. Man is a predator by nature and is naturally evil. Some people think that man is naturally good because they surround themselves in circles that do good or they don’t see how people truly are in private, but all men have an evil or sinful nature. Culture tells us that the reason why people sin is because of the structures and authority that people grew up in, but man created those structures and authority. Then, they talk through the manifestation of the sinful nature and how you can even see it in children. We don’t teach our children to sin, but even from the womb they are born with a sinful nature. They discuss how the modern parent puts so much pressure on themselves thinking that they aren’t doing something right or they messed something up, so they coddle their children. But in reality, children are born sinners and it is our job to teach and disciple them. It is not our job to raise Christian men and women, it is our job to model what a Christian is to our kids and then let God do His job. The guys continue on by discussing what happens to sin nature when you are born again. They say it is a constant battle of the flesh against the spirit that continually wages. As Christians, we should be the first to confess when we are wrong to be good examples and to show that we are not a slave to sin. Guilt of our sins leads to confession and repentance. We need to lead the charge when we do wrong. However, there is victory as a Christian through the good news of the gospel. Jesus Christ bore our sins on the cross so that we would die to sin and become alive in Him. 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 theLiving Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources atbiblicalcounseling.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 Navarro
- 98Ep. 97 - The Life of John WesleyIn today's episode, the guys discuss John Wesley, founder of the Methodist faith. He was born June 17, 1703 and died March 12, 1791. His father was a minister in the Church of England and he was 15th out of 19 children. This was a man who lived constantly with the realization that he shouldn’t be alive. He was driven by the eternal and once said “I have thought that I am a creature of a day, passing by life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God.” He attended Oxford and was immediately recognized as an extraordinary student, and became a minister right off the bat. He arrived in Savannah, Georgia, where he was invited to serve as a pastor for the colonies. He was converted in May of 1738. He writes of the reassurance he felt at this moment as Christ had saved him from sin and death. In order to know his savior, Wesley first had to understand his sin. In order to experience mercy, he had to know wrath. He began to feel uncomfortable by the emotions his preaching often elicited and warmed to the new method of ministry. His journal reveals his intimate relationship with God, which is what likely helped him complete all of the amazing things he did over his lifetime. For example, he averaged about 5,000 miles a year in travel, equal to traveling around the globe 12 times. Most of this he did on horseback. He delivered an average of 15 sermons per week, mostly in the open air, and under difficult circumstances. Over his lifetime, he preached a total of 42,400 sermons. His list of extraordinary accomplishments goes on, including planting over 400 small local churches. Then, the guys discuss how we should respect our forefathers not as God, but as wise men we can learn greatly from. In closing, we hear Wesley’s wish to see the world grow closer to God in body, soul and substance before his own passing. It is reported that his final words following an illness were “Best of all is God is with us.” And he is with you, too! 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 Navarro
- 99Ep. 98 - How Technology Will Challenge Our FaithIn today's episode, the guys welcome special guest Emilio Ramos to talk about an important and relevant topic: technology and how it will challenge our faith in the days ahead. In order to wrap our minds around this topic, we also need to understand the related concept of futurism. “Futurism” is an umbrella term that deals with predicting what our lives will look like in the future. Thinkers ranging from philosophers to tech developers weigh in on this future, and their ideas are not only relevant to the future, but have ever-growing implications for today. The agenda for tech now and moving into the future is more and more integration into our lives, and we can see even now that tech giants inform us not so much about new gadgets as about what these gadgets can do. Technology is part of our lives, and is becoming nearly part of us. And as things continue to move forward, we step toward a point of “technological singularity,” which will occur when tech will advance so far that we won't be able to comprehend what it will look like to live in that world or to be human in that space. This may sound concerning, but the guys also explain that technology in itself is amoral; this lack of a clear moral problem is, in fact, what complicates the situation of developing tech for us as Christians. The guys love technology for many reasons, but are wary of dangers that it brings along with it. Technology can, for instance, oppose our resting before God and our meditating on His Word, and we can easily transition from using technology as a tool to help us to being used by technology. Technology can turn us into overly political or conspiratorial people, distract us from the gospel, and have negative effects on our kids. Ultimately, technology shaping us is not a new thing, but it is a matter that we have to deal with in new and different ways. As developers pursue life-extension tech and delve further into VR, we must remember that these things can never be true eternal life. We must always work to be wise in our use of technology, saying no to things that will be unhealthy in our lives and homes, and factoring in the realities of technology and its influence in our discipleship relationships. 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, Ray’s book Banana Man, and his film, Genius.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
- 100Ep. 99 - The Insanity of TranshumanismIn today's episode, the guys are joined by Emilio Ramos, and they all discuss the idea of transhumanism, which is the integration of technology into human life and experience. Transhumanism is all about how technology can help the advancement of our human lives, and how technology can aid us. The guys discussed wearable examples of this such as the ring doorbell or our smartphones. However, this can become very serious when transhumanism enters posthumanism, which is when technology is used to achieve versions of humans other than what constitutes humans now. Transhumanists are saying that technology will take us to the next stages of evolution and that we can play a part in it. They believe that integrating technology into our bodies will be the next stage. The guys talk through these four stages of posthumanism. Phase one is “wearables” or technology that creates benefits for humans. They gave an example as a pacemaker, which keeps people alive and helps people lead more comfortable lives. The second phase is integration of silicone technology for our health. The hosts mentioned this technology called “CRISPR”, which futurists expect to put an end to diseases such as cancer. The third phase is “enhancements,” where futurists believe scientists will be able to adjust genetic mutations for diseases, but then also mutate genetics for preferences, such as specific eye colors, higher IQ’s, etc. They discuss that in this stage, changing genetics will only be available to the elite and to the wealthy. People will not be created equal anymore. The last phase is where these futurists want to transfer our subconsciousness into a computer, virtual reality or an avatar in order to “live forever.” The futurists are saying that technology will give birth to future centiens and not just humans. They also discuss what does it actually mean to be human and what consciousness really is. The guys also talk about how this idea of posthumanism is really humans trying to become like God and how this idea is not really new. Humans have been trying to become like God since the beginning of time. It all started with Satan wanting to become like God and then convincing Eve that she could be like God as well if she ate the fruit. But, we are already like God by being made in the image of God. In the story of Babel, the people tried to build the tower to reach into the heavens, but God destroyed the tower and did not let their plans succeed. Every time we try to be like God, it falls apart because we created something less than good. No matter how much man tries to reach His level, God will always be on His throne in heaven. God is in control and it all comes down to what God will allow to take place. God at some point will take down posthumanism, but no one knows when. The guys wrap up this episode by reassuring Christians that God is not worried and the only way to truly have immortality is in His kingdom forever. 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 theLiving Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources atbiblicalcounseling.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 Navarro
- 101Ep. 100 - How to Strengthen Your Christian WorldviewIn today's special episode, the 100th episode of the show(!!), the guys welcome back special guest Emilio Ramos for a third conversation! This discussion is the broadest of the three, and it focuses on Christian worldview and how to strengthen it. To get things going, the guys first consider what worldview is, focusing on a definition from Got Questions: “A worldview refers to a comprehensive conception of the world from a specific standpoint,” and it is a person’s big picture and way of both understanding reality and making decisions. Emilio explains how a significant worldview issue among Christians today is that they leave eschatology out of their worldview formulations. They think of eschatology, or the study of the last things, in terms of apocalyptic predictions and church debates, relegating it to the sidelines of their lives. In reality, eschatology is central to the Bible’s storyline, and is present from the very beginning in the hope that God will bring all things to a beautiful redemptive culmination. Eschatology, and our theology more broadly, the guys urge, has everything to do with how we live now! Of course, factors other than theological misconception oppose the Christian worldview. As people living in the world, Christians must immerse themselves in Scripture to curb the influence of the world on their worldviews. The guys revel in the sufficiency of the Bible as the standard to build our lives on, and work through dangers of modernism, a gnostic dismissal of the present world, the deeply self-refuting “worldview” of atheism, and the problems of process theology. They explain how people can be boiled down in terms of worldview to Christian theists and practical atheists, and how the three absolutes of truth, goodness and beauty - central pieces of worldview - require something transcendent to define them. A biblical worldview is grounded in the fear of God, and it has its start with the miracle of regeneration, when a person is given a new heart and desires. As the conversation wraps up, the guys offer insight on drawing non-Christians toward the true worldview of Christianity, sharpening one’s own worldview as a believer, and helping to train up children in a biblical worldview. 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 and Ray’s book Overcoming Insomnia.Connect with Emilio at redgracemedia.com, and check out the Christ and Kingdom podcast.You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!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
- 102Ep. 101 - Why Legalism is so DestructiveIn today's episode, the guys discuss legalism and its destruction. Legalism itself comes in two forms. On one hand are the legalists obsessed with their obedience to the law as a condition for acceptance with God. At the heart of this is the idea that works are a condition for justification. The other kinds of legalists demand that others submit to his own image of what constitutes spirituality and judge those who fail to measure up. It is inevitable that legalism ends up in hypocrisy. Then, the guys share about their own encounters with legalism. Oftentimes, those who are legalistic are trying to give an outward appearance of piety, holiness and righteousness, but the corruption that is still within ends up coming to the surface in other ways. It is, however, often the byproduct of a sincere zeal for God that is lacking in knowledge. Looking to Christ and His righteousness outs to death any idea that we can gain, earn, prove or pay off the righteousness that has been given to us through Jesus. Legalism comes from a very man-centered way of viewing himself. Legalism forgets about grace and mercy and replaces it with appearance by negating the gospel. We are so prone to want to demand our own ways and become frustrated when things don’t go according to our own plan. We may often find ourselves in situations where we are demonstrating self absorption, and should recognize that these times should be flipped as an opportunity to demonstrate God’s grace. Next, the guys differentiate between legalism and what isn't actually considered legalism. Legalism is distorting the gospel by adding conditions to free grace, substituting manmade regulations for the word of God, majoring on the minors and neglecting the more important issues, overconcern with externals while disregarding matters of the heart and regarding with contempt or judgment based on matters of personal conviction. Legalism is not a zeal for the Commandments of Christ, a ministry that teaches others to follow Christ and obedience and having strong personal convictions not required for others. In closing, we are reminded that a part of grace is recognizing that our quality is not based on the output of our performance. When we recognize that the love of God is where our true value lies, we are freed from the need to prove ourselves in life. 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 Navarro
- 103Ep. 102 - The False Teachings of the Catholic ChurchIn today's episode, the guys discuss Catholicism. To begin, they reiterate that they are in no way trying to talk down to Catholic people, but rather are speaking the truth and being honest about a religious institution which they believe has serious harmful teachings. Catholics and Christians do have things in common, such as believing in the existence of God and the person of Jesus Christ, but the glaring differences can not be overlooked.While Christians believe we are saved by grace and not ourselves, Catholics believe that we are saved by grace and by our actions. When we say that we were saved by grace, we are saying that we as individuals had nothing to do with it and we can not upkeep out salvation. There is no need for Christians to worry about losing our salvation after a sinful action. It is by our faith alone that we receive the gift of justification.While it is possible for a person to be saved and be part of the Catholic church, the guys believe it would have to be despite the official teachings of the Catholic church. It is in response to the grace that has been given to us by God that we may pursue righteousness, not out of fear of condemnation or eternal hell and punishment. Even if you have everything else sorted out, if you don’t have salvation right, then you won’t have eternal life. When it comes to eternal life, the Scripture should serve as our guideline, and all traditions of man should fall to the wayside. Today, all we have to do is look upon the curse of Jesus on the cross and live. We do not look to the Pope, the sacraments or to tradition, but to Jesus alone. Before wrapping up, the conversation shifts to discussing the idolatry common within the Catholic church. In closing, we are reminded that our debts were paid by Jesus on the cross in perfect righteousness. Repent, place your faith in Him and let Him set you free!Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!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
- 104Ep. 103 - How to Be an Effective Ambassador for ChristIn today's episode, the guys discuss how to be an effective ambassador for Christ. This topic never gets old, because it is all about living out who we are in Christ. We are reminded that each of us is a witness for Christ. What a person believes is much less important than the way that they act. Our Christian lives should gravitate people towards us who are ready to hear the gospel. 2 Corinthians 5:20 proclaims “Now, then, we are ambassadors for Christ.” If we have been born again for Christ, we are automatically His ambassadors. When we remember who Christ is, it is astonishing that he has called upon us sinful human beings to be His ambassadors. An ambassador is defined as an accredited diplomat sent from a country as its official representative to a foreign country. We should remember that this world isn’t our home, we are only passing through in exile. Our mission here is singular: To bring glory to Christ and to make Him known. The number one most important trait for an ambassador is discretion with words. This refers to the ability to know when not to say and do certain things as to avoid offense. The ultimate work of evangelism actually has little to do with our power to transform lives. God calls on us to be His ambassadors as a way to live out our faithfulness to Him. Anger, sarcasm, demeaning comments and self righteousness are some traits often seen among evangelists who forget that they are also ambassadors. We should be careful to avoid these traits as we walk through life. If you haven’t shared the gospel with others in a while, the guys urge you to get started just by being friendly in public places. It is important to keep in mind that as ambassadors, we are not just representing the Lord, but also other Christians. Our witness has the potential to extend far beyond what we can imagine. Christ left us an example of what we should do for one another as believers, and it all starts with the representation of the love and service within church. In closing, we are reminded that we represent the God of the universe. This realization should sober us, honor us and lead us to recognize the seriousness of our calling. It is in His grace alone this calling may be achieved. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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
- 105Ep. 104 - Live Q&A at the Ambassadors' Academy - Part 1Today’s episode is part one of a live recording of a Q&A held at the recent Ambassadors Academy. Before getting into the Q&A, they share a little bit about the annual Ambassadors Academy. While keeping the handpicked group of participants small, AA is essentially a crash course for evangelism. Many participants enter on the first day never having spoken publicly about their faith before and leave with the confidence to do so. Many have even started their own groups within their church that ultimately nourish their community at large. Joining the guys for this Q&A is their senior pastor of Kindred Community Church Philip DeCourcy. To begin the Q&A, Ray is asked about his first open air springboard. Then, they are asked to share advice on the best resources for someone struggling with assurance on their salvation. They recommend Saved Without a Doubt by John MacArthur and always turning towards the sufficiency and truth of the Word of God. In moments of uncertainty, there is nothing better (besides God’s Word) than having pastors and people of faith alongside us to affirm and hold us accountable. Scripture makes it clear that God has given us eternal life based on the fact that we have placed our own worth in Him. We are reminded that despite what we may feel, we can continue to show our faith by our works by continuing, in obedience, all that Scripture calls us to. Next, the guys are asked about open air preaching in places where public speaking is deemed illegal. First, we are urged to explore areas in which public speaking is allowed. However, when it comes to the proclamation of the gospel, the only time we have a right to rebel against authority is if we are commanded to do something God forbids or are forbidden to do something God commands. Thus, we should generally always obey the orders of God over the orders of man. Then, they offer encouragement about handing out biblical tracts in person. Before wrapping up, they identify the key thing they want participants of AA to leave with: a sense of joy over evangelism. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.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
- 106Ep. 105 - Live Q&A at the Ambassadors' Academy - Part 2Today’s episode is part two of a live recording of a Q&A held at the recent Ambassadors Academy. First, the guys answer how we can help other Christians understand that the Sinner’s prayer is not a very good idea. We are reminded that when we are born to God, he does all the work himself. We often make the mistake of bringing our modern desire for instant gratification into our discipleship. Evangelism and discipleship is a long investment game, and the Sinner’s prayer often disrupts what God really wants us to do. Pastor Philip DeCoursey adds that the prayer can be used as a tool to some extent, but when it gets in the way or hinders someone's true expression, it becomes a problem. It is out of the heart that the mind speaks. Next, they make their case for the position of an evangelist within the local church. Pastor DeCoursey believes that when it comes to the people in our local churches who have a special gift or calling in evangelism, it is their job to model their passion and equip others to do it, too. In the book of Acts, the Apostles went everywhere and appointed elders in every city. The ultimate goal of evangelism is to do the same, equip our churches for the work of ministry to be His ambassadors in this world. Then, they share how a new believer can increase their fear of God, especially in seasons where they don’t fear God at all. First, you should study the nature and character of God revealed in the Scripture. The Bible is the revelation of God’s nature and character that we will face on Judgement Day. The Bible tells us that it is through the fear of the Lord, men depart from evil. Our calling as Christians is to know God, and the more we know Him, the more we fear Him. The more we become familiar with the holiness of God and contemplate who he is, the more we realize our own lack of holiness and will begin to fear who He 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! 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
- 107Ep. 106 - What is the Great White Throne Judgment and the Judgment Seat of Christ?In today's episode, the guys discuss the Great White throne judgment of God. They talk about how God is actually very judgmental because He holds us humans to high standards. God is a good and perfect judge, and He will give out wrath and condemnation for unbelievers. Our culture today says that judging others is wrong and most people don’t want to talk about how God judges us. However, to deny that God is a judge is also to deny that God is good. If He was a passive judge, then there would be something wrong with the judge. As Christians, we want judgment for those who wrong us, but we don’t want God to judge us. There is an element about judgment that delights the Christian, because we gratify people getting justice when they do us wrong. A good example the guys talk about is when Osama bin Laden died. All Americans rejoiced that he was killed because of what he did to us on 9/11, and for how he destroyed our freedom and democracy. We celebrated that justice was served. God is a holy and just god, and will give each person their reward or condemnation on judgment day. Next, the guys confer about how fear is actually a good thing and is our friend. Fear reminds us to keep our seatbelts on or to not get too close to alligators. Fear is the beginning of wisdom. We won’t let our sins go, unless we see danger from the fear of God. He already knows everything and is omniscient. They also discuss the facts from the Bible from the book of revelations that we can refer to. These facts include: Jesus Christ will be the judge and Lord, all unbelievers will be judged by Christ and they will receive wrath, unbelievers are storing up for themselves wrath that will be given, God will give to each person according to what he has done, and believers will be judged but because of Christ’s righteousness given to us and our names are written in the book of life, we will be rewarded. In addition, the guys also explain two very big distinctions from the judgment seat of Christ and the Great White throne judgment of God. They talk about how the Great White throne is when God will condemn the unbelievers, but the judgment seat of Christ is for when God will judge all of the believers. But, as believers, we do not need to fear being condemned by God because we can live in confidence that God won’t leave us or forsake us. God will take a survey of what we have done with our talent, time and treasure, and He will give us a reward in heaven based on what we have done. Another element the guys talked through is that every believer in heaven will be happy and there will be no envy in heaven. Envy is created by a lack, but there will be no lack in heaven. They also discuss how our maturity level will determine how we will enjoy Christ in heaven by varying degrees. Even though maturity will be on different levels, we all can be joyful in heaven. The guys finish up by talking about how everything we do should have a heavenly focus and aim for the glory of God. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! 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
- 108Ep. 107 - Why Does God Allow Suffering?In today's episode, the guys talk about suffering and the question of why God allows suffering to occur. This question is one of the most common objections raised to Christianity, and it entails a logical breakdown, as suffering is not about the reality of a creator, but rather indicates that something is horribly wrong with the created order. The question is also raised by two different sorts of people: those who ask with a “gotcha” mindset, and those who have suffered and have a genuine desire to understand and believe. The Bible answers both groups, holding the first under judgment, and meeting the second by speaking to the reality of suffering. When we interact with people asking how a loving God could allow suffering, we must first ask why they are asking the question and what their baseline assumptions are. With those asking out of a true desire to understand, we need to offer tenderness and compassion. We then need to offer answers. We don’t always receive specific explanations for why certain things happen (and so we must always meet suffering with faith!), but we do get a big-picture answer in the Bible. Ever since man’s first sin, the world has been fallen and broken. Christianity defines suffering in light of the fall, and is the only worldview to offer both a clear definition of and hope within suffering. When we count the cost and become Christians, we know we are not signing up for a life free of suffering. There will be all manner of suffering for us until the day we see our Savior face to face. But in the meantime, suffering takes on a new meaning for us. It is an honor granted to us. It tests our faith as a fire, conforms us to the image of Christ, reminds us that God’s ways are not our ways, and points us to the cross. At the cross, God the Father allowed the brutal death of His Son, and Jesus willingly took suffering upon Himself. In this climactic moment of suffering, we also see our final victory over suffering secured. We look ahead to the end of suffering, knowing that the trials we endure now are - in light of Romans 8:28 - being worked together for our good and God’s glory. We can worship with joy even through our suffering, and far from being a shallow or cheesy thing, our joy is a deep, sustaining confidence in the character of God. We can also use suffering as an opportunity to evangelize, urging others to join us as we hope in God. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! 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
- 109Ep.108 - What is the Kingdom of God?In today's episode, the guys discuss the Kingdom of God. Many people either misunderstand God’s Kingdom or ignore it altogether. However, the idea of Kingdom is pronounced by the first chapter of the New Testament. A good starting point for understanding the Kingdom is to ask ourselves why Jesus lived. The most common subject throughout the gospel is the Kingdom of God. It was the ultimate paramount for everything Jesus taught and the reason he lived. Kingdom carries with it the idea of God’s reign. It can create a realm or people, but is not synonymous with those things. In its truest essence, the Kingdom of God is the reign of God manifesting itself in the Heavenly realm and through his people. A common thread found throughout the Scripture is of man trying to establish his kingdom over God’s Kingdom. When we become a citizen of this new Kingdom presented by God, our value systems will drastically change. While man’s value system is motivated by fear and envy, in God’s system the only thing to fear is God Himself. This doesn’t mean that we should remove ourselves from the human world, but should do everything we can to allow righteousness to rule. When we find ourselves worried about things happening on earth, we should look up to God sitting on His throne to remind us that we are fighting a spiritual battle more than a physical one. Further, we should be careful in recognizing that the Kingdom of God is not just spiritual, it is also physica. It is not just where we go when we die. It is actually in the world making its presence known and penetrating our everyday experiences. We should see the earth in the same microscopic perspective as God sees it. The way God goes about bringing Heaven on earth is totally inverted from the way man brings about power, and we must trust in His way of doing things. 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! 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
- 110Ep. 109 - How to Overcome Jealousy and EnvyIn today's episode, the guys talk about envy and jealousy, as well as how to overcome them. Both of these sins, which relate to the sin of covetousness discussed in a previous episode, lead from what may feel like a relatively non-threatening start to all manner of mischief and further sin. In order to deal with them and the bad fruit they lead to, we have to start at the root. The root of envy and jealousy is dissatisfaction with God and our lot in Him. We fail to believe that whatever is not within God’s will for us is not something we need (or should ultimately even want). We embrace “discontented longing for someone else’s advantages” (envy) or “unpleasant suspicion or apprehension of rivalship” (jealousy). Saul offers an apt picture of jealousy as it grows and turns into evil action - in his case, attempted murder of David. And envy, the guys explain, is opposition to the prosperity or happiness of others. It is unhappy self-justification, and its antidote is finding satisfaction in the justification offered by God. After all, in Christ, we have all things! What else is there for us to strive for? We live before God, who sees our every thought and deed, and He is to us a sure hope. Any other hope will surely let us down. Turning to envy for justification and satisfaction ultimately makes us discontent with the good of others, haters of our neighbors, and our own tormentors. Using envy, as people so often do, to motivate others and even to shape the behavior of our children, will damage us and cause these other people to stumble. Allowing any jealousy but a righteous jealousy to dwell in us will, time and again, lead us to evil action. But as believers, we need not behave as “mere men”! We must be rooted in love, which doesn’t envy, and cry out to God to help us daily to live as those filled with His love. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! 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
- 111Ep. 110 - How to Walk in JoyIn today's episode, the guys discuss what it means to walk in joy. To begin, they clarify the difference between happiness and joy. While happiness is fleeting and comes from circumstances, joy is objective and transcends circumstances. When Heaven is the prime object of our rejoicing, it is impossible for anything to steal our joy. A perfect example of this is in Luke chapter 10, when the apostles were rejoicing even though the demons were subject to them, because their names were written in Heaven. We can never know what tomorrow on this earth will bring, but we can rejoice nevertheless knowing that our salvation lies in Heaven. We must remember not to be governed by circumstances, but instead by what is written in God’s Word. For anyone in our lives who may currently be experiencing immense suffering, the guys advise that we lend a listening ear and a helping hand to that person. This can be as simple as picking their kids up from school or dropping off a meal for them. Then, when the time is right, it is important that we give them the opportunity to speak up. Rather than asking someone if they have moved on yet, we should instead ask what they have done to move forward or how we may be able to help them along their journey. People need to be reminded that there are always others thinking about them and caring for them. It is not only circumstances that can rob us of our joy. Sometimes, Ray shares, it can be for no reason at all. This is when we must be almost mechanical in pulling our soul up by its bootstrings and remembering all of the blessings we have in our lives. It is easy to become distracted by the busyness of our lives that we forget that we have ultimately been adopted by God into the Kingdom of Heaven. We are reminded that the pathway to joy is through God’s presence and remembering our standing in the eternal. Through the blood of Jesus Chirst, we have been adopted by God as heirs to His Kingdom and are in need of nothing. We must fight for our own joys in life by pursuing the Lord and entering His presence. When we truly rejoice in our own salvation, we can’t help but want to tell others about that same thing. Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! 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
- 112Ep. 111 - The Passing of Ray’s Beloved Dog, SamIn today's episode, the guys discuss the passing of Ray’s treasured friend and partner in the gospel: his beloved dog, Sam. The guys talk about grief, loss and how to weather the storm through the grace of God. Sam was a fluffy, white dog that would ride on a bike wearing red sunglasses. Many people would approach Ray because of Sam, and that would be his instrument to witness to people. Sam became so popular on social media, that many people commented on Ray’s instagram post about Sam, saying how sad they were about his passing. Sam at first was a hyper, crazy dog and Ray tried to get rid of him multiple times! After Sam calmed down, he became a docile, sweet dog that would patiently sit as Ray talked about the gospel to hundreds of people. Recently, Ray had to bring Sam to the veterinarian to put him down. Ray says the loss of his dog Sam has helped Ray grow closer to the Lord because instead of being by himself when he gets home, Ray is glad that the Lord is with him. The guys then discuss how popular pets are, with now 70% of all households having a pet. During COVID, 23 million people adopted pets. Ray speaks about how dogs have unconditional love and complete trust in their master. They discussed this hypothetical question of whether you would save your dog or another person from a river if they were drowning, and a surprising amount of people said they would pick their dog. As much as we love and care for our pets, they are not as valuable as human beings. God names Adam and then lets Adam name the rest of the animals. God intended for us to be his representatives, to love, nurture and care for the rest of the world. Pets speak into a specific type of companionship and sing the glory of God. By having pets, we can honor God through the way we take care of them and use them for God’s will. Even though pets are wonderful, we need to not create idols in what we worship (animals) instead of who we worship (the Lord). The guys then discuss the idea of whether or not dogs go to heaven. They talk about how heaven will be full of God’s image-bearers with animals, but maybe not necessarily our personal pets. They then say how it won’t actually matter if we have our pets in heaven or not. Heaven will be so good with being face-to-face with Jesus, that everyone else won’t actually matter to us. They also talk about how we should not console or comfort people by saying dogs or people are in heaven, but that we should ask what they would do or say if they were here. They discuss how grieving is really important and in the Bible, they would actually hire mourners to help people grieve. Grief is God’s way of healing us. You can’t let it pent up or hold it in, but you have to let it all out to heal in a healthy way. Even through loss, we can be comforted by the fact that God will make all of this right one day. There is hope in eternal life and one day, there will be no more death and no more tears. 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! 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
- 113Ep. 112 - The Cure for LonelinessIn today's episode, the guys discuss loneliness. Statistics show that loneliness is likely to increase a person’s risk of death by 26%, is as bad for your health as smoking 15 cigarettes per day, is worse for you than obesity. Loneliness and social isolation also put individuals at a greater risk of cognitive decline and dementia later in life. To begin, the guys define loneliness as being in a place with no sense of community or companionship. Loneliness and isolation tends to convince a person that they have no value or significance to anyone. It is possible to experience loneliness in a crowded room, or to be completely alone but not experience loneliness at all. In Genesis, the first declaration made by God was that it was not good for man to be alone, and then he created Eve for Adam. Unfortunately, our isolated modern lives in western culture are designed for loneliness. In place of the community we need as people, our culture has created ineffective substitutes in online communities to fill this void. However, this environment only further isolates us as true companionship and commitment can not be achieved in online relationships. The guys share about times they might feel a tinge of loneliness in their own lives. Everybody out there is frantically trying to create community because we all feel lonely, but the guys point out that there is no substitute for Gospel community. A big motivating driver for many of us is the fear of being fully known and not loved. This insecurity keeps us from experiencing community. The beauty of the Gospel is that Jesus, God Himself, was forsaken by the very people He came to love and safe. He endured this all for the promise that His children would never be forsaken by God. To be truly known and loved is what we need more than anything, it is a lot like God’s love. The cure to loneliness is remembering that we have Christ, have been accepted into the beloved and finding our true identity in Him. As Christians, we must ensure that we are not replacing the love of Christ with other things. Loneliness is simply a state of mind, and realizing that Christ is with us is the answer in this dark tunnel. For listeners who may be in a stage of loneliness in their life, the guys encourage you to let God be your refuge and cling to Him. 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! 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
- 114Ep. 113 - The Life of George WhitefieldIn today's episode, the guys discuss the evangelist George Whitefield. Whitefield was born in Gloucester, England in 1714 and died in 1770. At age 21, he was converted while studying at the University of oxford. Along with John Wesley and Charles Wesley, he was part of the Holy Club. For 5 years, Whitefield sought after salvation and became nearly ascetic to obtain favor with God. It wasn’t until Charles Wesley gave him a book by Henry Scougal that Whitefield was radically transformed into a brand new creature of Christ. He began preaching in London and Bristol before coming to the U.S. at 24 years old. Whitefield is credited as being the impetus behind the First Great Awakening. He traveled from town to town on horseback to preach the gospel around America during a wicked time. He preached 30,000 sermons in his lifetime and was known to study the gospel while on his knees. He was a person who was able to disengage himself from the fear of man and momentary comforts for what is more important. They key for him and for us is to realize all we have in Christ. The guys encourage all listeners to think about how differently we might move through life if we knew today was our last day on earth. From the preaching of Whitefield and his contemporaries, we can glean and be inspired to love the Lord in a fiery way. As Christians, we have the entire history of the family of God as our ancestors. The same Holy Spirit that was in George Whitefield is in you, too. Since the Apostles, there has not been anyone who has preached as prolifically and effectively as Whitefield. One thing we can not do with heroes of the faith is venerate them. While we can look at them as heroes, we have to remember that they were also flawed and sinful creatures just like us. To do this, we must remind ourselves that we too have blind spots. Even with his flaws, however, we can be sure that Whitefield was a man who lived for Christ. 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
- 115Ep. 114 - The Marvels of MeditationIn today's episode, the guys discuss the marvels of meditation. Christian meditation is a lost art form in our journey to become more like our Savior. Today, our society has an understanding of meditation that is mostly eastern and includes the idea of clearing your mind and becoming one with yourself. All throughout the Scripture, however, prayer and meditation are two sides of the same coin. God desires for us to spend time in His Word and meditating. Before getting into what Christian meditation is, the guys discuss the purpose of it. Meditation is a method for us to become more like our Savior by filling our minds with God’s words and truth. For many people, there is a big gaping hole in the sanctification process for meditation. While we should meditate on the greatness of God and the promises of His word, we should also meditate on the subject of Hell to motivate us to reach out to the lost. Biblical meditation is not actually clearing our minds, but filling them with God. It can be used as a catalyst to set the tone for our entire day. The common man sees everything the Christian man sees, but the Christian pauses to connect things to the Lord and unlocks transformation in their life. We should not be afraid of silent moments, but rather should welcome these times as an opportunity to better know God. The more you know God, the better you can accept uncomfortable situations and circumstances around you. When we meditate on the Scriptures, we talk to ourselves about them, churning over in our minds the meanings, implications, and applications to our own lives. In adoring God’s word, we are led to become more like Him. In closing, we are reminded that the practice of meditation is a muscle which we need to build up, so don’t be discouraged if it doesn’t click right away. The guys leave us with a few helpful tips for getting into a routine of meditation. 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
- 116Ep. 115 - How to Know God's Will for Your LifeIn today's episode, the guys discuss how to know God’s will for your life. Of all the things Christian struggle with, this topic is likely at the top of the list. We all want to know God’s will and understand what He has in store for our lives. There is one extreme in which we feel that we need to seek out God’s will in everything, but when we are too hypersensitive we can become un-Biblical with our ways of pursuing knowing His will. On the other extreme, we might think that God doesn't pay attention to the small choices we make on a daily basis. To really be able to hone in, we should recognize that there are two kinds of God’s will: His secret will and His revealed will. The secret will is God’s sovereign rule over all things. His revealed will is what He has revealed to us through Scripture how He wants us to live our lives. We must really understand and obey His revealed will before we can know His hidden will. The guys believe that the ultimate way to come to know God’s will is to do what feels right (within the bounds of Scripture) and love Him in the process. His true will is to go to all the world, preach the gospel to every creature, and do everything we can to serve the lost. We should seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all else will follow. As Christians, we should aspire to be so close to the heart of God that we are familiar with the sound of His heartbeat and the rhythm of how He works. Then, we should turn to the Word in which He reveals His thoughts and character. Finally, we will be prepared to go about our lives and pray as things arrive. God is bigger in the ways that He works than we think, and we need to have a heart of trust. There are different callings for our lives. The first is the calling towards salvation, the second is that covenant calling in marriage. The guys unpack knowing whether he or she is “the one,” and the commitments of marriage compared to the mainstream fairytale view of marriage. As we walk with the Lord obeying his word and relying on His Spirit, we will find that we are given the mind of Christ in order to make the best decisions to honor His will. As the episode wraps up, the guys reiterate that God’s hidden will never contradicts His revealed will. 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
- 117Ep. 116 - Tips for Healthy CommunicationIn today's episode, the guys discuss tips for healthy communication. To begin, they each share the areas in which they find communication most difficult. When it comes to disagreements, it is most important that we exercise understanding in the perspective of the other person. Without understanding each other, it’s nearly impossible to ever find a middle ground. We should also always strive to convey our own perspectives in a way that is easy to understand. Communication is far more than just verbal, our expressions and body language matter too. Proverbs 15:28 reminds us “The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, but the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things.” As Christians, we are not to let any unwholesome or filthy language come out of our mouths. Our tongues reveal the abundance of our hearts. Thus, we should be very careful about what we say, because we don’t want to ruin our testimony by saying something ungodly. So many problems in life could be prevented if we took a moment to think before speaking. Similarly, we should converse with the goal of understanding, rather than making our own side heard. Because of our pride, our inner lawyer often wants to come out and defend or prove ourselves to whoever we are speaking to. Instead, we should be slow, humble, and approachable. We should also be tactful and determine whether it is the right time, place, and way for a discussion to take place. If a confrontation is taking place, we should always lead by giving a person the opportunity to confess. Asking questions rather than jumping to conclusions can save a lot of heartache. We must remember that every word we speak will be accounted for on Judgment Day. In addition to this, good communication is the biggest key to a healthy and happy marriage, so we should communicate about our preferred communication with spouses and the people close to us. Finally, listeners are left with specific questions we should ask our spouses in order to grow in our communication with one another. 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
- 118Ep. 117 - Mormonism and Its False TeachingsIn today's episode, the guys talk about two very important topics: baklava and Mormonism! Understandably, they spend most of their time on Mormonism, which is one of several cults that arose in the wake of nineteenth century revivalism in America and continues to try to wedge itself under the umbrella of Christian groups/denominations. The Mormon church, or the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, developed in a context in which Christianity was cut off from church history and the original languages of the Bible, opening itself up to heretical offshoots. Mormonism has 16 million adherents worldwide, the majority of whom live in the US; the faith also boasts significant wealth and a number of high-profile members, including Mitt Romney and Donny and Marie Osmond. While Mormonism is known for kind members and for verbiage that can sound a lot like Christianity, Christians need to love truth (and Mormons!) enough to hold the false claims of Mormonism up to the standard of Scripture. The guys run through the history of Mormonism, beginning with its foundational belief that there was a “great apostasy” shortly after the apostles died that God chose to resolve through revelation to the prophet Joseph Smith. The alleged revelation to Smith was codified in Mormon texts which were added to (and valued above) the Christian Bible. The church continued to develop through splits, migration, persecution, and even a formal foray into polygamy. Shifting gears, the guys run through some of the main errors within Mormon doctrine, such as a deeply flawed doctrine of God, the belief that humans can become gods and are basically good, and the belief that the place of grace in salvation is simply to make up for what a person’s works can’t attain. In speaking to Mormons, there is a proper place for highlighting doctrinal issues within their faith. However, the best starting point is to raise the question of how to be saved and to get to the gospel. There are many resources available to help Christians understand Mormonism and how to evangelize Mormons; we are without excuse to be able to engage faithfully and in love!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
- 119Ep. 118 - Is the Trinity Biblical?In today's episode, the guys discuss the Trinity. Part of knowing God is knowing the Trinity. People often think of the Trinity as a box to check rather than diving into learning about the details of it. Part of becoming a Christian is knowing the beauty, goodness, and glory of God. We can do this when we know God as the trinitarian He is. It can be easy to get caught up in knowing every detail about the Trinity, but we must remember that to truly love God is simply to gaze upon His beauty. An accurate view of the God as Trinity is the foundation upon which we can worship each of the 3 persons of the Godhead. To worship God correctly is to worship who He is exactly. The Trinity is not an easy concept to wrap our minds around, but we must yield to Scripture rather than to what we feel. James White shares that the Trinity is found in the gutter of the Bible, right between the Old and New Testament. In this section, people experienced the power of the Holy Spirit and were steeped in trinitarian doctrine. The distinct word “Trinity” was never actually used in the Bible, but trinitarian language is used all throughout. Though Scripture states that there is only one God, it also refers to three distinctly different persons that are called God. There is one divine nature and substance of God, but 3 divine persons who form this interrelated God. It has been said that you can only trust someone as much as you truly know them. When we intermix all of the different attributes displayed by God, we begin to form a clear picture of who He is. If we are going to make any pursuit in life, why not make it to know God better? The Trinity is something we need to deal with regularly to really know Him. Modalism, the doctrine that God is a person who manifests Himself in 3 different ways, is the biggest misconception of the Trinity. It is crucial to understand that Jesus is not half human, half divine. Since there is nothing quite like the Trinity, it can be difficult to explain. In closing, listeners are urged to examine the Scripture and be committed to it. 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
- 120Ep. 119 - Why Do Some Think King Charles is the Antichrist?In today's episode, the guys discuss King Charles III in light of the upcoming coronation. Before jumping into the conversation, they clarify that their intention is not to promote any particular eschatological view, but rather are focusing on what people are saying in regard to this topic. The world seems to have an insatiable appetite for royalty. A coronation, they explain, is when the church recognizes the king, who takes an oath to defend Protestantism against Catholicism. Charles actually became King of England the moment his mother the Queen died, but the coronation ceremony solidifies it. This is a good example of what is going on right now with Jesus. In His ascension, Jesus became King of all the world. But, our waiting for the second coming of Christ is almost like waiting for the coronation of the King. Jesus is still the King, and there will be a day in the future when everybody on earth stops for His coronation. Scripture commands us to honor our king, and though they do not deserve it, we should obey this commandment. King Charles has tripled in popularity since the death of Queen Elizabeth and is set up to inherit the throne with the accolades of people all around the world. Every world leader of respect will be in attendance at the coronation ceremony. The guys particularly look forward to the opportunity churches have to reach millions at the coronation. They touch on the excitement of handing out their tracts at the coronation this coming May. Finally, the guys discuss a common current opinion that King Charles is the Antichrist. By definition, the Antichrist is supposed to be a “man of lawlessness.” King Charles, given his position, is above the law and it is impossible for him to be prosecuted. The guys are not urging anyone to actively worship the king, but we should be wary of such theories and instead use this as an opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Their excitement for this moment lies in the opportunity it presents to share the gospel with millions of people. As Christians, our hearts should explode with excitement when we think of unity for the sake of the gospel. Operation London is the perfect example of how believers, regardless of our differences in eschatological views, can gather together for one day. 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
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