CCEF Podcast: Where Life & Scripture Meet

Today we’re excited to share with you a recent project we’ve been working on. We started a new podcast called the CCEF Blogcast, where CCEF faculty read their own blogs. We hope you enjoy this special episode as Ed Welch reads his blog, “Become a Psalmist.” For more content like this, check out the CCEF Blogcast wherever you listen to podcasts. Music: "Created by Design" by Cody Martin

How can understanding Jesus’ emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt: anger, which we see in Scripture is often directed at the things that turn people away from him. “Jesus is angry about anything that pulls his people away from him, that pulls his people away from their home, the place of life, the house of the living God, where he is leading us to dwell forever and ever.” Mentioned in this episode: We recently released a new podcast called the CCEF Blogcast! Listen as CCEF authors read their own blogs on a variety of topics. You can find it on your favorite podcast app! This is episode 4 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1, episode 2, and episode 3). Quick reminder: the final episode of this miniseries will be a response to listener questions. Do you have any questions about emotions? We'd love to hear from you! Email us your question at podcast@ccef.org. Related resources: Good & Angry | Book by David Powlison Be Angry & Do Not Sin | Blog post by Ed Welch Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves

How can understanding Jesus’ emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt: compassion, an ache on the heart that presses toward action to make things better.“   God sees our frantic bleating, living like sheep without a shepherd, harassed and helpless. He is a good shepherd, and he has compassion on his sheep, even especially where we struggle to have compassion for others.”   Mentioned in this podcast: We're excited to announce the 2024 CCEF National Conference on the topic of rest. Learn more and register at ccef.org/nc24.   This is episode 3 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1 here and episode 2 here). Do you have any questions about emotions? You can email us at podcast@ccef.org, and we’ll spend the last episode of the miniseries answering some of your questions.   Related resources: Because He Cares—for Me? | Blog post by Alasdair Groves Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners | Book by Mike Emlet

How can understanding Jesus’ emotions help us understand our own? Listen as Alasdair Groves focuses on one particular emotion which Jesus felt, just hours before his crucifixion: dread. How does Jesus’ experience of dread encourage us in our own experience of it?   Mentioned in this podcast: Head to ccef.org/school to register for Dynamics of Biblical Change, one of our foundational courses, in the March 2024 term. Pricing increases after February 5, so register soon for the discount!   This is episode 2 in a miniseries on emotions (listen to episode 1 here). Do you have any questions about emotions? You can email us at podcast@ccef.org, and we’ll spend the last episode of the miniseries answering some of your questions.   Related resources: “I often experience intense emotions that can feel debilitating. How can I grow?” | Video by Alasdair Groves Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves & Winston Smith

“The heart poured out to the Lord is actually a form of trust.”   Sometimes we find ourselves unable to control our emotions. Often this produces guilt, and we wonder, “What does that say about my faith?” How do we navigate such an experience? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses this experience and what faithful living looks like in this first episode of a miniseries on emotions.   Related resources: Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves & Winston Smith Emotions Are a Language | Blog post by Ed Welch Strong Emotions, Extreme Confidence | Blog post by Ed Welch Negative Emotions (Part 1) | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves

Sometimes Scripture feels dry, distant, or impersonal. How do we apply Scripture in these times? How do we take hold of a cup of cold water when we are most thirsty? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses what it looks like to bring Scripture to bear on our sufferings and struggles, using several examples from his own life. Related resources: Shaking Off Some Lifelessness with the Psalms | Blog post by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/shaking-off-some-lifelessness-with-the-psalms How Do You Personally Engage with Scripture? | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves & Mike Emlet https://www.ccef.org/podcast/how-do-you-personally-engage-with-scripture Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith | Book by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/book/take-heart-daily-devotions-to-deepen-your-faith

Do you ever feel guilty about how small or weak your faith is? Listen as Alasdair Groves talks about weak faith, primarily considering an example from Peter, one of Jesus’ own disciples.   “It's not about the strength of your faith. It's about the strength of the Savior. It's about the strength of the one who can pull you out of the dark waters and bring you back to the boat. Even the tiniest little bit of faith is God's gift to us anyway.”   Related resources: The Way of Wisdom in Weakness & Self-Doubt | Conference talk by Esther Liu https://www.ccef.org/session/the-way-of-wisdom-in-weakness-self-doubt What can I do to strengthen my weak faith? | Video by Winston Smith https://www.ccef.org/video/how-can-i-strengthen-my-weak-faith-0 An Open Letter to a Discouraged Saint | Blog post by Mike Emlet https://www.ccef.org/an-open-letter-to-a-discouraged-saint

“We can become blind to the goodness of what God is calling us to, the fact that his call to obedience is a call to the path of life, not the path of death. When our drudgery becomes our view of what’s happening here, if we see it as him against us or calling us to something that’s not good for us, we’ve lost some ability to perceive what is true.”   Why do we struggle to do the things God has given us to do? How do we fight laziness or procrastination and move forward into the hard but rewarding task of the work that God has set before us? Listen as Alasdair Groves shares about his own struggles with laziness and how God can grow us in perseverance in our work."Related resources: "Why Bother?" | Blog by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/why-bother/ "Psalm 90 and 'Doing the Best That I Can'" | Blog by Todd Stryd https://www.ccef.org/psalm-90-and-doing-the-best-that-i-can/ More information about the 2023 CCEF National Conference here: https://www.ccef.org/2023

“When you offer normal, mundane, simple, best-you-can-do words of love and encouragement to somebody in their struggles, there is actually a physiological impact you are having on that person. When you offer words of comfort, you are literally changing something about their body.”   We’re excited to launch season 4 with a discussion on how the words we speak to one another can actually have physical effects for good.   Related resources: Words of Counsel | JBC article by Pierce Taylor Hibbs https://www.ccef.org/my-account/jbc/2702/words-of-counsel-part-1-a-biblical-theological-foundation/ The Power of Words | JBC article by Paul David Tripp https://www.ccef.org/jbc_article/the-power-of-words/ Edit Your Counseling | Blog by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/edit-your-counseling/ Speaking Words that Bring Life | Conference talk by Darby Strickland https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/speaking-words-that-bring-life/

“It is hard to speak to the Lord about your sufferings and to lament and to honestly go to him and say, ‘Lord, this is hurting in my heart, on my soul.’ We rarely step into relationship in that way, and it's a struggle. It's a challenge, and it's a good, right, excellent challenge to come to him as the one who really does care.”   What is self-pity, and how should we view it? How can we turn our self-pity into godly lament that engages honestly with the Lord? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses self-pity and considers what to do when we or others are struggling with it.   Related resources: How Precisely Can I Sort Out My Emotions? Part 4 | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/how-precisely-can-i-sort-out-my-emotions-part-4-5/

“Only the Lord is deserving of full, utter trust. We have a God we can trust 100% in every situation to be who he says he will be. And that means we can always trust whatever he’s up to in another person.”   What does it mean that “love trusts all things,” as 1 Corinthians 13:7 says? How do we show an appropriate level of trust in others, and when are the times we shouldn’t? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses what it means that “love always trusts.”   Related resources: Rebuilding Broken Trust | Journal article by Alasdair Groves https://www.ccef.org/jbc_article/rebuilding-broken-trust/ How can I repair broken trust? | Ask the Counselor video by Aaron Sironi https://www.ccef.org/video/how-can-i-repair-broken-trust-its-discouraging-to-think-our-relationship-will-never-be-the-same/

Alasdair Groves speaks with Collin Hansen about his new book, Timothy Keller: His Spiritual and Intellectual Formation, and the influences on Tim Keller, which included CCEF and David Powlison. Collin Hansen is the vice president for content and editor in chief of The Gospel Coalition, as well as executive director of The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics.   Mentioned in the podcast: "Idols of the Heart and 'Vanity Fair'" | Journal article by David Powlison. Read it here for free: https://www.ccef.org/idols-heart-and-vanity-fair/

When we think about the state of the church today, the negatives often come to mind. While there is much to be grieved about and much change that needs to take place, there is much to be encouraged by when you look at how God is working through local churches around the world. Listen as Alasdair Groves considers some of the reasons not to give up on the church.   "The church has been through a thousand seasons where it's torn itself apart over the ages. But grace is always the center. God's love is always the center that draws his people back together. Let your eyes look for the ways where truth and hope and love and kindness and fellowship are gifts to you through your brothers and sisters, from Jesus himself."   Related resource: How Is the Church Doing at Caring for One Another? | Video by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/video/how-is-the-church-doing-at-caring-for-one-another/ The Local Church Is THE Place for Biblical Counseling | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/local-church-place-biblical-counseling/

What does it mean to “get over something”? After enduring a difficult situation, how do we know if we’ve processed it wisely? Listen as Alasdair Groves discusses some steps we can consider as we grieve and heal. Check out our free resource included with this podcast! Use the code “podcast” at checkout to receive your free article. “‘I’ll Never Get Over It’: Help for the Aggrieved” by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/ill-never-get-help-aggrieved/

What do we do when we don’t seem to feel much emotion? How can we understand this experience, and what is God’s call to us in it? Listen as Alasdair Groves talks about the experience of numb emotions.   “Each one of us will face different struggles, but for each of us, there's an opportunity to walk toward the Lord and walk toward each other. If you experience a lack of emotion, that in and of itself is always an opportunity to speak to the Lord and to speak to others.”   Related resources: Untangling Emotions | Book by Alasdair Groves and Winston Smith https://www.ccef.org/book/untangling-emotions/ Strong Emotions, Extreme Confidence | Blog post by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/strong-emotions-extreme-confidence/ Engaging Our Emotions, Engaging with God | Blog post by Alasdair Groves https://www.ccef.org/engaging-our-emotions-engaging-god/

Most of us are familiar with the ways our phones can be detrimental to our spiritual lives. But how often do we consider ways they can be of spiritual benefit? Listen as Alasdair Groves talks about how smartphones can actually enrich our relationship with God.   “My phone was pointing me directly to the glories and the riches and the treasures of God's promises to us, fulfilled so directly and so richly through the Holy Spirit, even in things as simple as what I was doing as I swiped or scrolled or sent a text or did a hundred other things that we do every day.”   Related resources: “Why Do We Pray?” blog post by David Powlison “Eyes That See More” blog post by Ed Welch

“Sometimes, we will listen and we will hear silence. We will look around, and we will not see him or what he is up to, and we will not know what to make of our circumstances, but here’s what we do know: we walk with the God who preserves his people. The God who stores our tears in a bottle is the God who knows our names and who shapes our names and our circumstances and will always be among us.”   What do we do when God is silent? How do we have hope when it feels like he is absent? Listen as Alasdair Groves considers God’s seeming silence for 400 years of history between the Old and New Testaments, and how even then, God’s care is never diminished.   Related resources: Where Was God? | Blog post by Ed Welch www.ccef.org/where-was-god/ Why Prayer Is Hard for Me | Blog post by Laura Andrews www.ccef.org/why-prayer-is-hard-for-me/

“One of your greatest goals as a man whom the Lord has called into marriage is to maximize your wife’s opportunities to use her gifts within the context of her life and community. You ask, 'How can I help her flourish?' That is serving her; that is leading her."   Scripture calls husbands to lead their wives. But what does this look like? How do we know if we’re leading our wives well? Listen as Alasdair Groves talks about what it looks like to focus on serving our wives rather than focusing on our role as leader.   Related resources: Manliness for Every Husband | Journal article by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/manliness-for-every-husband/ Spiritual Leadership in the Home | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves & Robyn Huck https://www.ccef.org/podcast/spiritual-leadership-in-the-home/

“We have a God who loves, cares, and knows, and I can rest utterly in the hope that he will be with me, he will walk with me, and he will provide. He will care for every last moment of my day tomorrow as I am exhausted.”   Do you ever have nights where you can’t sleep? Whatever the reason may be, struggling to sleep is a form of suffering. Alasdair Groves explores what it looks like to lean on the Lord when we can’t sleep, assured that he is near and he cares.   Related resources: “Rest” | Podcast episode by Alasdair Groves https://www.ccef.org/podcast/rest/ “Cares and Consolations” | Blog post by Mike Emlet https://www.ccef.org/cares-and-consolations/ “Fear and Faith Conjoined” | Blog post by Ed Welch https://www.ccef.org/fear-and-faith-conjoined/

“We do grieve, but we don't grieve without hope. Our grief is a hopeful grief. The losses we sustain and experience in this life are hope-filled because of Jesus, because we have a hope that transcends death itself. We have a God who is redeeming all of creation.”In the first episode of season 3, Alasdair Groves talks about how grief is not something to run from, be ashamed of, or try to get rid of, but grief is an invitation to worship God as the giver of every good gift.   Related resources: “Grief Undone: Walking through Grief alongside the Spirit” | Conference audio by Libby Groves https://www.ccef.org/shop/product/grief-undone-walking-grief-alongside-spirit/ “Is It Right to Feel Grief for What is Grievous?” | Blog post by David Powlison https://www.ccef.org/it-right-feel-grief-what-grievous-part-2-5/ “What do I do when I can’t seem to get over my grief?” | Video by Alasdair Groves https://www.ccef.org/video/what-do-i-do-when-i-cant-seem-to-get-over-my-grief/