Engage the Word With Elizabeth Rodríguez

Have you ever come across a verse of Scripture that, for whatever reason, you could not hurry past? What do you do? In this episode, I share one of my favorite methods of prayerful meditation: the "Garland of Four Strands" from Martin Luther’s A Simple Way to Pray. Link to the Four Strands Worksheet: https://www.canva.com/design/DAGKSzkkwUg/oj3uWxuNUPBAv2m-FOgDnA/view?utm_content=DAGKSzkkwUg&utm_campaign=share_your_design&utm_medium=link&utm_source=shareyourdesignpanel Article: Agony in the Garden https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/agony-in-the-garden

Matthew S. Harmon, Ph. D., Professor of New Testament Studies at Grace Theological Seminary, joins me to discuss how he came to faith in Christ, how he discovered his passion "to help people to see the beauty of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Scriptures," and his book "Asking the Right Questions: A Practical Guide to Understanding and Applying the Bible". Show Notes: Free Resource for "Asking the Right Questions": https://static.crossway.org/excerpt/bookmark-asking-the-right-questions.pdf TGC Course for "Asking the Right Questions": https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/course/asking-the-right-questions/ Listen to the "Biblical Theology Briefing Podcast": https://open.spotify.com/show/7rZWl29HobtEyK9K2E6FYw?si=7a9d671845be406b Listen to the "Various and Sundry Podcast": https://open.spotify.com/show/0Xy43fyH64BWQPBSM3nbnA?si=74be10411d464831 Follow on "X" (a.k.a. Twitter): @DocHarmon

Are you spending time sitting at the Lord's feet listening to His teaching? Did your plans to read, study, or memorize God's Word fizzle out? God willing, this week's episode will encourage you to press on and spend time engaging the Word alone.

We can pursue God only because He loves and pursues us first. Though human fathers ought to reflect our perfect, loving Heavenly Father, many do not. Even those who do cannot reflect Him perfectly. As we look at Luke 15, I pray that the extravagant grace of God the Father will encourage you.

We study the Bible to grow in our love for God as we learn about who He is and what He has done—according to His own words. Because the Bible is a book written by God about God, the most important question we should ask and answer when we read or study is, "What do I learn about Him?"

Inductive Bible study is investigative Bible study. Like a scuba diver exploring the wonders of the ocean, inductive Bible study equips us to dive deep into the text of Scripture to explore the wonders of our God—that we might grow in our love for Him.

It was such a blessing to sit down with my friend and dear sister in Christ, Cathy Upton. We've walked a similar path of learning and growth in Christ over the last 8 years. Cathy and I even served in ministry together. We praise God for His love and pray that our conversation will both glorify Him and encourage you to pursue Christ by engaging His Word.

God works wonders in our lives, but we so often miss His handiwork. What if we took time to reflect upon His sovereign grace? What if we found a tangible way to remember? I pray that today's episode will encourage you to commemorate His grace in your life and share what He's done with your loved ones.

Have you ever wondered what it means to "bless God"? Let's see what Scripture has to say about this worshipful response to who God is and what He has done for us in Jesus Christ. I'll also challenge you to consider what matters more: the blessings or the Blesser?

I love how familiar passages can fall on us afresh. Today, I'm sharing a passage that encouraged me this week. If you are struggling with fear of any kind, I pray that this encourages you, too.

Memorizing Scripture may not be your favorite topic, but the value cannot be overstated. Scripture memorization solidifies the truth of God's Word in our mind, sanctifies, and satisfies the longings of our heart. Just do it! “9 How can a … person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. 10 I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. 11 I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.12 Praise be to you, Lord; teach me your decrees. 13 With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. 14 I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. 15 I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways.16 I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” (Psalm 119:9-16)

It is a joy to share this conversation with someone who has had a profound impact on my life as a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ: Claudine Snyder. I've grown in Christ alongside her for eight years, and praise God for all that she’s taught me. In this episode, we get to discuss everything from her walk with the Lord, and the impact engaging the Word of God has had on her life, to the blessings and challenges of ministry. God willing, our conversation will glorify the Lord and encourage you to pursue Christ by engaging His Word.

"The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul." (Psalm 19:7) God's Word is a balm for the soul. Though this wasn't what I planned to share for Episode 14, it is what God planned. May it be an encouragement to you today.

This is the second part of my conversation with Frank Moreno (my dad). In this episode, he shares some of his favorite passages of Scripture and explains the life-changing impact of engaging the Word. We pray that our conversation will glorify God and encourage you to engage the Word and pursue Christ.

This is the first of a special two-part conversation with my dad, Frank Moreno. In this episode, he shares transparently about his life (before and after coming to faith in Christ) and how he began to engage the Word. We pray that our conversation will glorify God and encourage you to engage His Word, too.