The Enjoying God Podcast with Zach Maldonado

What better way to start the week than knowing that we are in Christ and that He is our righteousness, redemption, wisdom, and sanctification!  

In this episode, we examine why God came down as a baby. We hope you enjoy this look into the Christmas story. Merry Christmas!

What does 1 Corinthians 3 mean? And what about 2 Corinthians 5:10? Will we be judged based on our deeds? And do good works matter? 

In this episode, Zach and Grace take a closer look at some of the verses that talk about judgment day. If we’re all getting the same reward, then how do our works play into the final judgment? We’ll see that we’re not rewarded because of our works; instead God judges our works to see which ones will last for eternity. As we saw a few episodes ago, we can have confidence, not fear, on the day of judgment.

In this episode, Zach shares a few stories about how he used to view God. In this short episode, you'll be encouraged to see God as a loving friend who is for you.   

In this episode, Zach and Grace share a few thoughts on thanksgiving and being grateful. They look at various passages that encourge us to be thankful and what that looks like. Happy Thanksgiving! 

The popular notion in Christian circles today is that we’re saved by grace but rewarded by works. Many people claim that how we live on earth will determine how much we enjoy of heaven. These people speak of varying degrees of enjoyment and varying degrees of rewards.However,  Scripture never uses the plural word rewards to talk about what we will get. Instead, the singular word reward is used. Further, God has one way of dealing with His people—unconditional grace. Further, the apostle Paul considered everything else worthless next to knowing Christ (Philippians 3:8). His only goal was Christ (Philippians 3:14). In light of this, how do we understand reward?

Many of us have been taught that when we appear in front of Jesus on that day, there’ll be a movie of our life for all to see. But is this what Scripture describes? And how does understanding our total forgiveness change the way we understand judgment? 

On this week's episode of the Enjoying God Podcast, Zach opens for a Community Bible Study group.  Zach follows the study of the group by discussing the parting of the Red Sea.  He goes into detail on remembering the resurrection.  No matter what you go through, you can always remember Christ died and rose again for you.  Take a listen! 

Is the Holy Spirit convicting believers of something Jesus has taken away? What is the unworthy manner in the Lord's Supper? In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about what the Spirit is doing in our lives, the Lord's Supper, and more!   

What is repentance? Is it healthy to feel sorrow and regret when we sin? What does it mean to grieve and quench the Holy Spirit?  Zach and Grace discuss these questions and more! 

In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about James 5:15 and Hebrews 10:26. Does James 5 say we're not forgiven? And does Hebrews 10 teach that willful sin cannot be forgiven? 

Are there two types of forgiveness? Does God forgives us totally in heaven, but daily on earth? And how do we enjoy God's forgiveness of us?     

Do we need to ask God to forgive us each day? What does the Lord's prayer mean in light of our total forgiveness? 

Some say that we need to confess our sins or ask for forgiveness in order to stay in fellowship with God. But the false idea that Christians can lose fellowship with God is based on a low view of God’s punishment. The wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), not a lesser punishment—like loss of fellowship. In this episode, we share what the New Testament teaches on this important issue. 

Perhaps the single most misunderstood verse in the New Testament is 1 John 1:9. This verse has caused centuries of believers to doubt whether they were really forgiven. Even though there are dozens of verses that speak of our total forgiveness in Christ, this one “proof text” has confused many of us. And I believe once we look at the context of this verse, we’ll discover that the truth always sets us free.

The New Testament shouts to us that we’re completely forgiven and that this forgiveness is solely tied to Jesus and His shed blood. In this episode, Zach and Grace look at what the New Testament says about our forgiveness as well as addressing questions such as, "Does Grace give us a license to sin?" "What about the unforgivable sin?" "Is the whole world forgiven?" and much more.

What does the New Testament teach about our forgiveness? Are we partially forgiven or totally forgiven? Did the cross work or do we need to add to it? In this episode, Zach and Grace walk through many verses that show how God forgives, why His work was enough, and why we're totally forgiven! 

Are we saved by being baptized in water? In this episode, Zach and Grace discuss this question as well as proof texts some use to suggest that we are saved by water baptism. They also discussed how one is saved and what it means to be saved by Jesus alone. 

Reading the Bible can feel daunting, frustrating, and weird. But God wants us to know that the Bible is accessible. In this episode, Zach and Grace talk about some tips and things to help you read the Bible and what to know as you approach reading Scripture.