LIFE Podcast Show

In this episode, Dez discusses the struggle of feeling disconnected from one's faith and offers encouragement to trust in God's Word. He emphasizes the importance of continually looking to Christ and not relying on oneself. Dez explores the concept of the sinful nature and the battle between the flesh and the Spirit. He highlights the role of the Holy Spirit in a Christian's life and the need for daily submission to God. Dez also addresses the challenge of dealing with past sins and the importance of focusing on the future and the love of God.Trust in God's Word and not your own feelings or experiences.Every Christian experiences dark days and struggles with sin.Continually look to Christ and abide in Him.The Holy Spirit produces new affections and desires for righteousness.Focus on the future and the love of God, rather than dwelling on past sins.

In this episode, we delve into the timeless virtue of patience as exemplified in the Bible and its profound relevance for the contemporary church. Drawing from biblical teachings, we explore the significance of patiently enduring trials and temptations, emphasizing the pivotal role of God's church as a beacon of hope and resilience in challenging times.

In this episode, we explore the significance of testing one's faith within the Christian context. We delve into the idea that a faith that endures trials emerges stronger and more trustworthy. Remember, "A faith that can't tested, can't be trusted." 

In today's discussion, we confront the fundamental truth about humanity: the sinfulness of the heart. Despite our best efforts to create an ideal environment, nurture a positive upbringing, or adhere to a moral code, we find ourselves consistently falling short. The root of our problem lies not in external factors but within our own hearts.

In this episode, we delve into the profound significance of kindness from a biblical worldview, exploring its necessity and far-reaching impacts on our mental, physical, spiritual, and emotional well-being. Drawing from the timeless wisdom of the Bible, we uncover how kindness catalyzes transformation, not only within ourselves but also in our relationships with God and others.

What do you think God is trying to do in your life? What do you want to be known for? What do you want to be known as? In this episode, we will dive into these questions and hope to provide some answers from an eternal perspective. We pray you enjoy it! 

In this episode of the LIFE Podcast Show, we dive deep into the challenges faced by parents in America today. Join us as we explore the shifting dynamics of parenting and the evolving role of Christian schools in raising children.In recent years, parenting in the United States has become more complex. Many parents are grappling with the demands of work, the impact of technology, and the changing landscape of education. In this context, Christian schools are emerging as significant influencers in our children's lives.The former principal and current program director of Lanham Christian School, Vanessa Smith, joins me. She is married to Pastor Eric Smith of Grace Church and mother of two special children,  August and Alexander. 

We'll be delving into the world of sports and the way people often idolize athletes, comparing it to the profound lessons we can learn from following Christ. Stick around; it's going to be an enlightening conversation."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated, "The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy." In our present culture, no issue is more pressing than human sexuality. More specifically, same-sex marriage and transgenderism have become the center of heated battles on Capital Hill. But, even if men, women, children, politicians, and governments are confused about this topic, God is not. His enduring Word speaks loud and clear on human sexuality and has not stuttered. For a long time, Christians have held a traditional, biblical, and conservative view on marriage, one that is heterosexual and reflects God's original design for male and female companionship. "Many conservative Christian denominations hold the traditional view that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, based on scriptural interpretations. They often view same-sex relationships as incompatible with biblical teachings, citing passages such as Leviticus 18:22 and Romans 1:26-27. They may see same-sex marriage as a departure from God's design for human relationships and hold that marriage is an institution created by God to be between opposite-sex partners (ChatGPT)." But, some Christians are starting to change their stances on same-sex marriage. Some are finding a middle ground and others are compromising for a more progressive view. As we will hear in this episode, a contrast between a pastor who showed courage in the face of worldly skepticism and a pastor who caved to the world's pressure. We hope you enjoy the show!

A philosopher by the name of Viktor Frankl, once said, "When a person can't find a deep sense of meaning, they distract themselves with pleasure." That statement resonates deeply in our current culture. With the decline of communal and family values, morals and a deep sense of community has been eradicated from our society. Beyond that, Carl Trueman, a religious theologian, once coined the phrase, "expressive individualism", which means an absurd, obsessive, and narcissistic approach to life, in which one comes to think that the world revolves around them. This is a problematic approach to life because no one exists by themselves nor exists for themselves. The Christian approach believes that life is best lived when we "Glorify God and enjoy Him forevermore." Finding life in Christ gives us our true purpose. In this episode, we unpack what it means to find your purpose and use three real-life people to help us along the way. We hope you enjoy it! 

In this episode, Dez chats with his good friend Marco Sherman and discusses the dangers of following your heart. The central theme of this episode centers around a well-known axiom, "At the heart of every matter is a matter of the heart." Dez and Marco discuss the fallacy of the argument that following your heart is the best thing you could do, and counteract that way of thinking with a biblical approach warning people not to follow their heart, but to follow Christ. 

In this episode, Dez discusses the reality of a new form of cultural Christianity that emphasizes "coolness" rather than Christlikeness; one that trades holiness for fun and crosses for Christian T-Shirts. We discuss the realities of Christianity not being cool at all, but it being worth the cost of following Christ and living for His glory. Please like, review, and subscribe to this channel so that we may get this message out to our family, friends, neighbors, and communities. Be blessed! 

Too often, our native sons of America settle for pitiful mediocracy, flagrant self-centeredness, and delayed adolescents. In this episode, Dez details his outlook on the landscape of contemporary Christianity, and its utter neglect of modeling biblical masculinity to the next generation. But, the future is bright and God is raising up "Kingdom Men" with their eyes on a King whose rule is authoritative and absolute. We pray you are blessed by this show! 

  In the movie, “Bruce Almighty”, Jim Carey sings the lyrics to a song entitled, "What if God was one of us?" A snippet of the words says, “What if God was one of us, just a stranger on the bus, trying to make his way home.” In the Bible, it speaks about how God indeed did become one of us, and He is our Immanuel, “God with us”, He is our incarnated Christ, “God wrapped himself in human flesh.” One reason Jesus came into the world was to testify to the truth. In this episode, we discuss the implications of testifying to the truth and faithfully living out the truth in our everyday life. Please enjoy the show and leave a 4-5 star review so that we can continue to push this faithful and biblical content. 

In this episode, Dez and E discuss the recent outpouring of prayers, thoughts, and concerns for the NFL player Demar Hamlin. They discussed how natural it is for man to turn to God in times of suffering, uncertainty, and pain but neglect Him when things are going well. Finally, they discuss the brevity of life and how God can cause good to come out of desperate and pain circumstances. We hope you enjoy it! 

What are you willing to sacrifice for someone you love? Like Bonnie and Clyde, are you a ride-or-die type of person? Adversity usually tests us in that regard and shows us who we are and what we stand for. In this episode, Dez talks about how faithfulness to God and His word usually leads to opposition. He discusses how standing for truth is swimming against the current, but even though it is challenging, it will be worth it in the end. Oh yeah, he also speaks about why "The Longest Yard" is one of his favorite films and how it correlates to today's show. 

Is the goal of marriage to have a wedding or to stay married? How well should you know your spouse before you marry them? How do you avoid the unavoidable drama and conflict that comes with marrying the love of your life? In this episode, Dez, Dave, and E discuss marriage's conflicts, challenges, and difficulties. They discuss practical things one could do to make the marriage a bit more peaceful and gently work through conflict together to seek reconciliation and maintain, as the Bible says, "The unity of love" in our marriages.

Have you ever looked back on your life and said, "If I only knew what I know now"? In this episode, as we continue to discuss the topic of divorce, we ponder thoughts about how things could have been different if we knew what we know now about God and ourselves. Lastly, we shared our thoughts on Pastor Tim Keller's book "The Meaning of Marriage" and how it puts marriage (and divorce) into perspective. 

Divorce is always a challenging topic to discuss. Divorce can be overwhelming, from the grief, pain, embarrassment, and complexities of it all. In this episode, we sit down and discuss divorce's effects, ramifications, and destruction from a man's point of view. Dave and E candidly express the heartbreak, hopelessness, and confusion surrounding their divorces, but God was always there with them every step. This episode is winsome, heavy, and transparent. So, buckle up and enjoy this rollercoaster of emotions and rawness. 

In this episode, Dez and Dave sit down with Eric Talbert about his book, "Fear Not." We discussed what inspired him to write the book, what feedback he received, and what he ultimately wanted to accomplish through publication. The discourse led to the question: How do we overcome fear with faith? Finally, we discuss why fearing can be such a kryptonite to us while stifling our relationship with the Lord! A link for the book has been included below as well. https://a.co/d/jb7CBXH