251 – Are you sharing your faith in unusual ways?

Have you ever been hesitant sharing your faith with someone who you thought probably wasn’t receptive or that you really didn’t even want to talk to?

What would you do if God told you to go directly to that person and tell them about Jesus and the difference he had made in your life?

Would you just automatically go at God’s command or would you try to explain to God why it might not be such a good idea?

Peter and Cornelius

This is sort of what happened to Peter when the Holy Spirit told him to go with three strangers to meet Cornelius the Roman Centurion.

This week's episode explores

• Sharing your faith in unexpected ways
• Having visions that don't make any sense until later
• God asking us to let go of some traditionalized practices
• Trusting God to prepare the way
• How to overcome resistance to sharing your faith with people who are different

Have you ever felt God calling you to share your faith in an unexpected way, with someone you would never have chosen to talk to? Do you ever feel you wouldn’t be able to do what Peter did? Or do you prayerfully yearn for such an opportunity? Maybe you don’t feel qualified or worthy to do something similar.

Never underestimate how God will use you and the good you will do when you have this desire in your heart. Then you’ll see yourself in this verse from Isaiah,

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!” Isaiah 6:8 NIV

Show notes
Full transcript and Bible verses in this episode: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/251

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

250 – How often do you have a conversation with someone who has a different faith than you do?

I know some Christians who won't talk to anyone except people they agree with 100%. They live in a "safe" little bubble.

But over the years, I have learned so much from people in other faiths. In fact, it always ends up strengthening my own faith when I talk to someone I don't agree with on everything.

That's what this week's podcast is all about.

And to make things interesting, my guest, Joshua Tapp, interviews me for this milestone episode, Episode 250.

We talk about what it means to

• Forgive when someone really hurt you.
• Be a true follower of Jesus (spoiler alert: it may not be what you're thinking)
• Put your faith into action instead of just believing what someone tells you
• Be saved by grace and how to live that grace in your daily life
• And, how to get out of a spiritual funk

In asking about why my faith is important to me, Josh uncovers one of the most pivotal moments in my faith journey.

Listen now and let me know what you think.

Contact info
Check out Josh's podcast, The Lucky Titan
To contact Josh, text him at 208-206-4652

Show notes
Full transcript and Bible quotes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/250

Thank you for helping The Bible Speaks to You reach this milestone of 250 episodes.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

249 – What do you base your self-worth on?

Have you ever met someone who seemed to be full of confidence , but when you got to know them, you realized they based their self-worth on things like how much money they have, where they went to school, what job they have, or where they're from? Or maybe how good looking they are or how many followers they have on Social Media?

Unfortunately, when you define your worth based on these external factors, you'll never find your true self worth. In fact, this approach actually prevents you from seeing real spiritual self-worth as a child of God.

All these external things can be lost or taken away. But the fact you are God's child can never change.

In this week's episode, I talk about various folks in the Bible who didn't always have a good sense of self-worth. Sometimes they were worthy and didn't feel it. Sometimes they were basing their self-worth on the wrong things but didn't know it.

• Jacob didn't feel worthy of all the blessings God had bestowed, partly because he had cheated his brother out of his birthright and blessing. And he was very sly in caring for Laban's flocks, choosing the best for himself.
• Moses didn't think he was up for the task of talking to Pharaoh and bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt
• Hannah didn't feel worthy because she didn't have any children
• Nebuchadnezzar felt very worthy because he had built the kingdom of Babylon. But God took it all away. He had to find self-worth in glorifying God
• John the Baptist didn't feel worthy to unlatch Jesus's sandals
• The Centurion didn't feel worthy to have Jesus come into his house

Why is it so often the case that the ones who think they are not worthy – like Moses, Hannah, John the Baptist, and the Centurion – are actually very worthy?

How does this apply to you?

Listen now to discover how you can find what's keeping you from discovering your true self-worth.

Previous episode mentioned:
#153 Where Does Your Self-Worth Come From?

Show notes:
Full transcript and Bible quotes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/249

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

248 – Have you ever heard someone talk about Jesus in a way that just didn’t quite fit with what was in the Bible?

Or maybe you read a book or saw a movie or a play about Jesus that either fell short of capturing the true essence of Jesus or it kind of stretched the truth and over-exaggerated things?

Recently in Season 4 of "The Chosen," there was a scene where Jesus made no effort to heal Ramah, when Thomas asked him to and openly confessed his faith that Jesus could heal her.

And back in Season 3, Jesus explains to Little James, one of the twelve disciples, why he wasn't going to heal him.

This is not the Jesus I believe in.

There's nothing in the Bible that describes Jesus ever acting this way.

Now, don't get me wrong. I love The Chosen. I've been deeply inspired by the show, but when it depicts Jesus in a way that's inconsistent with what the Bible reveals about Jesus, I have a hard time swallowing the story line.

That's what this week's episode is all about:

• Is God sometimes willing to heal but not other times?
• Is God always able to heal or not?
• Was Jesus unable or unwilling to heal on some occasions?
• How does it affect the way you pray if you believe God might choose not to heal you or cannot heal you?

No matter what others say about who Jesus is or what he does, always come back to the Bible to find him. Don’t take The Chosen’s version of Jesus. Don’t accept a preacher’s version of Jesus. Don’t take the Church’s traditionalized view of Jesus without coming back to the Bible.

When you do find Jesus in the Bible, you will find the Jesus you can follow and believe in.

Previous episode mentioned:
Episode 29: Is It Ever God’s Will You Are NOT Healed When You Pray?

Show notes:
To read a full transcript and the Bible quotes in this episode, go to thebiblespeakstoyou.com/248

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

247 – Have you ever felt like some folks are preaching man-made doctrines without even realizing it?

Have you ever felt intimidated by people insisting their doctrines are correct? And then someone with a different doctrine insists they are right and the other person is wrong?

How do we tell if a doctrine is man-made or a God-ordained truth?

This week's episode jumps into this and give some basic tools you can use to help determine if a doctrine is man-made or not.

We talk about:

• What does it mean to be a Christian?
• Is being a Christian based on doctrine or deeds?
• Jesus's litmus test for what it means to be a true Christian
• Lots of Christians believe things that don't really agree with what Jesus said
• The one most important quality to have in your heart when thinking about whether you believe man-made doctrines or God's truth

I encourage you to take an honest look at your beliefs. Are they in line with what Jesus said and did? Do they express the love he lived?

The best way to find out is to pay careful attention to everything Jesus said and did and follow his example and obey his teachings. Do this until it’s totally natural to love your enemies and forgive those who have wronged you, among other things.

Then look through this practice and obedience to Jesus as a lens to evaluate your doctrines.

Previous episode mentioned:
Episode 224 – Why Should I Believe in the Nicene Creed?

Show notes:
Full transcript and Bible verses mentioned: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/247

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

246 – Is your faith based on what someone told you you're supposed to believe or on your relationship with God?

I've talked to several people lately who have recently realized they believe what they were taught without questioning it. They never really made their faith their own.

They have finally given themselves permission to ask questions, read the Bible for themselves, and focus on their relationship with God, instead of just believing and doing what other people tell them they should.

This week's episode is about making your faith your own. Jesus's disciples had to learn this same lesson. It wasn't enough to just repeat Jesus's words. They had to practice what he taught them.

How to make your faith your own:

• Get spiritually curious and ask questions
• Spend some time alone with God and ask questions
• Read the Bible for yourself
• Start with what resonates with you, like loving your neighbor as yourself
• Always ask God to direct the next steps you need to take
• Keep a record of how God has worked in your life
• Don't be surprised if you find yourself surrendering to God to guide your life
• Be an active part of a community of like-minded believers

The best way to make your faith your own is to practice the basic teachings of Jesus and see where that leads you.

If you just repeat what someone else says, or even the words of Jesus, without putting them into practice, it's like buying seeds and not planting them.

When you practice your faith, it will grow, just as seeds grow when they're planted.

Trust the process.

Show notes:
Full transcript of this episode and Bible references--thebiblespeakstoyou.com/246

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

245 – What do you do when people or circumstances rob you of your joy?

Have you ever been on top of the world and full of joy when something terrible happens, your joy vanishes, and you feel like you're sinking into a pit of quicksand?

Is there a way to hold onto your joy when a challenging situation comes up?

That's what this week's episode is all about.

The Bible talks a lot about joy. But it's not the fleeting happiness that is like a weather vane, which shifts depending on which way the emotional winds are blowing.

True joy goes deeper than that:

• Joy comes from within because of who we are as children of God
• Joy is a result of knowing our relationship with God
• True joy comes from being in God's presence
• It comes from understanding your place in the kingdom of heaven
• When you've lost your joy, the remedy is gratitude

The more you feel your deep spiritual connection with God, the less you’ll be influenced when terrible things happen or you get bad news.

Jesus says nothing can take away your true joy, your connection with God. (John 16:22)

There may be times when it feels like circumstances have robbed you of your joy. But your joy is actually still there, still part of who you are as a child of God.

Are you ready to discover your true spiritual joy? Listen now.

Show notes:
Full transcript and Bible verses--thebiblespeakstoyou.com/245

Previous episode mentioned:
Episode 111 : What Was Jesus Thankful for?

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here
  
  

244 – Do you want to be a more effective dad, or know someone who does?

This week I talk with Jared Haley and Chris Wilson about what it means to be a good dad, to nurture your kids and support their spiritual growth.

Jared and Chris are both passionate about being good dads, spending quality time with their families, and guiding their kids spiritually as they grow up. But most important of all, loving and respecting them under all circumstances.

We talked about all kind of dad things. I asked each of them:

• What's your favorite thing about being a dad?
• Who is your favorite father figure in the Bible?
• How do you help your kids hold onto their innocence and creativity?
• What's your biggest challenge being a dad?
• How do you guide your kids with healthy boundaries without stirring up resentment?
• How do you quit repeating the patterns of temper or anger that you learned from your own parents?
• What if we treated our children the way we would treat Jesus?

And of course, I asked my famous three last questions.

1. If you could talk to any Bible character other than Jesus, who would it be and what would you ask them?
2. Is there any Bible character you especially identify with?
3. This podcast is about getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus. How would you describe Jesus’s original message of how he wanted us to live our lives?

Listen now to hear the answers to these questions.

Show notes:
To download a pdf transcript and to see all Bible quotes, check out the show notes: thebiblespeakstoyou.com/244.

Text me your questions or comments.

Support the Show.

_________________________
James Early, the Jesus Mindset Coach, is a Bible teacher, speaker, and podcaster. His focus is on getting back to the original Christianity of Jesus by embracing the mindset of Christ in daily life.

• Reach out today if you need a speaker or Bible workshop for your church or organization (online and in person)
• Subscribe to the podcast (and get your copy of Praying with the Mindset of Jesus)
• Make a donation to support the show
• Schedule a free one hour coaching call to see if the Jesus Mindset Coaching program is a good fit for you
• Contact James here