Wednesday, July 24: In this episode, John Spencer continues his series on the things Jesus told us to do. He explores Jesus' command to rejoice and be glad when people insult and persecute us falsely because of Him. John shares global church statistics on persecution and highlights the resilience of persecuted Christians. He explains the concept of true blessedness and how it comes from a relationship with God. John discusses the supernatural ability to rejoice in persecution and shares examples from the early church. He recommends the book 'The Insanity of God' as a wake-up call for Western Christians to embrace a deeper commitment to following Jesus. This episode challenges us to shift our perspective on suffering and find true blessedness in our relationship with God, even amidst persecution.

• The Insanity of God, by Nik Ripken

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Tuesday, July 23: In this episode, John Spencer continues his series on Jesus's command to teach and observe all that He commanded. He focuses on the foundational call to follow Jesus as seen in Matthew 4:18-22. John explores the context of this pivotal moment and the significance of Jesus's invitation to be His disciples. He explains that being a disciple means being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and living on mission with Jesus. John emphasizes the importance of discipleship and the transformative impact it can have on our lives and the world.

Questions for reflection

1. How was being a “Christian” explained to you (explicitly or implicitly)? Were you taught that a Christian is a disciple of Jesus? If so, how was this communicated to you?
2. What made the biggest impression on you in this talk? Why?
3. To be called to be a disciple of Jesus included three commitments: 1) Be with Jesus, 2) Become like Jesus, and 3) Live on mission with Jesus. Which of these raises the most questions for you? Which most excites you?
4. What difference could it make if professing Christians committed to these three commitments as disciples of Jesus? Do you agree this is a needed change today in the Western church?

Let’s strive to embrace this call to be true disciples of Jesus.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.

Monday, July 22: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John Spencer explores the concept of repentance and the kingdom of heaven. He emphasizes that repentance means to change our minds and see things differently, rather than just feeling guilty or apologizing. The kingdom of heaven is not a distant future hope, but a present reality where God dwells with his people. John highlights the unexpected places and unlikely people that Jesus interacts with, showing that God's kingdom is inclusive and transformative. He encourages listeners to accept the radical nature of God's love and embrace the ongoing process of disorientation and reorientation.

⁠⁠Email me your questions, comments, and suggestions. I'd love to hear from you!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠If y'all wanna talk more 'bout this, I'm all ears. Just give me a holler. You can also help by sending me your favorite trivia or dad joke(s) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠spencerjd@thedailygrind.website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Or respond below with comments, trivia or jokes.