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.

Friday, July 19: In this episode of The Daily Grind, John and Mariza continue their journey through the book of Isaiah, focusing on chapters 28 through 39. They discuss God's messages of judgment and hope for Israel and Judah, emphasizing the importance of repentance and trust in God over alliances with foreign powers. They highlight the significance of Isaiah's prophecies, particularly the rise and fall of Jerusalem, Hezekiah's faith and failings, and the promise of a future righteous king. Mariza brings a fresh perspective by reflecting on how these ancient warnings and promises apply to our lives today, reminding us to trust in God's unwavering support.

⁠⁠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.

Thursday, July 18: Welcome to The Daily Grind! Today, we explore the transformative power of trusting Jesus and finding hope, joy, and peace amidst life's challenges. We'll dive into "cross-shaped suffering," as described in Philippians 3:10, where Paul seeks to know Christ through sharing in His sufferings. We'll discuss how personal hardships, persecution, and daily trials can connect us to Jesus and lead to spiritual growth. Join us as we uncover how to embrace suffering with faith and support others, finding joy and peace in Christ despite the chaos around us.

⁠⁠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.

Wednesday, July 17: In this episode of The Daily Grind, we delve into the spiritual discipline of service, a cornerstone of living a cruciform life. Reflecting on Jesus' teaching in Matthew 20:25-28 and his humble act of washing the disciples' feet in John 13:1-7, we explore how true service transcends self-righteous efforts and flows from a deep relationship with God. Learn to distinguish between self-serving acts and genuine service, and embrace the humble, hidden acts that build community and reflect Christ's love. Join us as we uncover how daily acts of service shape our faith and bring us closer to the heart of God.

⁠⁠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 16: Now it’s that time on The Daily Grind to enrich your faith. In our latest episode, we continue our journey of exploring what it means to live a life shaped by the cross. Today, we're looking into the discipline of forgiveness as part of our series on the practices of a disciple. We delve into Jesus’ teachings from Luke 7:36-50, where a sinful woman’s act of deep remorse and humility sets the stage for a powerful lesson in forgiveness. Discover how forgiveness is essential in being with Jesus, becoming like Jesus, and doing what Jesus did. In this episode we will:

• Reflect on being with Jesus and avoiding "Vampire Christianity," as warned by Dallas Willard.
• Understand forgiveness as restoring relationships, not just breaking rules, as highlighted by Eugene Peterson.
• Embrace the ongoing practice of forgiveness to open up new futures, inspired by Philip Yancey’s insights.

Let forgiveness transform your life, deepen your love for God and others, and live a life marked by compassion, humility, and love.

⁠⁠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 15: In this episode, John discusses the concept of fasting as a spiritual discipline in the cruciform life. He explains that fasting goes beyond abstaining from food and can include fasting from media, noise, technology, and other addictive behaviors. He highlights the biblical examples of fasting and the historical figures who practiced it. John emphasizes that fasting is a means of drawing closer to God and experiencing breakthroughs in the heart and mind. He also provides practical tips for starting a fast and emphasize the importance of focusing on God during the process.

Guidelines for Fasting from Food

• Don’t fast when you are sick, traveling, pregnant or nursing. People with diabetes, gout, liver disease, kidney disease, ulcers, hypoglycemia, cancer and blood diseases should not fast.
• Don’t fast if you are in a hurry and are fasting for immediate results regarding some decision.
• Fasting is not magic.
• Stay hydrated. Always drink plenty of water and fluids.
• If you are new to fasting, begin by fasting for one meal. Spend the time with God that you would normally be eating.
• Work up to longer fasts. Don’t attempt prolonged fasts without guidance. Check with your doctor before attempting long periods of fasting.
• If you decide to fast regularly, give your body time to adjust to new rhythms of eating. You may feel more tired on days you fast.
• Begin after supper. Fast until supper the next day. This way you miss 2, rather than 3, meals.
• Don’t break your fast with a huge meal. Eat small portions of food. The longer the fast, the more you need to break the fast gently.

What to do in the Time Set Apart for Fasting

• Bring your Bible and a glass of water during your fast.
• Spend some time worshiping God for his faithfulness. Thank him for where he has come through for you. Psalm 103:1 – 5 also provides a starting point for praise.
• Bring your desires to God. Ask him if this desire is in line with his will and his word for you and the church. Be still and listen. Offer your desires and prayers to God.

⁠⁠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.