Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' rural pastor TJ Freeman explores the struggle between the Christian's focus on a relationship with Jesus and the plethora of rules often associated with the faith. He shares personal experiences of growing up with strict Christian rules and discusses the challenges of guilt and pride that come with viewing Christianity as merely a list of do's and don'ts.

Key Points:

• Two Ditches of Living for Rules: When a Christian tries to live out their faith by adhering to a strict list of rules they often fall into two negative camps: the guilty or the prideful. The guilty camp often struggles with intense shame. On the other hand, the prideful feel satisfied even though they too are missing out the freedom that comes from a relationship with Christ.
• The Purpose of God's Law: God has given his people different commands throughout Scripture so that they would be a people set apart from the nations around them. God intends his people to image him and show off his glory.
• The Truth of John 8: Those who are truly Christians abide in God's word because they truly love God.

Listener Takeaways:

• TJ encourages his listeners to ask themselves two questions. The first question is "Do I love God's Word?", and the second is "Are you abiding in God's word?"
• Christians should pray and ask the Lord to give them a hunger for his word, motivated by a love for him.
  
  

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Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' host TJ Freeman discusses the common feeling of distance from God and offers practical tools to help listeners reconnect with their Heavenly Father.

Key Points:

• Potential Causes for this Distance Feeling: Their can be various causes to this feeling including unconfessed sin, unmet expectations, or comparison to others.
• God's Steadfast Love: In Psalm 13 and Hebrews 13:5, one can see that God is steadfast in His love for His people. God is never distant from His flock.
• The Importance of Pressing On: Trust the Lord and be encouraged by the promises in His Word.

Listener Takeaways:

• Despite how one can feel on any given day, the Bible assures us that God is always present and faithful. He will never leave his people.
• If you are feeling distant, do some homework and ask yourself some questions. Try to get to the source of why you are feeling distant from God.

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Host: TJ Freeman

Summary: In this episode of 'Back to Rurality,' TJ Freeman discusses spiritual gifts, their importance, and how to identify and use them effectively. He emphasizes that every Christian has unique spiritual gifts meant to glorify God and build up the church.

Key Points:

• One Body, Many Parts: In Romans 12 we read that the church is one unified body made up by many different parts. Each part has their own vital gifting to serve the church. The church is dependent on one another.
• The Purpose of Spiritual Gifts: God has granted each Christian spiritual giftings not so they can show them off, or take pride in them, but so that they can build up the body of Christ. Spiritual gifts are meant to be used to aid one's fellow church members.
• The Joy of Spiritual Gifts: Spiritual gifts are not a burden or an unwanted responsibility. They are gifts meant to pass on to others. God made the church to find their joy in Him and one of the best ways to experience this joy is to serve others.

Listener Takeaways:

• Don't rely on spiritual gift tests, instead consider one's abilities, desires and one's church's needs, and use those to actively serve and engage within the local church community.
• Try not to fall into the temptation to be a "Lone Ranger" Christian. Christians are meant to be interdependent on one another.

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• Website: backtorurality.com
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