Gospel Spice | Christian faith, God's love & the Bible

Joining Stephanie on the show today, guest Chris Hall shares deep insights from his spiritual journey and his book "A Different Way." His emphasis on the importance of preparing for death with an awareness of the limited time we are given sets the stage for a powerful exploration of trust, transformation, and a recentered life with Jesus.

Chris Hall highlights the gift of years and the challenge to prepare for death with both awe and awareness. That preparation is not rooted in fear, but rather recognition of the limited time we have been given. This perspective challenges us to embrace each day as a gift and live intentionally, aligning our lives closely with Jesus' teachings.

Chris' latest book, "A Different Way," is a call to recenter our Christian lives around following Jesus. He speaks to seekers, disillusioned Christians, and those seeking congruence between their words and actions. This recentering invites us into deeper intimacy with Jesus, transforming not just our beliefs but our very way of life. He invites listeners to explore internal landscapes to encounter God and correct our perspectives. This call to spiritual introspection and the correction of our views aligns with the need to make the world make sense through corrected perspectives. This deep internal work can lead to a more profound encounter with the divine and a life-lived congruent with the teachings of Jesus.

Chris Hall emphasizes the importance of trusting God, even when life is difficult. Trusting God may not guarantee an easy life, but it promises a life full of His presence. His emphasis on the need to help others explore a different way with God underscores the transformative power of vulnerability, trust, and dependence on the divine. He shares personal experiences of suffering and the profound embedding in the love and care of God. This recognition of God's trustworthiness amidst life's challenges emphasizes the importance of trust and the development of character. His story serves as a reminder that God’s presence and providential care can be found, even in the midst of life's most difficult moments.

Chris Hall's wisdom and insights leave listeners with a profound invitation to embrace life's challenges with trust, knowing that each trial can be an opportunity for growth and a deepening of our relationship with Jesus. His recent life-threatening medical crisis brought into focus God's providential preparation throughout his life. This shared experience serves as a powerful reminder that each moment is part of a greater tapestry, even when we may not fully understand it at the time.

As we reflect on Chris Hall's journey and the wisdom he shared, we are reminded of the invitation to trust, to explore a different way of living with Jesus, and to recenter our lives around following Him. His story becomes a beacon of hope, inviting us to embrace spiritual transformation and a life filled with the presence and guidance of Jesus. Chris Hall's journey serves as a compelling call to embrace spiritual transformation, leaning into the challenges and opportunities that life presents, all the while rooted in the trust and love of God. As we carry his insights with us, may we be inspired to live a life that reflects the love, grace, and transformative power of Jesus Christ.

MEET CHRIS HALL

Christopher A. Hall is author of a four volume set on the Church Fathers: Reading Scripture with the Church Fathers, Learning Theology with the Church Fathers, Worshiping with the Church Fathers, and Living Wisely with the Church Fathers, all published by IVP Academic. He also was associate editor of the Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (29 volumes: published by IVP Academic). His newest book is A Different Way (HarperOne).

Chris previously served at Eastern University for twenty-four years in several roles, including chancellor, provost, dean of Palmer Theological Seminary, dean of the Templeton Honors College, distinguished professor of theology, and director of academic spiritual formation.

Dr. Hall possesses a B.A. from UCLA in history, an M.A. in biblical studies from Fuller Theological Seminary, a Th.M. from Regent College, and a Ph.D. from Drew University. He has served in the pastorate overseas (France, 5 years) and in Canada (British Columbia, 2 years). He has also served as Director of Pastoral Care at New Jersey’s only state gero-psychiatric hospital.

Dr. Hall has ministered in Asia, Africa, South America, Europe, the Middle-East, Canada, and the United States. He served on the editorial board of Christianity Today. He has published articles and book reviews in Christianity Today, Catalyst, Christian History, inMinistry, Books and Culture, Christian Scholars Review, Modern Theology, and Crux.

He and his wife Debbie reside in Philadelphia and have three children and three grandchildren.

Chris's entire 22-lesson course on the Foundations of Christian Spirituality is available free of charge at this YouTube address: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CQSuZ_ztcgU&list=PLtFHThcqLiofWQ8V7EGOzCZXi-31yykbC

 

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

This is it. Today we are entering the final week of Jesus’ earthly life. It is called the week of the “Passion” because the original meaning of this word is “suffering” – very different from our understanding of this word today! Hello! I am Stephanie Rousselle, and it is my dear privilege to be your teacher today. Thank you for joining us! It means the world to me.

In this episode, we will be delving into the powerful story of Jesus' last week on Earth, leading up to his crucifixion and resurrection. From the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday to the events of Monday and Tuesday, we will journey through the gospel of Matthew to uncover the profound significance of these moments.

But before we dive in, let's take a moment to reflect on the testing that Jesus faced during this pivotal week. Just as lambs were tested and examined for blemishes before being sacrificed, Jesus was put to the test by the Pharisees, Sadducees, and the crowds. From Sunday to Thursday, His authenticity and identity were tested, ultimately revealing Him as the spotless Lamb of God.

In this examination of Jesus' journey, we will explore the purpose behind these tests and what they mean for us today. Through testing, we see the strength and character that lies within us. Just as a blacksmith tests and shapes metal to create a powerful blade, God tests and refines us to bring out the best in us. Testing is not meant to destroy us, but to reveal our true selves and transform us into the image of Christ.

Join me as we uncover the significance of these tests and discover how they can shape our own faith journey. As we embark on this exploration, we will see how Jesus' mission to save us unfolds and how it is intimately connected to both Christmas and Easter, the two pillar-events of our Christian faith.

So grab your Bible, settle in, and let's dive deep into the transformative power of testing and the profound significance of Monday and Tuesday in Jesus' last week on Earth. This is Gospel Spice. Let's get started.

MORE DETAILS ABOUT THIS EPISODE

Spring is in full bloom, and we hope you are enjoying the beauty of the season. In this week's episode of Gospel Spice, host Stephanie Rousselle takes us on a journey through the last days of Jesus' life leading up to the crucifixion.

Just like the unexpected encounter Stephanie had with a doe and her fawn in her garden, Jesus faced unexpected challenges and tests during those final days. From the triumphal entry on Palm Sunday to the crowds chanting "Crucify him" just days later, the story takes a dramatic turn. But amidst these events, an incredible truth unfolds: Jesus' mission was to die for us, to become the spotless sacrifice required by the Old Testament law.

Stephanie will guide us through the events of Monday and Tuesday, shedding light on the significance of Jesus being tested by Pharisees, Sadducees, and the crowds. These tests were not intended to make Jesus fail but to reveal His true nature as the Lamb of God without blemish. In the same way, we are also tested daily, both publicly and privately, to reveal the strength of our faith.

Through these tests, God wants to encourage us and show us that we can rely on Him. Temptations and hardships may come our way, but God provides a way of escape and promises to strengthen us. Even in seasons of comfort, when our need for a hero is less perceptible, Jesus remains the hero of our lives. Do we cling to Him amidst abundance, showing whose we are?

Join Stephanie as she explores these powerful themes from Scripture, and applies them to our lives today. Discover how testing can refine us, just like a sword being forged by a blacksmith. Let's dive into God's Word and explore the deep truths of Jesus' final days on Earth.

Stay tuned for next week's episode, where we will delve into the events of Wednesday before the crucifixion, continuing our study from the Gospel of Matthew.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

The perfect gift for everyone - apparel, drinkware, stickers and more for all the women, men and kids in your life!

https://www.gospelspice.com/merch

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

I had the delight of welcoming the brilliant Joy Clarkson, an American author, podcaster, and editor based in the UK. In a world dominated by technological metaphors and a rapid pace of life, she shares wonderful insights, reflections, and inspiration from her latest book "You Are A Tree." Joy joined me on the Gospel Spice podcast for a thought-provoking conversation about the power of metaphors in capturing the intangible aspects of life, finding resilience in times of upheaval, and embracing the poetry of everyday experiences.

Joy Clarkson beautifully expounds on the significance of metaphors in illuminating the intangible aspects of life. She draws a compelling comparison to light as a metaphor for wisdom and guidance in her book. She reveals her desire to bring flavor and richness to people's lives, much like salt brings out existing flavors in food. Joy’s aspiration for her book is to intensify and flavor life, leaving people in awe of the poetry of life and the deep meaning woven into everyday experiences. Through her work, she encourages readers to slow down, pay attention, and savor the richness of life around them.

In our discussion, Joy challenges the paradigm of equating human beings to machines, emphasizing the resilience and complexity of humans. She contrasts the organic nature of humans with the mechanical consistency of machines. Joy artfully weaves these insights into the metaphor of human beings as more akin to organic organisms, specifically comparing them to the resilience and growth of trees. This fresh perspective stands in stark contrast to a culture dominated by machine and computer metaphors, encouraging readers to appreciate their own resilience and organic nature.

I must take a moment to praise the beautiful writing of Joy Clarkson and the book's ability to prompt readers to desire and experience the world around them. Drawing on this metaphorical culinary journey, Joy illuminates the significance of the book's title. She reveals her belief that her book has the potential to draw out the existing richness and flavors of life, leaving people with a more profound appreciation for the everyday experiences that God has intricately woven with meaning. In this context, the metaphor of the tree signifies resilience and the potential for growth, guiding readers to embrace their own capacity for resilience, growth, and rootedness.

The conversation expands as we explore how Joy managed to write her book during a time of personal upheaval. She vulnerably shares how she embraced resilience and found inspiration during a challenging season of life, highlighting her ability to slow down and pay attention to the richness and meaning in everyday experiences. Choosing to draw strength from her surroundings, she surrendered to the process and found resilience in the form of a metaphorical journey, paralleling the growth and rootedness of a tree. This recounting adds depth to the metaphorical exploration within her book.

Joy Clarkson's enlivening conversation on the Gospel Spice podcast beautifully illustrates the power of metaphors in conveying the richness of life and finding resilience in times of upheaval. Through the lens of the metaphorical and organic, readers are invited to slow down, savor life, and appreciate their own resilience. Embracing Joy's poignant insights, we are challenged to see the poetry in our everyday experiences and to draw inspiration from the resilience and growth of the trees that surround us, witnessing the beauty of our own metaphorical journey.

Here are some key takeaways from our conversation:

📚 Metaphors for Intangible Experiences: Through our discussion, Joy emphasized the significance of metaphors for capturing intangible experiences and guiding readers through an introspective journey. We dove into the depth and beauty of using metaphors like light, salt, and trees to enrich and flavor life, leaving people in awe of everyday experiences.

🌱 The Poetry of Human Resilience: Joy discussed the danger of equating human beings to machines and highlighted the resilience and complexity of humans. She shared a personal journey of feeling like a potted plant, growing beyond her pot, and the fear of not being able to root, prompting her to ponder the choices needed for her own life.

📘 Burdens, Sadness, and Community: Our conversation also explored the concept of carrying burdens, the metaphor of life as a journey, and how community plays a role in helping each other carry burdens. Joy delved into the difference between feeling heavy with sadness and carrying a burden, emphasizing the importance of distancing ourselves from sadness and deciding how to carry it.

Joy's insights will shape and inspire your perspective on life and your personal journey. If you're looking for depth, poetry, and meaning in your everyday experiences, "You Are A Tree" is a must-read!

MEET JOY CLARKSON

https://joyclarkson.substack.com/about

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

I cannot wait to dive with you into the rest of our lesson on the symbolism of the Jewish betrothal ceremony and how it points to our own marriage to Christ our Lord! I am Stephanie Rousselle, your humble host, and it is my utter privilege to spend this moment with you through the pages of Scripture.

Today we continue our exploration of the traditional Jewish custom of betrothal and how it relates to Jesus' mission as the bridegroom. We’re continuing our journey through the season of waiting and preparation that takes place between the moment of betrothal and the wedding celebration. Discover the significance of the bridegroom's role during this period and how it connects to Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross. We'll also uncover the groom's mission of gathering the bride price and building a home for his new family, drawing parallels to Christ's redemptive work and his promise to prepare a place for us in heaven. So grab your cup of coffee and get ready to dive into the fascinating world of betrothal and its profound spiritual truths. My humble prayer is that this episode will leave you with a newfound appreciation for Jesus as your perfect groom and an anticipation for the day when he comes back to fetch you, His beloved bride. This is truly the spice of the gospel of Christ Jesus.

MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In our previous episode, we explored the beautiful imagery of betrothal in the Jewish tradition and its connection to Jesus as the ultimate bridegroom. Now, we continue our journey of discovering the depth of this ancient custom. Stephanie takes us deeper into the betrothal period, focusing on the role of the bridegroom. Just as the bride was preparing herself for her new life and identity, the groom had his own mission during this season of anticipation.

Stephanie explains that the first mission of the groom was to gather the full bride price, completing the initial down payment. We see the foreshadowing of this mission in Jesus' ultimate sacrifice on the cross, through which he fulfilled the payment of the bride price for all of humanity.

The second mission of the groom was to build a house for his new family. Stephanie highlights the significance of Jesus being a professional house builder, skilled in both woodworking and masonry. He dedicated himself to creating a perfect dwelling place for his beloved bride, just as the groom in the Jewish custom would tirelessly assemble and furnish rooms for his betrothed.

Stephanie also draws our attention to Jesus' comforting words to his disciples during the Last Supper, echoing the traditional parting words of a Jewish groom to his bride. We read John 14:1-3 and find Jesus assuring his disciples that he is going to prepare a place for them in his Father's house, where they will be eternally united.

As we delve into the significance of Jesus' role as the perfect bridegroom, we are reminded of the promise of Revelation 21:3-4: that one day, God's dwelling will be with humanity, wiping away every tear, eradicating death, grief, crying, and pain.

The episode concludes with the anticipation of the rapture, the moment when the groom comes to fetch his bride. Stephanie delves into the symbolism of the best man, who forewarned the bride of the groom's imminent arrival by blowing a wedding horn. In a similar fashion, we await the trumpet call of God, signaling the return of Jesus to rapture his church, gathering all believers to be with him forever.

Stay tuned and filled with Gospel Spice!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Bonjour! Stephanie here. I am excited to share the inspiring insights from my recent conversation with recording artist Aaron Shust on the Gospel Spice podcast! Together we invite you to journey deeper into faith through worship. Aaron opened up about his faith journey, music career, and deep connection to scripture and different cultural influences. Aaron and I discussed the importance of experiencing Scripture through different perspectives and interpretations, emphasizing the value of humility and teachability in growing in faith. He shared how diverse cultural influences have shaped his songwriting and deepened his understanding of God's word, with a key focus on the Messianic Jewish culture.

Aaron remains truly humble and teachable, as well as always curious to learn more. This is the hallmark of someone who is walking closely with the Lord. God gets all the glory, and we get to delight in Him through it! It is essential to surround ourselves with people who inspire us to walk closer to God. Inspired by his experiences and love for Scripture, Aaron shared his ongoing desire to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, leading to the creation of his latest song, "Pray for Jerusalem" based on Psalm 122. His commitment to writing songs based on Scripture is truly a testament to God’s faithfulness and goodness, and the depth of Aaron’s faith and creativity.

MORE ABOUT WHAT TO EXPECT IN THIS CONVERSATION

Stephanie welcomes acclaimed worship leader and songwriter Aaron Shust to discuss his inspiring journey as a musician and a devoted follower of Christ. Aaron shares how his deep-rooted faith has not only shaped his musical compositions, but also transformed his spiritual walk.

Aaron Shust's artistic evolution presents a compelling narrative of exploration and cultural immersion. His pilgrimage to Israel in 2016 served as a catalyst, reigniting his fascination with ancient traditions and compelling him to delve into the practices of messianic Jewish communities. This journey ignited a creative flame within Aaron, prompting him to infuse his songwriting with influences from his global travels, including the captivating sounds of Scottish music and the evocative melodies of Middle Eastern traditions. By embracing sonic elements from his expeditions, Aaron adds a vibrant and culturally diverse dimension to his musical repertoire.

Aaron Shust's latest endeavor, "Pray for Jerusalem," stands as a testament to his unwavering dedication to encapsulating scriptural inspiration within his music. Rooted in the profound call to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, this poignant composition echoes the enduring devotion to scriptural narratives, weaving together the threads of prayer, faith, and melodic exaltation. Through this musical creation, Aaron extends an invitation to unite in prayer for the ancient city, encapsulating the spiritual essence of the Scriptures through his heartfelt melodies.

Growing up in a family immersed in a love for both the Bible and music, Aaron's childhood was shaped by the harmonious fusion of these two elements. His early exposure to the Hebrew scriptures, coupled with his mother's affinity for music featuring the word Yeshua, laid the groundwork for a profound connection between faith and melody. Central to Aaron Shust's creative process is the imbuing of his compositions with the profound essence of Scripture. His deep reverence for biblical teachings and Jesus' words has led him to craft songs that serve as soul-stirring embodiments of faith and reverence. By weaving the timeless wisdom of Scripture into his musical tapestry, Aaron breathes life into age-old verses, ushering his listeners into a realm of spiritual contemplation and melody. His musical creations exemplify a harmonious marriage of faith and artistry, igniting the hearts of his audience with the eternal resonance of God's word.

Aaron Shust's captivating account unravels the profound interplay between faith, musical expression, and the timeless resonance of scripture. It is a joy and a delight to welcome him on Gospel Spice this week!

A FEW OF AARON SHUST’S MOST POPULAR SONGS:

My Savior, my God (2006)

To God alone (2009)

My hope is in You (2011)

Cornerstone (2014)

No one higher (2014)

Ever be (2016)

MORE ABOUT AARON SHUST

Aaron’s fascination with music—with unique sounds, melodies, progressions, and techniques—has always been a salient part of who he is. From an early age, Aaron has felt most at home in front of a piano. Just as innate to Aaron is his love of God’s Word—of wrestling with the Scriptures, with the hard and beautiful things they say, and the way they foretell and fulfill a picture of a suffering servant, King Jesus.

You’ll hear these twin loves in Shust’s music, from his debut success with “My Savior My God,” winning the 2007 New Artist, Songwriter and Song of the Year. Later, as he grappled with a surprise Down Syndrome diagnosis for one son and waged a war with chronic illness for two, he continued to declare “My Hope is in You,” a song which spent 14 weeks at #1, and “Ever Be,” which debuted at #3 on the NCA chart. Aaron bolsters the faith of his listeners and surprises them, too, as with his 2014 Christmas Album Unto Us, recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. With this collection, Shust turns conventional classics into something fresh and adds his own work to the canon of Christmas music.

Over the past several years, Aaron has delved deeply into friendship with Messianic Jews, both in Nashville and Israel, as well as into the Hebrew Scriptures and Jewish tradition that they yield. Here, Aaron and his family have found not only friendship, but also a depth of insight into the rich background of the Yeshua Aaron proclaims, and what this depth of meaning can bring to believers today.

You’ll hear the reverence Aaron has developed for this Jewish heritage in Heaven + Earth: The Psalms Project. From melodic patterns and Middle Eastern instruments to passages sung in Hebrew and collaboration with Israeli musicians, Shust is determined that the listener will steep in the Psalmist’s musical vocabulary and therefore, have an intimate and imaginatively accurate experience of this ancient treasure of praise, lament, and contemplation.

Shust, a native of Pittsburgh, makes his home in Nashville with his wife Sarah and their sons Daniel, Nick, and Michael, as well as a growing menagerie of pets.

Connect with Aaron at https://www.aaronshust.com/ as well as YouTube and on social media.

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Welcome to the Gospel Spice podcast, where we explore the richness of the Gospel message and explore its impact on our lives. I'm your host, Stephanie Rousselle, and in today's episode, we embark on a journey that will take us to Easter. We've covered the birth of Jesus, His baptism, and His temptation, and now it's time to look ahead and contemplate the significance of Easter, the climax of Jesus' mission on Earth.

In our exploration of Matthew's account, we'll take a slow and meandering path, delving into the last week of Jesus' earthly life, leading up to Easter Sunday. As we unravel the layers of these historical events, we'll discover how Jesus, throughout His time on Earth, portrayed himself as the Bridegroom coming to collect His bride. By examining Jewish wedding customs, we'll uncover the profound parallels between Jesus' final week and the traditional chronology of a Jewish wedding.

Join me as we explore the concept of betrothal, where Jesus initiated the process by coming to Earth with the intention of marriage. We'll discover the symbolism behind Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, where He symbolically flaunts His heavenly wealth and power as the groom in love, coming for His bride – the Church.

As we journey together towards Easter, we encourage you to reflect on the profound love and devotion Jesus has for His bride, the Church. Just as the groom wooed his bride and paid the bride price to express his devotion, Jesus poured out His life for us, dying on the cross to save us from our sins and give us eternal life.

Join us in exploring the rich symbolism and timeless truths found in the betrothal ceremony, as we prepare our hearts for the ultimate celebration of Jesus' resurrection this Easter. Together, let's step into the world of betrothal and allow it to transform our understanding of Easter and our relationship with Christ. Welcome to the Gospel Spice podcast. Let's dive in!

Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice community. We are grateful for your support and encourage you to share our podcast with others who might be looking to deepen their understanding of the Scriptures.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In a world filled with turmoil, our hearts ache for those who suffer unspeakable hardships, and we seek to understand as well as to help, however we are able. Today I have the privilege of speaking with Charmaine Hedding about the incredible efforts to rescue persecuted Christians and vulnerable families amidst the chaos in Afghanistan, South Sudan, Israel and Gaza, and many other places. Our conversation is about humility, courage, gratitude, and practical support for those facing persecution and hardship. Charmaine Hedding, President of the Shai Fund, shares her harrowing journey negotiating funds and organizing evacuation planes to rescue over 2,100 members of the Afghan underground church. Despite terrible conditions and threats from the Taliban, their unwavering courage prevailed. She also shares about remarkable efforts in South Sudan, among other places. These extraordinary efforts exemplify the resilience and determination of those fighting for freedom and faith in the face of immense danger. But the battle is far from over. Charmaine emphasizes the ongoing need for practical and financial support for these persecuted individuals. She tells me about the pivotal role of financial assistance for security, travel, legal aid, and resettlement, underscoring the urgent need to pressure governments to allow sponsorship of asylum seekers and refugees. Our prayers and practical support can make a world of difference. The conversation also turned to the current situation in Israel, with Charmaine calling for prayers amidst violent attacks and a hostage situation. As we pray for peace and safety, let us remember that our prayers are interconnected with our willingness to offer tangible support.

If I were to summarize some key takeaways from my time with Charmaine, here are some things I would choose to remember:

1. Embrace humility and wisdom in serving others, as seen in the hidden, effective work of humanitarian efforts.

2. When faced with challenges or persecution, remain committed to saying "yes" to God's will and direction in your life.

3. Stand with courage and compassion for the marginalized, especially women facing societal restrictions and persecution for their faith.

4. Choose to live with gratitude and hope, knowing that God can do a new thing in your life and in the world.

5. Acknowledge first-world privileges and use them as a reminder to advocate and support those facing greater hardships.

6. Empower and support persecuted individuals and communities with practical resources, including financial aid, sharing information about relevant organizations, and investing time and talent in helping those in need.

7. Find inspiration in the unwavering faith and resilience of persecuted Christians, letting their courage guide your own faith journey.

8. Work towards practical support for persecuted communities, recognizing the importance of both prayer and tangible assistance.

MAKE SURE TO CONNECT WITH CHARMAINE AT https://www.theshaifund.org/

Let me tell you a little bit about the Shai Fund. First, the word Shai in Hebrew means Gift. And the Fund's mission is to support those who are affected by war, conflict, disaster, persecution, and exploitation. And they do that by partnering with local communities that provide urgent aid, practical support, and, yes, humanitarian assistance.

Since 2014, the Shai Fund has directly assisted over 170,000 people with practical, immediate assistance, and they've created job opportunities and sustainable futures for thousands. My guest, Charmaine, is the founder and president. She oversees their global operations, strategy, and partnerships. She's worked for 2 decades in development management for the nonprofit sector, which is why she is so well suited to her current role for the Shai Fund. Her focus is the protection of persecuted minorities in the Middle East and in Africa. She also advocates for freedom of religion and belief, and the Shay Fund has been instrumental in helping so many, Christians who are persecuted for their faith. She's served on the ground responding to foreign disasters, humanitarian aid projects. She's designed and implemented emergency relief development programs, All of that for the protection of people at risk in complex emergencies, war, conflict. She used to work in the business sector. She's going to tell us how she moved out of it because of God's clear calling. This conversation will encourage, bless and challenge you.

 

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Bonjour! So good to be with you again. Stephanie here. Welcome back to Gospel Spice, the podcast where we dive deep into the teachings of Jesus and uncover the rich flavors of the gospel. In today's episode, we explore the profound wisdom found in two sections of the Sermon on the Mount. So, I am taking you on a journey through the Lord's Prayer to taste the flavors of its true meaning and purpose. Prayer is not just a rote repetition of words, but a heartfelt conversation with God, rooted in intimacy and focused on worship. Praying “in the Name of Jesus” reminds us of our dependence on his righteousness.

But that's not all. Our exploration continues as we delve into Jesus' insightful teachings on money. Jesus challenges our modern-day culture's obsession with wealth and highlights the wisdom found in prioritizing heavenly treasures over earthly possessions. Through Jesus' words, we are reminded of the dangers of greed and the power of generosity in nurturing a light-filled heart.

So grab your headphones and prepare to be inspired by the Holy Spirit teaching us through Jesus’ words! Get ready to spice up your faith with Gospel Spice. Let's dive in!

MORE ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In the previous episode, we explored the Beatitudes and learned about the call to be both salt and light in the world. Building on this foundation, we now bring our attention to the Lord's Prayer, arguably the most famous prayer of all time.

Let’s look at the context in which Jesus taught this prayer: He had just admonished the Pharisees about the improper way of praying for public recognition. Jesus instructs His disciples and the crowd to pray in secret, seeking intimacy with God rather than the praise of others.

The prayer itself is a revolutionary blueprint for approaching God with our own words. We will highlight the importance of seeking the meaning and spirit of Jesus' words, allowing them to guide our personal prayers. Prayer is not about mindless repetition or seeking public attention but about cultivating a genuine connection with God.

Then, let’s go through the different components of the Lord's Prayer. Starting with worship and praise, we acknowledge God's perfect attributes, glory, and holiness. Only after worshiping God, do we intercede for the world and present our personal needs. Interestingly, the confession of sins comes after acknowledging God's perfection, reminding us to take ourselves off center stage and prioritize the needs of others before our own.

The podcast episode also delves into the concept of spiritual warfare, emphasizing that our battle is against Satan and that Christ is our ultimate protector. Prayer is our powerful weapon in this spiritual battle, but it is essential to keep the focus on Christ rather than ourselves.

After exploring the Lord's Prayer, we will continue with Jesus' teachings on practical aspects of a surrendered life. We will particularly highlight Jesus' warnings about the love of money and the need for generosity. In our comfort-driven culture, this reminder is crucial, as Jesus teaches that money is a tool, not the end goal. We are encouraged to have a light-filled heart through generosity rather than being consumed by greed and darkness.

I really hope that you will find that this episode is packed with valuable insights and practical applications for our spiritual journey. Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice podcast community. We look forward to continuing this journey with you!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We offer high-quality, full color, gorgeous PDF downloadable workbooks to come alongside each episode of this original series of Gospel Spice, Jesus Rabbi and Lord. These workbooks allow you to build your library of in-depth Biblical studies and content to maximize your time in Scripture and amplify your intimacy with God. For each episode, we offer:

- an episode summary

- a listening guide

- key takeaways from the episode

- key quotes

- Bible verses to enhance your experience

- up to 10 questions per episode to take charge of your quiet time

- topics for further research, based on the episode content.

There are 3 workbooks, each containing over 10 episodes to cover the entire series. You can buy them separately, or as a bundle for an amazing price!

Go now to https://www.gospelspice.com/jesus for the details and to purchase your Jesus Rabbi and Lord workbooks!

What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God’s glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.  

Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don’t draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.  

So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once.

And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it.

Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.  

So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking.

So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward?

Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

From discussing prayer, surrendering to God's will, and navigating desires, to emphasizing the value of community and wisdom, today’s conversation is filled with invaluable insights for all stages of life!

We are in February, which means Valentine's Day season. So, Stephanie prepared a rather unusual episode: a conversation with three of her single girlfriends about what it is like to be single this time of year – and every day of the year, really. Stephanie asked them, “how can I, who is married, come alongside you, invite you into my life and be part of your life?” They share advice, stories, and a unique perspective on God’s power and presence. And they help Stephanie put her foot in her mouth just a tad less often when she interacts with them. And this is no small miracle!

Stephanie’s three guests have very unique, but complementary stories. Hannah Altizer is in her mid-twenties; Julie Molina is in her mid-thirties; and Jenn Hand is in her early forties. They share a common passion for God, and are deeply involved in the building of His Kingdom on earth in our generation. Stephanie feels inspired by them in so many ways, and wants to be like them when she grows up! Whether you're single and thriving or longing for a relationship, this episode is a beautiful reminder of God's unique purpose for each of us.

Whether you're single or in a relationship, this podcast offers a wealth of wisdom! Let's champion each other to seek God first and find joy and fulfillment in every season. Here are 3 things Stephanie invites you to remember from these conversations:

🔸 Embracing Your Identity and Purpose: Understanding one's purpose, desires, and identity in Christ is crucial before committing to a relationship. It's essential to know that God’s plan is right now, and we don't have to wait to start living it.

🔸 Finding Contentment in Christ: The concept of finding contentment in the Lord and reshaping the narrative around singleness. We discussed debunking the myth of relationship completeness and the importance of maintaining focus on the Lord.

🔸 The Power of Community: The significance of maturity in Christ and the potential pitfalls of settling for the wrong person. We also talked about the need for love, connection, and community in the church for single individuals without making singleness their entire identity.

So, whether you're single, married, or somewhere in between, this episode of Gospel Spice is for you. Julie, Hannah, and Jen share their stories, challenges, and victories as they embrace singleness with faith and grace.

And here is some advice we gleaned from Hannah, Julie and Jenn (in no particular order):

1-      "Know Your Identity" | Knowing who you are in Christ is crucial to navigating singleness well.

2-      "Embrace Aloneness" | Lean into the season of being alone without fear.

3-      "Community Matters" | Invest in community and the body of Christ at every stage of life.

4-      "Serve the Lord" | See singleness as an opportunity for serving the Lord.

5-      "Hold onto Hope" | Acknowledge your desires and hold onto hope, even in difficulty.

6-      "Focus on God" | Seek fulfillment and contentment in your relationship with God.

7-      "Seek God's Guidance" | Pray and surrender your desires to God's will.

8-      "Combat Lies" | Combat societal lies about singleness with the truth of God's love.

9-      "Thank God" | Thank God and share your disappointments with Him.

10-   "Live for God's Glory" | Remember that every one of our temporary stages are meant to learn to delight in God's glory.

Want more? Here are a few pieces of advice Stephanie will remember from this conversation:

·       Know your purpose, desires, and identity in Christ before committing to a relationship.

·       Embrace aloneness without fear and invest in community and the body of Christ at every stage of life.

·       Take the time to mature in Christ and avoid settling for the wrong person out of fear of being alone.

·       Recognize that marriage cannot fill a void, and only God can complete and satisfy a person.

·       Find fulfillment in various roles, such as being a supportive friend or family member, regardless of marital status.

·       Combat lies and societal pressures regarding marriage and singleness with the truth of God's love and purpose.

·       Hold onto hope, even when faced with unmet desires, and be transparent with God about disappointments.

·       Acknowledge and combat the myth of relationship completeness and maintain focus on the Lord.

·       Seek contentment in the Lord and look for opportunities to serve Him, whether single or in a relationship.

·       Cultivate a relationship with God and find joy and strength in Him, regardless of external circumstances.

·       Lean into community for support and resources, and be vulnerable with desires and struggles.

·       Include single individuals in social activities and community events, treating them equally and fostering connection despite different life situations.

·       Forgive societal pressure and focus on seeking God first before rushing into relationships.

·       Maintain focus on God and seek His guidance in all aspects of life, particularly in relation to the desire for a godly relationship.

·       Give oneself permission to run their own race regardless of societal pressures regarding dating and marriage

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

So good to be with you again today! Stephanie here. Let’s join Jesus and His disciples on a certain mountainside to experience the greatest sermon ever taught. We'll uncover the true meaning behind the beatitudes, the Lord's prayer, the golden rule, and so much more. Get ready to listen to Jesus and allow Him to challenge and inspire you as we discover what it truly means to be a follower of Christ! So grab your Bible, open your heart, and let's dig deep into the transformative message of the Sermon on the Mount.

Jesus's words in this sermon challenge traditional beliefs and shed light on the true nature of the Gospel. Together, we will break down the key themes and highlights the contrasts between Jesus' teachings and those of the Pharisees.

Jesus emphasizes the importance of not just following the letter of the law, but living by its spirit. He calls his disciples (and us!) to a higher standard of righteousness — one that surpasses even that of the religious leaders of the day. Through Jesus, eternal life and salvation are offered to all who believe and accept him as their Savior.

The Sermon on the Mount is absolutely not a roadmap to salvation. It serves as a guide for how we should live as followers of Christ. We will meticulously explore each section of the sermon, from the Beatitudes to the Lord's Prayer and the Golden Rule. Let’s ask ourselves: how do these teachings challenge us to seek God's kingdom first, love our enemies, and go the extra mile in our relationships and interactions with others?

In His sermon, Jesus also tackles the topic of persecution and rejection that believers may face. He highlights the immense blessings that come to those who remain steadfast and true to the Father through Christ, even in the face of opposition. He reminds us that the Sermon on the Mount cannot be fully lived without a complete surrender to Him and a reliance on His grace.

Join us as we unpack the profound and life-changing words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. And don't forget to share it with your family, friends, and fellow believers who are seeking a deeper understanding of the Gospel.

Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice community. Together, let us continue to seek God's truth, grow in faith, and boldly live out the teachings of Jesus.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

We are in February. And February, in the United States in particular, has to do with Valentine's Day and romantic relationships in specifically, but more in general, relationships and friendships. And so I have an interesting conversation with Elizabeth Laing Thompson about her new book, “When a Friendship Falls Apart.” I absolutely fell in love with her! It's a thick volume, especially by modern day standards where it seems like, publishing houses give us shorter and shorter books. This is not the case. Her book is a massive compilation of all the tips, all the advice, everything you need to know if you've ever been in a friendship that ended badly or that is going poorly or that has hurt you in any way, shape, or form. Through this book Elizabeth hopes to minister to those who are experiencing this often undiagnosed, unrecognized grief of friendship loss or friendship breakup, as she calls it. There are difficult emotions that accompany friendship hardship. So, she and I talk about important things, like:

-          friendship breakups: coping with loss and pain;

-          healing and forgiveness: overcoming bitterness;

-          Biblical wisdom: applying Scripture to relationships;

-          trust and vulnerability: rebuilding connections;

-          grieving and mourning: processing friendship loss;

-          finding beauty in brokenness: embracing imperfections;

-          prayer and guidance: seeking God's direction.

Elizabeth acknowledges that the hardest part in navigating a friendship breakup is finding the right people to talk to about it. She acts as this one friend you need. She keeps you company. She points you to Gospel counsel as you navigate the loss of the friendship as it was. And then she offers wisdom for navigating future friendships after a loss because that's absolutely key. How do you even dare to open your heart again after it's been wounded?

She is grounded in Scripture. She points to God's views on forgiveness, reconciliation, and healing after hurt. And then she gives us the best practical tools for navigating those conversations. How do you initiate a reconciliation conversation? What words can you use that are going to be most productive without escalating potential conflict? She is blending personal story, biblical examples, faith filled wisdom. I love all of the many, many interactions with Scripture that she gives us.

She asks, how do we guard against the poison of bitterness so we can process the hurt and move forward? Elizabeth talks about when and how we can seek this reconciliation and what does look like. And this is anything but cliche. I promise you that. How do we know if the time has come to actually leave a friendship behind? How do we open up again and then trust our freshly wounded hearts to new friendships?

Friendship loss is this unique kind of grief. It's a private and confusing kind of grief. And as we struggle to digest the pain and we wonder, how could this happen? What do I do now? Elizabeth is here to help hurting hearts find healing, find lessons to learn from the past, and stay open to new friendships in the future. Again, it's so full of hope. Some of the key advice I will remember from the book are,

-          Learn to navigate and overcome the pain and challenges of friendship breakups with grace and biblical wisdom.

-          Cultivate trust in relationships, acknowledging that past hurts can affect future connections but not define them.

-          10. Find joy and hold onto positive memories even when some friendships can't be repaired, allowing healing to take place.

-          Protect your heart in extreme friendship scenarios by seeking comfort in prayer and scripture.

-          Give oneself permission to grieve and process the loss of friendships

-          Seek beauty in broken friendships and adopt a more open-minded and accepting approach to making connections despite past hurts.

-          Bring fears and insecurities to God as a source of courage and guidance in seeking and fostering friendships.

-          Let God guide and protect in the process of building trust and forming meaningful connections.

-          Look ahead to the eternal promise of friendships in heaven, where unity and safety abound.

-          Reflect Jesus in current friendships and strive for unity, echoing His prayer for oneness in John 17.

-          Categorize friendships and address potential misunderstandings by applying practical tips and Scripture.

-          Understand and appreciate the concept of mismatched expectations in friendships to prevent conflicts and foster understanding.

-          Seek divine guidance, wisdom, courage, and the capacity to love and care for others within friendships through prayer.

-          Engage in the process of repairing broken relationships with humility, grace, and a desire for beauty in brokenness.

-          Root out bitterness and unforgiveness from friendships, replacing them with prayer and forgiveness to facilitate reconciliation.

-          Embrace the healing power of forgiveness and prayer, remembering that holding onto bitterness only causes further harm.

-          Find comfort in God as the perfect friend and reflect His love and forgiveness in all friendships.

-          Treasure and honor the meaningful memories made within brokenness, seeing them as precious testaments to the resilience of relationships.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Struggling with temptation? Jesus shows off His identity and power in our wilderness. That's our theme today. Welcome!

Hello my friends! Stephanie here. It is so, so good to get ready to dive into another Bible lesson today. I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued support and for being a part of the Gospel Spice podcast family. Your enthusiasm and engagement mean the world to us! We have no small topic ahead of us! We are exploring the temptation of Jesus and how it relates to our own struggles with sin and temptation. Last week, we discussed the necessity of God's perfect justice and the problem his love presents. We discovered that there is no cutoff or grading system for entering heaven. Instead, God, in His love, came up with a solution through Jesus on the cross.

Today, we'll examine Matthew 4, where Jesus faces temptation in the wilderness. We'll see how Jesus, fully God and fully man, withstands the pressure and inspires us to true obedience and surrender. We'll also uncover the significance of the number 40 in Scripture and the parallels between Jesus' experience and Israel's wilderness journey.

Through Matthew's account, we will see how Satan cunningly approached Jesus, acknowledging him as the Son of God, but attempting to entice Jesus to use His powers for personal gain. Jesus, however, remained true to His heaven-born calling and responded with divine wisdom, quoting from the book of Deuteronomy to ward off Satan's attacks.

Matthew emphasizes Jesus' obedience to the commandments of the Deuteronomic covenant, highlighting that Jesus succeeded where Israel consistently failed. This passage serves as a reminder that no human can attain the perfection of God's standards. Yet, in facing temptation head-on, Jesus demonstrates His unmatched loyalty to God and establishes Himself as the only Savior.

I warmly encourage you to listen to the full episode, as we unpack the profound implications of Jesus' temptation and its relevance to our lives today. Whether you are currently facing your own season of weakness or seeking inspiration for true obedience, I pray that our time together today will provide valuable insights and practical application points.

As a podcast that strives to bring you thought-provoking content and deep dives into the Gospel, we want to invite you to join us on this transformative journey. Share this episode with your friends and family, engage in conversations around the significance of temptation and obedience, and continue to seek the truth that sets us free.

We here are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support and cannot wait to embark on new explorations of the Gospel with you. So, grab your Bible and let's jump right in to this intriguing passage. Welcome to Gospel Spice.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.  

Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways:

1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too!

2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app;

and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Step into a journey of brokenness, healing, and hope with Laney Rene as she shares her powerful story with you and me this week! Laney beautifully articulates her struggles with questioning God's healing and how God redeemed her belief in it. Her story displays the profound ways in which God uses pain and suffering to exhibit His glory and grace.

She tells us about her transformative encounters with God and how she felt His presence redefining her identity and value through pivotal life moments. Her vulnerability encourages me to seek such transformative experiences with my precious King! She emphasizes the importance of shifting from a performance-centered life to a grace-centered one, encouraging us to find refuge in God and derive confidence from our relationship with Him.

Our conversation touches on the theme of finding wholeness and redemption amidst brokenness, mirrored by Laney's experiences of peace and joy even in the face of loss and pain. Laney expresses her heartfelt prayer for her daughter to inherit her lessons without enduring the same pain. The power of a mother's prayer is truly inspiring! We talk about fatherhood, earthly relationships, and the beauty of finding redemption and healing despite challenging circumstances. Laney's story exemplifies the resilience and hope captured in 2nd Corinthians 4:8—being hard-pressed but not crushed. It's a testament to the enduring power of faith and the unwavering love of God.

Here are some of my personal takeaways from this conversation; they focus on Laney’s message about the importance of hope, community, prayer, personal transformation, and seeking intimacy with God as foundational principles for living a purposeful and grace-filled life. I am sharing as many as I could think of, hoping a couple of them will really speak to you!

-          Believe in hope even in moments of perplexity and lack of understanding.

-          Embrace the truth that God can redeem and restore belief in healing, even in the face of doubt and questioning.

-          Recognize that God uses our pain and suffering to display His glory and extends grace based on our needs.

-          Find strength and wisdom in the community of believers, learning from each other's journeys and experiences.

-          Extend blessings and prayers of grace over relationships, seeking God's love and healing for others.

-          Embrace personal life experiences, as they can be transformative and lead to encounters with God's presence and grace.

-          Look for moments where God redefines identity and value, recognizing the transforming power of His love.

-          Emphasize internal transformation by seeking God's presence, despite outward appearances or circumstances.

-          Share prayers of love and healing for women in different seasons of life, asking for peace, health, and the understanding of being God's beloved daughters.

-          Seek to understand and share personal stories, acknowledging that everyone has a unique relationship with their earthly father.

-          Recognize that God can redeem and heal any story, regardless of the influence of our earthly fathers.

-          Embrace the journey of shifting from a performance-focused mindset to a grace-filled lifestyle, letting go of perfectionism and striving.

-          Find refuge and confidence in a relationship with God rather than in following specific steps or formulas.

-          Embrace the posture of a child seeking intimacy with God, recognizing the pure trust and love in being His child.

CONNECT WITH LANEY RENE

Laney is a wife, mom, and founder of The One He Loves, a ministry which exists so every woman can be refreshed, encouraged, and reminded of Jesus’ loving-kindness toward them. Laney is known for sharing the goodness of Jesus in a way that is not just inviting but also captivating. After walking through a painful season and into a redemption story only Jesus could come up with, Laney couldn’t keep the good news to herself. Today, as a worship artist, author, and speaker, Laney continues to find creative ways to share the heart of Jesus with everyone she can!

https://laneyrene.com/

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK

From the book: “The truth is, though you may not feel like it now, you’re in a beautiful place. Whether it’s for the first time or whether it’s for the hundredth time, it’s never a bad idea to ask your Father, to ask Jesus, to remind you who you are.”

Drawing from relevant scripture and not shying away from the hard questions—or pretending she has all the answers— Laney shares the experiences that have shaped her into who she is today.

“My hope for you — no matter what stage or season of life you’re in, no matter your upbringing or background — is that the words in this book would refresh your soul.” – Laney

This book provides a picture of the Father’s faithfulness and deep love for every Daughter. It is an invitation to receive a God-given identity, to walk in the inheritance of who you already are.

https://laneyrene.com/shop

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Bonjour! Stephanie here. I invite you to join me today on a nostalgic trip to my grandmother's attic, where the scent of dried lavender transported me to the enchanting landscapes of the south of France. But as we explore the allure of lavender, we discover that sometimes its promises can be misleading. Just like the pursuit of independence, when detached from God, can leave us empty-handed.

Drawing from personal experiences and family history, I invite you to discuss the inherited traits and tendencies that shape our lives. What have we received from our ancestors, and what are we passing down to future generations? Let’s explore the dangers of trying to measure up to a standard of goodness and the toxic effects of pride and shame. Our modern culture, saturated with self-centered ideologies, contrasts sharply with the biblical perspective on sin and righteousness. Through the lens of the Old Testament, we discover the importance of aligning ourselves with God's ways rather than seeking our own.

I want us to highlight Jesus' interpretation of the 10 commandments, because He reminds us that we have all fallen short and broken each one. Temptation, like the scent of lavender, surrounds us, and our natural inclination to believe we can be good enough on our own is a consequence of sin passed down through generations.

Our 21st-century Western culture tends to be self-centered and narcissistic, but the Bible paints a different picture. It emphasizes that God's standards are what truly matter, regardless of our feelings of success or failure. Murder and anger, adultery and white lies, all bear the poison that separates us from God. The story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden reveals the danger of seeking independence from God. By desiring their own way, they ingested the forbidden fruit, causing separation from the goodness and trustworthiness of God. Choosing our own way over God's leads us down a path of evil, twistedness, and untrustworthiness.

So, if you're curious how misapplied lavender relates to our pursuit of independence from God, join me on this highly personal journey. Let's open the family album of the Old Testament together and uncover the truth about sin, good deeds, and the hope offered by the Gospel message.

Remember, temptation is often laced with lavender, enticing us to believe that we can rule our lives better than God can. But in truth, true hope, peace, and fulfillment can only be found in surrendering to His ways.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We offer high-quality, full color, gorgeous PDF downloadable workbooks to come alongside each episode of this original series of Gospel Spice, Jesus Rabbi and Lord. These workbooks allow you to build your library of in-depth Biblical studies and content to maximize your time in Scripture and amplify your intimacy with God. For each episode, we offer:

- an episode summary

- a listening guide

- key takeaways from the episode

- key quotes

- Bible verses to enhance your experience

- up to 10 questions per episode to take charge of your quiet time

- topics for further research, based on the episode content.

There are 3 workbooks, each containing over 10 episodes to cover the entire series. You can buy them separately, or as a bundle for an amazing price!

Go now to https://www.gospelspice.com/jesus for the details and to purchase your Jesus Rabbi and Lord workbooks!

Bonjour! Gospel Spice exists to inspire our generation to delight in God. We do this through the podcast, online Bible studies, leadership trainings, and more. We want to serve Christ-followers who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel. We want to love God, because He first loved us. We want to experience the fullness of life with Him—and not be content with stale, boring, leftover faith. Jesus tells us that the most important thing is to love the Lord our God, so we take Him seriously. He adds that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. Now, there are many ways to do that, but I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – it is modern day slavery, and it revolts the heart of God. And so, they are our particular neighbors here at Gospel Spice. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.  

Now we would love to invite you to join the team in one of three ways:

1, pray Gospel Spice forward – pray for our guests, our listeners and participants, and for us too!

2, play Gospel Spice forward by telling your friends about us, and by please leaving positive reviews and comments on your podcast listening app;

and 3rd, PAY GospelSpice forward. Less than 1% of our listeners are supporting us financially. We need your help! Please pay Gospel Spice forward today. It can be a one-time donation, or a monthly one, for the amount of your choice. Your donation is fully tax-deductible in the US. Plus, once we cover our costs, a significant portion of your donation will be given back to Christian organizations that fight human trafficking, and that we vet thoroughly. So, you can know that every dime you give is used for the Kingdom of God. Every little bit helps. So, be part of the spice of the gospel by becoming a financial partner today!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

I am beyond thrilled to welcome special guest Joshua Aaron who invites us on a journey through the heart of worship, deep family stories, and living out faith in the midst of conflict. Joshua emphasizes the need to slow down and truly focus on worshipping God in Spirit and truth.

From heart-wrenching family stories to personal faith journeys, Joshua Aaron shares his rich family history, including his grandmother's escape from the Holocaust, and her struggle with Christianity when her own daughter, Joshua’ mother, decided to trust Yeshua. It's a deeply touching and thought-provoking moment.

Joshua Aaron's deep passion for worship is truly inspiring. He is passionate to share the love of God through music, and his dedication to Gather the Nations, a worship conference aiming to unite people from various backgrounds and cultures. He's a true ambassador of love and unity in Yeshua!

Joshua Aaron began by emphasizing the necessity of slowing down the pace of worship and focusing on the primary goal of worshipping God in spirit and truth. He expressed his concerns about the overwhelming emphasis on new songs and the commercialization of worship, fearing that it might lead to a loss of focus on the true purpose of worship. This thought-provoking insight invites us to reevaluate our approach to worship and emphasizes the importance of centering our worship on God's essence.

The conversation pivoted to the mix of old and new songs in worship, highlighting the importance of connecting the past and present in worship. Joshua shared a personal experience of being deeply moved by an old hymn and questioned the unremitting need for the constant production of new songs. It's a poignant reminder of the timeless beauty and depth of traditional hymns, and the need to integrate them with contemporary expressions of worship. Should we be seeking again the depth and understanding from the hymns of old? He shares concern about the industry of worship and the rush for new songs, questioning whether it takes away from the true purpose of worship. Can you relate? Have you ever felt that some worship songs are just missing the mark? Joshua expresses the value of seeking God in Scripture and worship, and cautions against self-centered worship songs. I agree with him on his personal preference for the mix of old and new songs in worship, stressing the importance of connecting past and present in our worship.

Finally, Joshua invited us to enter the emotional strain of living in a conflict zone, recounting the challenges faced by his family in Israel. The personal anecdotes of his daughter serving in the IDF and his poignant recollection of an intense moment before a war broke out offer a glimpse into the emotional turmoil experienced by families living in areas of conflict. It serves as a reminder of the resilience and faith required to navigate such challenging circumstances, and the crucial support for families and individuals living amidst conflict. Our prayers go out to Israel and the people of Gaza in this conflict.

The conversation wraps up with heartfelt prayers for Joshua Aaron's family and a moving moment where he blesses the audience. His touching presence and dedication to serving God are truly awe-inspiring.

Profound, worshipful, heartwarming, and deeply thought-provoking. That’s how I would describe this conversation. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I have!

MEET JOSHUA AARON

Joshua Aaron is an award-winning American-Israeli independent singer and songwriter recently listed as one of the Jewish Global 100 influencers. He resides near the Sea of Galilee with his wife Jeannie, and their 5 children, their eldest child now serving in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces).

Joshua is the founder of "Gather the Nations", an international non-profit hosting an annual conference, music outreach, and music mentorship program. Since 2009 he's hosted an annual Worship in Israel tour, bringing cohorts of believers on an unforgettable journey to the Holy Land, from Jerusalem to his backyard, the Galilee.

His music, sung in English and Hebrew, blends a wide array of sounds including traditional Jewish genres reaching millions of listeners of all nations, and languages.

https://www.joshuaaaron.tv/

The Blessing in Hebrew by Joshua Aaron: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzqrWae5lK4

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Bonjour! Stephanie here. I really hope this new episode finds you well and nourished with the Spirit of the Gospel. I am honored and delighted to bring you a new episode of the Gospel Spice podcast, diving deeper into the topic of baptism.

In our previous episode, we uncovered the deeper meaning of baptism and explored its significance in the life of Jesus. This week, we continue our journey of discovery and unpack the rich symbolism and connections surrounding baptism. We pick up where we left off with the baptism of Jesus, and dive into the Trinity's presence and the symbolism of the dove as the Holy Spirit. But the connections don't stop there! The prophet Jonah comes into the picture to give us profound parallels between Jonah's encounter with water and Jesus' baptism.

As we delve into Matthew 12, we remember how Jesus refers to Jonah as the ultimate sign, connecting His impending death and resurrection to that of Jonah's three days in the belly of the fish. I invite you to take a fresh look at the significance of this connection and how it points to the central message of God's grace and salvation offered to all through Jesus Christ.

Remember, the Gospel Spice podcast is all about digging deeper into the mysteries of the gospel and applying its truths to our everyday lives. So, join us on this journey of faith as we uncover the treasures hidden within the Scriptures.

If you have any questions or topics you'd like us to cover in future episodes, feel free to reach out. We love hearing from our listeners and tailoring our content to meet your needs! Thank you for being a part of the Gospel Spice community. May the love and grace of the Gospel continue to spice up your life!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We offer high-quality, full color, gorgeous PDF downloadable workbooks to come alongside each episode of this original series of Gospel Spice, Jesus Rabbi and Lord. These workbooks allow you to build your library of in-depth Biblical studies and content to maximize your time in Scripture and amplify your intimacy with God. For each episode, we offer:

- an episode summary

- a listening guide

- key takeaways from the episode

- key quotes

- Bible verses to enhance your experience

- up to 10 questions per episode to take charge of your quiet time

- topics for further research, based on the episode content.

There are 3 workbooks, each containing over 10 episodes to cover the entire series. You can buy them separately, or as a bundle for an amazing price!

Go now to https://www.gospelspice.com/jesus for the details and to purchase your Jesus Rabbi and Lord workbooks!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

I love few things more than a conversation with someone I highly respect, and am always learning from. Susie Larson is right at the top of the list for me. She is a best-selling author, popular radio host, and Bible teacher, and most of all, she is full of hard-earned wisdom and a tangible love for those of us who are on the frontlines of battle. That is you and me! So, it is a great joy for me to spend an hour with her in your company today. We have a raw, honest, deep conversation that will bring you hope, fuel your faith, and most definitely invite you to reframe your story with God’s perspective!

In her latest book, Susie reveals something she’s struggled with for a long time – something to which many Christians can relate: “I’ve lived much of my adult life bracing for impact. I love Jesus. I worship Him, enjoy Him, and spend hours in His Word. How is it possible to pursue Jesus earnestly yet simultaneously live with elbows locked? Though I loved my times with Jesus, I had developed a posture of self-protection, just waiting for the next storm to hit. Then, one day, God showed me my heart… I realized that because of my chronic battle with illness, I was disappointed in Him. Hurt by Him. Not enough to walk away from Him (where would I go?) but enough to rob me of the gift of expectancy. So I’ve spent the last couple of years earnestly cultivating an expectant heart around God’s goodness. And it’s changed everything!”

Here are some elements you can look forward to learning from this episode:

-          Discover the transformative power of imprinting God's love, marveling at His mercies, and rehearsing His miracles in your life.

-          Gain insights into reframing your story with God's perspective and stewarding your words for positivity and empowerment.

-          Understand the impact of fear and trauma on our lives, and learn how to overcome and face these challenges with perseverance.

-          Uncover the importance of unity and collaboration in the Kingdom, breaking away from competition and embracing community.

-          Explore the concept of living in holy expectancy and seeking guidance from the Lord as you navigate life's challenges.

Want more? Here are some of the topics Susie and I covered today:

-          Overcoming physical and spiritual challenges

Susie’s battle with chronic Lyme disease and exposure to black mold resulted in a devastating relapse eight years ago. The impact was profound, leading to memory loss, difficulty speaking, and a struggle with fear and worry that caused a spiritual shift. Despite her love for God, she found herself in a place of deep mistrust. However, through this harrowing experience, she underwent a spiritual transformation, recognizing the need to appreciate God's miracles, marvel at His mercies, and imprint His loving kindness on her heart.

-          The power of positive physiological changes through faith

As Susie applied herself to appreciate God's miracles and imprint His love on her heart, she experienced positive physiological changes, increased vitality, resilience, and strength. This emphasizes the powerful connection between our thoughts and physiological reactions, underscoring the impact of imprinting God's love on one's heart. Susie Larson's journey serves as a testament to the profound relationship between faith, mindset, and the body's response.

-          Trusting in God's promises

We switched to a discussion of the Israelites' lack of faith in God's promises, highlighting the importance of meeting God's promises with unwavering faith. Drawing from the book of Psalms, Susie share excerpts that reflect on the Israelites' grumbling and God's response, emphasizing the significance of faith and trust in God's goodness. Susie underscored the essential nature of embracing God's promises with faith, and how this paves the way for receiving His goodness.

-          Embracing God's perspective in difficult seasons

Throughout the conversation, Susie candidly shares personal struggles with physical health, financial hardships, and spiritual depletion. Amidst the challenges, she experienced a profound sense of God's silence, questioning His plans. However, as God reassured her of a new season and the fulfillment of His promises, Susie’s heart was renewed with hope and faith. This serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of reframing our stories with God's perspective, especially during seasons of adversity.

-          The power of our words

Susie reflects on the potent impact of words, realizing the significance of her own negative affirmations and the need to guard against speaking negatively. The conversation touches on the biblical and scientific evidence supporting the power of words, underscoring the importance of addressing heart issues and stewarding our words with intention and wisdom.

-          Unity and collaboration in the Kingdom:

Susie shares her struggles with entering ministry and navigating the competitive nature and territorial behavior in the industry. Emphasizing the importance of unity and collaboration in the Kingdom, she speaks against individualism and competition, championing the spirit of collaboration and support within the body of Christ.

-          Living in Holy expectancy:

Susie Larson's journey of faith, resilience, and spiritual growth is a powerful testament to the transformative power of God's love and the unwavering strength found in Him. Her willingness to share her struggles, triumphs, and deep insights transcends the podcast, offering a profound guide for navigating life's challenges with faith, hope, and a steadfast belief in God's goodness. The conversation today ends with a prayer focused on living in holy expectancy, capturing the essence of hope, faith, and anticipation for God's goodness and provision.

To summarize, here are priceless nuggets of wisdom from my conversation with Susie today:

-          Marvel at God's mercies, imprint His loving kindness on your heart, and appreciate His miracles to receive His goodness when it comes.

-          Understand the connection between thoughts and physiological reactions, and seek to imprint God's love on your heart for positive physiological changes.

-          Reframe your stories with God's perspective, dealing with the heart issues and stewarding your words for positive impact.

-          Seek to live a life for God's glory, knowing His love, and sharing your experiences to help others navigate their difficulties.

-          Embrace a philosophy of abundance over scarcity, realizing the importance of unity and collaboration in the Kingdom, instead of individualism and competition.

-          Overcome fear and refuse to let it hinder your purpose, recognizing the impact of fear and the importance of reaching others for God.

-          Seek guidance from the Lord and face your fears, acknowledging them but not allowing them to hinder your potential.

-          Refuse to live in perpetual insecurity and fear, understanding God's promises and meeting them with faith.

-          Acknowledge your missteps, mistakes, and sins, and believe that God can use them for your good and His glory when you love Him and are called according to His purpose.

-          Live in holy expectancy, being ready to meet Jesus and living a life for His glory.

MORE ABOUT SUSIE LARSON

Susie Larson is a bestselling author, national speaker, and host of the popular radio show Susie Larson Live. Whether behind a desk or behind a mic, Susie lives out her passion to see people everywhere awakened to the depth of God's love, the value of their soul, and the height of their calling in Christ Jesus. Find her at https://www.susielarson.com/about/

A two-time finalist for the prestigious John C. Maxwell Transformational Leadership Award, Susie is the author of over 20 books and devotionals, and her Daily Blessings reach over half a million people each week on social media. Her radio show is heard daily on the Faith Radio Network, as well as around the world through her podcast, which has more than 7 million downloads. A popular media guest and guest host, Susie has appeared on shows like Focus on the Family, Life Today, and Family Life Today. In addition to her work and ministry, Susie loves to laugh and relax with her family. She and her husband, Kevin, have been married since 1985. Together they have three wonderful (and hilarious) sons, three beautiful daughters-in-law, a growing bunch of delightful grandchildren, one adorable Golden Mountain Doodle named Bella-Joy.

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, “WAKING UP TO THE GOODNESS OF GOD”

In Waking Up to the Goodness of God: 40 Days Towards Healing and Wholeness, Susie has been purposeful in her choice of readings, reflections, and prayers, all designed to awaken readers to God’s goodness and retrain their hearts and minds to believe for God’s best:

-          The opening prayer is designed to help grow the reader’s faith and secure their footing.

-          The short devotion on that day’s topic points towards God’s beautiful intentions towards His children.

-          The day’s closing faith declaration and “brain-retrain” statement are meant to be said, prayed and rehearsed throughout the day. We tend to default to positions of fear, discouragement, and hopelessness. We have to practice a posture of faith, hope and love. Rehearsing God’s goodness will feel like nourishment for the soul because God has wired us for hope!

Scripture highlights the significance of forty days as typical length fora pilgrimage or spiritual journey toward a more profound dependence and reliance on God (Genesis 7:4; Exodus 34:28; Matthew 4:1–2). However, Susie stresses that there’s “no need to be restricted to forty days here. What if you decided to set out on this journey but gave yourself permission to go slow, to linger over the truths that resonate with you, and to allow those truths to seep deeply into your soul and cells? I’d rather you take your time as you read these devotions and experience transformational change as you go than to rush through these pages and miss God’s invitation to you. Move at the pace of God’s grace and you’ll move from a posture of bracing for impact to one of holy expectancy. It’ll change your life.”

Join Susie Larson on a transformative pilgrimage in Waking Up to the Goodness of God, exploring God’s invitation to flourish, heal, and know His peace in a way that changes us forever.

Buy the book here: https://www.susielarson.com/susies-book-store 

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/74762/link/

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/94182/link/

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/115017/link/

God's glory, our delight 

https://www.podcastics.com/episode/126051/link/

 

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Hi! Stephanie here. I am so glad you joined us today for a special dive (no pun intended!) into the experience and meaning of baptism. I want us to explore the parallel between the dyeing of fabric with a new color and our own transformation through baptism. Just as the fabric takes on a new identity and value, so do we as we embrace the added worth found in Christ. We become members of God's family, clothed in the righteousness of Christ, and equipped to live out our faith in the world.

Consider the message behind baptism: As believers, we are called to don the colors of our favorite team - Team Jesus! Baptism represents our identification with Jesus Christ, His message of grace and salvation, and His cause to share the good news with the whole world. It's a public declaration of our faith and a symbol of our new identity in Christ.

But what about Jesus' baptism? He had no need for purification or repentance, as He was without sin. So, why did He choose to be baptized? It marked the beginning of His earthly ministry and revealed His role as the chosen Son, marked by God's love and the delight of His life.

I also want to invite you to ponder anew the importance of delighting in the glory of God and making Jesus the delight of our lives. Baptism serves as a reminder of God's deep joy and love for us, just as He declared Jesus to be the delight of His own being.

Remember, as we proudly wear our brightly colored jerseys, let's continue to identify with Jesus, His message, and His cause. Let's live out our new identity and share the good news with the world. Together, we can make Jesus the delight of our lives, just as He is the delight of the Father.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sit alongside Jesus and his initial audience? To experience the fresh spiritual flavors that the Messianic Jewish culture weaves into the four gospels? Well, that's exactly what we here aim to do through this original series, JESUS RABBI AND LORD. Stephanie invites you to dig deep into Scripture, unearthing raw diamonds that may need a little cleaning up, but will ultimately shine brightly.

So get ready to embark on this enlightening and transformative journey with Gospel Spice. Prepare to encounter Jesus in a way that resonates with our modern world and discover the richness of the gospel through the lens of Jewish culture. Let's dig deep, uncover the hidden spices, and experience the beauty of the Scriptures together. Welcome to Gospel Spice!

Grab your headphones, hit play, and let Gospel Spice be the catalyst for encountering Jesus in a way you've never experienced before!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

THERE ARE SEVERAL WAYS TO PARTNER WITH GOSPEL SPICE TODAY!

First, PAY Gospel Spice Forward: Give a tax-deductible gift so others can experience our ministry for free, just like you! You can pay it forward with any debit, credit card, or via PayPal. See below for more details about your impact.

Also, PLAY Gospel Spice Forward: SHARE the podcast and the studies with your friends and family. FOLLOW, RATE & REVIEW on your favorite podcast app (leave a comment + a star rating on Apple Podcast, Spotify, Pandora, IHeart, Google Podcast, etc…). It REALLY is the best way to help others find this content-rich podcast. 

And, last but not least, PRAY Gospel Spice Forward: We pray for you weekly. We covet your prayers for our ministry, the thousands we reach, and our team! Contact us to let us know you are praying for us!

NEW!

Another way to partner with us is to purchase our workbooks and online Bible studies. We keep them at the lowest possible cost, but they require a lot of work from us! For example,

- a complete Bible Study requires an average of 500 man-hours.

- a workbook for a series requires almost 100 man-hours.

MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH US FINANCIALLY:

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status.

Our goal is to provide in-depth, high-quality, free Bible resources for all. They are free, but expensive to create! We need your financial support to keep producing and distributing them. Please pay Gospel Spice forward today! For example, a podcast episode takes close to 10 hours of work (and we release 2 each week). They come to you completely free, but we would truly love your support.

We want the money to go to those who really need it. Once our operating costs are paid, 100% of your donation is redistributed to our partners who fight human trafficking. Each year, we aim to give as much as we can. For example, Stephanie works more than full time for Gospel Spice, entirely for free. All board members and volunteers are donating time. We limit our operational expenses to the bare minimum.

Your pay-it-forward donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170.

We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. Thank you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

We offer high-quality, full color, gorgeous PDF downloadable workbooks to come alongside each episode of this original series of Gospel Spice, Jesus Rabbi and Lord. These workbooks allow you to build your library of in-depth Biblical studies and content to maximize your time in Scripture and amplify your intimacy with God. For each episode, we offer:

- an episode summary

- a listening guide

- key takeaways from the episode

- key quotes

- Bible verses to enhance your experience

- up to 10 questions per episode to take charge of your quiet time

- topics for further research, based on the episode content.

There are 3 workbooks, each containing over 10 episodes to cover the entire series. You can buy them separately, or as a bundle for an amazing price!

Go now to https://www.gospelspice.com/jesus for the details and to purchase your Jesus Rabbi and Lord workbooks!

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Have you ever thought about how your personality affects your prayer life? Today, I welcome a dear personal friend and inspiring author on the show, Janet McHenry. She is releasing a groundbreaking book on the connection between personality and prayer. Get ready for some mind-blowing insights!

Janet reminds us that prayer is not just about getting answers, but about having ACCESS to God. It's about developing a prayer lifestyle, not just having a prayer life. In her book, "Praying Personalities, Finding Your Natural Prayer Style," Janet explores how different personality types connect with prayer.

She looks at generational practices and even considers different learning styles. Janet studied Abraham, Moses, David, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, among others. Their unique prayer styles inspire us to explore and find our own God-given DNA of prayer, so to speak.

Curious about your prayer personality? Janet’s book offers a praying personalities quiz to help you identify your unique style. Are you a problem solver, a friend of God, an organized prayer warrior, or a peace seeker? Let's find out!

Known for her inspiring book, “Prayerwalking,” Janet saw the need to provide alternatives for those who couldn't physically walk. Thus, the idea for "Praying Personalities" was born! Janet McHenry shares her journey and how prayer changes not only situations but also OURSELVES.

Preordering Janet’ McHenry’s book guarantees being the FIRST to receive it! So you can take the praying quiz beforehand and dive straight into discovering your praying personality. Mark your calendars for the release of "Praying Personalities, Finding Your Natural Prayer Style" on February 13th, 2024! Preorder now to ensure you receive this transformative book right on time. Don't miss out!

Prayer is a powerful tool that shapes our lives, and Janet’s new book is a roadmap to unlocking the full potential of your prayer life. Now, it's time for you to explore your own praying personality! Let's go change the world, one prayer at a time!

FIND OUT YOUR PRAYER PERSONALITY

You should pray in the morning."

"You should write out your prayers."

"You should make prayer lists and pray through them every day."

"You should pray with others or out loud."

 We've all heard the "you shoulds" of prayer from pulpits, presenters, and well-meaning friends. But what do you do when the "right way" to pray feels like a struggle?

When you take the Praying Personality Quiz, you will find out what kind of praying style is most natural for you--based on your God-given personality.

Click here: https://prayingpersonalities.com/

MORE ABOUT THE BOOK, PRAYING PERSONALITIES

Discover your God-given prayer DNA and the particular way God designed you to connect with Him through prayer!

You should pray in the morning. You should write out your prayers. You should make prayer lists and pray through them every day. You should pray with others or out loud. We've all heard the "you shoulds" of prayer from pulpits, presenters, and well-meaning friends. But when none of these ways to pray feel natural, what's next?

In this book the author helps readers determine their particular praying personality by examining the praying styles of biblical people, spiritual gifts, and various ideas about personality, including the classic temperaments, the Enneagram, and more. McHenry includes scores of bulleted suggestions for developing a praying lifestyle that works for individuals. She has also created a Praying Personality Quiz for readers (available in the book and online) to help narrow down the style that will most naturally fit into how they process a prayer life.

Preorder here: https://prayingpersonalities.com/

KEY TAKEAWAYS FROM THIS CONVERSATION

1️⃣ Tailor Your Prayers: Janet suggests that prayer is not a one-size-fits-all approach. By understanding your personality type, you can discover a prayer style that resonates with you. Whether you're a problem solver, a friend of God, or a peace seeker, there's a way to pray that feels natural and authentic to you.

2️⃣ Develop a Praying Lifestyle: It's not just about having a prayer life; it's about integrating prayer into every aspect of your life. Janet emphasizes the importance of cultivating a praying lifestyle that goes beyond scheduled prayer times. Find ways to incorporate prayer into your daily routines and activities.

3️⃣ Learn from Biblical Models: Janet's book dives into biblical characters and their prayer styles, providing inspiration and guidance. From Abraham to Esther, each person had a unique approach to prayer. By studying their examples, we can glean wisdom and apply it to our own prayer lives.

MEET JANET MCHENRY

Janet McHenry is a national speaker and author of 24 books—including the bestselling PrayerWalk and her most recent, The Complete Guide to the Prayers of Jesus. Her business name is Looking Up! because she loves encouraging others to turn to God through a praying lifestyle. Her prayerwalking has been featured in magazines such as Health and Woman’s Day, and she has been interviewed widely about prayer and prayerwalking. A recently retired English teacher and academic advisor, Janet and her husband Craig raised their four children in the Sierra Valley, where she loves walking with her Personal Trainer, Jesus.

Often described as a  life juggler, upon graduation with a degree in journalism from the University of California, Berkeley, Janet McHenry worked as a newspaper reporter and high school English teacher while raising four kids with her high school sweetheart husband Craig (aka The Rancher).

Post-college and post-Army, they settled down in the Sierra Valley in northern California. They raise beef cattle in a county without a single stoplight and love sharing the outdoors with their nine grandchildren.

Janet looks for ways to serve leadership and others when she speaks at retreats and conferences. She also serves as prayer coordinator at The Bridge Church in Reno, on the advisory council of First Place for Health, and on the state leadership team for the National Day of Prayer.

She is a writer, speaker, life and Advanced Writers and Speakers Association Certified Coach as well as the founder of the Sierra Valley Writers Retreat.

She also loves hosting friends new and seasoned at her Sierra Valley Writers Retreats . . . or just for a cup of something yummy. And she looks forward to knowing you better!

Find out more at https://www.janetmchenry.com/

 

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us. 

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1-      signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2-      find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3-      rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4-      and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

As we enter a new year, I invite you to consider the feast of Epiphany as it calls for a deeper understanding of the manifestation of Christ's glory in our spiritual journey. A philosophy rooted in the meaning of Epiphany has profound implications in bringing light and knowledge of the glory of God in Christ Jesus.

Epiphany serves as an invitation to delight in the manifestation of God's glory through Christ. I invite you to experience the celebration of Epiphany in the Eastern and Western churches, highlighting the diverse ways in which Jesus reveals His glory to the world. This celebration commemorates pivotal events such as the arrival of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus, and the miraculous wedding at Cana, offering profound insights into the multifaceted manifestation of Jesus's glory.

NOTE | THIS EPISODE IS NOT PART OF THE WORKBOOK SERIES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD. I created this episode after the workbooks were in production, as a bonus episode, and so, it is not reflected in your workbooks, which contain every other episode from our "Jesus Rabbi and Lord" series.

Here are 5 key things I hope you will take from our time together today:

1. Understanding the Christological nature of epiphanies and their relevance to our faith journey.

2. Exploring the celebration of Epiphany in Eastern and Western traditions, and the different ways Jesus manifests His glory to the world.

3. The historical and biblical significance of the Magi's visit, and why their worship of Jesus is a pivotal moment for both Gentiles and Israel.

4. Uncovering the deeper meaning of the wedding at Cana and its connection to spiritual growth and abundance in the Christian life.

5. Embracing the concept of waiting between epiphanies as a means to discover deeper trust in God.

Stephanie mentions the book Epiphany by Fleming Rutledge. You can find it HERE.

NOTE | THIS EPISODE IS NOT PART OF THE WORKBOOK SERIES AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD. Stephanie created this episode after the workbooks were in production, as a bonus episode, and so, it is not reflected in your workbooks, which contain every other episode from our "Jesus Rabbi and Lord" series.

Want more? Here are some of the topics we cover together today:

Jesus' Glory in Light and Darkness

Contrary to the belief that Christ's glory is confined to moments of transfiguration, His glory is ever-present, permeating through both light and darkness. Through the lens of John 1:1-14, I invite to recognize Christ's manifestation not only in moments of splendor but also during challenging times, even amidst the crucifixion. This profound insight prompts us to seek and cherish the epiphanies that illuminate Christ's glory in our everyday lives.

The Importance of Waiting Between Epiphanies

The concept of waiting between epiphanies offers a poignant reminder of the journey of faith. Together, we emphasize the value of learning to trust God more deeply, echoing the truth that the wait between epiphanies unveils spiritual growth and fortitude. This underscores the significance of patience and perseverance as we anticipate and appreciate the epiphanies that reveal the glory of Christ.

The Invitation to Delight in the Manifestation of God's Glory

John 1:1-14 is the quintessential Scripture passage encapsulating the essence of Christ's manifestation and glorification. The passage vividly describes the incarnation of the Word and the manifestation of God's glory through Christ, emblematic of the purpose that Epiphany serves in illuminating the magnificence of Christ.

Root of the Greek Word "Epiphany" and the Transfiguration Event

The Greek word "epiphany" originates from the idea of a sudden realization or manifestation. Scripture draws our attention to the ultimate epiphany - the transfiguration event, emphasizing its link to the concept of light and darkness in the gospel of John. This event is a powerful demonstration of Christ's glory and divinity, highlighting the transformative nature of epiphanies in illuminating God's presence in our lives.

Exploring the Traditions and Symbolism of Epiphany

Together, let us ponder the rich traditions surrounding Epiphany, as I share my personal experience within the Anglican Church, emphasizing the importance of learning from early Christian traditions and connecting with the roots of Christianity. There is much value in embracing the wisdom and traditions of our Christian ancestors!

The anticipation for deeper revelations and epiphanies about the beauty and power of Christ resonates deeply, leaving us with a profound sense of gratitude for the opportunity to partake in this transformative journey.

I hope and pray that our episode today will embolden you in your quest to discover and cherish the manifestation of Christ's glory in our lives, urging us to wait with hopeful hearts, aligning with the deeper trust in God's plan. As we embark on this spiritual odyssey, may the Epiphany season kindle an unyielding flame of faith, guiding us to behold the radiant manifestation of Christ's glory in every moment.

TOP 10 THINGS TO REMEMBER ABOUT EPIPHANY

1/ Are you ready to dive into the heart of epiphanies, light, and divine manifestations? Join me as we explore the transcendent beauty of Christ Jesus in this captivating Twitter thread! 

2/ The Christological nature of epiphanies is simply awe-inspiring. From the profound root of the Greek word epiphany to the transfiguration event, we unveil how each epiphany brings forth knowledge and light of the glory of God in Christ Jesus.

3/ The celebration of Epiphany beckons us to witness the multifaceted ways in which Jesus manifests His glory to the world. From the Magi's homage to the miracles at the wedding of Cana, every event fuels our hearts with the radiant presence of Christ. 

4/ The theme of Epiphany is an invitation to delight in the glory of God as it is made manifest in Christ. It's a celebration that bridges Christmas to Easter and Pentecost with the central focus being the dazzling glory of Jesus Christ. 

5/ Beyond the celebration lies the essence of waiting between epiphanies. It is during this period that we discover deeper trust in God, and the beauty of patience as we anticipate the next stunning revelation of His love and grace. 

6/ As we seek these moments of divine epiphany, let's reflect on the splendor of John 1:1-14 and the significance of the Word becoming flesh, manifesting God's glory through Christ. 

7/ Epiphany is not just a historical event, it is a living reality that permeates our lives, urging us to embrace each stunning revelation of Christ's glory, leading us into a transformative journey of faith. 

8/ The Epiphany prayer for all of us: May we experience wondrous epiphanies that unwrap the glory of Christ in our lives and may we understand the power of waiting between epiphanies.

Stephanie mentions the book Epiphany by Fleming Rutledge. You can find it HERE.

 

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