Rick Manis Ministries Podcast

Rick explores the theme of rethinking our spiritual journey, emphasizing the importance of understanding our union with God and the implications of the New Covenant. He discusses the significance of the law, the concept of heaven and earth as it was understood in the time/culture of Israel, and the idea of separation versus union with God. The message highlights the transformative power of Jesus' teachings and the importance o...

We celebrate Jesus' resurrection at Easter. His resurrection brought a verdict on the ruler of this world: death no longer reigns. Death no longer gets the last word. The resurrection says that a judgment has been made against death. It had its reign, beginning with Adam, but now the Life of Jesus reigns in us. God was never going to let death be permanent, nor would He ever let death be the last word on our existence. Jesus w...

"And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world" (John 12:47, NKJV) God’s justice is not retributive, it is redemptive. 

We often see God in light of a court room, a divine judge who is removed and far off, disengaged and solitary The balance of justice hangs in the balance, but we are never quite sure how He will rule. However, G...

Why did Jesus tell the three parables in Luke 15 to the Pharisees who were complaining of his association with notorious sinners? In these stories, we see Jesus helping the Pharisees see something about the heart of their Father. Something they were missing in their law/works-driven morality view. The lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal son all describe the compassion God has for His children who are lost and don't know wh...

When we don't know who we are, we will act like someone else. French historian and social scientist Rene Girard developed a theory called "mimetic desire". It demonstrated how human beings imitate (mimic) each other's desires. They easily become rivals and reach for/want the same objects. When we reorient towards God and His love for us, we begin to see who we really are. Made in the image of God, loved by God, ...

There are two different ways of dealing with sin and shame. In Leviticus 16:7-10 we see two goats used as an example of this. One goat is a picture of Jesus, sacrificed for the remission of sin, wherein sin is fully dealt with. The other is a scapegoat where sin/shame is placed on it and sent out into the wilderness to die. We see Jesus repeatedly overcoming the scapegoat system, this idea of placing the blame on someone else so we...

People often think of salvation or "sozo" as simply an escape from Hell. However, Jesus' work is much greater—He restores us to wholeness and unity with God, as we were originally created to be. Salvation is about more than rescue; it's about restoring our oneness with the Father. Through Jesus, we are never alone. He bridged the separation, and now, we are in Him, and He is in us. We're forever included in...

When we realize we are free from condemnation, everything changes! The message of the cross, "I don't condemn you," transforms our lives and perspective of God while also affirming our value and worth to Him. Liberated from the weight of condemnation, we're able to focus on learning and embracing who God really is without being worried about our performance. This freedom draws us closer to a loving Father who is...