Celtic Preacher

Have you ever meant well but found yourself over-managing, correcting, or directing too much? In the Transfiguration story, Peter does exactly that. He means well, but he hasn’t learned how to listen. This episode is about listening and guidance, and how we’re often led by our impulses instead of by God.  Text Matthew 17. Pod 285

 

 

 

Whatever gave us the idea that God’s primary business is to change our circumstances? When prayers go on and on, and nothing seems to change, God is ever present—not altering situations, but changing us. When we fail to see what God is doing, perhaps we are looking in the wrong places. Text  John 2.  Pod 284. 

 

 

You know what to do. Do you turn away or step forward? Sometimes the easiest choice is to stay comfortable. This teaching explores two responses to being guided—one shaped by avoidance, the other by attention—and how choosing comfort can quietly cost us more than we expect.  POD 283 1 Samuel 3. Eli and young Samuel

Feeling distant from God? You’re not alone.  The road between us becomes cluttered with the weight of old hurts, fear, shame, and the endless demands of daily life. The ancient call of the prophets, Isaiah and John, invites us to face that inner clutter, recognize what blocks us, and open a clear, welcoming highway so we can experience God’s healing presence in our lives.   Text Matthew 3:3 “Prepare the way of the Lord.” POD 282

Why do we delay what matters? When our thoughts wander, our lives follow. Today, we explore how tangled thoughts can stall our steps. 2 Thessalonians 3:6-13                                   Pod 281

Today, we look at Jesus' teaching on the habit we all fall into of the comparing mind, the subtle habit of lifting ourselves when we look at others who offend or frustrate us.   Luke 18: The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. Pod 280 

 

Jesus said, Blessed are those who mourn and those who weep.  This wisdom invites us to linger where the world tells us to move on, to honor the ache instead of trying to outrun it. Honest grief opens the heart, softens the soul, and opens us to God’s healing touch.  Text Matthew 5. 

You already have enough faith —that’s not the problem.

It’s not that we lack faith and trust in God, Jesus teaches; we don’t know how to apply it effectively. In this episode, we’ll explore what blocks our trust in God and how to activate mustard-seed size (tiny) faith.   Luke's 17. 

Why does contentment so often slip through our fingers? Scripture teaches that contentment is not our natural state, but something we must learn. The apostle Paul discovered that contentment is found along a quieter path, one that challenges our instincts and reshapes our perspective of the world. Text 1 Timothy 6.  

“Religion does not consist in showing us where we are right, but showing us that we are wrong.”   G.K. Chesterton.  In a world fractured by judgment and division, Jesus calls us to something deeper. Luke 15

You can’t walk past a church without seeing a cross, and have you noticed millions of people wear a cross around their necks—but what does Jesus mean when he speaks about the cross?  For Jesus, the cross isn’t just a symbol, but a way of life. Like clay on the potters' wheel, “carrying the cross” is all about God’s healing in our lives and how God works in this world.  Text:  Luke 14 and Jeremiah 18 Pod 275

Conflict at home, at work, or with friends? Division hurts-but it’s often the price of growth. Jesus taught that true integrity demands breaking free from toxic patterns and relationships that hold us back. Luke12:49-56 Pod 274

Money isn’t the real problem for most of us-greed is. Often disguised as “need” or the desire for just a little more, greed quietly drives our discontentment and keeps us chasing after more opportunities, possessions, and security. Jesus’ teaching challenges us to recognize how our subtle cravings for ‘more’ shape our lives.  The Parable of the Rich Fool,  Luke 12:13-21

The Gift of Irritation

Life is full of moments that rattle us-stress, frustration, interruptions, and people who get under our skin. Jesus teaches that our daily frustrations aren’t just obstacles-they are signals, showing us where our hearts need healing, attention, and grace.  Luke 10: Mary and Martha. 

What does it cost us to avoid the uncomfortable, the inconvenient, or the painful? In this teaching, we explore the hidden toll avoidance takes on our personal growth, relationships, and spiritual life, using the parable of, The  Samaritan as a starting point, we reflect on Jesus' wisdom that challenges us to confront what we'd rather walk past – the wounded places in others and ourselves.  Text Luke 10.   

You may feel uncertain, frustrated and blocked. It can be uncomfortable before any big change. This is a liminal space, a threshold between what it was and what is yet to be. Something has ended, and the new thing isn’t quite here. God’s timing is not like ours.   Text Acts 1:1-11

What if God's guidance doesn't always come as we expect it? This teaching explores the surprising ways God leads us, often gently, sometimes dramatically, inviting us to change our expectations and how we live. Text Acts 11  

In a world filled with numerous voices, opinions, and beliefs, how can we recognize the voice of God? Today, Jesus offers a straightforward, soul-centered practice that can help you discern God's guidance for your life. (John 10) 

We've all heard the phrase "just get over it," but what if you're unable to? When we find ourselves trapped in feelings of shame, failure, or grief, Jesus reaches out to us in many ways, helping us break free from the past. This isn't about erasing our history but reframing it to offer a way forward, beyond our painful memories. The text is John 21, Peter, and the dreaded charcoal fire.