I am Matthew Podcast: Overcoming Past Mistakes with Spiritual Growth

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the opening of the first four seals in Revelation 6 — often known as the four horsemen.

As the Lamb begins to open the scroll, we see the start of what unfolds on the earth: conquest, conflict, scarcity, and death. These aren’t random events — they are released under the authority of Christ, reminding us that even in judgment, God is still in control.

We take a careful, Script...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we step into one of the most powerful scenes in all of Scripture — Revelation 5, where heaven is searching for someone worthy to open the scroll.

At first, no one is found worthy… and John begins to weep. But then everything changes.

Jesus is introduced — not first as the Lion, but as the Lamb. And not just any lamb… a Lamb that was slain.

Using insights from the Enduring Word Commentary, we u...

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In this episode of our Revelation series, we move from the letters to the churches into a breathtaking new scene — the throne room of heaven.

In Revelation 4, John is given a glimpse beyond this world. A door is opened, and he is invited to see what is happening in heaven. What he sees shifts everything — not chaos, not uncertainty, but a throne… and One seated on it.

We unpack the significance of that moment. Before anyt...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the letter to Laodicea — the lukewarm church.

Jesus delivers a strong and sobering message: they were neither hot nor cold, but lukewarm — and because of that, He said He would spit them out. This wasn’t about weakness… it was about indifference. A faith that had become comfortable, self-sufficient, and unaware of its true condition.

Laodicea believed they were rich, in need o...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the letter to Philadelphia — the spiritually alive church.

Unlike many of the other churches, Philadelphia receives no rebuke — only encouragement. Jesus recognizes their faithfulness, even though they had “little strength.” They held fast to His Word and did not deny His name.

We unpack what it means to be spiritually alive in a world full of pressure and opposition. This chu...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the letter to Sardis — the spiritually dead church.

Jesus delivers one of the most sobering messages to this church: you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Outwardly, everything may have looked right — activity, appearance, even influence — but inwardly, something was missing.

We unpack what it means to have the appearance of life without the reality of it. Ho...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the letter to Thyatira — the church dealing with corrupt doctrine.

Jesus begins by acknowledging their love, faith, service, and perseverance — even noting that their works had been growing. But in the middle of that growth, there was a serious issue: they were tolerating false teaching.

We unpack how this church allowed harmful doctrine to take root, leading people away from ...

In this episode of our Revelation series, we walk through the letter to Pergamum, often called the worldly church. Jesus acknowledges their faithfulness in a place He describes as where “Satan’s throne” is, recognizing that they held firmly to His name even in a hostile culture.

But even with that faithfulness, Jesus confronts a serious issue — compromise. Some within the church had begun adopting teachings that blurred the line bet...

In this bonus episode, I expand on a conversation I once had about a powerful truth: if obedience requires acceptance, then it’s not really obedience.

Sometimes we step out in faith expecting open doors, recognition, or support — but God never promised that obedience would always be popular or widely accepted. In this episode, I reflect on that reality and share a personal revelation about the direction of this ministry and the I Am...

In this episode, we walk through the letter to Smyrna — the persecuted church. Unlike other churches in Revelation, Smyrna receives no rebuke — only encouragement to remain faithful in suffering.

We unpack what Jesus says to believers who were facing poverty, slander, imprisonment, and even death. And yet, in the middle of that pressure, He reminds them that they are spiritually rich.

This letter reminds us that hardship is not proof...

Can you be doctrinally correct… and still spiritually drifting?

In Revelation 2, Jesus confronts the church of Ephesus — a strong, disciplined church that had one fatal flaw: they left their first love.

In this teaching, we break down:

• What “first love” really means

• Why spiritual routine can replace relationship

• The warning about the lampstand

• The hope Jesus offers before judgment

This isn’t just history — it’s a mirror.

If you fe...

Before Adam ever took a step, God’s plan was already written—and in Revelation 1, we catch a glimpse of its fulfillment. In this first episode of our Hope in the Revelation series, we dive deep into Chapter 1 and explore:

• Jesus as the Aleph and Tav, the first and last letters of the Hebrew alphabet, representing the fullness of God’s plan.

• How these symbols echo throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Zechariah 12:10, revealing God...

In this final installment of our Foundation of Hope series, we anchor ourselves in one of the greatest promises Jesus ever gave us — He is coming back.

I talk about the moment Jesus told His disciples that in His Father’s house are many rooms, and that He was going to prepare a place for us. And if He goes to prepare a place, He will come again and take us to be where He is.

That promise changes everything.

Our hope isn’t just...

Before Adam ever took a breath, God already saw you.
He saw me.
He saw the ones who would bring Him joy — and the ones who would break His heart.

And knowing all of it… He still said, “I want them.”

In this episode, we talk about why any of this matters to God — why we matter. John 3:16 isn’t just a verse we memorize; it’s the heartbeat of God. He didn’t send His Son because humanity earned it. He sent Him because love moved fi...

In this episode, we explore what it really means to trust God beyond our understanding — not as a theory, but as a living, breathing faith that changes everything.

I share the story of Jesus providing coins in a fish to pay the temple tax — a moment that seems impossible on paper, but shows exactly who God is. This isn’t just a story from the past; it’s a reminder that God still specializes in the impossible today.

Faith isn’t a tran...

In Episode 101, we continue building our Foundation of Hope by talking about prayer — not as a religious routine, but as a living, breathing connection with God.

I share how prayer changes the atmosphere when we surrender to Jesus, especially in moments of anger, frustration, confusion, or emotional overload. Even when everything in us wants to stop praying, choosing to keep going invites the presence of God — and His presence chang...

Episode 100 is a milestone — and in this episode, we pause to set a remembrance stone.

Just as God’s people would stop and mark what the Lord had done, this episode reflects on the journey of the I Am Matthew Podcast — where it began, how God has carried it through, where it stands today, and where we believe He is leading it next.

I look back over the last 100 episodes and the faithfulness of God in every season — the growth, the st...

In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about communion and why it is essential for believers.

Communion isn’t just a ritual or tradition — it’s something Jesus Himself instituted, rich with meaning, remembrance, and hope.I walk through the moment Jesus established the Lord’s Supper, what it represents, and just as importantly, what it does not represent. Communion is not about re-sacrificing Christ or earning sal...

In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about baptism — what it truly is and what it is not. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, a public declaration of what Christ has already done in the heart.

I address some common misunderstandings surrounding baptism — including the belief that someone cannot go to heaven unless they are baptized, or the idea of forcing people into baptism.

We look to Scriptu...