Scripture to Strength and Cold Hearts

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Can the warmth of faith melt the chill of life's harshest winters? Join us as we uncover how the scriptures provide comfort and strength when the cold winds of life threaten to freeze our spirits. Through the lens of a Gen X perspective, Rick, your host, infuses humor and a dash of nostalgia, blending ancient biblical wisdom with real-life lessons inspired by Job, Proverbs, and Psalms. Discover how God's presence acts as a spiritual blanket against the frost, teaching us preparedness and resilience, much like the industrious ant from Proverbs who stores up for winter's challenges. 

By exploring the natural world's parallels to spiritual truths, we find inspiration in how farmers depend on the snow for crop nourishment, just as we rely on God's timely word for our spiritual sustenance. With reflections on God's meticulous care and provision, demonstrated through the Israelites' journey, this episode is a call to embrace a renewed mindset. Prepare to be inspired as we explore how to stockpile spiritual truths that melt away the coldness in our hearts, ultimately finding warmth and strength in our faith amidst the modern world's challenges.

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The Intro/Outro music is Are You Ready? by Floodgate. From the Album, Are You Ready? copyright 2002 OffBeat Ministries, Inc.
Floodgate is available on Apple Music and iTunes.
Music used with permission.

Thank You. I Love You!

SEE YA!

Rick

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:02):
Coming up on Renewed Mindsets.
Today, we're going to talkabout the warmth of God's
presence in the middle of thechill of winter and the coldness
of our hearts.
Let's discover the scripturesthat bring warmth, comfort and
the renewal of our minds inthese cold seasons.
Let's go boys.

(00:24):
In these cold seasons, let's goboys.
Hey, welcome to RenewedMindsets, bringing you God's
truth from a Gen X perspective,with a mix of humor and a dash
of nostalgia.
Remember when life was simplerand all we needed was a good
mixtape?
Well, we're here to make yourspiritual playlist even better.

(00:45):
Join us as we explore scripture, laugh a little and rediscover
the power of a renewed mindset.
Don't conform transform.
Welcome back to RenewedMindsets.
I'm Rick and I'm so glad you'rehere.
Today.
We're jumping into a topicthat's as chilling as the winter

(01:06):
wind, cold weather and whatscripture reveals about it.
Now, whether you're literallywrapping up against the frost
that's happening right now, orfeeling a spiritual chill in
your heart, this episode willprovide you substantial warmth
from God's word.
Settle in, because we're goingto have a lot to cover, from the

(01:26):
physical cold that we'refeeling right now to the
spiritual implications itcarries.
So, in the Bible, the elementsaren't merely part of our
physical world, they serveprofound spiritual lessons.
Let's start with Job, chapter37, where it says out of the

(01:50):
south comes the storm and coldout of the north, but by the
breath of God, ice is given andthe broad waters are frozen.
God's control over the naturalworld, including the bitter cold
, shows his omnipotent power, areminder that nothing happens

(02:11):
outside his sovereign will.
Now, along with that, you couldjump to Proverbs, chapter 25.
We see the reliability and thetrustworthy messenger likened to
the physical relief butspiritual refreshment.
It's a metaphor for how God'sword can cool the heart of our

(02:45):
trials and tribulations.
Now let's consider a real-lifeexample.
Farmers depend on the yearlysnow to provide essential
moisture for crops.
Just like that, we depend onGod's timely word to nourish our
spirits.
Just like that we depend onGod's timely word to nourish our
spirits.
Another symbol is found inPsalms, where snow is seen as a

(03:08):
purifier.
In Psalm 51-7, david says Purgeme with hyssop and I shall be
clean.
Wash me and I shall be whiterthan snow.
No-transcript.

(03:31):
Now, god's mastery over thecold is not just a display of
power.
It's a demonstration of hismeticulous care for creation.
Psalm 147, 16 and 17 tells ushe gives snow like wool.
He scatters the frost likeashes.

(03:51):
He casts out his hail likemorsels who can stand before the
cold.
These verses paint a picture ofGod as the grand artist of the
universe, using weather like apainter, uses color.
Each stroke is deliberate, eachhue is placed with intention.
Now this all brings us how Goduses the cold to teach us about

(04:17):
preparedness and resilience.
Let's talk about an ant or theant.
Proverbs 6, 8 says go to theant, thou sluggard, consider her
ways and be wise which, havingno guide, overseer or ruler, and
be wise which, having no guide,overseer or ruler, provideth

(04:38):
her meat in the summer andgathereth her food in the
harvest.
The ant doesn't just survive,it prepares, it stores, it,
plans ahead.
These scriptures are a call forus to be prepared not just for
the winter seasons of the year,but for the winters of our lives
.
Spiritual, emotional, financial, even Real life ties in here as

(05:00):
well.
Now think about societies andhow they prepare for winter.
Just like communities stockpilesalt to melt snow and ice, we
have to stockpile spiritualtruth to melt away the hardness
that can form in cold,challenging times.
God's provision extends beyondphysical needs.
It's demonstrated when heprotected the Israelites with a

(05:24):
cloud of fire in the desert.
Now, this dual provision ofwarmth at night and shade by the
day that they talk about inExodus emphasizes his care in
all conditions.
Now, as we turn our focus tospiritual coldness, we need to
recognize how these scripturesare relevant in the end times

(05:47):
that we're living in.
Jesus told us in Matthew 24, 12,because lawlessness will be
increased, the love of many willgrow cold.
This isn't just a prophecy.
It's a direct reflection of ourtimes.
Just look at it, watch the news, notice how people are when you
go out to the store.

(06:07):
The increasing lawlessness andmoral decay make this warning so
pertinent in our lives rightnow.
Now, how do we maintain ourspiritual warmth in these
chilling times?
Revelation, chapter 3, warnsagainst lukewarm faith.
I know your works.
You are neither hot nor cold.

(06:28):
Would you that you were eithercold or hot?
So because you are lukewarm andneither hot nor cold, I will
spit you out of my mouth.
God calls us to be fervent, tostoke the fire of our faith
through a closer relationshipwith him, fervent prayer and an
engaged community of believers,acts of kindness and love.

(06:53):
They're our spiritual firewood,and not only do they keep our
hearts warm, but they also keepthose around us warm, countering
all the chilling indifferenceof the world with the heat of
god's love.
Look at the story of elijahconfronting the prophets of baal
in first king 18 his zeal, hisfieryal.

(07:15):
If we're talking about chilling, not just literal fire from
heaven serves as a model for howwe should combat spiritual
coldness with the fire of truefaith and on our personal lives,
this might look like beingproactive in our communities,
offering warmth through acts ofkindness, engaging more deeply

(07:38):
in our local church, or justbeing vocal, just being a
witness to God's truth in aworld that often seems frozen in
indifference.
You may be off work because ofthe cold from all this arctic
weather we've been having.
As I come to the end of thistoday, I need you to focus on

(08:02):
and reflect on both the literaland the spiritual cold.
Let's commit to not justenduring the cold this year, in
the cold seasons of life, but weneed to thrive through them.
By deepening our scripturestudy, engaging in prayer,

(08:22):
active prayer and activelyshowing love, we can melt away
any frost that tries to settlein our hearts.
I want to thank you forspending this time with me on
Renewed Mindsets.
My prayer is that you carry thewarmth of God's love out into
the cold, and I pray that yourfaith is always fiery and

(08:44):
fervent.
Friends, stay warm in every wayUntil next week.
Keep renewing your mind inChrist.
Well, that's all for thisweek's show.
You know, the name of this showspeaks my hope for you.
It's taken from the words ofRomans 12, verse 2.

(09:06):
Do not be conformed to thisworld, but be transformed by the
renewal of your mind that bytesting you may discern what is
the will of God, what is goodand acceptable and perfect.
If you enjoyed what you heard,do me a favor, please, and tell

(09:27):
someone you know about it.
Send them a link in a text youknow.
You may even need to downloadit to their phone and show them
what a podcast is.
If it was valuable to you, itwill be to them.
Visit renewedmindsetscom tohear past episodes, read the
blog and check out the new merch.

(09:48):
And, as always, while you'rethere, send me a voicemail by
clicking the button at thebottom right corner of the main
page.
Tell me what you think aboutthis show.
I just might play it on afuture episode.
Until next week, I'm rick.
I love you, see ya.

(10:23):
The intro and outro music forthe Renewed Mindsets podcast is
Are you Ready?
By Floodgate From the album Areyou Ready?
Copyright 2002, offbeatMinistries Incorporated.
Floodgate can be found on AppleMusic and iTunes.

(10:49):
Music used with permission.
I'm Mr White Christmas.
I'm Mr Snow.
I'm Mr Icicle, I'm Mr Ten Below.
Friends call me Snow Miser.
Whatever I touch Turns to snowin my clutch.
I'm too much.

(11:09):
Ha Blub, blub, blub, blub, blub, blub, blub, blub, blub, blub.
He's Mr White Christmas.
He's.