Destination Church Spokane Podcast

How did Peter the fisherman become Peter the faithful friend and church father? The answer is found in the faithfulness of Jesus. If ever there was a friend who sticks closer than a brother, Jesus is that friend. Peter, who had denied Jesus in His most vulnerable moment, is pursued and encouraged, transformed by the grace of God extended to him, and recommissioned by Jesus on a memorable day on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Thi...

Does God want us to be afraid or to be full of faith? The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7), but far from life-long anxiety, this God kind of fear also brings a strong confidence (Proverbs 14:26). The day Peter met Jesus on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he went through the full spectrum of emotions. The fear he felt at first made him want to get away from Jesus, but that quickly turned into an awe that l...

If you were God, how would you choose to conclude the Old Testament Scriptures? The last few sentences of Malachi in our Bibles reveal the relational heart of God for families. They also point to the significant influence the family of God can have as we build the culture of His kingdom one family at a time, one conversation at a time, and one God-honoring conversation at a time. This final part of our Big Question series was spoke...

From movies to media preachers, "The end is near!" is a common theme. But what does God have to say about 'The End?' Malachi describes a coming day of radical contrasts: consuming fire, yet for the righteous, a day of joy and freedom. This day brings destruction for the wicked, but it brings dancing for those who fear the Lord. The really important question each of us must answer is this: which group are we in? In Christ, we can kn...

Our words are powerful tools, and God takes note of how we use them. Words reveal hearts, and God loves to transform us from fault-finders into faith-finders. One of the most significant ways He transforms both our hearts (the fountain-source of our words) is by revealing Himself to us as our Faithful Father, who loves to act on our behalf, and who speaks of us as His own treasured possession. The more we understand the beautiful f...

When God answers the question, "How can we return to You?" we might be surprised when he starts talking about money and giving. When we learn to bring freely what rightfully belongs to Him, we are also learning to lead our hearts into healthy relationship with Him. The 'Tenth Test' is a good way to evaluate where our hearts really are, and to whom (or to what) they really belong. As we learn to trust God in the way we give of our t...

God is committed to transforming us as His holy people. When we encounter His presence, we shouldn't be surprised when we find ourselves feeling undone, powerless in comparison to Him. Like a refining fire, God melts our hearts, purifying us as he reveals sin we didn't even realize we were carrying. He makes us pleasing to Himself, even as the gospel also pierces our hearts, testifying to the sinfulness of sin and setting us free t...

Jesus' body was lying dead in a stone tomb. What had become of all His confident words? What had become of all the hopes and dreams of the women who watched the stone roll into place? But Jesus had also said His death was necessary, and promised He would be raised up on the third day. As we celebrate Easter Sunday, we remember that, "What the law could not do... God did" (Romans 8:3). The same Jesus who declared, "Your sins are for...

"Where is the God of justice?" The question is asked in culture after culture as people face the realities of evil in the world. Sometimes the question can be thrown back at God when we feel challenged by His word regarding our own sin. "Why would God care so much about my sin if He doesn't seem to care about the sin all around me?" God's answer to 'the justice question' may surprise us: "The Lord you seek will suddenly come to His...

Does God care who we marry? Is divorce always wrong? Why are there such strong statements in the Scriptures regarding this topic? These are no small questions, and God has much to say. In part 4 of Big Questions, we look at Malachi 2:10-16 as we dive into the question: What does God think about marriage and divorce? The reasons God thinks the way He does may be surprising to us! God loves the next generation, and He knows just how ...

What does God think about truth? This is the question in Part 3 of our Malachi: Big Questions series. As Malachi's challenge to the people of God in his day continues, he addresses the priests, the leaders who are meant to represent God and His character in a truthful way before the people. Their failure to represent Him well before the people was having negative effects on future generations. Today, it's as important as it has eve...

As we continue forward in Malachi, we're asking the Big Question: What Does God Think About Worship? What kind of worship does God desire? The answer is simple: He wants our hearts. He's not after empty ritual, a kind of 'going through the motions' that offers Him our left-overs or our second-best. In fact, He calls that kind of sacrifice 'defiled!' So, how can we bring God worship that honors Him in both our attitude and our actio...

To a people who have questions about their relationship with God, He has much to say! When we live in a world full of difficulty it can also be difficult to recognize God's love for us, and so He begins His message through Malachi to His people with these four words: "I have loved you." How, exactly? This is what He wants to talk to us about, and His answer reveals much about His covenant promise, His ongoing choice to extend His f...

The surpassing grace of God in us enables us to be an 'above and beyond' people, generously ministering to others in such a way that they overflow with thanksgiving, glorifying God. This kind of generosity, itself inspired by God's 'indescribable' gift of grace extended to us in Christ, also inspires deep affection, building bridges of community even in previously 'unbridgeable,' 'other-side-of-the-tracks' situations. Just as with ...

God has designed our world with multiplication in mind, and farmers sow seed expecting a multiplied harvest. We're wise to believe Jesus when he says, "Give and it will be given to you... pressed down, shaken together, and running over..." (Luke 6:37). When we learn the kingdom principles of sowing and reaping, that God is more than able to resource a generous people to continue being generous, and that God Himself is our provider,...

The frame through which we view the Scriptures will effect how we read them. As Paul encourages the Corinthian church toward faithful generosity in 2 Corinthians 9:1-7, there are three helpful frames that help us see generosity the way God does. As we begin to see that grace-giving is ministry, is meant to be intentional, and is part of our personal worship, our hearts are also adventuring along with the generous heart of God Himse...

Paul doesn't just send a letter; he sends a friend. What a wonderful expression of the relational heart of God, who has done the same thing for us through Christ. As we are learning to be open and transparent in the way we handle resources, we do so best in the context of relationship. When it's healthy, this kind of voluntary accountability truly does grow into a powerful proof of love, the gospel on display in a way we maybe don'...

Gospel equality is win-win! When Paul speaks of building a culture of equality between churches, he points us back to the Exodus story and God's miraculous provision of manna, the "what-is-it?" provision He gave them daily for 40 years. No one was meant to have either too much or too little manna, learning through this to trust God day after day. God's heart is still to resource His people in such a way that we learn to trust His p...

Love is not just some theoretical concept, but, says Paul, it can actually be tested and measured according to its generosity. Genuine love is generous, and as it grows in us, we'll find a growing desire to be diligent in that generosity. Paul's challenge to the Corinthian church is, "Excel in this act of grace," and we are right to hear this as a challenge to us as well. With Jesus' own gracious gift as our example, we'll find an ...