Destination Church Spokane Podcast

We are often fascinated by people who live on the edge, who cross the boundaries of typical "safe" living and adventure boldly.  But are some boundaries good?  Why does God give us boundaries in our lives?  Is it because He doesn't want us to enjoy life, or could there be something more to it, something deeper, something better?  As we begin to look at the life of Samson, the first "superhero", we also face the realities of sin, failure, and a God who calls us back to Him.

Is it really true that Christians owe a debt of love to the people around us?  Is it true that a local church owes a debt of love to the community around it?  What would happen if we together embraced the Royal Law to love our neighbor as our self, and to "owe no one anything except to love each other" (Romans 13:8)?  We just might turn the world upside down!  Trevor Payne challenges us to freshly enjoy God's love for us that we can then love others as we have been loved.

If we are expecting the good news of Jesus Christ to make all our problems disappear, we are in for a shock!  And yet, the truth remains that nothing in all of creation can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus!  In a world of real problems and pain, we find great hope in Romans 8:18-39.  We are predestined for a perfect future, though we live in a very imperfect present.

Trouble is coming.  Input is needed.  "God, what do I do?  What do You want me to do?"  Many desire to know God's will, and the big question is this:  Are we walking according to what we already know He has spoken?  As we continue the story of Gideon, we see a man who wants to be sure he's hearing correctly from God; as he continues to seek God's prophetic direction he also continues to move in obedience.  Gideon's story reveals a vital key for us in following God's prophetic direction today.

Do you believe God will shape our lives prophetically with His word to us?  God's prophetic training in the life of a man named Gideon begins with revealing Himself to this small-thinking man, followed by a prophetic promise and a prophetic challenge to address God-opposing issues in his own family.  Here in Judges Chapter 6 we too are dared along with Gideon to worship in our struggle and to take the bold risk of tearing down our idols and turning them into worship.

Have you ever doubted that, though God is a God of miracles, He will work powerfully through you?  Maybe you don't feel like a spiritual hero, but in Judges 4 we see real life heroism that looks very little like our modern stereotypes.  When God puts faith into our hearts and we respond with obedience and action, nothing is impossible.

Do you know the presence and power of God in your life?  Like God's people introduced to us in Judges 1-2, many people today are living on the stories of other generations - but God wants more than stories of yesterday for us!  There are spiritual victories to be won in our day and stories yet to be told!  God is raising up "salvation bringers" today, each with our own unique approach to sharing Jesus with people.  Our methods may be different, but the gospel is the same.

Do you believe that with God all things are possible?  In Joshua 10 we see God altering nature on behalf of His people in a way that is scientifically impossible.  As Jon Meek Sr shares about Joshua's life of faith in God, he also shares stories of God's miraculous healing power in his own life.  Do we have the "audacity" to ask God to move miraculously on our behalf today?  He desires to do just that, not just for some special "gifted and talented" people somewhere, but through every follower of Jesus!  Together we can be part of a great move of God in our generation.

Rahab likely did not dream of becoming a sex worker.  Could God have a place for her among His people?  Could he redeem a broken life like hers?  Could he redeem brokenness today as well?  As we engage with the famous story of the fall of Jericho (Joshua 6) we discover more than destruction.  We discover miraculous salvation, God's grace at work in "unlikely" ways!

As Joshua prepares to bring the people of God across the Jordan River into their promised inheritance, God's word to him is to be strong and courageous.  His commission involved acting on God's word.  God's call to us today is also to be more than mere hearers of His word, but doers of His word.

As Moses prepares to pass the mantle of leadership to Joshua, it's both a thrilling and sobering time of one generation blessing and commissioning another.  It's also an opportunity to learn to trust our sovereign God through every transition in life.  The same God who commissioned Joshua to lead his people forward in faith is still commissioning us today to lead the next generation courageously and to trust confidently with our eyes on Him.

This Easter Sunday we look at Acts 10, discovering Jesus as the one who was not only anointed with power and the Holy Spirit, and who was not only executed on a cross for our sins, but who also rose again from the dead as our victorious Savior!

Freshly returned from our Regions Beyond church family gathering in Marathon, Greece, Jon Meek II shares vision for Destination Church's future in Spokane.  God is on the move around the world, and we have a significant part to play beginning right where we are!

God's plan is to bless His people, and no one can thwart that.  This should never be used as an excuse for sin in our lives though; sin is sin no matter who does the sinning!  The story of Balaam, a seemingly devious prophet, demonstrates how God's blessing will be accomplished, and also how God desires a holy people who obey His word.

Have you ever felt like God's promise for your life has been derailed?  It's been almost 40 years since Israel left Egypt and now, just as they see some success, they run into delay and deadly peril.  This next generation of God's chosen people are extremely frustrated with God and with their leader, and their bitterness is lethal.   As we look at this unique chapter of God's salvation story, we also learn a bit about our value of being "shaped by the prophetic."  

Often, our biggest challenge in life is to see it from God's point of view! It can be so easy to focus on the circumstances instead of on God, especially when things seem difficult. In those moments - or seasons - we all have a choice to make:  Faith? Or Fear?

Have you ever been the scapegoat for someone else's failure?  Have you ever wanted someone else to carry the responsibility for your failure?  Your sin?  As we look at the Day of Atonement in Leviticus 16, we see how Jesus has not only made atonement for our sinfulness, but how He even completely separates us from that sin and qualifies us to come before God!

Do you desire God's presence in your life?  Could it be that God also desires to be with you?  With us?  When God instructed Moses to build a dwelling place for Him among His people, the directions were specific, pointing over and over again to Jesus, our access to the very presence of God.

Who wouldn't want to be successful in following God's will for our lives?  When Israel fails massively, we discover God's heart expressed through Moses as this leader intercedes for his people.  God has made preparations for the success of His purpose in their lives and in ours!  

Do you ever wonder what your reaction would be if you audibly heard God's voice speaking to you?  Israel's reaction may not be what we would expect, but God speaks to the nation, giving what is commonly known as the Ten Commandments.  Does this still have application to our lives today?  Absolutely.