journeyfirstnlr's Podcast

The Reign of God: A Journey through the Bible Part 1

Question Series: My God, My God - Mark 15:34

Partial recording Tonight we explored one of the most powerful and difficult questions spoken by Jesus on the cross: 📖 *“My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”* — Gospel of Mark 15:34 At first glance, these words sound like despair. But as we looked deeper, we discovered that Jesus was actually quoting the opening line of Psalm 22 — a psalm that begins with anguish but ultimately ends in hope, victory, and praise. In the first century, quoting the first line of a psalm often pointed listeners to the entire passage. That means even in His deepest suffering, Jesus was pointing to the promise that God’s plan was still unfolding. We talked about how this moment reminds us that: • Feeling distant from God does not mean He has abandoned us. • Honest prayers—even those filled with pain—are still prayers of faith. • Jesus understands human suffering because He experienced it Himself. • Faith sometimes means trusting God even when we don’t feel His presence. Jesus still said **“My God.”** Even in the darkness, the relationship remained. This lesson also challenged us to reflect on how we respond to suffering in the world around us. Do we see Christ in those who are hurting, lonely, or overlooked? How can we show compassion and love the way Jesus did? When life brings difficult seasons and unanswered questions, we can remember that the story doesn’t end at the cross. The same God who heard the cry of Jesus is the God who brings redemption, hope, and resurrection. Let this be an encouragement: Even when God feels silent, He is still present. #BibleStudy #FaithInHardTimes #Psalm22 #HopeInChrist #TrustGod

Questions Series: The Faith of Vision- What do you see?

✨ Journey Family — Questions Series: The Faith of Vision ✨ Tonight we unpacked Jesus’ question in Mark 8:22–26, focusing on verse 23: “Can you see anything now?” We defined vision as sight, perspective, future, capacity, contrast, and God’s message. Then we asked ourselves: How much of your capacity are you actually using? Are you seeing beyond your current circumstances? What is shaping your mindset — faith or limitation? What we see shapes how we think. From the very beginning, God created with vision — and when He finished, He said it was good. There was vision attached to your creation too. But we also identified vision blockers: Doubt. Pain. Finances. Ignorance. Procrastination. Impatience. Pride. Disobedience. Distractions. Responsibilities. Fear of decisions. Even ourselves. 📖 Habakkuk 2:3 reminds us the vision will come to pass — in God’s timing. The process is not punishment — it’s preparation. Every “I don’t know” is often pointing you toward the vision. We were challenged with this truth: We don’t ask God to fit into our plans — we fit into His. Alignment with His Word brings clarity to our vision. Faith is belief and trust — and your faith is your faith. Don’t expect everyone to see what you see. 📖 2 Corinthians 5:7 — We walk by faith, not by sight. 📖 Hebrews 11:1,6 — Faith is the substance of things hoped for… and without faith it is impossible to please God. If He showed it to you, it’s happening. But you must be faithful to the process. We talked about standards — learning them through studying God’s Word. Not to check a box, but to access what God has given for this season. The Bible is the ultimate vehicle for life. 📖 Genesis 28:15 — “I am with you… I will not leave you until I have done what I promised.” 📖 Joshua 1:9 — Be strong and courageous. The journey is the reward. The preparation is the blessing. Wake up with purpose and expectation knowing God has something for you today. We closed by praying against every vision blocker and declaring that God hears us, sees us, and is always listening. Embrace the vision. Embrace His presence. He’s with you. He’s for you. #JourneyFamily #QuestionsSeries #FaithOfVision #WalkByFaith #BeStrongAndCourageous #PurposeDriven #GodsTiming

Questions Series: Meaning of Life

✨ **Journey Family — Questions Series: The Meaning of Life** ✨ Tonight we wrestled with one of the most sobering questions Jesus ever asked: 📖 *“What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”* — Mark 8:36 (see also Matthew 16:26) We began by asking: **What is the meaning of life?** Responses included worshiping God, planting churches, pulling people from the gates of hell, sharing His Word, and creating unity by reminding the world that we all come from the same Creator. Then we leaned into **Mark 8:34–38 — Take up your cross and follow Me.** What does it mean to take up your cross? It means: * Denying yourself. * Surrendering your will, plans, and selfish ambition. * Doing what God says — even when it’s hard. * Letting your version of the plan “die” so God’s plan can live. If God says in **Jeremiah 29:11** that He has a plan, then our plans must be intertwined with His. If they are not, they become deferred — or obsolete. We discussed how the world offers **P.M.P. — Power, Money, and Position.** That system pulls us toward comfort, complacency, and collecting things we cannot take with us. The American Dream teaches us to pursue education, career, house, family — but rarely teaches us to pursue God first. 📖 **Matthew 6:33** reminds us: *Seek first the Kingdom of God…* If the King supplies our needs, why do we chase what only satisfies temporarily? We reflected on the **rich young ruler (Mark 10:21–27).** Jesus told him to sell everything and follow Him — the opposite of culture then and now. It wasn’t about money; it was about surrender. His possessions had his heart. The truth? The narrow road is not easy. The wide gate is tempting. Advertisements, culture, comparison — they constantly pull at our desires. But Jesus said in **John 16:33** that we can overcome the world. The Holy Spirit is our Helper. 💭 Key Takeaways: * We don’t have to experience everything. It’s a choice. * Be careful what you take in — what you follow, you become a disciple of. * Deny “me” and pick up God. * All things are possible with God — even surrender (Mark 10:27). The meaning of life is not success. It is not accumulation. It is not comfort. ✨ **The meaning of life is Christ.** We are works in progress. The Word is living and active. He is coming back. Do not allow the world to take what God has given you — your soul. Keep eternity in your heart. Keep God first.

Questions Series: Compassion Who is your judge? John 8:1-12

✨ Journey Family — Question Series: Compassion — “Who is Your Judge?” ✨ 📖 John 8:1–12 (Focus on Verse 10) Tonight’s discussion centered on compassion — defined as understanding pain, love, forgiveness, mercy, kindness, empathy, and truly recognizing how someone else’s struggle impacts them. We were reminded that when compassion is shown, it reflects the true character of Christ. We walked verse-by-verse through the powerful story of the woman caught in adultery: 👉 Verses 1–2: Jesus withdrew to the Mount of Olives for rest, then returned to teach in the temple — reminding us that even in busy seasons, rest and time with God matter. 👉 Verses 3–6: The Pharisees brought only the woman — not the man — despite the Law (Leviticus 20:10, Deuteronomy 22:22) requiring both parties. Their motives were not justice but a setup to test Jesus. This challenged us to ask: Do we judge the act without knowing the full story? 👉 Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground — leveling the field, creating space for reflection, and modeling humility. He fulfilled the Law (Matthew 5:17) while demonstrating mercy. When we realize the depth of our own sin, it changes how we see others. 👉 Verses 7–8: “He who is without sin, cast the first stone.” Scriptures like Romans 3:23 and Psalm 51:5 remind us that all have sinned. True compassion requires humility and self-examination before correction. 👉 Verse 9: One by one, they walked away — convicted by the Holy Spirit (John 16:8). Conviction leads to transformation, not condemnation. 👉 Verses 10–11: Jesus stood and asked, “Where are your accusers?” He restored her dignity, offered grace she did not deserve under the Law, and called her to repentance: “Go and sin no more.” Compassion does not ignore sin — it restores and redirects. 💡 Key Takeaways: Before judging, take it to Jesus — we never know the full story. Compassion requires humility and discernment. Extend grace daily just as Christ extends grace to us. Help others in love and gentleness (Galatians 6), guarding your own heart. Listen to the Holy Spirit — giving from emotion creates chaos, but giving from the Spirit brings wisdom and order. ❤️ Jesus showed us that truth and compassion can coexist. Our call is not to condemn but to restore, love, and walk in discernment. #JourneyFamily #QuestionSeries #Compassion #John8 #GraceAndTruth #NoMoreStones #WalkInMercy

Question Series: Faithfulness with Robin Dixon

Hey Journey Family, Tonight we continue our Questions Series: Faithfulness with special guest speaker, Robin Dixon. Tonight we leaned into a powerful conversation about faithfulness — what it means, how it looks in action, and how God models it perfectly. We began by defining faithfulness as trustworthiness, obedience, completion, loyalty, consistency, and moving forward even when we cannot see the outcome. Being faithful isn’t just a feeling — it’s an action. It shows up through commitment, unconditional love, perseverance, and choosing to stay the course even when things get hard. We talked about how faithfulness looks different across relationships — friendships, marriage, church, and business — yet the foundation remains the same: honor God through consistency and integrity.
Being faithful to the church means using your gifts, serving, tithing, volunteering, representing Christ in your words and actions, and being the church outside the building. Faithfulness in business reflects God’s character through stewardship and consistency. 📖 Key Scriptures: * Hebrews 10:23 — Hold fast to hope because He who promised is faithful. * Hebrews 11 — Faith is the evidence of things hoped for. * 2 Timothy 2:13, Lamentations 3:22–23, Psalm 33:4, Psalm 89:2 — God’s faithfulness is eternal, unchanging, and rooted in His perfect love. * Luke 16:10, Matthew 25:21 — Faithful in little, faithful in much. * Proverbs 3:5–6, 1 John 1:9, Psalm 91:4 — Trust Him, return to Him, rest under His covering. We reflected on the truth that human faithfulness can be fragile, but God’s faithfulness never wavers. Even when we struggle, He remains steady — a Good Father who forgives, restores, and guides us back to Him. Robin courageously shared her journey of praying for her family for over 16 years — a testimony that faithfulness requires perseverance and community. When she felt weary, others prayed with her. Over time, God transformed hearts — family members came into deeper relationships with Him, showing us that God moves when we remain faithful in prayer. 💡 Takeaways from the night: * Faithfulness grows through prayer, surrender, and obedience. * Community strengthens us when we grow weary. * The enemy tries to distract and discourage, but the Word gives us strength to stand firm. * Our transformation impacts generations beyond us. * When you walk with God, you are set apart — even when you don’t feel it. We were reminded to remember how God sees us, to keep pressing forward, and to never grow weary in doing good.
God created every person in His image, and through faithfulness we reflect His love to the world. 🙏 Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Light — and His faithfulness carries us through every season. #JourneyFamily #QuestionsSeries #Faithfulness #HoldFast #Hebrews10 #FaithInAction #CommunityInChrist #KeepTheFaith

Questions: Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye...”

Journey Family — Question Series Continues ✨ Tonight we unpacked one of Jesus’ most confronting questions from Matthew 7:1–5: “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” We leaned into an honest conversation about judgment — why we do it, how easily it comes, and what it reveals about our own hearts. Judgment often stems from insecurity, a desire to feel right, or the illusion of control. But Jesus reminds us that perspective matters. When we become consumed by our opinions, we risk missing what God is actually doing in us. Only Christ is without sin. Because of that, we do not have the authority to condemn others. Before we can help a brother or sister, we must first self-examine, repent, and allow God to remove the “plank” from our own eye. Repentance isn’t shame — it’s turning away from sin and turning back to God so healing, freedom, and clarity can begin. 📖 We reflected on Luke 6:37–42, where Jesus warns about condemnation and reminds us that judgment has consequences. When we remember our own journey, failures, and need for grace, it cultivates compassion, wisdom, and gentleness toward others. A powerful insight shared: the Greek word for “see clearly” in this passage is the same word used when Jesus restored a blind man’s sight. Clarity comes after surrender. We also examined how quickly we judge by appearances, associations, or assumptions — and how hypocrisy and performative faith can cause division (Matthew 6:1–5). God calls us to sincerity, humility, and love, not image management. Jesus redirects us back to the heart: Are we focusing on the wrong thing? Are we allowing the Holy Spirit to correct us? Are we training with God so we can become more like Christ? When we stop condemning and start listening, God reshapes our perspective. As we walk closely with Him, we learn to love our enemies, extend grace freely, and trust that God is the ultimate Judge and Rewarder. 💭 The closing challenge: Am I working on me? And what areas is God inviting me to surrender? Now the call is simple — but not easy: Go and do. #theJourney #QuestionSeries #HeartCheck #Matthew7 #SpiritualGrowth #SelfExamination #GraceOverJudgment #BecomingLikeChrist

Questions: Who do you say I am?

This week, we opened up a powerful conversation on Identity as we looked at Matthew 16, where Jesus asks, "Who do you say I am?" We discussed how Jesus didn't look to the crowds for His identity; He looked to the Father who called Him "Beloved." We often answer like Peter—recognizing Jesus' power, but missing His heart. We want a "Fix-It" Messiah, but Jesus reveals Himself as the nonviolent, suffering servant of Isaiah 53. To know who we are, we have to first accept who He truly is. We spent a lot of time contrasting the Wealthy Young Man (Matthew 19) and Blind Bartimaeus (Mark 10). • The young man asked, "What good thing must I DO?" He wanted to manage his salvation like a business transaction. • Bartimaeus simply cried, "Have mercy on me!" He threw off his cloak (his old security) to gain new vision. The big takeaway: God isn't a "fast food restaurant" where we can order what and how we want it and leave. Our identity isn't a wage we earn; it’s a gift we receive when we finally stop "managing" God and start trusting Him. 🔥 DID YOU MISS THE DISCUSSION? We will continue our “Question Series” and we have just scratched the surface! 🎧 Listen tonight’s Recording here: https://www.podbean.com/ei/pb-3w5ep-1a1ba7e 🗓️ Join us next week #Identity2026 #BibleStudy #NewCreation #GraceOverWorks #IdentityInChrist #FaithTalks

Questions Series: What are you looking for? 1.7.26

Hey Journey Family, ✨ Tonight was New Year Kickoff Night with Donnivane ✨ We launched the new year by sitting with two powerful questions: “What do you want?” and “What are you looking for?” (John 1:35–41, v.38) Together, we reflected honestly on our desires, our spiritual posture, and how we respond when life gets hard. Are we drawn closer to God — or tempted to pull away? Like children longing for their parents’ approval, we acknowledged how deeply we desire closeness, affirmation, and transformation from God. 💭 We talked about longing for: * A deeper relationship with Jesus * Consistency and discipline in our faith * Contentment * Transformation through the renewing of our minds One key reminder stood out: **God is not chasing your sin — He is chasing your heart.** Donnivane shared that even after 35 years of following Christ, God still invites us deeper. Faith is something we contend for. It is a fight — and “God has more for us.” We were challenged to ask: * Are we trying to find God only in past experiences? * Are we hungry for Jesus only when we want something — or for who He truly is? 📖 We looked at “Mark 10:46–52”, the story of Bartimaeus, who refused to be silenced, recognized Jesus’ authority, and boldly asked for healing. His faith moved him toward Jesus — and Jesus met him there. We were reminded that **we are not meant to fight alone**. We pray for one another. We sacrifice time, comfort, and convenience. We trust God even when we cannot see — leaning on His history and His promises (Proverbs 3:5–6). As one quote beautifully captured: * “We are not really looking for money, power, fame, or control… We are looking for love, goodness, truth, peace, joy, and meaning. We are looking for God. We are looking for Jesus.” Our deepest desires, when named and surrendered to God, become the very place He transforms us. We closed with a powerful New Year blessing from “Numbers 6:22–26” — a reminder that God goes with us through everything. You cannot outrun His grace. He will not leave you. 🙏 **For God we live. For God we die. And into this new year — we walk with Him.** #JourneyChurch #NewYearKickoff #WhatDoYouWant #SeekJesus #FaithJourney #TasteAndSee #GodIsEnough #WalkingTogether

Psalms 23 Part 2 of 2 -12.3.25

🌿 **Hey Journey Family!** 🌿 Tonight we continued our **Psalm 23 series** and dove into **verse 3 — “He restores my soul; He leads me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.”** We reflected on how *renewal*, *restoration*, and *direction* all flow out of **relationship** with our Shepherd. God uses life’s circumstances — even the uncomfortable ones — to teach us, shape us, and draw us closer to Him. ✨ We talked about the beauty of leaning into God, letting Him guide us, and trusting that the “right path” doesn’t always feel easy… but it *is* purposeful. ✨Also, to praise God for His promises and reminded ourselves that it’s not about us — it’s about His name, His glory, and His love shining through us. ✨ We shared how our awareness of our struggles, weaknesses, and pride is actually evidence that God is working in us — refining, perfecting, and transforming us to become more like Christ. At the end of the day, **we rest in Him**. We trust that He is working all things out for us, even when we can’t see it. We just keep walking with the Shepherd. 🐑💛 🎄 **Reminder:** Next week is the Week of Giving — **no class** — but don’t miss our **Journey Christmas Party** on **December 17th at 7PM!** This will be our final gathering of **2025**, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you! 🎉❤️ #TheJourney #Psalm23 #HeRestoresMySoul #FaithFamily #SpiritualGrowth #GodOurShepherd #TrustInHim #FirstNLR