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A King on a colt, a city trembling, and a crowd torn between conquest and peace—this Palm Sunday moment still confronts our assumptions about power, freedom, and worship. We walk through Matthew 21 to ask a simple but seismic question: are we seeing Jesus as he really is?

We start with the untied donkey and the weight of Passover, where deliverance always leads to purpose. Freedom in the kingdom is not a vague feeling; it is a calling. From the disciples’ quiet obedience to Old Testament patterns of consecration, we trace how Jesus sets us free for service and claims our gifts for holy work. Then we linger with the cloaks and palm branches. Psalm 118 rises from the crowd, not as nostalgia but as a bold coronation. Yet the Messiah rejects the warhorse and rides in peace. That tension—true power arriving gentle and lowly—reshapes how we praise, how we lead, and how we love our enemies.

Along the way, we bring the text to life with stories that prove the gospel’s reach. Jacob DeShazer returns to postwar Japan with forgiveness that shocks skeptics. John Bunyan’s chains cannot contain a ministry that becomes Pilgrim’s Progress. And in one of the episode’s most moving turns, former enemies Jacob DeShazer and Mitsuo Fuchida pray as brothers after meeting the risen Christ. When a city asks, Who is this?, Scripture and history answer in chorus: Messiah, Son of God, and King who still shakes hearts awake.

If you’re hungry for a faith that is courageous, compassionate, and grounded in Scripture, this conversation is for you. Listen, share it with a friend who needs hope, and if it speaks to you, subscribe and leave a review so more people can find it. What part stirred you most today?

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What if the path to greater impact looks like a long, confusing loop that keeps testing your resolve? We journey through 2 Kings 2 and the story of Elijah and Elisha to uncover how God elevates everyday faithfulness into extraordinary influence. Along the way, we revisit David’s hidden formation, the courage to silence unhelpful voices, and the bold request for a double portion that only focus and perseverance can secure.

We start with the power of preparation. David’s quiet obedience in the fields—worship, courage, and trust—set the stage for future calling. Then we follow Elijah and Elisha from Gilgal to Bethel to Jericho to the Jordan, uncovering why these places matter: they are living memorials of God’s past victories. The route seems circular, but it trains memory and grit. As the schools of the prophets question Elisha’s choices and Elijah suggests he stay behind, Elisha models how to tune out the noise, keep step with God’s leading, and value presence over convenience.

From there, obedience takes center stage. We reflect on Luke 5’s counterintuitive catch, on David at Ziklag finding strength in God before acting, and on modern examples like Hudson Taylor and William Carey who faced doubt from the “experts” yet moved forward with conviction. The thread is clear: miracles often meet those who act on God’s word with what’s already in their hands—whether a rod, an ark, a mantle, or a worn-out net. At the Jordan, Elisha’s final test is focus; he keeps his eyes on Elijah through the whirlwind and flame, then picks up the mantle to continue the work. Scripture notes he would go on to perform roughly twice the miracles, a sign that God delights to multiply faithfulness.

If you’re longing for clarity in a noisy world, this conversation offers a roadmap: remember God’s works, take the next faithful step, and keep your eyes fixed to the finish. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs courage today, and leave a review to help more listeners find the show. Where do you need to pick up the mantle this week?

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Storms don’t stop Jesus; they reveal why he came. We follow him across the Sea of Galilee into the tombs of the Gerasenes, where a tormented man recognizes what critics miss and bows before the Son of the Most High God. From there, everything turns: Legion yields, pigs plunge, and a man once feared sits clothed and clear-minded. Rather than boarding the boat, he’s commissioned to go home and tell his people what mercy did—proof that deliverance is not an exit sign but a mission order.

We anchor the journey in the Great Commission and explore how authority and compassion move together. Along the way, we pause with the widow of Nain as Jesus interrupts a funeral, and we stand with a desperate father while a mute spirit is forced to obey a single command. Then we step into church history: Hudson Taylor risking provision to learn trust, a crew at sea softened by quiet service until the hostile first mate sings, and Elfreda in Hong Kong set free from heroin, emerging as a fearless servant to the forgotten. Each story echoes the same theme—Jesus brings new life and then sends that life into the world.

If your storm feels endless or your chains feel final, take courage. Power belongs to Jesus, prayer is heard, and your most credible pulpit might be your own street. We talk practical next steps for becoming a faithful witness where trust is thin and attention is costly: clear testimony, simple prayer, steady presence, and worship that values people over profit. Ready to trade fear for purpose and turn your rescue into a roadmap for others? Hit play, share this episode with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find these stories of deliverance and mission.

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

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Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

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What if the miracle you’re waiting for sits on the other side of one simple act of obedience? We walk through John 9 with clear eyes and open hands, tracing how Jesus turns a theological argument into a living, breathing story of compassion, urgency, and healing. Instead of asking who’s to blame, we ask what God wants to do right now—and how we can step into it.

We start with a challenge from Psalm 90 to number our days with wisdom, then explore how Jesus rejects the disciples’ debate over a man born blind and reframes suffering as a canvas for God’s glory. From there we lean into the urgency of “work while it is day,” unpacking the divine imperative behind must and how delaying decisions hardens our hearts over time. Jesus, the light of the world, doesn’t just explain darkness; he displaces it. That same clarity can reshape our calendars, our service, and our hope.

The turning point is obedience. Jesus makes clay, sends the man to Siloam, and the man goes—no guarantees, just a word. We connect this step of faith to the pool’s history, the meaning of being “sent,” and the striking completeness of the healing: not only eyes opened, but understanding granted. Along the way, we highlight stories from Scripture and church history—jars filled from a tiny flask, orphans fed through prayer, a pilot guided to safety—showing that God still meets courage with provision. The result is a practical framework: stop unproductive debates, serve with urgency, and obey promptly so your life becomes a conduit for God’s power.

Ready to trade analysis for action and turn your days into something eternal? Listen now, share with a friend who needs courage today, and if this encouraged you, subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: what step of obedience will you take this week?

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

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Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

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When the familiar crumbles, where do we look for meaning? We start where Isaiah did—in a room shaking with glory, where God sits high and lifted up and the train of His robe fills the temple. That vision doesn’t distract us from real life; it reframes it. Thrones on earth rotate. The throne in heaven does not. From there, purpose begins to take shape in three movements that change everything.

We walk through Isaiah 6:1–8 with care and clarity. First, we learn to see God as He is—majestic, holy, and utterly set apart. The seraphim model the posture we need: more wings for humility than for action, worship that shakes the thresholds, and a confession that God’s holiness saturates His power, love, and wisdom. Then the lens turns inward. Isaiah’s “unclean lips” confession becomes an entry point for mercy, and a live coal touches the exact place of need. That is how God works with us—no shame, no avoidance, just precise grace that cleanses and prepares. We bring in lived examples: Moses shaped by wilderness before leading with courage, John Bunyan transformed from profanity to preaching, and Lottie Moon moving from skeptic to missionary by admitting she was wrong.

Finally, the voice of God asks a question that still echoes: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Calling rests on two pillars—God sends and we choose to go. Isaiah’s yes becomes a blueprint for ours. We look at the long arc of his influence, from messianic prophecies to New Testament resonance, and we share Lillian Trasher’s bold “three-brick rule” that built an orphanage through war and want. Purpose isn’t found by waiting for perfect conditions; it’s found by obeying the One who still sits on the throne, even when our personal Uzziahs fall.

If this journey stirred you, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs courage, and leave a review so more seekers can find their next step. Then take a quiet moment and ask: what needs to fall so your calling can rise?

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

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Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

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Ever felt like your life is running on empty even when you’re doing all the “right” things? We journey through John 4 and the story of the Samaritan woman to uncover how Jesus seeks those who feel sidelined, satisfies the deepest spiritual thirst, and turns private pain into public hope. Set at Jacob’s well—a place loaded with biblical history—we explore how everyday moments can become divine appointments and how barrier-breaking love meets us in our isolation.

We reflect on why living water matters: not as a metaphor for temporary relief, but as the promise of a spring within that never runs dry. As the woman wrestles with her past and the question of where true worship belongs, Jesus points beyond locations to worship in spirit and truth, revealing himself as the Messiah. The conversation reaches through time with examples like Rahab’s courage, Augustine’s restless search for meaning, and modern justice efforts that mirror God’s heart for the vulnerable.

The turning point comes when the woman leaves her water jar and rushes back to her community, becoming a bold witness who ignites faith across her town. We draw connections to the calling of Matthew and the fishermen, and to the stunning life change of George Müller, showing how encounters with Jesus create ripple effects that transform people and places. Along the way, we ask practical questions: what burden do you need to drop, and who needs to hear your story?

In this verse-by-verse Bible study of John 4:1–42, we dive into the story of the Woman at the Well and discover how Jesus breaks barriers, exposes the deeper thirst of the soul, and offers living water that satisfies forever.

You’ll learn:

1. How Jesus pursues the outcast with intentional love
2. Why nothing on earth satisfies like Christ
3. How transformation leads to bold witness and community impact

This isn’t just a Bible story—it’s an invitation to encounter Jesus personally

Listen for hope, history, and heart-level challenges that invite you to move from restless to renewed. If this message resonates, subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review to help others find the encouragement they need today.

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

Support the show

Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

Send us a text

What if the worst thing you’ve ever done no longer had the power to hurt you? We open Romans 8 and step into a verdict that changes everything: there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Not a feeling, not a slogan—an unshakable judgment that frees you from shame and sets you on a Spirit-led path toward life, purpose, and courage.

We trace the turning point Paul reaches after seven chapters of wrestling with sin and the law. The law exposes the wound but cannot heal it; the Spirit of life does what effort never could. You’ll hear how Mary Magdalene’s story embodies restored identity, how Lillian Trasher’s care turned abandoned infants into leaders, and how former addicts in Hong Kong learned to love the unloved and set captives free. Paul’s own transformation—from Pharisee to servant—shows what happens when the Spirit redirects ambition into sacrificial love.

Then we look at the shape of a Spirit-led life: Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus set aside status to honor Jesus with humble, costly devotion. Bonhoeffer models courage under tyranny, refusing to bow to evil. These portraits reveal a pattern: freedom from sin and death becomes freedom for generosity, justice, and worship. Along the way we offer clear takeaways on identity before instruction, the law of the Spirit of life, and how the righteous requirement of the law is fulfilled in us through the indwelling presence of God.

If you’re ready to trade condemnation for calling and fear for freedom, this conversation will meet you with Scripture, story, and practical steps for living by the Spirit. Subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review telling us where you’re seeing the Spirit lead you this week.

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

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Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.

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What happens when someone truly encounters the love of Christ?
Is the Christian life about behavioral change—or complete transformation?

In this episode, Dr. Novella Springette offers a verse-by-verse Bible teaching from 2 Corinthians 5:14–17, explaining how the love of Christ does more than inspire believers—it controls us, reorients our lives, and makes us new creations.

This teaching explores how Christ’s sacrificial love leads believers to:

• Live no longer for themselves, but for Jesus who died and rose again
• Experience the death of the old life and the birth of the new
• See themselves and others from a spiritual, not worldly, perspective
• Walk in lasting transformation rooted in Scripture

Drawing from biblical exposition and historical Christian examples, this episode shows that when the love of Christ takes hold of a life, everything changes.

📖 Scripture Focus: 2 Corinthians 5:14–17
🎙️ Teacher: Dr. Novella Springette

What actually changes when love takes over your life? We open 2 Corinthians 5:14–17 and trace Paul’s radical claim that Christ’s love doesn’t merely inspire us—it compels us, reorders our desires, and makes us new. This is not behavior management; it’s rebirth. We follow that thread through vivid stories: a weeping woman in Luke 7 who pours out perfume and shame at Jesus’ feet, Zacchaeus turning exploitation into restitution, and modern witnesses like Amy Carmichael, David Livingstone, Chief Sekele, and Mrs. Chang whose lives took a costly, unmistakable turn toward mercy and mission.

Together, we unpack how atonement shifts the center of gravity from self to Savior. If Jesus died for all, then those who live no longer live for themselves. That truth becomes a lens: new creation changes how we see God, ourselves, and our neighbors. Prestige, power, and polish no longer set value. We learn to recognize the image of God in unlikely places and to act on it—feeding the hungry, welcoming the stranger, healing divisions, and making wrongs right. Saul to Paul stands as the masterclass in transformation: a persecutor meeting the risen Christ and emerging as a builder of the church.

We close with prayer, declarations, and blessing—not as theatrics, but as training for the heart. Words of faith set our steps, cancel the old scripts, and tune us to the Shepherd’s voice. If you’re hungry for real change, for a love that controls rather than a sentiment that fades, this conversation will meet you where you are and lead you forward.

If this resonated with you, tap follow, share it with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so more people can find this message. Then tell us: where have you seen old things pass away and something new begin?

Regularly join Dr. Novella Springette as she does in-depth Bible teaching with the intent of fostering Christian discipleship.

Support the show

Catch On Fire Podcasts aims to lead us all into a closer walk with God as we strive to become more like Jesus.