Episode Summary Teddy Roosevelt, our nation's 26th president was a hard charging leader. An ardent admirer once exclaimed to him, “Mr. Roosevelt, you are a great man.” In characteristic honesty he replied, “No. Teddy Roosevelt is simply a plain, ordinary man—highly motivated.” It is safe to say that his answer describes most great leaders, plain and ordinary, yet whose hearts had been captured by a compelling mission. Certainly, Nehemiah, the subject of our new series, would say that about himself. Although he would say he was a plain and ordinary man underneath, he emerges as one of the most effective leaders in history, accomplishing in 53 days what no one else could accomplish in decades. Nehemiah would be the first to say that when God needs a mountain moved, he raises up mountain-moving men. But though he lived five hundred years before the Messiah came, I think Nehemiah would he would be quick to repeat these words of Paul to every man listening: “You are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which he prepared beforehand that we should walk in them—be the mountain of a man you need to be to move your mountain!

For Further Prayerful Thought:

1. What stood out most to you about God’s covenant with Abraham and his descendants which included sanctions, covenant blessings for obedience and covenant curses for disobedience?
2. What was most attractive to you about Nehemiah’s heart?
3. Which lessons about prayer most stood out. Which do you most want to remember?

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Episode Summary: Both Solomon, and later the author of the book of Hebrews appeal to the obvious creation principle that they assume everyone knew in their era, loving fathers don’t allow their children to persist in selfish, wrong behavior; they discipline their children out of love for them. In our own day, a weird time in history when cultural voices are denying what every other culture in history has affirmed—that there are differences between fathers and mothers—it seems necessary examine this creation principle of fatherhood. It is also important because, today, so much child-rearing advice is rooted in a fear of stifling a child or harming his self-esteem instead of recognizing that by nature a child wants to be the center of the universe--dad giving him what he wants when he wants it, and the rest of the world catering to his wants and demands. This episode examines how fathers must protect their child from the child’s worst enemy, the main person who can ruin his life—HIMSELF, because he comes into this world with self-centered, sinful nature

For Further Prayerful Thought

1. How would you answer a husband who said, “My wife is so much better with the kids, I leave the discipline of the children to her?”
2. How would you explain to someone that loving a child requires disciplining them but that letting them go their own ways is a form of hatred for them?
3. Which of the 6 reasons parents don’t discipline their kids as well as they should stands out to you?
4. Which of the 6 principles from Hebrews 12 for administering discipline that is like God’s discipline of us stood out most to you? Why do you think that is important?

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Summary: As we return to our pre-Christmas study of I Timothy, we come to chapter three, where Paul lays out the qualifications to serve as an elder in the church. In doing so, he gives us a portrait of not only the character required for spiritual leadership, but of leadership that even the secular world acknowledges attracts followers.

For Further Prayerful Thought:

1. How does Paul’s insistence that fulfilling a spiritual leadership position is a “noble task” affect your perspective about such positions?
2. How can we better remember that fulfilling the leadership positions assigned to us by Jesus with excellence brings honor to Him?
3. Which of the six virtues most stood out to you 1) above reproach, 2) a one-woman man, 3) sober-minded, 4) self-controlled, 5) exhibiting an ordered life, 6) demonstrating love for the outsider.
4. Which of the above six do you most need to focus upon building?

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Episode Summary: One of the habits of Jesus that is often overlooked, but extremely powerful is his habit of regularly withdrawing to a secluded place to intercede for his loved ones. This episode investigates the biblical evidence for believing Satan cannot stand against prayer made in Jesus’ name for the growth of kingdom righteousness in our own hearts and over the earth.

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Episode Summary. If you are disheartened, battered, discouraged or weary from fighting the good fight because of all the heartache and spiritual bruising my hope is that this episode will give such a clear picture of the colossal triumph of Messiah Jesus—and our part in that victory, that in some small way the pain is lessened, because we GRASP the ENORMITY of our WIN.

For Further Prayerful Thought

1. How does Jesus’ title Prince of Peace reinforce the truth that the gospel has four chapters, creation, fall, redemption, restoration and not just two, fall and redemption?
2. What stood out to you about the meaning of the Hebrew word, shalom? Why would it be biblical to say that shalom is the answer to all the levels of poverty in the world?
3. Why would you support the argument that one of the highest callings of Christians is to spread the kingdom of righteousness in their vocations?
4. What aspects of kingdom righteousness in the workplace stood out to you?

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Episode Summary. In producing this episode we inadvertently uploaded a Dec 14th episode from a past December 14th, not 2025. This is the corrected version recorded two days ago. Sometimes a single word can be loaded with meaning: Mom, Dad, Darling, Champion, Failure. Single words can be so important that Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” As we continue our series on the titles of Messiah Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, both of words that make up this title are loaded with a wealth of meaning, encouragement, and hope. The title is EVERLASTING FATHER.

For Further Prayerful Thought

1. What are the differences that a person would normally have in his relationship with his king and his father?
2. Is it overstating the case to say that Christianity is best summarized by saying that Christ did to pay for our sins so that the guilt that blocks us from a relationship with the Holy One of Israel could be removed so that we can have an eternal personal relationship with him?
3. Why would a compassionate leader be easier to follow than one who is not?
4. What is the worst part of being a vessel that Jesus the Potter is cutting into? What is the best part?
5. How would you persuade a non-believer that holding the opinion that Jesus was a great teacher is logically untenable?

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Episode Summary. Sometimes a single word can be loaded with meaning: Mom, Dad, Darling, Champion, Failure. Single words can be so important that Jesus said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.” As we continue our series on the titles of Messiah Jesus in Isaiah 9:6, both of words that make up this title are loaded with a wealth of meaning, encouragement, and hope. The title is EVERLASTING FATHER.

For Further Prayerful Thought

1. What are the differences that a person would normally have in his relationship with his king and his father?
2. Is it overstating the case to say that Christianity is best summarized by saying that Christ did to pay for our sins so that the guilt that blocks us from a relationship with the Holy One of Israel could be removed so that we can have an eternal personal relationship with him?
3. Why would a compassionate leader be easier to follow than one who is not?
4. What is the worst part of being a vessel that Jesus the Potter is cutting into? What is the best part?
5. How would you persuade a non-believer that holding the opinion that Jesus was a great teacher is logically untenable?

For the printed version of this message click here.

For a summary of topics addressed by podcast series, click here.

For FREE downloadable studies on men’s issues click here.

To make an online contribution to enable others to hear about the podcast: (Click link and scroll down to bottom left)

Episode Summary. Why did the long-awaited Messiah of Israel have to be the MIGHTY GOD—and what does that title mean for our everyday walk with Jesus today? That is the topic of today’s episode.

For Further Prayerful Thought

1. How would you support the idea that the overall teaching of the OT is that the real oppression of Israel was done by foreign military powers but by SIN? Why might this point to the fact that the deliverer would have to be God, himself?
2. Paul commanded Christ-followers to abhor evil. What stood out to you in this episode about the awfulness of sin?
3. When it comes to being strong in the Lord and the strength of his might, which aspects of appropriating Christ’s power to fight spiritually stood out to you?
4. Which piece of spiritual armor do you most need to start putting on?
5. How does the depth of evil to be driven out by prayer motivate us to persevere in prayer?

Resources Mentioned in Today’s Podcast

• Check 6 Wallet Card comes in a 5 Pack
• The Check 6 tool is designed to go with the book, Got Your Back: Helping Christian Men Forge the Brotherhood Connections They Need.

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