The Clear & Present Faith Podcast

People living their faith in the every day

recent posts

  • The Lost Parables

    In Luke 15, we find the “lost” parables. No, we didn’t misplace them and suddenly discover them. No, it’s not the working title of the next Indiana Jones movie. We’re talking about those parables that identify how God responds to people who are lost to Him.

    To set the stage, we see in Luke 15:1 that “tax collectors and sinners” were coming to Jesus to hear His message. As a result, the Pharisees and scribes, the pious aristocracy of the time, complained “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them!” (Luke 15:2). Jesus then proceeds to tell three parables designed to demonstrate the value of the lost soul: the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Prodigal Son.

    In the parable of the Lost Sheep, we see a shepherd who leaves his flock of 99 sheep to go out and find a single sheep that had wandered away (Luke 15:4-7). In the parable of the Lost Coin, we see a woman with 10 silver coins who lost one and searches her house until she finds it (Luke 15:8-10). I’d like to draw a couple of points from these two parables:

    First, “one” is important – It could be easy to look at situations like the ones described in these parables and say, “He’s still got 99 sheep – what’s the big deal?” Or, “She still has nine coins – is it really a bad thing that one is missing?” The answers are “yes, it’s a big deal,” and “yes, it’s a bad thing.” God wants everyone to know the truth and be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). So, the “one” is important.

    Second, finding the lost one calls for celebration – In both cases, the searchers rejoice with their friends and neighbors over finding that which was missing and had been restored (Luke 15:6, 9) and Christ draws a comparison to the way the angels in heaven will rejoice over a lost soul returning (Luke 15:7, 10). It is a joyous occasion when someone chooses to become a Christian. It is just as joyous when someone who chose to follow God and later turned away from Him, determines to come back. When I was in college, the long-time evangelist at the congregation I attended passed away from cancer. He was a man of God in every sense with a true servant’s heart and his passing touched the hearts of many, and served as a reminder of the brevity of life. The Sunday after his funeral could have been a very sorrowful day. Instead, there were three individuals who had rejected Christ after becoming a Christian who determined to come back that morning. And what could have been a disheartening day was instead a delightful day of rejoicing in the return of three souls.

    Also, I mentioned a third parable? Beginning with next week’s blog post, we’ll be publishing a 3-part series on the parable of the Prodigal Son. There’s a lot to unpack there as we look at the rise, fall, and return of the title character in this story. I hope you’ll be back to read about that. In the meantime, if you’re feeling a little lost, take comfort in knowing that God is waiting for you, and there are people who are willing to help you. If we can pray for you in any way or if you have a question, don’t hesitate to reach out at https://clearandpresentfaith.com/contactus/. Have a blessed week, and I’ll “see” you next Monday.

  • A Godward Orientation – Part 2

    When we think about what “living for God in the every day” looks like, I think we have to start with where is our focus? What kinds of things are occupying our thoughts and our time? What provides orientation and direction in our lives?

    B.J. Sipe is a young gospel preacher in Danville, KY. When I first reached out to him about being our first guest and explained the concept to him, he coined a phrase that I think really encapsulates the theme of the podcast. In order to live for God in the every day, we have to maintain a Godward orientation. In our conversation, we talk about what that looks like and how we can apply it practically in our daily life. This is the second part of a two-part interview, so make sure to go back and catch the previous episode if you missed it.

    For a list of the podcast platforms on which we’re live, visit The Podcast page on the website. Any likes, subscribes, and shares would be greatly appreciated.

    Enjoy the episode!

  • A Giving Heart

    As I mentioned in a post a few weeks ago, I’m co-teaching a class on the Gospel of Luke for the congregation my wife and I are a part of. Last week, one of my co-teachers made a comment that really bears repeating…

    We were in Luke 16, talking about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (v.19-31). In the story, there was a rich man with expensive clothes who gave lavish feasts. Then, there was Lazarus – a poor man, covered in sores and lying at the rich man’s gate. He was so desperate, the Bible tells us “He longed to be filled with what fell from the rich man’s table…” (Luke 16:21). So, we have one man in a dire situation and another in a position to do something about it.

    Eventually, both men die. Lazarus is carried away to Abraham’s side (Luke 16:22) while the rich man ends up in torment in Hades (Luke 16:23). The rich man cries out to Abraham begging for relief. Abraham responds:

    Son…remember that during your life you received your good things, just as Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here, while you are in agony. (Luke 16:25)

    In the end, the good things the rich man had on earth did nothing to comfort him because he did nothing with them. A giving heart doesn’t come from having more things.

    I recently wrote about the biblical instruction and examples we see about the importance of being generous. And I think sometimes, we say to ourselves “It will be easier to be generous when I have more to give.” It might be. But biblical generosity doesn’t come with a minimum net worth (see the story of the widow bringing her offering at the temple in Luke 21:1-4). It comes from a mindset. God doesn’t tell us to be generous when we become rich. He doesn’t tell us to be generous when we have time. He simply tells us to be generous.

    My wife and I had family in town recently. During a dinner conversation, my sister-in-law asked my nieces what they had learned from a particular lesson they recently heard on the topic of hospitality (something very closely linked to generosity). My 12-year-old niece responded, “You don’t have to have the nicest or the biggest house to be hospitable. You can be hospitable with what you have.”
    Generosity is not about what you have – it’s about how you use what you have and the heart with which you do it.

  • Guard Your Heart

    During undergrad, I took a Communication in Cultures class. One day the professor was talking about the traditional metaphor of the United States being a melting pot of different people and different cultures all coming together as one and how she didn’t like that analogy, preferring the concept of a stew pot. “Why a stew pot?” she asked. The class talked about several different things, but there was one point that really stands out in my mind.

    In a melting pot, everything comes together and it becomes very difficult to separate those elements and pull something out. In a stew pot, you can see the carrots, you can see the beef, you can see the peas. And, while it would be time-consuming, you could go through and take every single piece of a particular ingredient out – but not their influence on the dish. You can remove all the carrots, but their impact from simmering with all the other ingredients will remain.

    This is why it is so important that we guard our hearts (Proverbs 4:20-27) and our minds (Luke 21:34-35). Satan is looking for any foothold in our lives. He’s searching for a way in that will provide him the chance to influence us for evil. And he’s going to do it in a way that is enticing and attractive. For example, I really enjoy music. Different styles, different genres (ok, not rap or opera so much, but others). I have a deep appreciation for the impact music can have on our mood and our perspectives. This means I have to be very conscientious about listening to a song that I may enjoy the melody, the “beat,” or the instrumentation but the lyrics are designed to pull my heart and my mind away from God. And for a music lover, even if I stop listening to a song, it’s still in my head and can be impactful if allowed.

    Satan is going to dress up evil influence in the forms of music, movies, relationships, or perhaps that promotion that will improve your financial situation, but pull you away from the more important things.

    So, what should we focus on? Colossians 3:1-4 reads:

    So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

    Let’s spend our time focusing on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience (Colossians 3:12). And, “above all, put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity” (Colossians 3:14).

    I hope you’ll spend some time this week meditating on things above.

  • A Godward Orientation – Part 1

    When we think about what “living for God in the every day” looks like, I think we have to start with where is our focus? What kinds of things are occupying our thoughts and our time? What provides orientation and direction in our lives?

    B.J. Sipe is a young gospel preacher in Danville, KY. When I first reached out to him about being our first guest and explained the concept to him, he coined a phrase that I think really encapsulates the theme of the podcast. In order to live for God in the every day, we have to maintain a Godward orientation. In our conversation, we talk about what that looks like and how we can apply it practically in our daily life. This is a two-part interview with the second part coming out in two weeks.

    For a list of the podcast platforms on which we’re live, visit The Podcast page on the website. Any likes, subscribes, and shares would be greatly appreciated.

    Enjoy the episode!

  • Iron Sharpens Iron

    Knives are a really great universal tool. You can slice food. You can open boxes. You can cut rope. The sharp edge of the blade can be used to accomplish so many daily tasks and help out in a pinch for those “once in a blue moon moments.”

    Unavoidably, knives dull. They lose their effectiveness and, eventually, their ability to perform the tasks at all. Regardless of how good the steel, all knives require sharpening. And the same is true for us as individuals. The trials of the world around us wear us down and we need refinement.There are a number of ways that sharpening can take place, not the least of which is the support of another. Proverbs 27:17 reads:

    Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens another.

    Sharpening can certainly occur through encouragement (1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 10:24-25; Proverbs 12:25). However, that won’t always be the case. When you sharpen a knife blade, you are actually removing microscopic bits of the metal in order to refine it into a useful tool. The process can be painstaking. The same can be true when others sharpen us. Sometimes, people will need to tell us things that are difficult to hear, perhaps even painful to acknowledge. Yet, it is the difficult conversations where we will experience the most growth.

    If we back up just a few verses in Proverbs 27, we read that “the wounds of a friend are trustworthy…” (v. 6). When people have our best interest at heart, sometimes it means having the hard conversation, telling us the thing we don’t want to hear – but, will ultimately lead us to being a strong servant for God in His kingdom.

    May we all surround ourselves with people who can sharpen us and be receptive to those moments.

  • The Podcast is Live!

    The Clear & Present Faith Podcast trailer has launched! This episode provides a broad overview of the purpose and format of the podcast. We’re excited for the first official episode to go live in early March!

    For a list of the platforms where we’re live, visit The Podcast page on the website. We’re very excited for this next step!

  • Avoid Paralysis by Analysis

    Paralysis by analysis – likely, we’ve all heard this phrase at some point. It denotes the idea that one is so busy researching alternatives and possibilities that real action never takes place. In reality, we’ve all probably fallen victim to this at some point if we are honest with ourselves (as I admitted in a previous blog post). We get so concerned about “what could be” that we don’t stop to realize that no action is being taken and no progress is being made.

    Even though it doesn’t have the same poetic rhythm as the traditionally quoted colloquialism, the concept is rooted in biblical principles:

    One who watches the wind will not sow, and the one who looks at the clouds will not reap. (Ecclesiastes 11:4)

    Here, we see the image of a farmer who hesitates to sow seed because the wind is blowing and who know where that will take it as he broadcasts it. He also hesitates to reap as he watches the clouds, wishing to avoid getting caught in a storm. Certainly, there are instances where planning and preparation are required. However, circumstances don’t change, results aren’t produced without action.

    God expects us to act.

    Little children, we must not love with word or speech, but with truth and action. (1 John 3:18)

    For we are His creation, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:10)

    But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)

    This week, I pray you’ll look for the opportunities to take action. Action to grow in your faith, to encourage others, and to strengthen your relationship with the Creator of the universe.

  • We All Play a Part

    From sixth grade through my junior year of college, I played in the band. I’ve played in ensembles of all sizes, talent-level, and musical ability, but one thing has been consistent – the band was composed of many different instruments. Certainly, some instruments are better suited for some aspects of music than others. Listening to a trumpet player perform a 16 measure solo would be a very different experience than a percussionist playing a triangle solo. And yet, when the moment in the music is just right, a single strike of the triangle can resonate in an impactful way. All the instruments are different, yet all are important.

    How often do we see ourselves or our role as “less important?” We look at the abilities other people have and somehow decide they are “more important” than we are. That our role isn’t as meaningful. Sometimes, we can even let ourselves make excuses for why we shouldn’t do something.

    ”Well, he can do that better than I can…”

    “She can do this thing that I can’t so I don’t have a place…”

    However, God uses all kinds of people for His purpose. 2 Timothy 2:20-21 reads:

    Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver bowls, but also those of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. So if anyone purifies himself from anything dishonorable, he will be a special instrument, set apart, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work.

    When I read this passage, I see that God’s people have different talents and abilities and we are all useful in His kingdom. In fact, we cannot function as God’s people without relying on one another (see Paul’s metaphor comparing individuals to parts of the body in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27). We may not be as “shiny” or as “prominent” as someone else. Our role may not be as visible. Yet, we are still important. The main thing to remember is to purify ourselves from anything dishonorable. In doing so, God will set us apart for service in His kingdom.

    I hope you will take a moment this week to reflect on what talents you possess and how God can use them to reach others and make an impact in His kingdom. And, pray for God to help you to grow both established abilities and budding capabilities so you can expand the ways you can serve Him, your brothers and sisters in Christ, and the world around you.

  • “But, God…” and “But God…”

    Many of you are probably familiar with the old educator’s joke about punctuation saving lives…

    • Let’s eat, Grandma.
    • Let’s eat Grandma.

    In one instance, you’re inviting Grandma to come to dinner; in the other, you’re inviting her to be dinner. One act is kind…the other is cannibalism. It’s amazing how a small “,” can have such an impact on a phrase.

    Not to mention the word “but” itself. “But” can be defined in a couple of different ways: 1) used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting what has already been mentioned; or, 2) used to indicate the impossibility of anything other than what is being stated (from Oxford Languages). 

    So, take the phrase “But, God…” This phrase is going to offer an excuse in contrast to something God has asked us to do. Moses tried to tell God he wasn’t qualified to lead His people out of Egypt in Exodus 4. “But, God, what if they don’t believe me? But God, I’m not eloquent. But, God, send someone else.” When God calls us to follow Him, we find some reason as to why we aren’t able or ready to do it (we touched on that topic in a blog a few weeks ago). 

    However, God provides a way. With the comma removed, “But God…” becomes an open door to endless possibilities in your life.

    • People may not believe what I say; but God will use the seed I plant to open their hearts one day.
    • I’m not a good speaker; but God will give me the words to say.
    • I don’t think I’m ready for this; but God will give me the strength and ability if I ask Him for it earnestly.

    And perhaps most amazingly, God has saved us from death in sin. I leave you today with Paul’s words to the Christians in Ephesus and the challenge that Satan will try to bring you down this week…but God will help you overcome.

    “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace through His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:1-10)