Rise City Church Podcast

Connecting Prayers

Is your relationship with God more like calling a distant relative in a time of need rather than a friend you're walking out life with? Is your prayer life just throwing random requests into the atmosphere or sitting down and having coffee with a close friend that knows you through and through?

You were made for connection with God. You were made for a close relationship with Jesus. Prayer is simply connecting with Jesus—telling Him about life, sharing your worries and frustrations, and asking Him to provide and care for you. This week, we learn through Luke 11 that God is seeking to connect with us through prayer. Listen in to learn how your persistence in prayer leads to a passion to spend time with your Creator.

Daring Prayers

You were made for connection. You were made for relationship. You prove it over and over by seeking comfort and control in areas of your life. But what if you knew that the deep longing that you are truly seeking could be satisfied? What if you didn't have to rely on creating your own comfort or being in control of every moment to feel security?

In James 5 we're given the call to seek connection with the Creator. If we come to Jesus in our desperation and seek His presence, we can be the church that He desires—one focused on His mission, spreading His Gospel, and bringing life transformation to His city. Listen in as Pastor Jason guides us through a life of praying daring prayers to God who is waiting for us to seek Him.

Hope in Waiting and Suffering

This week we look at two topics that are some of the hardest for us to work through—waiting and suffering. These two things are difficult. They make us feel pain, they slow down our plans, and they way heavily on us when we are in the midst of them.

In James 5, James outlines how to endure these two seasons of life in a way that allows God to work and bears fruit in our lives, bringing us joy. How do we hold grief and hope in the same heart? How do we live knowing that Christ is victorious in the end, but we are living in the "not yet" of His victory? Listen in for a depth of hope that can only be found in the presence of Jesus.

Don’t Waste Your Plans

Does your life feel chaotic? You don't know where you're going, what you'll do next, where you'll live, who you'll marry, and on and on. As humans we are prone to chase after control—trying to create and currate a perfect life, all revolving around our plans and ideas. But what happens when things don't go as we planned?

This week we look at wisdom from the Book of James, where he outlines how to live a life where our plans are centered on God's will, because ordering life without God disorders all of our life. If you are seeking a life that is blessed by God, trusting in His plans, and obedient to His will, then listen in.

Don’t Waste Your Life in Conflict

Conflict is inevitable. It’s all around us. But the hardest part is acknowledging that brokenness starts within us. What is the solution to the pain, heartache, and conflict we experience?

To conquer conflict we can’t simply try harder, we must lean into the true solution found only in Jesus. Listen in as Pastor Jason teaches through James 4 to show us how the early church experienced the same hardships and difficulty we have today, and how we can find hope when we humble ourselves into the unending grace of God.

Jesus is Better

You have a longing deep in your heart. Its that spot that you try to fill with all sorts of pleasures, things, and relationships. But it’s never fully satisfied.

God made you that way. He made you to have a desire for something that only He can satisfy. Jesus is better than anything we pursue on this earth. He is the beginning and end of all we long for. Listen in to learn how Jesus wants to reveal himself to you, and how a life lived in His presence is what your heart truly longs for.

The Power of Life Transforming Words

Your words carry immense power. They can be hurtful, break people down, and injure someone to the core. Conversely, words can encourage, build someone up, and be positively life transforming.

In James 3, we are given both the encouragement to use our words wisely and the warning to be cautious  with our words. But how can you tame your tongue to be used for good, not bad? Listen in as Pastor Jason teaches that only by living in the power of Jesus can we have power over our words and live a life that glorifies and honors God.

A Life of True Faith

Does your life reflect what you say you believe? Do you have a faith that goes beyond your mind and yields work that others around you experience and know?

In James 2, James lays out a life of faith without works, as being dead— void of the joy and abundance that a life with a faith lived out in deeds experiences. This week, guest preacher, Daniel Goulding, teaches the difference between cultural Christianity and faith that changes you from the inside out. Listen in to see how Jesus is the perfect example of faith fully expressed for other’s joy, our good, and God’s glory.

The Six Stages of Manhood

Fatherhood and masculinity are being redefined in our culture. But what does God tell us about biblical manhood?

Listen in as we walk through Scripture to see the stages of manhood, from boyhood all the way through retirement to see how God has made men with a specific purpose and plan. If you are a man looking for wisdom for how to live a Godly life, raise a family, and love your people then listen in for practical wisdom that leads you to the heart of the Father.

A Gospel Transformed Life

Today we continued in our series on James, and talked about how Jesus brings A Gospel Transformed Life.

The call from James is a challenge to look within. God is not aligned with the evil of our world, and more often than not we contribute to the sin and darkness around us. The problem of evil is within us, not just ‘other’ groups.

But the call of God is to life. Every good is from God and everything from God is good. But we have work to do on our end as well. James calls us to build a Gospel Presence within us, particularly by being Quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

As God forms us, as we learn to live a transformed life, God intends to bring us good things!