Life Around "The Fire"

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Life Around "The Fire"

Hoot

713 episodes

19 hours ago

Send us a text A nation on the brink of change, a community under siege, and a leader torn between the fear of people and the fear of God—this conversation journeys through 1 Samuel 10–13 to uncover why character, not charisma, determines the future. We explore Israel’s move from judges to monarchy and why the desire to look like other nations exposed deeper heart issues. When Nahash threatened Jabesh Gilead with humiliation, the crisis revealed the danger of life on the fringe and the power ...

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Religion & Spirituality,

Society & Culture,

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Send us a text A nation on the brink of change, a community under siege, and a leader torn between the fear of people and the fear of God—this conversation journeys through 1 Samuel 10–13 to uncover why character, not charisma, determines the future. We explore Israel’s move from judges to monarchy and why the desire to look like other nations exposed deeper heart issues. When Nahash threatened Jabesh Gilead with humiliation, the crisis revealed the danger of life on the fringe and the power ...

Show more...

Religion & Spirituality,

Society & Culture,

Episodes (20/713)

Life Around "The Fire"

When Gifting Shines But Character Cracks, Leadership Fails

Send us a text A nation on the brink of change, a community under siege, and a leader torn between the fear of people and the fear of God—this conversation journeys through 1 Samuel 10–13 to uncover why character, not charisma, determines the future. We explore Israel’s move from judges to monarchy and why the desire to look like other nations exposed deeper heart issues. When Nahash threatened Jabesh Gilead with humiliation, the crisis revealed the danger of life on the fringe and the power ...

20 hours ago

27 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Stephen Crews: Part 2; Covenant Alignment (And Daily Faithfulness)

Send us a text Hungry for a faith that feels alive, guided, and grounded in peace? We dive into covenant alignment as a relationship that reshapes daily life—less striving, more trusting—and learn how seeking first the kingdom reframes every choice, habit, and plan. Instead of chasing clarity, we begin with obedience, stepping when God says step, and discovering that direction often arrives mid-journey. Along the way, we talk about how character outlasts speed, why boundaries protect what we ...

1 week ago

27 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Stephen Crews: Part 1; Covenant Alignment

Send us a text What if the battles wearing you down aren’t yours to fight—but signals that your life is out of alignment with the covenant you’re already part of? We open a new series with teacher Stephen Crews to explore covenant alignment: a clear, scriptural path from striving to authority, from constant warfare to steady union with God. We start by defining covenant as a binding oneness—one plus one equals one—and alignment as active agreement with God’s will. Stephen traces the Abrahami...

1 week ago

26 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Breaking Destructive Cycles

Send us a text A ruthless demand to “gouge the right eye” sounds like distant history, but the siege of Jabesh Gilead reveals something uncomfortably current: the enemy still bargains for small concessions that cost us our sight in the battles that matter. We walk through 1 Samuel 11, unpack who Nahash the Ammonite was, and explain why the right eye carried military, social, and spiritual weight in the ancient Near East. That lens opens up a larger theme—Israel’s recurring loop of revelation,...

1 week ago

30 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Your Choices And Words Shape Your Battle And Your Restoration

Send us a text *** Editors note: David refered to Nahash as being a Philistine King. He was an Ammonite Ruler, not a Philistine King. *** Pressure makes bad deals look reasonable. We slow down to a pace of peace and turn two vivid stories—Jabesh-Gilead under siege in 1 Samuel 11 and Samson’s collapse in Judges 16—like a diamond, catching fresh angles on compromise, courage, and restoration. Nahash’s demand to gouge the right eye wasn’t only cruelty; it was strategy to erase vision and disable...

2 weeks ago

30 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

How The Stories Of Israel Illuminate Our Everyday Choices And The Powers That Shape Them

Send us a text What if the real contest in your life isn’t busyness or burnout, but worship—what you give your attention to, and who gets to shape your desires? We open Scripture to 1 Samuel 11 and Judges 16 and trace how Israel’s story reveals the quiet currents that steer a soul: subtle influences, cultural pressure, and the unseen powers that promise fullness but leave us empty. From Samson’s slow drift to a people galvanized by God’s Spirit, we unpack how allegiance gets formed in tiny ch...

3 weeks ago

26 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

When Desire Overrides Wisdom

Send us a text What if the warning you’re tempted to ignore is actually an act of mercy? We walk through 1 Samuel 10 and the moment Israel traded a theocracy for a visible king, only to find Saul hiding among the baggage on coronation day. The picture is vivid and painfully familiar: when comparison drives our choices, we crown the wrong kings and pay for it later. From Baal’s seductive promises to the modern pull of envy and entitlement, we unpack how desire, image, and insecurity collide—an...

1 month ago

22 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Guest Speaker Stephen Crews Opens a Door of Understanding: We Become Like What We Behold—and God's Grace Empowers the Becoming

Send us a text Attention builds identity. That’s the heartbeat of our conversation with Stephen Crews as we explore what it really means to “behold and become.” We start with Psalm 27:4—one thing, one focus, one desire—and trace how a lifestyle of beholding Jesus forms habits of mind and heart that outlast hype and hurry. Stephen shares concrete rhythms for silence, Scripture, and prayer, including a simple image for quieting mental noise: let the day’s thoughts pass like groceries on a belt ...

1 month ago

28 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

From Family Dinner to Covenant Alignment: Guest Speaker Stephen Crews on Marriage, Faith, and the Feasts

Send us a text What if your home life felt lighter, your marriage steadier, and your faith more alive—not by doing more, but by aligning your time with God’s? Stephen Crews joins us to trace a humble, hopeful path from the family dinner table to covenant alignment, sharing how Sabbath and the biblical feasts became the backbone of his spiritual growth, marriage, and parenting. His story moves from a loving childhood and long hours on the basketball court to an unexpected conversion and a marr...

1 month ago

26 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

When Seemingly Random Events Are Actually Divine Appointments

Send us a text Have you ever wondered if God cares about the small details of your life? Those seemingly random events that feel inconsequential might actually be divine appointments orchestrated with purpose. In our journey through 1 Samuel 9, we witness the fascinating story of how lost donkeys became the catalyst for Israel's monarchy. Saul, from the tribe of Benjamin, reluctantly embarks on a search for his father's missing animals that leads him directly to Samuel the prophet. What appe...

1 month ago

22 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

When The Pendulum Swings Too Far During Life's Transitions

Send us a text Our goal in life is to walk in the balance of righteosness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. However, there are timees when we find ourselves drifting off course and we need to make corrections. Irael was in that very place when we find them in 1 Samuel chapter 8. Samuel "The Seer" and one of The Judges of Israel was old and his sons weren't following in the footsteps of their faither. Their character was not like that of Samuel's. It was coming to a time when Samuel wo...

1 month ago

14 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Guest Speaker Trevor McMahan: The 10 Spiritual "Tribes" Every Believer Must Overcome

Send us a text Trevor McMahan returns for part two of his illuminating exploration of 1 Samuel 8, where Israel's fateful decision to demand a king reveals profound spiritual lessons for today's believers. McMahan masterfully decodes the spiritual significance behind Israel's request to "be like the nations around us," unveiling how this seemingly simple desire represents a failure to overcome the spirit of covetousness. Drawing from Genesis 15, he identifies ten spiritual "tribes" every beli...

1 month ago

14 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Guest Speaker Trevor McMahan: The Throne of Justice: Raising Children in God's Divine Purpose

Send us a text The journey from brokenness to purpose unfolds dramatically in this heart-stirring conversation with Trevor McMahan, who shares how Christ transformed him from a homeless drug addict to a devoted family man with a burning passion for God's Word. Trevor takes us deep into 1 Samuel 8, revealing a profound parallel between Samuel and Eli—two men who failed their families despite their spiritual prominence. The sobering truth emerges that Samuel, having witnessed the devastating c...

1 month ago

17 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

When God Moves: The Power of Repentance

Send us a text Have you ever wondered what happens when God's glory collides with careless curiosity? Or why spiritual breakthroughs often trigger immediate opposition? This compelling journey through 1 Samuel 6-7 unveils ancient patterns that still define our spiritual lives today. The narrative begins with a remarkable scene: the Ark of the Covenant, captured by the Philistines, makes its way back to Israel on an ox cart, coming to rest in "the field of Joshua" beside a large rock. These a...

1 month ago

24 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

The Sun That Melts Butter Hardens Clay

Send us a text Are you holding onto something inferior simply because it's familiar? The story of the Philistines and the Ark of the Covenant reveals our human tendency to seek workarounds rather than embrace transformation. When the Philistines captured the Ark of the Covenant, they placed it as a trophy in their god Dagon's temple. But God wouldn't share His glory with demons. The statue of Dagon mysteriously toppled, and plagues of tumors and rats struck the Philistines' land. After seven...

1 month ago

21 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Beyond the Visible: God is at Work

Send us a text Have you ever felt like God was absent in your darkest moments? The ancient story of the Ark of the Covenant's capture reveals a powerful truth that transforms how we view seemingly hopeless situations. When Israel's most sacred object was seized by their enemies, it appeared to be a devastating defeat. But behind the visible circumstances, an invisible battle was unfolding. As we explore 1 Samuel 5, we discover what happens when the symbol of God's presence enters enemy terri...

1 month ago

19 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Becoming One Heart

Send us a text The tension between individualism and true Christian community lies at the heart of our spiritual journey. While society champions personal rights and self-focus—particularly in American culture—the divine invitation calls us toward something profoundly different: a Christ-centered existence that naturally flows outward in genuine care for others. When Jesus occupies the central position in our lives, everything else finds its proper place. This isn't merely a nice spiritual c...

1 month ago

6 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

When God's Glory Departs: Lessons from 1 Samuel

Send us a text The consequences of our actions echo through generations—nowhere is this more evident than in the sobering account from 1 Samuel 4 explored in this episode. When Israel treated the Ark of God as a magical talisman rather than a holy vessel, they faced devastating defeat at the hands of the Philistines. This fascinating journey through ancient Israel reveals what happens when God's people embrace privilege without responsibility. The story unfolds dramatically—30,000 Israelite ...

2 months ago

21 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

The Ripple Effect of Leadership

Send us a text Stories have power. The biblical narratives found in 1 Samuel aren't merely historical accounts—they're divine revelations that speak across millennia directly into our lives today. These ancient tales reveal not just what happened, but what happens in every generation when we either embrace or reject God's wisdom. Samuel's story begins with miraculous birth and unfolds against a backdrop of dysfunction. Raised first in a polygamous household with inherent tensions, then hande...

2 months ago

24 minutes

Life Around "The Fire"

Beyond Broken: Finding Freedom in a Dysfunctional World

Send us a text When life's dysfunction threatens to overwhelm us, we need the powerful reminder that God is greater. This deeply personal message explores how our heavenly Father exceeds any brokenness we face, whether in mental health struggles, addictions, family trauma, or relational difficulties. Through the remarkable story of Samuel, we witness divine intervention in profoundly dysfunctional circumstances. Born to Hannah in a tension-filled polygamous household, then handed at age thre...

2 months ago

23 minutes