Everyday Theology In Plain English

God's Jealousy Is Actually Love - S2E29

"Your God is jealous? Sounds like he has some insecurity issues." Ever heard that? Ever quietly wondered the same thing yourself? In this episode, we're tackling one of God's most misunderstood attributes: his jealousy. We'll unpack the crucial difference between sinful jealousy (wanting what isn't yours) and righteous jealousy (protecting what is yours), why God calling himself "Jealous" is actually one of the most beautiful things about him, and how his fierce pursuit of your heart reveals just how deeply you're loved. If the word "jealous" has ever made you wince when reading the Bible, this episode will completely flip the script. "God's jealousy is actually a measure of his love. The more deeply someone loves, the more intensely they're grieved by unfaithfulness. A God who didn't care about our wandering hearts would be a God who didn't love us." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * The crucial difference between sinful jealousy and righteous jealousy — and why only one is wrong * Why God's jealousy is the flip side of his committed, passionate love for you * How modern "idols" — career, relationships, approval, comfort — quietly compete for the throne of your heart Practical Applications: * Examine your heart for rivals — what do you think about most, fear losing most, believe you need to be happy? * Let God's jealousy reveal how deeply you are loved — the infinite God yearns for your heart, and you are intensely pursued * Embrace exclusive devotion — divided hearts lead to divided lives, but when God is truly first, everything else falls into place Your Assignment This Week: Do a heart audit. Ask yourself these three questions: What do I think about most when I have nothing else to think about? What do I fear losing most? What do I believe I need to be happy? Your honest answers might reveal rivals that have crept onto God's throne. Bring what you discover to God in prayer — not with shame, but with honesty — and ask him to reclaim his rightful place in your heart. 💬 Community Question: What's one thing in your life that might be competing with God for your heart's allegiance? It doesn't have to be something bad — it might be something good that's become too ultimate. Naming our idols is often the first step to dethroning them. If you're willing to share, your honesty might help someone else recognize an idol they hadn't noticed in their own life. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com [Charlie@heychurchmedia.com] or just hit the "Send us a text" link below! We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs to hear that God's jealousy is actually love! 📖 Want to go deeper? Grab the Season 2 companion guide book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk [https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2551563/fan_mail/new] Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Follow our channel right HERE [https://www.youtube.com/@EverydayTheologyInPlainEnglish] Get The Books! Grab your copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 Companion Guides from Amazon.com... Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 1 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4oF8lYw] Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 2 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4ux7wEU] You can find ALL of Pastor Charlie's books on Amazon: CLICK HERE to see Pastor Charlie's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlie-Miller/author/B09RTMQCJS] Thanks for listening to Everyday Theology In Plain English!

God Is Perfectly Just (Even When Life Isn’t Fair) - S2E28

The greedy businessman dies wealthy in his sleep. The faithful mother gets cancer at forty-two. The criminal walks free on a technicality. If God is perfectly just, why does life seem so unfair? In this episode, we're wrestling with one of the hardest questions in the Christian faith: how a perfectly just God and an obviously unjust world can both be true at the same time. We'll unpack what God's justice actually means, why it operates on an eternal timeline instead of an immediate one, and how the cross is where justice and mercy meet without either being compromised. If you've ever watched someone get away with evil and wondered where God was — this episode is for you. "The apparent injustice in this world isn't evidence that God is unjust. It's evidence that the final chapter hasn't been written yet. We're living in the middle of the story, and God's justice will have the last word." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * The three dimensions of God's justice: his just rule, his fair distribution, and his punishment of wrongdoing * Why God's justice operates on an eternal timeline, and why that doesn't mean he's indifferent to your pain right now * How the gospel satisfies God's justice while extending mercy — God is both just and the justifier Practical Applications: * Release the burden of vengeance, trusting God's justice frees you from the soul-poison of carrying unpunished wrongs * Find hope in hopeless situations — no injustice will go unaddressed, no victim will be forgotten, and justice will prevail * Let God's justice humble you and drive you to grace, because we're not just victims of injustice, we're also perpetrators who need the cross Your Assignment This Week: Do two things. First, if you're holding onto bitterness toward someone who wronged you, write their name on a piece of paper and pray: "God, I release this person to your justice. I trust you to deal with them rightly, and I let go of my need for vengeance." Second, spend time thanking God that his justice was satisfied at the cross for your sins. Let both truths shape your heart. 💬 Community Question: Have you experienced injustice that still feels unresolved? How does knowing that God will ultimately make all things right affect how you carry that burden? Or maybe you're struggling to trust God's justice because of what you've been through — if so, what would help you take a step toward releasing it to him? Your struggle and your hope might encourage someone else wrestling with the same questions. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com [Charlie@heychurchmedia.com] or just hit the "Send us a text" link below! We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs to hear that God's justice will have the last word! 📖 Want to go deeper? Grab the Season 2 companion guide book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk [https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2551563/fan_mail/new] Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Follow our channel right HERE [https://www.youtube.com/@EverydayTheologyInPlainEnglish] Get The Books! Grab your copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 Companion Guides from Amazon.com... Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 1 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4oF8lYw] Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 2 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4ux7wEU] You can find ALL of Pastor Charlie's books on Amazon: CLICK HERE to see Pastor Charlie's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlie-Miller/author/B09RTMQCJS] Thanks for listening to Everyday Theology In Plain English!

God Is Perfectly Holy (And Still Loves Messy You) - S2E27

When you hear the word "holy," do you picture a stern, frowning God who's disgusted by your sin? What if God's holiness is actually the best news you've ever heard? In this episode, we're diving into God's holiness, the attribute that qualifies every other attribute God has. We'll explore what "holy" actually means, why it's the only attribute repeated three times in Scripture, and how a perfectly pure God can love deeply imperfect people without compromising who he is. If you've ever felt too messy for God, too ashamed to pray, or too far gone to be welcomed — this episode is your answer. "God's holiness demanded that sin be dealt with. God's love provided the solution. At the cross, God's holiness and love met — Jesus bore our sin so that we could be brought into relationship with the holy God." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * What "holy" really means, and why it's the only attribute of God repeated three times by the angels * Why God's holiness isn't a barrier to your relationship with him — it's the foundation for it * How the gospel is the answer to the tension between a perfectly holy God and deeply flawed people Practical Applications: * Approach God with confidence — not confidence in yourself, but in Christ's righteousness credited to your account * Let God's holiness transform your attitude toward sin — pursuing purity out of love, not fear * Worship with appropriate awe — balancing the intimacy of knowing God as Father with reverence for the Holy One Your Assignment This Week: Spend time meditating on Isaiah 6:1–7, Isaiah's vision of God's holiness. Read it slowly. Picture the scene. Let yourself feel the weight of God's holiness. Then notice what God does for Isaiah — he cleanses him and commissions him. Ask God to give you a fresh sense of his holiness and a renewed confidence to approach him through Christ. 💬 Community Question: Has your understanding of God's holiness ever made you feel distant from him, or has it drawn you closer? How has the gospel, the truth that Jesus bridges the gap between holy God and sinful us, changed the way you relate to God? Your honest reflection might help someone else who's wrestling with feeling too messy for a holy God. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com [Charlie@heychurchmedia.com] or just hit the "Send us a text" link below! We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs to hear that God's holiness is good news, not bad news! 📖 Want to go deeper? Grab the Season 2 companion guide book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk [https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2551563/fan_mail/new] Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Follow our channel right HERE [https://www.youtube.com/@EverydayTheologyInPlainEnglish] Get The Books! Grab your copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 Companion Guides from Amazon.com... Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 1 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4oF8lYw] Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 2 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4ux7wEU] You can find ALL of Pastor Charlie's books on Amazon: CLICK HERE to see Pastor Charlie's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlie-Miller/author/B09RTMQCJS] Thanks for listening to Everyday Theology In Plain English!

God Has Always Existed (And Always Will) - S2E26

Try to imagine a time when God didn't exist. A moment before God. An empty void before he showed up. You can't do it, can you? In this episode, we're venturing into brain-stretching territory: God's eternity. We'll explore what it means that God has no beginning and no end, how he experiences all of time at once while we're stuck in the "now," and why this isn't just a philosophical curiosity — it's foundational to how you understand your own life, death, and purpose. If God's eternity has ever felt abstract and disconnected from your real life, this episode will change that. "From God's eternal perspective, there are no surprises. There are no emergencies. There are no 'what ifs.' He sees the whole tapestry while we see only a few threads." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * What it means that God has no beginning and no end — and why time itself is actually a created thing * How God experiences all of history at once — past, present, and future equally present to him * Why God's eternity isn't just mind-bending theology — it's deeply practical for your everyday life Practical Applications: * Reframe your problems — your present crisis is real, but it's not final, because the eternal God sees the whole story * Give weight to what really matters — in light of eternity, what are you investing in that will actually last? * Find hope in the face of death — the eternal God offers eternal life, and death is a doorway, not a dead end Your Assignment This Week: Practice "eternal perspective thinking." When you face a problem, ask yourself, "How does this look from eternity?" When you make decisions, ask, "What am I investing in that has eternal value?" And when you feel the weight of mortality, remember that the eternal God holds your story and the final chapter hasn't been written yet. Journal about what you discover. 💬 Community Question: How does thinking about God's eternity change how you view your current circumstances? Is there a problem you're facing that might look different from an eternal perspective? Or is there something you've been investing time and energy in that you're realizing might not have eternal significance? Share your reflection — it might help someone else gain perspective too. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com [Charlie@heychurchmedia.com] or just hit the "Send us a text" link below! We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs to see their situation from an eternal perspective! 📖 Want to go deeper? Grab the Season 2 companion guide book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk [https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2551563/fan_mail/new] Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Follow our channel right HERE [https://www.youtube.com/@EverydayTheologyInPlainEnglish] Get The Books! Grab your copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 Companion Guides from Amazon.com... Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 1 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4oF8lYw] Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 2 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4ux7wEU] You can find ALL of Pastor Charlie's books on Amazon: CLICK HERE to see Pastor Charlie's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlie-Miller/author/B09RTMQCJS] Thanks for listening to Everyday Theology In Plain English!

God Never Changes (In a World That Won’t Stop Changing) - S2E25

Jobs come and go. Relationships shift. Your body isn't what it was ten years ago. Everything changes — so how do you find something stable to hold onto? In this episode, we're exploring God's unchangeability — what theologians call his "immutability" — and why it's the most stabilizing truth you could ever cling to. We'll unpack what it really means that God never changes, tackle those tricky Bible passages where God seems to "change his mind," and discover why his rock-solid consistency is the anchor your soul has been looking for. If you're in a season of uncertainty and the ground feels like it's shifting beneath your feet, this one is for you. "Every promise in Scripture is backed by the unchanging character of God. When you're clinging to a promise in a storm, you're not holding onto wishful thinking. You're holding onto the word of Someone who cannot lie and will not change his mind." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * What God's unchangeability really means — and the difference between God changing and people experiencing God differently * How to make sense of Bible passages where God seems to "relent" or "change his mind" * Four things about God that never change: his being, his character, his purposes, and his promises Practical Applications: * Find security in an insecure world — God is not like the people who've let you down, and his love won't fade * Trust God's promises with absolute confidence — they don't have fine print, don't expire, and aren't subject to revision * Rest in a love that is permanent — God doesn't love you because of what you do, but because of who he is Your Assignment This Week: Identify an area of your life where you're feeling unstable because of change — your job, relationships, health, or future. Write down one promise from Scripture that speaks to that area. Then every day this week, read that promise and remind yourself: "The God who made this promise does not change. This promise is as reliable as he is." 💬 Community Question: What's one area of your life where you need the stability of God's unchangeability right now? What promise are you holding onto — or what promise do you need help finding? Share with us, and let's encourage each other with the promises of a God who never changes. Email us at Charlie@heychurchmedia.com [Charlie@heychurchmedia.com] or just hit the "Send us a text" link below! We're building something important together in Season 2, and YOUR voice matters. Follow the show so you don't miss the next episode, and share this with someone who needs an anchor in a season of change! 📖 Want to go deeper? Grab the Season 2 companion guide book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk [https://amzn.to/3Nvi2fk] Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2551563/fan_mail/new] Watch our podcast episodes on YouTube. Follow our channel right HERE [https://www.youtube.com/@EverydayTheologyInPlainEnglish] Get The Books! Grab your copy of the Season 1 and Season 2 Companion Guides from Amazon.com... Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 1 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4oF8lYw] Everyday Theology In Plain English: Season 2 Companion Guide [https://amzn.to/4ux7wEU] You can find ALL of Pastor Charlie's books on Amazon: CLICK HERE to see Pastor Charlie's books [https://www.amazon.com/stores/Charlie-Miller/author/B09RTMQCJS] Thanks for listening to Everyday Theology In Plain English!