God Is Love (But What Does That Actually Mean?) - S2E31

God's Mercy: Getting What You Don't Deserve - S2E32

Ever done something you knew was wrong, braced yourself for the consequences — and then received kindness instead? That's mercy. And every single one of us needs it desperately. In this episode, we're exploring God's mercy — the aspect of his love that looks at our sin and says, "I could punish you, but I choose not to." We'll unpack what mercy actually is, how it's different from grace, why the cross is where God's justice and mercy meet, and how understanding it can free you from shame, transform your relationships, and change how you approach God every single day. If you've ever felt disqualified by something in your past, this episode is for you. "The cross is where God said to his justice, 'Sin must be punished,' and to his mercy, 'But not on them.' Jesus took what we deserved so we could receive what we don't deserve." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * The crucial difference between mercy and grace — not getting the bad we deserve vs. getting the good we don't * Five aspects of God's mercy — including the stunning truth that his compassions are new every single morning * Why the throne of heaven is called a throne of grace — not a throne of condemnation Practical Applications: * Let God's mercy free you from the prison of shame — the God who sees you fully has already chosen mercy * Extend mercy to others because you've received mercy — forgiveness isn't optional for the forgiven * Approach God daily without anxiety — you're not relating to a demanding boss, but a merciful Father Your Assignment This Week: Do two things. First, think of one thing in your past that you still carry shame about — something you've confessed but haven't fully released. Bring it to God again, not to re-confess it, but to thank him that his mercy has already covered it. Let it go. Second, think of one person you need to extend mercy to — someone who has wronged you and doesn't deserve your forgiveness. Ask God to help you release them, because you've received mercy you didn't deserve either. 💬 Community Question: Is there something in your past that you've confessed but still carry shame about? What would it look like to truly believe that God's mercy has covered it? Sometimes naming our shame out loud can be the first step to releasing it. Your vulnerability might give someone else permission to let go of the shame they've been carrying 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 hear that God's mercies are new every morning! 📖 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 Love (But What Does That Actually Mean?) - S2E31

"God is love." You've seen it on bumper stickers, heard it at weddings, and read it on greeting cards. But what does it actually mean? In this episode, we're rescuing one of the most familiar phrases in the Bible from cliché territory. We'll explore why "God is love" is more profound than the cosmic-teddy-bear version we've inherited, what makes God's love categorically different from human love, and how to bridge the gap between knowing about God's love in your head and actually experiencing it in your heart. If broken human love has shaped how you hear "God loves you" — this episode is for you. "We love people because of something in them. God loves people because of something in him. His love flows from who he is, not from who we are." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * What "agape" love really means — self-giving, sacrificial love that initiates regardless of cost * Four characteristics of God's love — eternal, unconditional, sacrificial, and personal * Why God's love doesn't cancel out his holiness or justice — they all work together Practical Applications: * Let God's love redefine love for you — don't let broken human love set the ceiling for what God's love must be * Meditate on the cross until it becomes personal — when you doubt God's love, look at how far he was willing to go * Receive God's love and let it overflow to others — you're not the source, you're the conduit Your Assignment This Week: Spend ten minutes each day this week meditating on one passage about God's love. Start with Romans 8:31–39, then move to Ephesians 3:14–19, then 1 John 4:7–19. Don't just read them quickly — sit with them. Ask God to make his love real to your heart, not just your head. Journal about what shifts in your understanding or experience of his love as the week progresses. 💬 Community Question: Do you find it easier to believe that God loves humanity in general, or that God loves you specifically? What makes it hard to receive his love personally? Is it past experiences, a sense of unworthiness, or something else? Your honesty might help someone else who struggles with the same thing realize they're not alone — and that God's love is for them 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 experience God's love as more than just a bumper sticker! 📖 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's Wrath Isn't Anger Issues - S2E30

Lightning bolts from heaven. Fire and brimstone. An unpredictable God with anger issues. Is that really what the Bible means by "the wrath of God"? In this episode, we're tackling one of the most misunderstood attributes of God — and one that many Christians quietly try to edit out. We'll explore what God's wrath actually is (and what it isn't), why it's not the opposite of his love but an expression of it, and how the cross is where wrath and love meet in a way that changes everything. If you've ever wanted to focus on the "nice" parts of God and skip the wrath stuff, this episode will give you a completely different picture. "God's wrath is what his love looks like when it encounters things that harm what he loves. A God who never got angry at evil would not be a loving God. He'd be an indifferent God." In This Episode, You'll Discover: * Why God's wrath is nothing like human anger — it's never irrational, unpredictable, or selfish * How God's wrath is actually an expression of his love — not the opposite of it * What "propitiation" means and why it's the heart of the gospel — Jesus absorbed the wrath we deserved Practical Applications: * Let God's wrath show you how serious sin really is — it's not a minor issue; it cost Jesus everything * Find hope as a victim of evil — God's wrath guarantees that no injustice will ultimately get away unaddressed * Deepen your gratitude for grace — you can't fully appreciate what you've been saved to without understanding what you've been saved from Your Assignment This Week: Read Romans 5:6–11 slowly and carefully. Notice how Paul connects wrath and love, judgment and salvation. Let it sink in that you were once under wrath, but Jesus absorbed it for you. Then spend some time thanking God — not just generally, but specifically — for saving you from the wrath you deserved. Let this deepen your gratitude and transform how you view both your sin and your Savior. 💬 Community Question: Before today, how did you think about God's wrath? Did it seem scary, confusing, or something you tried not to think about? Has this episode changed your perspective at all? Share your honest reaction — whether you're feeling relief, still wrestling, or somewhere in between. Your processing might help someone else work through their own understanding of this important truth. 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 God's wrath as 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'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!