Talk About It

Full Throttle Faith

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/fan_mail/new] Click here to support Talk About It! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support] For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com [http://www.donmsmith.com/] Welcome to Season 10! We’re kicking off a brand‑new series called Full Throttle—and this season is all about what it looks like to live wide open, pedal to the metal, all in for Jesus. Let’s be honest: too much of modern Christianity looks like a casual Sunday afternoon drive. We coast. We take our foot off the accelerator. “It’s not convenient to go to church today.” “I don’t have time to read my Bible.” We’ve lost our fizz, our bubble—we’re lukewarm, and Jesus said He’d rather spit that out. But within every one of us is a call to run—not just to finish, but to win. Paul says, “Run in such a way as to get the prize” (1 Corinthians 9:24). Of over 300 leaders in the Bible, only one‑third finished in the will of God. I don’t want to run hard and finish soft. I want to reach full stride at the finish line. Full Throttle is an all‑or‑nothing proposition. No middle ground. You can’t keep one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom—you’ll just get hurt. We’ve turned the Gospel into a buffet: “I’ll take forgiveness and heaven, but skip sexual purity, honesty, and tithing.” That’s not following Jesus—that’s inviting Jesus to follow you. Many call Him Savior but have never surrendered to Him as Lord. They’ve bought in, but they haven’t sold out. God, on the other hand, went all in for us. He didn’t hold back His only Son. Jesus didn’t go part of the way—He went to the cross for all our sin, all our sickness. The Gospel costs us nothing, but it demands everything. It’s free, yet it requires your life. So here’s the question: Are you daily having a Bible time that changes you? Are you daily worshipping, submitting, and saying, “Search me, God”? Are you sacrificing your time, money, and comfort for the King who gave everything for you? It’s time to quit living as if the goal is to arrive at death safely. I don’t want to coast into heaven. I want to go in full stride, pedal to the metal, running to win. Let’s shift into First Gear. Let’s go Full Throttle. Key Scriptures: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Acts 20:24; Luke 9:23-24; 2 Corinthians 5:21 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support]

Victim to Victor Part 8 - It Aint Over Part 2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/fan_mail/new] Click here to support Talk About It! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support] For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com [http://www.donmsmith.com/] We've reached the season finale of Victim to Victor, and we're ending exactly where we need to be: standing face to face with the stone that says "The End. Hopeless. It's Over." In this episode, we return to Lazarus in John 11. He's dead. Four days dead. Mary and Martha have rolled the victimhood gravestone over the door of their faith. They met Jesus not as victors, but as victims: "If you had been here, our brother wouldn't have died." But Jesus doesn't rebuke them. He speaks to their faith. "Did I not say that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" The first resurrection that day wasn't Lazarus—it was the faith of Mary and Martha. Maybe you're looking at your own victimhood gravestone today: * A marriage hanging by a thread, no spark left. * A relationship with your child that feels dead. * Sickness that has ruled the day. * Financial struggle with no way out. * A walk with God so cold you don't even feel His presence anymore. The devil wants you to call it done. Pull the plug. Roll the stone and walk away. But this is the moment for Holy Ghost paddles. You've been praying and seeing nothing but flatline. Don't quit. One more shock, and you could have conversion—from sickness to health, sorrow to joy, bound to free. You're on the verge of a breakthrough. On the edge of a miracle. When Jesus finally said, "Take away the stone," Martha wavered: "Lord, by this time he stinks." Translation: We've moved on. We don't want to be victims again. But Jesus jolted them back: I'm not afraid of the stink of victimhood. Then He cried out, "Lazarus, come forth!" And the dead man came out, still wrapped in grave clothes. Jesus gave the final command: "Loose him, and let him go." That's what God is saying to you today: Victimhood, loose him and let him go. We close with the rest of the story—Lazarus sitting at the table with Jesus, and people coming not just to see Jesus, but the man who was dead and raised. They couldn't dispute the miracle. And they believed. Psalm 126 says, "When the Lord turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream. Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing." God is about to do something so magnificent, you'll say, "Somebody pinch me—this is too good to be true." No, it's not too good to be true. It's because we serve a too big God, a too much God. Not just the God of enough—the God of too much. I prophesy: You're next in line. Say it with me one last time: * I don't believe it's over. * I am not a victim. * I am a victor. Key Scriptures: John 11:38-44, John 12:1-2, 9-11; Psalm 126:1-3 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support]

Victim to Victor Part 7 - It Aint Over Part 1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/fan_mail/new] Click here to support Talk About It! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support] For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com [http://www.donmsmith.com/] Have you ever looked at a situation that had "done, finished, just give up" written all over it? We've all been there. The devil thrives on our pain and frustration, but God specializes in taking the worst and making it a doorway to His greatest glory. In this episode, we turn to one of the most powerful stories in Scripture: the death and resurrection of Lazarus (John 11). Mary and Martha watched their brother get sick, then die. They sent for Jesus. He didn't come. He waited—deliberately—until Lazarus had been in the tomb for four days. Why the delay? Because God was going for a greater glory. If Jesus had healed Lazarus before he died, people would have said he wasn't really that sick. But raising a dead man? That's undeniable. Here's the hard truth we rarely recognize: When we cry out for a miracle, we assume God's full attention is on our need. But God's ultimate desire is to grow us up, reveal Himself more fully, mature our faith, and be glorified. He is more committed to your confidence in Him than to your immediate comfort. Mary and Martha had "we believe you can heal him" faith. But when Lazarus died, their faith died too. They rolled the stone over the tomb—not just a boulder, but a victimhood gravestone that said, "Our victory ends here." When Jesus finally came, they met Him as victims, scolding Him: "If you had been here, our brother wouldn't have died." But Jesus wasn't after a healing. He was after the focus of their hearts. This is hard to swallow, but it's the key to moving from victim to victor: God loves you dearly, but His ultimate reason for everything He does is His own glory. That means when He does it, how He does it, where He does it—even if He doesn't do it at all—everything is determined by the degree of glory it will bring to Him. Your victory has everything to do with His glory. If God leaves you as a victim, it robs Him of glory. So hold on. Don't roll the stone closed on your situation. The battle isn't about you fighting the devil—victory is ultimately about worship. Who will you serve? You serve what you worship. Fear, doubt, bitterness, hopelessness—these are symptoms of victimhood. But when you intentionally worship God, even in the delay, you step into victory. It ain't over till the Victor sings. And the Victor is Jesus. Key Scriptures: John 11:1-6, 11-44 Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support]

Victim to Victor Part 6 - Next Steps Part 2

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/fan_mail/new] Click here to support Talk About It! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support] For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com [http://www.donmsmith.com/] We've talked about the need to cross over—to stop standing still and start moving forward. But howdo we actually make that transition from victim to victor? In this episode, we unpack five concrete steps from Joshua 3–5 that show us the way. 1. Keep your eyes on God. Joshua told the people to focus on the Ark of the Covenant—the visible symbol of God's presence. Today, we have the Spirit living in our hearts. In every transition—marriage, parenting, career, cancer, empty nest—God says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding" (Proverbs 3:5-6). Don't look at the giants. Look at the Guide. 2. Prepare your heart. "Sanctify yourselves," Joshua commanded. Not because holiness is earned, but because transition demands renewed consecration. We are a chosen people, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). In times of change, we need to become even more conscious of God's presence and set ourselves apart for His purposes. 3. Move out! The priests had to step into the overflowing Jordan before the waters stopped. Not after. God often waits for our first step. Don't be the person who always prepares but never pulls the trigger. There comes a moment to commit, to risk, to get your feet wet. "He who began a good work in you will complete it" (Philippians 1:6). 4. Make a testimony. God commanded Israel to take twelve stones from the riverbed as a memorial for future generations. Why? Because we have poor memories. Those times when God provided at the last minute? Cherish them. Pass them on. Your testimony isn't just for you—it strengthens others facing their own Jordan. 5. Surrender. Before Joshua could face Jericho, he met the Commander of the Lord's army. Joshua asked, "Are you for us or for our enemies?" The answer? "Neither. I've come to take over." The question isn't whether God is on your side—it's whether you're on His. Joshua fell on his face and worshiped. That's surrender. And that's where victory begins. We close with the rest of Lisa's story. Her next step was forgiveness—years before that phone call ever came. When the moment arrived, she was ready. What is your Jordan? The full surrender that must precede taking hold of God's promise? Focus your eyes. Consecrate your life. Move out. Remember. Surrender. The path from victimhood to victory is simply the next step. Key Scriptures: Joshua 3:1-5, 4:1-7, 5:13-15; Proverbs 3:5-6; Philippians 1:6; 1 Peter 2:9; Isaiah 43:2-3 (The Message) Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support]

Victim to Victor Part 5 - Next Steps Part 1

Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/fan_mail/new] Click here to support Talk About It! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support] For more information or booking details, visit www.donmsmith.com [http://www.donmsmith.com/] We continue our Victim to Victor series with a powerful truth: The journey from victim to victor requires leaving. The paralysis of victimhood is simply not knowing how to leave. Life is full of turning points—transitions from one stage to another. Childhood to adolescence. School to work. Marriage, grief, relocation, aging. Change is inevitable, whether we choose it or it’s forced upon us. The secret to success in any transition? Attitude. In this episode, we look at Israel’s second great crossing—not the Red Sea, but the Jordan River (Joshua 3). The Red Sea ended 430 years of slavery. The Jordan ended 40 years of wilderness wandering—years of going in circles, striving but never arriving, living by sight, fearing the enemy, and being constantly reminded of past failures. Standing on the banks of the Jordan, the Israelites faced a new obstacle. Behind them was the barren wasteland of discipline. Ahead were walled cities, armies, and giants. Forty years earlier, their parents refused this same transition. But this generation, under Joshua, was ready. The crossing of the Jordan is not just an escape—it’s a whole new way of living. Victims spend their lives trying to escape what happened to them. Victors discover a new way of living. We share a deeply personal moment: Lisa’s flashback years into our marriage. Why would God allow that painful memory to resurface? Because that moment became her turning point—no longer just trying to escape the trauma of that night, but a true crossover from victim to victor. Transition is bittersweet. It’s freedom and fear all at once. It’s scary to stop trusting your own resources and start trusting God completely. But the question is: Will you cower in fear of what lies on the other side, or will you move forward in confidence to enter a new place of promise? It’s time to take your next step. Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2510215/support]