EP 35: A Sit Down with John | God Was in the Detours

EP 38: The Doors 🚪

In this message, we look at the beginning of Moses’ story and how God opens doors that no one can shut. Before Moses ever parted the Red Sea, God was already working through the chaos, preparing him for a calling he did not fully understand yet. Key takeaways: * God can use even chaos as preparation * The enemy uses fear, doubt, and insecurity to keep us from walking through God’s open doors * Moses asked, “Who am I?” and God answered, “I will be with you” * Your sin does not cancel your calling * God considers us trustworthy for His service * The purpose of our calling is to build up the body of Christ This episode is a reminder that God has placed open doors before us. The question is whether we will trust Him enough to walk through. This message was recorded at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado, CA, a space so kindly gifted to us on Saturday mornings by Rev. Michael Murphy. Visit ⁠SacredHeartCor.org⁠ [ SacredHeartCor.org] to learn more about this beautiful community. Visit ⁠IronPhoenix.org⁠ [IronPhoenix.org] to learn how you can get involved and see the incredible people already making an impact through this movement.

EP 37: Seen vs. Unseen

In this message, we talk about what the unseen really is: faith. Using Mark 2 and the story of the paralyzed man carried by four friends, we look at how faith is more than a feeling. Faith trusts God’s plan, takes action, keeps its eyes on Jesus, and helps carry others when they are weak. Key takeaways: * We walk by faith, not by sight * Even mustard-seed faith can move mountains * Real faith does not just believe, it acts * Jesus cares about the heart first * Strong community and brotherhood matter in the walk with Christ * Your faith can help carry someone else to Jesus We also look at Hebrews 11, the Hall of Faith, and the challenge it gives us: Will we trust God in what we can see, or in what we cannot? This episode is a reminder to keep your eyes on Jesus, trust Him through the chaos, and walk by faith when life feels uncertain. This message was recorded at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado, CA, a space so kindly gifted to us on Saturday mornings by Rev. Michael Murphy. Visit SacredHeartCor.org [ SacredHeartCor.org] to learn more about this beautiful community. Visit IronPhoenix.org [IronPhoenix.org] to learn how you can get involved and see the incredible people already making an impact through this movement.

EP 36: External vs. Internal

In this message, we walk through the story of Balaam in Numbers 22–24 and ask a bigger question: what happens when someone looks right on the outside, but their heart is divided on the inside? Balaam speaks God’s words and blesses Israel instead of cursing them, but the full story shows something deeper. His actions looked obedient externally, yet internally his heart was still drawn toward reward, compromise, and divided motives. Key focus points: * Why Balaam’s journey mattered * The meaning behind the talking donkey * Why God’s anger showed up on the road * Why blessing kept coming instead of cursing * What Balaam’s ending reveals about the heart Big takeaway: This episode is a warning against living with a divided heart. You can say the right things, look spiritual on the outside, and still be drifting inwardly. God is not after surface-level obedience. He wants full surrender. Do not be lukewarm. Do not live externally for God while internally serving the world. What is in your heart will show up in the end. This message was recorded at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado, CA, a space so kindly gifted to us on Saturday mornings by Rev. Michael Murphy. Visit SacredHeartCor.org [https://sacredheartcor.org/] to learn more about this beautiful community. Visit IronPhoenix.org [https://www.ironphoenix.org/]to learn how you can get involved and see the incredible people already making an impact through this movement.

EP 35: A Sit Down with John | God Was in the Detours

In this powerful first testimony episode, John shares his journey from feeling lost and directionless to discovering purpose, faith, and resilience. Growing up in New Jersey, John chased identity through sports, relationships, partying, and college life, only to find himself deeper in confusion and emptiness. After a series of life-altering moments including a near-death experience and unexpected encounters that pointed him toward God, John began searching for meaning beyond the distractions of the world. That search eventually led him to pursue the Navy SEAL pipeline and later face the crushing disappointment of leaving BUD/S. Through failure, anger, and time in the Phoenix program, John wrestled with identity, purpose, and faith. But God wasn’t finished with his story. In this episode, Duke and John talk about: * Growing up chasing identity through sports and relationships * The emptiness of partying, drugs, and temporary escapes * A mysterious encounter that may have saved John’s life * Discovering faith and the slow transformation that followed * The pressure and reality of BUD/S training * The emotional impact of quitting and life in the Phoenix program * Finding purpose again through faith, discipline, and brotherhood * How God redirected John’s path back to San Diego and toward a new mission John’s story is a reminder that failure does not define you, and that God often works through the detours we never planned. Sometimes the reset we fear is the very thing that leads us where we were meant to go. If you want to support Iron Phoenix head to https://www.ironphoenix.org/ [https://www.ironphoenix.org/]

EP 34: Confronted, Not Convinced

In this message, we talk about the difference between being convinced (talking yourself into something that feels “right” in the moment) and being confronted (God shining a light on what is actually happening, so you can reset and heal). Using Saul’s story, we see how someone can be deeply motivated, disciplined, and even sincerely convinced they are “doing the right thing” while walking completely in the wrong direction. Then Jesus steps in, confronts him, and everything changes. Core story: Saul (later Paul) in Acts • Highly educated, trained under a top rabbi, zealous for God • Convinced Christianity is dangerous, becomes relentless in destroying the church • Present at Stephen’s stoning and approves the persecution • Confronted by Jesus on the road to Damascus, blinded for three days • Not punishment, but a forced pause, a humbling silence, and a reset • Ananias is sent to him, Saul receives sight, is filled with the Holy Spirit, and is baptized Key Scriptures: • Acts 22:3 — Saul’s background and training • Acts 8:3 — Saul destroys the church, house to house • Acts 7:54–58 — Stephen’s stoning, Saul’s approval • Acts 9:1–19 — confrontation on the road, blindness, Ananias, baptism • 1 Corinthians 15:9–10 — “least of the apostles” but grace defines him • 1 Timothy 1:15–16 — “worst of sinners” yet shown mercy as an example Big takeaways: • Sometimes God does not slow you down, He knocks you down, not to destroy you, but to keep you from destroying yourself. • Being confronted can feel uncomfortable, but it is often love in action, not condemnation. • Your past does not cancel your purpose. Saul was still called a chosen instrument. • God redirects what feels “wasted” in you and uses it for good. Nothing is wasted. • You are not trash, not too far gone, not disqualified. You are loved, chosen, and called. Bottom line: Do not stay convinced in the wrong direction. Let God confront you, reset you, and remind you who you are. This message was recorded at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Coronado, CA, a space so kindly gifted to us by Rev. Michael Murphy that we have been in for over a month now. Visit SacredHeartCor.org to learn more about this beautiful community. Visit IronPhoenix.org to learn how you can get involved and see the incredible people already making an impact through this movement.