"When Strength Becomes An Idol"

"Beyond Going Through the Motions: Building a Trellis for Spiritual Growth"

KINGDOM CORNER PODCAST Reading Room Series: Practicing the Way Episode Title: Continuing the Practices (Part 3): Building a Trellis for Transformation Episode Summary In this episode of The Kingdom Corner Reading Room, we continue our journey through John Mark Comer's book Practicing the Way. Matt explores several of the core practices that have shaped followers of Jesus for centuries: prayer, fasting, Scripture, community, generosity, service, and witness. More than religious activities, these practices are invitations to meet God in His transforming presence. The goal is not simply to "do more" but to arrange our lives in such a way that being with Jesus and becoming like Him naturally flows into doing as He did. Matt also shares a personal spiritual inventory, reflecting on areas of strength, areas of growth, and the importance of allowing the Holy Spirit to lead the process of transformation rather than falling into legalistic striving. Key Themes Discussed • Prayer as communion with God, not merely asking for things • Four dimensions of prayer: talking to God, talking with God, listening to God, and simply being with God • Fasting as praying with the body and breaking the power of the flesh • Scripture as the primary means of renewing the mind • Community as God's design for healing and spiritual formation • Generosity as participating in God's self-giving love • Service as a pathway to freedom from self-centeredness • Witness as extending God's hospitality and welcome to others • Conducting a personal spiritual inventory • Moving beyond "going through the motions" into genuine transformation Key Quotes "We can offer any of these activities or practices to God in hope that He will fill these spaces with His transforming presence." "You have to show up for prayer, and you have to show up regularly." "Fasting truly is a lost discipline whose time has come." "We generally sin alone, but we heal together." "It is happier to give than to receive." "The goal is not simply doing the practices. The goal is becoming like Jesus." Reflection Questions 1. Which of the nine practices is currently strongest in your life, and which one needs the most attention? 2. Are these practices flowing out of a relationship with Jesus, or have they become routine religious activities? 3. Where might God be inviting you to become more intentional in prayer, fasting, Scripture, generosity, service, or community? 4. What practical step could you take this week to create more space for God's transforming presence? Scripture References • Psalm 46:10 • Romans 12:1-2 • Philippians 2:13 • Mark 10:45 • Acts 20:35 Final Thought Transformation rarely happens by accident. Just as a trellis supports the growth of a healthy vine, spiritual practices create space for God to shape our hearts. The invitation is not to strive harder, but to intentionally place ourselves before God and trust Him to do what only He can do.

"The subtle Collapse: When Success Becomes The Test"

In this episode of The Kingdom Corner, we continue the Stewardship of Power arc by looking at the life of Solomon and the subtle danger of success. Solomon began well. He asked God for wisdom, not wealth, power, or fame. Yet over time, blessing became a test. Wealth multiplied. Influence expanded. His reputation grew. But beneath the surface, his heart began to drift. This episode explores how success can become just as dangerous as adversity when it slowly replaces dependence on God. We look at Solomon’s divided heart, the warning of Laodicea, the confession of Ecclesiastes, and the historical example of Ulysses S. Grant, whose success as a general created new tests as president. The central question is simple but searching: after all God has entrusted to us, does He still have our heart? Key Scriptures: 1 Kings 3:5–14 1 Kings 11:1–13 Revelation 3:14–22 Ecclesiastes 12:13–14 James 1:14–15 Reflection Questions: 1. What blessing, success, opportunity, or area of influence has God entrusted to me in this season? 2. Am I stewarding it as an owner, or as a servant of the King? 3. What voices or influences are shaping my decisions right now? 4. Am I as dependent upon God today as I was when I first began seeking Him? At the end of his life, Solomon discovered that wisdom, wealth, achievement, and influence were never the destination. They were tests. The destination was always God. If you receive encouragement & Blessing from our efforts Please consider supporting the efforts here at the kingdom Corner Podcast www.buymeacoffee.com/pZ923Ye7Ge

The Practices Defined~Pt. 2

KINGDOM CORNER READING ROOM THE PRACTICES DEFINED (PART 2) JUNE 5, 2026 In this episode of the Kingdom Corner Reading Room, we continue our journey through Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer. What exactly are spiritual disciplines? Are they merely religious habits, or are they something much deeper? We explore the idea that spiritual disciplines are not ways to earn God's approval, but rather ways of positioning ourselves to receive His transforming grace. As Dallas Willard and other Christian thinkers remind us, transformation is a partnership with God. We make space; God does the transforming. This episode also introduces the first two core practices of Jesus: * Sabbath * Solitude and Silence These foundational practices help us slow down, hear God's voice, cultivate joy, and live from a place of rest rather than exhaustion. IN THIS EPISODE * A spiritual discipline as a way to access God's power * The partnership between God's work and our participation * Why transformation is impossible through willpower alone * Turning everyday activities into channels of grace * The importance of Sabbath in an exhausted culture * Solitude and silence as gateways to God's presence * Why rest and quiet are essential for spiritual formation * Practical ways to create space for God in everyday life KEY QUOTE > "A spiritual discipline is a way to access God's power because we are making ourselves available to Him." REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Is there an activity you already enjoy—walking, gardening, fishing, exercise, reading, or another hobby—that could become a spiritual practice through intentional awareness of God's presence? 2. How practiced are you in solitude before God? When was the last time you simply listened rather than spoke? 3. Are you living from a place of rest, or from a place of constant exhaustion and hurry? SCRIPTURE REFERENCES * Philippians 2:13 * Romans 6:13 * Matthew 11:28-30 * Mark 1:35 * Luke 5:16 FINAL THOUGHT The goal of spiritual disciplines is not performance but transformation. We are not trying to impress God; we are learning to make room for Him. As we slow down, rest, listen, and practice His presence, God gradually reshapes our hearts into the likeness of Christ. Keep seeking. Keep growing. Keep listening. One day at a time. Kingdom Corner Podcast Helping you live the Kingdom culture on earth as it is in heaven. 📖 Searching for Significance: A Devotional Journey Through Ecclesiastes Available through the Significance Academy. ☕ If these teachings encourage and strengthen your faith journey, consider supporting the ministry through Buy Me a Coffee. Your support helps continue the work of teaching, podcasting, and equipping others to walk with Christ in everyday life.buymeacoffee.com/ [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pZ923Ye7Ge]pZ923Ye7Ge [https://www.buymeacoffee.com/pZ923Ye7Ge]

"The Practices Defined"

KINGDOM CORNER READING ROOM THE PRACTICES DEFINED PRACTICING THE WAY – JOHN MARK COMER Episode Date: June 4, 2026 In today's Reading Room, Matt continues through Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer, exploring what spiritual practices are—and perhaps more importantly, what they are not. Many believers have wrestled with the tension between personal effort and dependence upon God's grace. Are spiritual disciplines simply religious routines? Are they a way to earn God's favor? Or are they something deeper? Drawing from Comer's teaching, this episode examines how the practices of Jesus are not ends in themselves, but pathways that position us to receive the transforming work of the Holy Spirit. IN THIS EPISODE * Why spiritual disciplines are a means, not the destination * The difference between formation and mere religious activity * Why love—not discipline—is the true measure of spiritual maturity * How practices can become lifeless routines when disconnected from relationship * The danger of using spiritual disciplines for appearances or self-righteousness * Why spiritual practices are not about earning God's approval * Understanding the difference between "trying harder" and "training wiser" * How disciplines create space for God's grace and transformation KEY QUOTE > "Spiritual disciplines are the Jesus-designed way of offering yourself to God so that you can draw on what the Apostle Paul called grace—the empowering presence of God's Spirit." POWERFUL INSIGHT A discipline is: > "Any activity I can do by direct effort that will eventually enable me to do what I currently cannot do by direct effort." Just as athletes train to become capable of what they cannot yet do naturally, disciples practice the way of Jesus so they can increasingly live and love as He did. REFLECTION QUESTIONS 1. Do you see spiritual disciplines primarily as religious duties, or as ways of making yourself available to God's transforming presence? 2. Where in your life are you trying harder when God may be inviting you to train differently? 3. Are your spiritual habits producing greater love, joy, and Christlikeness—or simply maintaining routine? 4. What is one practice that consistently helps you become more aware of God's presence? FINAL THOUGHT The goal of spiritual disciplines is not performance but formation. Prayer, Scripture reading, worship, Sabbath, community, and service are not spiritual scorecards. They are invitations into a life with God. As followers of Jesus, we do not practice these things to earn His love. We practice them because we are loved, and through them we learn to live more deeply in that love. Join us tomorrow as we continue exploring the practices of Jesus and how they shape a Rule of Life that leads not to legalism, but to freedom, joy, and transformation. RESOURCES * Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did by John Mark Comer * Searching for Significance: A Devotional Journey Through Ecclesiastes by Matthew Geib The Kingdom Corner Podcast Helping believers pursue Kingdom living, spiritual formation, and a deeper walk with Christ.

"David: The Shepherd, The King, & The Heart of God"

KINGDOM CORNER PODCAST THE SHEPHERD, THE KING, AND THE HEART BEHIND THE THRONE STEWARDSHIP OF POWER SERIES – EPISODE 3 David is one of the most beloved figures in all of Scripture—a shepherd, warrior, worshiper, nation-builder, and king. Yet his story is also one of failure, repentance, mercy, and redemption. In this episode, we continue our Stewardship of Power series by exploring the life of David and asking one of history's most important questions: What kind of person can truly be trusted with power? From the shepherd fields of Bethlehem to the throne room of Jerusalem, David's life reveals that the greatest issue is never power itself—it is the condition of the heart that holds it. Along the way we discover: * Why God often forms character in obscurity before granting influence * The lessons David learned as a shepherd long before becoming king * Why waiting for God's timing may be one of the greatest tests of leadership * How David united a nation through both spiritual and civic leadership * The dangers that accompany success, influence, and unchecked authority * David's failure with Bathsheba and the power of genuine repentance * The cost of leadership and the burdens hidden behind the crown * Why future kings were measured against David despite his imperfections * How David ultimately points us to Jesus, the greater Son of David This episode reminds us that greatness is not found in perfection, but in a heart that continually turns back toward God. KEY SCRIPTURES * Psalm 27:4 * 1 Samuel 16 * 1 Samuel 17 * 1 Samuel 24 * 1 Samuel 26 * 2 Samuel 5–7 * 2 Samuel 11–12 * Psalm 51 * Isaiah 22:22 * Revelation 3:7 * Mark 10:47 QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION 1. David was capable of both great faithfulness and great failure. How do I respond when confronted with my own weaknesses and shortcomings? 2. What am I truly pursuing right now—power, success, comfort, recognition, or a deeper relationship with God? 3. If others evaluated my life, what consistent pattern would they see? What kind of legacy am I building in my family, church, community, or sphere of influence? 4. Am I placing my confidence primarily in human leaders, institutions, and earthly kingdoms, or in Jesus Christ, the King whose kingdom will never end? MEMORABLE THOUGHT > "David's greatness was not that he pursued power. Despite all his failures, he never stopped pursuing the heart of God." CLOSING ENCOURAGEMENT David's story reminds us that God is not searching for perfect people. He is looking for hearts that remain responsive to Him. Whether we lead a nation, a business, a church, a family, or simply steward the influence God has entrusted to us, the greatest issue is not the amount of power we possess—but the condition of the heart that guides it. In the end, the future of a king, a nation, a church, a family, and a life is determined not merely by the power it holds, but by the heart that directs it. NEXT ON THE KINGDOM CORNER Join us Thursday and Friday in the Reading Room as we continue through John Mark Comer's Practicing the Way: Be With Jesus, Become Like Him, Do As He Did. Until next time, keep pursuing the heart of God.