What if the comfort we thank God for quietly becomes the thing we trust instead of Him? Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar examine how comfort becomes an idol, starting with the abundance many Americans experience. The guys explain that comfort itself is not sinful; the danger arises when it pushes God to the background. They explore common idols and offer a revealing test: what happens when something we depend on is taken away? Losing health, finances, or relationships can reveal whether our hope is in Christ.

The discussion then moves beyond material comfort to address physical suffering and the expectation of an easy life. They challenge the American dream’s pursuit of comfort and explain that discomfort is not an abnormal interruption of the Christian life. Believers are called to give thanks, rejoice in the Lord, and worship even when circumstances are painful. The guys examine how anger and anxiety can reveal a threatened idol. They point to Philippians 2 and the call to shine as lights in a crooked generation, showing that Christian responses to discomfort can reflect Christ.

From there, the conversation turns to how comfort can keep believers from following God’s calling. The guys discuss the safest place to be, which is at the center of God’s will, even when that means danger, ridicule, or suffering. They consider how God can use financial pressure, a wayward child, sickness, and other trials to deepen prayer and remove weights that keep believers from Him. Rather than making comfort the goal, the guys emphasize sanctification and becoming more like Christ. They use the images of a child who cannot understand a painful medical procedure and of a sculptor chiseling stone to explain how God may be doing something good even when His work is painful and beyond our understanding.

The final portion turns to Job, suffering, and what it means to follow Christ when obedience costs something. Job’s response to devastating loss reminds the guys that God remains worthy of worship in both prosperity and adversity. Ray reflects on his excruciating kidney stone and how the Lord used that suffering to deepen his gratitude, empathy, and compassion. The guys connect this to Christ’s call to bear the cross, explaining that following Jesus means dying to self, plans, reputation, and comfort. They close by confronting the temptation to use grace as an excuse for compromise, emphasizing that genuine faith produces repentance and fruit. Ultimately, the goal is not a comfortable life but living in communion with Christ.

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.
Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.

You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!
Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

What if the desire to do everything ourselves is keeping us from trusting God? Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar explore the difference between biblical responsibility and self-reliance, examining how people look for strength, security, and relief elsewhere rather than in the Lord. The guys discuss how self-reliance can even disguise itself as devotion, as people seek relief through their own efforts or other forms of self-medication. They return to the reality that righteousness cannot be earned and that true reliance means trusting and depending on God.

The conversation then turns to God's sovereignty and human responsibility. The guys explain that God has chosen to work through the means He provides, assigning believers responsibilities while remaining sovereign over the outcome. Planning and effort are not the problem; the question is whether they are done in dependence on the Lord. They compare the Christian life to sailing, where we set the sails but depend on the wind to move us. Prayer should be the default response. The guys encourage listeners to pray without ceasing, trust the Lord rather than their own understanding, and acknowledge Him in every part of life. Faithfulness means moving forward while leaving the results to God.

Trust is not merely believing that God will give us the outcome we want, but believing that whatever He allows, He is still working for our good and shaping our character. The guys challenge listeners to consider their warhorse, the thing they hide behind, whether it is power, reputation, beauty, or ability. They discuss how Western culture celebrates independence and how easily that mindset can influence Christians. Yet dependence on God does not mean refusing the means He has provided. It means recognizing that everything we have is ultimately from Him and being willing to seek counsel, correction, and support from other believers.

The guys discuss how difficulty receiving criticism can reveal a heart that has forgotten its helplessness, because the gospel begins with admitting we cannot save ourselves. They turn to trials and grace, emphasizing that grace is not something we earn and is not merely what saves us at conversion. God's grace sustains us throughout the Christian life. They ultimately trace self-reliance back to Adam and Eve's desire for independence from God. The gospel brings us to the end of ourselves, reconciles us to our Maker, and teaches us to abide in Christ, like branches that depend on the vine, and to trust His strength rather than our own.

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.
Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.

You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!
Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro

What happens when we deny that sin is part of who we are? Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar examine the dangers of denying original sin, beginning with the biblical teaching that Adam's disobedience brought sin and death into the world. They explain why the doctrine matters as people increasingly view humanity as basically good. They trace the idea from Pelagius through Locke, Rousseau, Marx, Freud, and the self-esteem movement. The explanation for human brokenness shifted farther from the heart and toward society and circumstances.

The conversation then returns to the biblical diagnosis of human nature. The guys discuss what it means to be sinners by nature and by choice, emphasizing that a sinful nature does not remove personal guilt. If sin were merely bad behavior, better morals would be enough, but Scripture presents a deeper problem that requires a new heart. They compare denying sin's root to treating symptoms rather than the disease. From there, they clarify total depravity, explaining that it does not mean people are as evil as they could possibly be. Rather, every part of a person is affected by sin, while common grace still allows unbelievers to do genuine good.

The discussion moves from the problem of sin to why this doctrine should drive believers toward grace. The guys explain that denying original sin lays the foundation for self-righteousness, while recognizing the depth of sin makes Christ's mercy all the more glorious. They reflect on preaching the gospel to yourself and remembering that Christ saves sinners who cannot rescue themselves. Ray connects this to the law of God, explaining that the law serves as a mirror, revealing what is already present in the human heart. It exposes guilt and shows why they need a Savior.

The guys talk about applying original sin to the Christian life and the question of authority. They explain that seeing the depths of their own hearts should prompt believers to run toward God rather than become self-righteous, and that Romans 7 can be understood as an increasing awareness of our dependence on grace. Sanctification is not merely becoming better people but growing deeper in our understanding of the grace that saves and keeps us. Mark encourages preaching the gospel to yourself, remembering that Christ has already dealt with your sin and that your past does not have the final word. Rather than letting awareness of depravity drive you into despair, let it drive you toward Christ, because recognizing how deeply you need grace is part of growing in dependence on Him.

Send us Fan Mail

Thanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating!

Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!
You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.
Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.

You can connect with us at podcast@livingwaters.com. We're thankful for your input!
Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.
Ray Comfort
Emeal (“E.Z.”) Zwayne
Mark Spence
Oscar Navarro