There's an old saying, "If it weren't for your mom, you wouldn't be here!"

Well, that's true in many ways and this podcast is dedicated to honoring all mothers here and around the world. There is a lot of influence on a child's life through the interaction between mother and child, and it's a vital one.

Both Jay and Tom share stories of the moms in their lives and the great impact these women had on their development as a person as well as their walk with the Lord.

They pay special tribute to mothers who have had to take on the role of both parents in raising their children and how important the Body of Christ is to coming along side them in their mission.

The value of motherhood can't be overstated. With the birth rate dropping to below 1.6 children per mother, our nation is looking at some dire consequences as women are either putting off child-rearing until later in life or are choosing not to be a mom at all.

Happy Mother's Day! Moms, you WOW us!

B.I.B.L.E. - Basic Instructions Before Leaving Earth.

Some people become confused when looking at all the translations and paraphrases: KJV, ESV, NIV, The Message, the Jerusalem Bible, the Living Bible, etc.. It can be a little daunting.

The most important thing to know about the Bible is that it is God's Word. The God Who created time, space, and matter, wanted to communicate with us Who He is, how much He loves us, and His plan for our lives.

Plus, we have history, science, and geography in it so we have a perspective of His working with humanity since the beginning of time. The more we read His story, the more intimate we become with Him.

We don't have to be Bible scholars to glean God's truth from His Word. It does take time and focus, but if we do, the Holy Spirit will do exactly what Jesus said He would do, lead us into all truth.

Some people love to argue about the Bible. That's not its purpose...to divide. The Holy Spirit ordered the 40+ authors over 1600 years to pen the words that brings us into a greater knowledge of the One who loves us most.

As Jay loves to say, and Tom heartily agrees:

Get into the Word and let the Word get in you!

Skeptics will be skeptics. And it's a bit understandable when you walk through the Bible and encounter these incredible events that happen that defy logic.

A world-wide flood, donkey speaking, seas and rivers part, ax heads float, hungry lions lose their appetite, flames burn ropes but not skin, quail and manna to feed millions, dead being raised, and a four to six inch thick curtain rips from the top to the bottom: A bit difficult to imagine.

Yeah, there's a lot of head scratching about Biblical occurrences until you put it all in the perspective that the God of time, space, and matter can do anything He chooses.

And especially when He wants to reveal Himself.

These aren't fairy tales or historical fiction but instances where the Father works within His creation in His love and power.

We can accept the unexplainable when it comes to trusting Him. If He put the stars in their places and knows the number of hairs on your head, we can rely on His Word.

Milk.

We all start out drinking it. Babies need this great nutrition to eventually grow into mature, healthy adults. However, we can't live on just milk; physically or spiritually. Otherwise we just end up as "fat babies."

In this podcast, we break down four walks of spiritual life that contradict being a true follower of Jesus Christ. It really does go "Beyond Belief." And it's time we take spiritual inventory to see of any of the following characterize our spiritual lives.

Convenient, Casual, Carnal, and Compromised.

These are four words that should never describe our walk with the Lord. W

Now, we're not here to point fingers or put people's faith under a microscope. But we do want to point out pitfalls of faithlessness that the Holy Spirit can convict us of and lead us into truth.

Resurrection Sunday is an incredible celebration day for believers. It's even more significant than the Incarnation...and that's a big deal.

In this podcast, we look at some of the things people might not consider with just a cursory glimpse at the Biblical account of our Savior's rising from teh dead.

- Were the soldiers at the tomb Roman or Jews?

- Why didn't Jesus die in the horrendous process of His beatings, trials, and crucifixion?

- How do we know Jesus didn't just "swoon" and walk out of the tomb? Did He really and truly die?

- Just how much evidence do we have of the resurrection?

It's a time of both celebration and humility that Jesus Christ would become sin for us so that we can be reconciled to the Father. This was God's plan all along and, when the time was exactly right, He sent His Son to fulfill everything that was prophesied about Him throughout the Old Testament.

Guard at a cemetery? No problem...right?

One of the best ways to help people catch your point is to use an illustration with which they can identify.

- Jesus used parables...often.

- Jan and Tom have used these stories to bring a truth to life throughout their ministries.

These are some of Jay and Tom's favorites. They share these to inspire as well as equip you with an illustration that just might help when you're sharing with someone a truth.

From canoe trips to tennis shoes, you'll see what they're saying. You might say "wow" or "Wow!" as they share stories, some illustrations and some true accounts, that just might make your day.

"If your hair's too long, there's sin in your heart!" - by Billy Strings

Legalism isn't a new thing. Jesus had to deal with it when confronting the Pharisees of His day. Unfortunately, we have some people who have learned well from them, sticking to the letter of the Law.

Instead of being present-day Pharisees, we can overcome that bad spirit with the Word, where we find the antidote.

People judge the outward appearance, both inside and outside the Body of Christ. Unfortunately, that's the nature of worldly people. Christ followers play by a different "rule book"

Instead of "excessive emphasizing of rules and regulations and strict literal adherence to them," we hold to two very vital Godly virtues:

Love and grace.

Last week we dealt with the concept of depression: Where it comes from and the Biblical view of how to more than cope with it.

This week we dig deeper into how the Bible speaks to how we more than just "meditate" or silence ourselves and the voices we often fight. Though changing our thought life (our ruminator) is vital to defeating the oppressive forces, we have been given Biblical truths to both defeat the voices and fill the silence.

Philippians 4:8 and Lamentations 3:21-33 give us tremendous insight to how the Holy Spirit works to transform our minds into thinking God-thoughts. Biblical meditation isn't an emptying of our minds but filling them with His truth. We overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb and by our testimony.

We don't fight feelings, we identify them, and then make them align with the Word of God. Faith overcomes fear. Truth overcomes the lie.