Episodes
Hard tp believe we've made it to episode 17. I want anyone who's been here from the beginning to know that I appreciate you.
Today on the For Real Life & Godliness podcast we are going to discuss the dualistic spirit the church seems to have towards the obvious commands of God: our propensity to do what we're told not to, & not to do what we are told to. (Kind of a Roman 7 dilemma but not really; more of. Galatians 1 issue)
We'll be looking at Titus 3 verses 8 & 9.
The doctrine of good works & why the Church neglects it | FRLG | Ep 17
Hard to believe It's been a year since the For Real Life & Godliness podcast kicked off.
On today's podcast, I want to introduce myself to those who don't know me and reintroduce myself to those who do. I want to provide a better perspective on why translating the Word of God into "Real Life" is such an essential part of my personal philosophy and why it should be for you as well.
What did God say?? | How to interpret the Bible | Part 2
Most people today are looking for what the Bible is saying to them & paying no attention to what the Bible is simply saying. This is why we have so much confusion within the Church, & even within local bodies of believers. But it shouldn't be this complicated! Today we discuss the very basics of interpreting the Bible (Hermeneutics) & how you can finally read the Bible properly & "rightly divide the Word Truth."
Episode 15 | Why you can't understand the Bible you're reading | Part 1 | Context
How many times have you read a portion of scripture with the express purpose of finding "what it means to you."? Would it shock you to know that is the exact opposite of how you're supposed to read it? Most people today are looking for what the Bible is saying to them & paying no attention to what the Bible is simply saying. This is why we have so much confusion within the Church, & even within local bodies of believers. But it shouldn't be this complicated! Today we discuss the very basics of interpreting the Bible (Hermeneutics) & how you can finally read the Bible properly & "rightly divide the Word Truth."
Episode 14 | Taylor Swift, Harrison Butker & the REAL problem with our society
With so many real problems happening in our world today, it's ludicrous that our society chooses to spend its energy arguing about people like Taylor Swift, Harrison Butker, or eclipses & comets (Or any number of other inane topics). But what is even more concerning, even sickening, is that this same exact foolishness is extant within the soceity of the Church. The Church which, according to the Bible, is supposed to be a "city on a hill" & a "Candle on a candlestick" that is clearly showing forth the wisdom of God not only for the physical world to see, but also the entire sphere of the heavenly(ie spiritual) world as well {Ref. Ephesians 3:9-11}.
The root problem is that the Church does not hold the Scripture as its final authority in all aspects of life & living. In fact, a huge portion of the Church doesn't even read the Bible at all, & the few that do don't read it for what it's saying in reality, but only for what it "Says to them."
Take a listen to find out the solution to all of this.
Episode 13 | Number 13, lucky underwear, & REAL faith | How the Bible works in real life |
You made it to unlucky episode number 13! Today we'll discuss the foolish ideas of "luck" & the funny things we do that make us believe we're affecting the outcomes of our favorite sports teams, lotto numbers &, unfortunately, our own REAL lives.
"The Word of God works for those who put it to work"
Episode 12 - Is money REALLY the root of all evil? | The pros, cons & pitfalls of money
Today's episode focuses on one of the most misunderstood concepts in the world: Money. I Timothy 6:10 ranks up there with Matthew 7:1 as verses misquoted & misunderstood. BUT if we know that money is a necessity in this world, then the Bible must provide us with the principles & truths to both understand money & how to use it for His glory.
What I want to convey to you today is a philosophy, or a way of thinking, about money that will enable you to obtain it without the side effects of "piercing yourself through with many sorrows" Let's go!
Episode 11 - Full transparency, I messed up
Today, I want to tell you about some recent failures I've experienced & my hope is that you find encouragement if you're struggling with reaching your goals.
We will discuss how goals need to be approached BEFOREHAND by examining Proverbs 24:27 where it tells us "Prepare your work without(outside), & make it fit for yourself in the field; and afterwards build your house." The principle buried here will show us how priority, pre-decision, & positing will change your life forever & allow you to conquer your goals with consistency rather than intensity.
"Consistency is better than intensity"
Episode 10 - Excellence always! | The simplest key to success that anyone can use
Man, we have successfully made it to episode 10! I can't believe it! Thank you all so much for all the support you've shown on this journey.
Let me ask you a random question: What do the Statue of Liberty, the Wright Brothers, & Colossians have in common? Tune in today to find out why the attitude of "Excellence always" is always in high demand & how it can take your success to the next level.
Episode 9 - Let not your heart be troubled [Even if the world is ending]
Happy Apocalypse Day! The April 8th eclipse has happened, earthquakes are everywhere, wars, rumors of wars, famines AND we even got red heifers running around in the middle of all of it! I don't know what has happened since I made this video on the 8th BUT one thing I DO KNOW for absolute certain is what Jesus told us to do in any & all circumstances: Peace I leave with you...Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid"
There is not one turn of events that should be able to shake your faith in God because our lives, past, present & future are all IN CHRIST. If you've been bamboozled by YouTube personalities selling you a new point of view on god's Word based on temporary, external circumstances, then this podcast is for you!
Episode 8 - Why opposition is an essential part of opportunity.
Episode 8 is fresh from the headlines of current events! Just last week my friend Bradley & I had an opportunity to minister at "Impact Haywood", a Fellowship of Christian Athletes event. After a day of smooth sailing, we loaded up the message prop & headed west with high hopes of arriving early & having everything go according to plan. I forgot, however, that the one thing about plans is that they never go accordingly.
Within the spaces of 30 minutes, we stopped 3 times: twice to plug a tire, once to finally swap in the spare. Not exactly how you'd want to spend your prep time!
Join us today as we discuss the necessity of opposition for the opening of opportunities!
Episode 7 - The "I can do anything" attitude
Episode 7 has been a hard-fought battle fraught with tech issues, deletions & all manner of conundrums. BUT it is now live here & we're going to look at one of the most hotly contested verses in scripture today & see if the "I can do anything" attitude is really based in the Bible.
Episode 6 - How to leverage your time
We've made it to episode 6 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast! I can't thank you enough if you've been here for the whole ride!
Today we're going to look into the lie of "I never have enough time" & how we can leverage what time we have to get the best possible outcomes.
Episode 5 - Adventure IS risk, but that's where the stories come from
This is episode 5 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast with Will Mercer. Everything great that has EVER happened involved risk & danger. To refuse this principle is to leave potential on the table & for the God-called Christian, that's a culpable offense. No child of the King should live below their status, but fear, uncertainty & doubt will hamstring your success & cause you to lose your reward.
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I want you to live a successful Christian life without FUD & angst. I believe that the principle in II Peter 1:3 gives us the keys to such a life in that Peter tells us that God has generously given us "all things that pertain to life & godliness". There ought not be any distinction between our "physical" life here on earth & the "spiritual" life we now know.
Tune in today for a refreshing & unique perspective on the Word of God!
Episode 4 - Why the "Life is a vapor" mindset is killing you
This is episode 4 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast! As Christians, we have all heard James 4:13-15 used to essentially force us into a decision today because we don't know if we'll be here tomorrow. While technically this is true, for the vast majority of us WILL indeed live to see tomorrow (and many more tomorrows at that.). While "live for the present" ca be beneficial, it can also cause extreme short-sightedness if held in balance by the mindset we're going to discuss today.
Episode 3 - How does God REALLY answer prayer?
This is episode 3 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast! As Christians, I think we have been guilty as seeing God as nothing more than a genie in a bottle that we can call up whenever we want to grant our whims & wishes. Even if you don't have that belief consciously, if you expect your prayers to be answered by miracles, then you are living that way practically. We'll discuss this & more on today's episode of the For Real Life & Godliness podcast.
Episode 2 - Why you can't escape "the system"
This is episode 2 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast! Our lives can be much more peaceful, successful & productive when we understand the systems we live in & the One who created them in the first place. Rather than rebelling against or subverting the systems of life that God has designed for us to live in, it is much wiser to take note of & leverage them to our advantage.
Episode 1 - Why you don't have peace of mind
This is episode 1, Season 1 of the For Real Life & Godliness Podcast! My Name is Will Mercer, or Pastor Will as will be noted from here on out. The purpose & point of FRLG is to disambiguate the relationship between our real world, everyday lives & the principles of the Bible. Today's episode, taken from AW Tozer book, the Pursuit of God & Chapter 10 "The Sacrament of Living", demonstrates my goal perfectly & so was a fitting kick-off to the podcast.