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Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

God's glory, our delight

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES

We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you!

Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.

It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Jesus has set the Easter table richly, for us to partake. Come to His table today through our exploration of Easter, which took place on the very day of the Jewish Feast of First Fruits. What does it mean for us today?

The story of Easter is a tapestry woven with complex emotions—the somberness of Good Friday followed by the overwhelming joy of Easter Sunday. The sequence takes us through the contemplation of Jesus' crucifixion, echoing the depth of human suffering and sacrifice. As Christians, we are invited to relive these moments, acknowledging the pain while eagerly anticipating the joy of resurrection. Easter, often referred to as the most important day in the Christian calendar, transcends time and history. It bridges the gap between Jewish traditions and the new covenant established by Jesus.

The Feast of First Fruits mark the beginning of the harvest, while Pentecost signifies its culmination. Both events are intrinsically linked through the work of the Holy Spirit. The First Fruits celebration on Easter sets the stage for the Holy Spirit's coming at Pentecost, bridging the gap between the initial offering and the full harvest, pointing to the birth and growth of the Christian church.

The Feast of First Fruits, celebrated the Sunday after Passover, used to hold immense significance in Jewish tradition. Rooted in Leviticus 23:10, this feast involves offering the first barley harvest to God, symbolizing gratitude and the anticipation of a plentiful harvest. It’s a day Jews can’t eat bread or drink wine until sacrifices are made, an act mirrored by Jesus' Last Supper—where he promised a new covenant symbolized through bread and wine. During the Last Supper, Jesus instituted the practice of communion, tying it to the Jewish Passover. He told his disciples that he would not eat or drink again until he was in God's Kingdom, thus establishing the new covenant.

The meal shared at Emmaus is another crucial moment. When Jesus broke bread with his disciples, they recognized him, affirming his authority and lordship. The breaking of bread in this context goes beyond a mere meal; it’s a reaffirmation of Jesus' identity and the fulfillment of his promises. Interestingly, Jesus reappears to his disciples but does not partake in the meal at Emmaus. Instead, he later eats fish with another group of disciples, a humble act connecting to his earlier ministry and ultimate sacrifice. This post-resurrection meal underlines his humility and serves as another reminder of the first fruits principle—Jesus is the first fruit of resurrection.

Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:20) highlights that Jesus’ resurrection on the Feast of First Fruits symbolizes the future resurrection of believers. Jesus is the firstborn of creation and the first to rise from the dead, promising eternal life for all who follow. The concept of First Fruits extends to envisioning a perfect, sinless world—a harmonized existence in the eternal presence of Christ. This heavenly vision, often referenced in biblical texts, portrays a future where every generation enjoys everlasting peace and the profound joy of being in God's presence.

In today's context, the call for revival echoes the ancient practice of offering First Fruits. Believers are urged to be the first fruits of revival in our times, sharing the message of hope and resurrection with a world in need. It’s a reminder to live with purpose, reflecting the truly life-changing power of Jesus' resurrection in our daily lives.

Don’t forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don’t miss out! It’s at https://www.gospelspice.com/store

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.

In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.

In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)

What matters to us here at Gospel Spice is to create a place where people who seek deeper intimacy with Jesus, will find Him. We want a warm, welcoming atmosphere to journey ever deeper into the heart of God. We believe it is the ultimate calling of the Christian life, and I like to summarize it with my motto, God’s glory, our delight. That is why we invite you to “taste and see” that the Lord is good. And we have been doing this every day since 2019. We need YOU to keep Gospel Spice alive and growing.

Financially speaking, we rely on people who understand this vision and who understand that we cannot function without a minimum budget. We run an extremely tight budget. For example, I work full time but don’t draw a salary. And yet, we have expenses – for example, the equipment and technology we use, and also the wonderfully gifted staff who make it possible to deliver high quality content all around the globe, and then the necessary occasional promotional budget to make it possible to be discovered by those who seek to live a life spiced with the gospel of Jesus Christ. We need your help.

So we would love for you to consider if this ministry is blessing you to pay gospel spice forward. You can partner with us monthly with 10, 25, 50, 100, a month, or you can make one donation, once.

And because we are a register nonprofit organization in the United States under the status of a 501c3 charity, it means that the amount that you pay to gospel spice is fully tax deductible. Completely tax deductible. So you're even saving money as you invest in gospel spice ministries. It is an eternal investment, and we are very grateful to you for it.

Now it's very important to us that we give back as much as possible from what you give us. And so we commit to giving the majority of what we receive, once all of our administrative costs are paid, to organizations that fight human trafficking on the front line. There are many worthwhile causes in the world, so why this one? Because I have always personally felt deep compassion for victims of human trafficking – maybe because I have never been its victim myself, so I feel a responsibility to help those less fortunate than me. Also, because Jesus tells us to love our neighbor. Human trafficking is modern day slavery, and that is something that revolts the heart of God. We want to play our part in raising awareness and then financially supporting those who fight this great evil.

So, we do some due diligence. We pick organizations who have proven themselves trustworthy of our support. And then we give money to these Christians organizations that fight human trafficking.

So would you consider paying us forward at gospelspice.com/payitforward?

Your hard-earned money is always well used at Gospel Spice. Ultimately, you are giving back to the Kingdom, a portion of what Jesus has given you. We are well aware of the privilege to steward your partnership. And my prayer is always that you will find your own life spiced with the gospel as you partner with us to flavor the lives of those around us, near and far, with the spice of the gospel.

We have a high-quality, deeply inspiring, truly original Advent devotional for you!

Stephanie created this original video series for YOUR ADVENT season! It will draw you closer to Christ, and deeper into the presence of God.

It is comprised of 12 videos leading up to Christmas, and a gorgeous devotional PDF to accompany it. You will not want to miss out! Go to gospelspice.com/advent to download your FREE one-day sample, and/or purchase the Gospel Spice Advent devotional at an amazing price.

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Rachel Wojo, who exhibits grace under pressure. Rachel recounts the hardships she's faced, not as a means of lament, but as a powerful testimony to her faith in God. Throughout the years, Rachel has encountered numerous challenges that have tested her faith and resilience. Rather than succumbing, she has chosen to lean into God’s strength. From personal hardships like joblessness and financial stress, to navigating the extraordinary pains of watching her daughter slowly lose her life to a rare disease, and the loss of several other key family members, Rachel's story of tenaciously clinging to Christ proves that it is possible to emerge stronger and more faithful.

Rachel shares her story of becoming a single mother to a special needs child after discovering her husband's affair, leading her to rely more deeply on her faith. Her eventual remarriage and the birth of five children, along with the devastating loss of her daughter Taylor to a rare neurological condition, illustrate the peaks and valleys of her journey.

What happens when God’s answer to our prayer is NO? Rachel shares her journey of praying for her daughter Taylor’s earthly healing, only to embrace the eventual understanding that Taylor’s true healing would come in heaven. This acceptance of God's broader plan beyond immediate desires offers a deeper understanding and trust in His divine wisdom. Rachel’s book, "Desperate Prayers," is a source of comfort and guidance for those struggling with faith and prayer life. Her stories, drawn from personal pain and loss, illustrate the profound transformation that can come from earnest, desperate prayers and a heartfelt surrender to God.

Rachel offers vivid examples of the importance of gratitude. She shares how she has learned to recognize "God moments"—serendipitous events that, when noticed, reveal God's subtle presence and guidance in our daily lives. She recalls pivotal moments where choosing to focus on small blessings, such as "noticing the sunshine through the window," helped her navigate through immense grief and trials. This perspective shift, seeing God’s work in the gentle, everyday occurrences, has been transformative for her.

Rachel reflects on her journey of enduring hardship and witnessing God's hand in the small moments of life. When reflecting on the journey of a faithful servant, it's the moments of hardship and perseverance that vividly stand out. Rachel explores the idea of discovering gratefulness in small, often overlooked, moments. In our fast-paced world, it's easy to become overwhelmed by adversity, missing the simple blessings that God provides daily. Rachel shares how she has cultivated an attitude of gratitude, even during the toughest times. This perspective shift has allowed her to recognize and cherish the small glimpses of joy and blessings in her life. By focusing on God's presence in the mundane and the miraculous, Rachel demonstrates that gratefulness can be a powerful antidote to despair.

Stephanie’s conversation with Rachel invites all of us to reflect on our own lives and consider how we can embrace gratefulness and deeper faith amidst our trials. Our journeys, no matter how difficult, are imbued with God's grace and presence.

So, listen to Rachel’s story; and then also introspectively examine your own hardships and blessings. By fostering a heart of gratitude, we too can witness God’s hand in our lives and draw strength from it.

MEET RACHEL WOJO

https://rachelwojo.com/

Rachel says, "Sin erupted in my 'perfect life'. I grew up in a wonderful Christian home with fabulous Christian parents. Our family was faithful to church, and I graduated from a Christian school. I attended a Christian college and completed the circle by teaching in a Christian school. My future husband was a “preacher boy,” and when we married, the plan was that he would take a youth pastor position wherever God led. Only after we married did he have serious doubts about his calling and stop attending church altogether. After two years of marriage, a precious daughter was born to us via emergency c-section. She experienced oxygen deprivation and required resuscitation, but she lived. Three years after Taylor’s birth, I discovered that her father had been having an affair essentially four of the five years we were married. Despite that great protective environment I’d always known, and being faithful to God’s house, sin had erupted in my “perfect” life, and my marriage to this man didn’t withstand. Bad choices were made by both parties, and we divorced.

Despite all the pain and loss of the “perfect” life, God brought a solid Christian man into my life, and He has given us a wonderful story of grace and redemption. But amid Matt and I falling in love, my dearest mom fell severely ill, diagnosed with a rare type of anemia. Two months later, the diagnosis was changed to leukemia, and she lived just six short months after that. Mom was the strongest, most faithful Christian I’ve ever personally known; she was my best friend. The discovery process for my daughter Taylor’s developmental delays became more intense during my divorce and my mom’s death. Doctors often blamed the delays on her lack of oxygen at birth. But in my heart, I knew there was more to her issues. Nine months after my mom’s death, the diagnosis for Taylor came through: MPSIIIB, a rare genetic metabolic disorder that causes gradual neurological degeneration. The average life span is 10-15 years, and there is no cure or even a treatment. Upon receiving Taylor’s diagnosis, my walk with the Lord became intense. I asked all the “why” and “how” questions. I wanted God to spill out His plan for my entire life in one day. But through His Word, God has taught me that faith is not only a one-time decision; it’s an everyday decision. Trusting His plan for your everyday life is equally as important as trusting Him for your eternal life.

On January 2, 2019, our Taylor graduated to heaven. The heartache and sorrow of our loss, yet heaven’s gain, is difficult to describe in a few words. In November 2018, I began writing letters to Taylor because she could no longer communicate. God has richly blessed Matt and me with a beautiful family and more blessings than we can count. Our incredible six children are growing steadily; they challenge me and bless me in every way. I am so very thankful for them. Each day we live by faith that God would have His will in our lives. Each day we claim God’s promises and choose to run towards His plan, no matter what it includes. We are still learning how to take one more step."

MORE ABOUT "DESPERATE PRAYERS"

Do your prayers resemble last-minute cries more than first-response chats? You’re not alone in calling out to God in life’s pitch-black moments and wondering if He’s listening.

Enter the powerful secrets of the Bible's eleventh-hour pleas of fifteen men and women. This engaging book invites you into the prayer stories of struggling Bible characters like Hagar, Hannah, and David. Each chapter's simple three-word prayer focus will deepen your trust and affirm your heart that it’s best to be you before God.

The ideal desperate pray-er to shine light on your prayer dilemmas, Rachel Wojo vulnerably shares her heartbreaking experiences of loss while pointing you to your Father. Her prayer journey and promising principles will guide you from frenzied desperation to dependent faith.

When you finish Desperate Prayers: Embracing the Power of Prayer in Life's Darkest Moments, you’ll know that praying in a panic creates a powerful pathway to peace.

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

God's glory, our delight

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

We invite you this week to come to the table and deepen your experience of the feasts that Jesus celebrated, by exploring together the timeless significance of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

In the heart of the Christian and Jewish traditions lie two sacred week-long holy feasts: Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As Scripture and tradition invite us into the intricacies of these feasts, we invite you to connect the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus to the rich tapestry of Jewish Torah and tradition.

Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread stand as inseparable pillars within Jewish celebrations. Passover, the most important Jewish feast, serves as precursor to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. For Christians, the former marks the sacred observance of the Lord's Supper as the Lamb of God, while the latter points to Jesus' sinlessness.

The perfect alignment of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread in 2025, an unusual thing, offers interesting connections we invite you to explore. For example, the Jewish tradition of inspecting and setting aside the unblemished lamb for sacrifice intertwines with the events of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The parallel between the Passover lamb and Jesus, the sinless lamb of God unfolds, as Holy Week draws us into the divine plan of salvation. We also explore how Jesus’ cleansing of the temple showcases his authority to safeguard the spiritual dwelling places of believers. Jesus' encounters with religious leaders during Holy Week also reflect his absolute integrity and absence of blemish, mirroring the unblemished Passover lamb. He is proving the true Lamb of God indeed!

The interweaving of Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is an original way, in 2025, to highlight God’s eternal redemptive plan. Jesus is indeed the sinless lamb who fulfills the ancient prophecies, opening for us the path of salvation. We invite you to join us as we find ourselves steeped in the timeless tapestry of God’s divine love, giving glory to Jesus, our only source of salvation.

Our hope and prayer is that, through the original connection in 2025 between Holy Week and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, we will together experience the divine truth of Scripture, anchoring our faith in the sinless lamb, Jesus Christ, for our redemption. Amen!

Don’t forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don’t miss out! It’s at https://www.gospelspice.com/store

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

God's glory, our delight

DISCOVER THE GOSPEL SPICE MINISTRIES

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

In a world overflowing with distractions and quick fixes, Stephanie and Ros invite you to explore meaningful Bible study experiences towards awakening fresh delight for God.

Ros articulates the value of revisiting familiar Bible passages, emphasizing how repeated exposure refreshes comprehension and facilitates spiritual awakening. Bible study is not merely a checklist, but rather an enriching experience in our spiritual journey. Continuous exploration of Scripture promises fresh insights.

Download the FREE recipe for the Rousselle family Moroccan chicken recipe that Ros and Stephanie mention - it is mouth-watering! Here: https://www.gospelspice.com/free

Ros describes her own experience of the “Centering on Christ” Gospel Spice Bible study. It offered her group a delightful setting to discover Christ foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and to worship Him in deeper ways. The study invites you to know Christ at a deeper level through an in-depth exploration of the wilderness Tabernacle erected by Moses.

Speaking of being in the wilderness, Stephanie invites us to discover the rich setting of Israel in Jesus’ day through the “In the Footsteps of Jesus” Bible study. On her very first visit to the Holy Land, Stephanie had but one goal: to walk where Jesus walked, to see the sights and skylines He saw, to touch the stones He touched, and to experience His words where He initially taught them. Scripture has never been more real and alive to her than since she experienced Jesus in Jerusalem and Galilee. And now, she invites you to do the same!

Seeking genuine delight in God is richer and more fulfilling than any worldly substitute. Stephanie draws parallels between savoring the glory of God, and the experience of tasting high-quality vanilla, likening superficial pleasures to settling for imitation vanilla. Ros’s anecdote about a mix-up involving vanilla in a traditional South African dessert humorously illustrates the lesson of recognizing true delight once experienced.

Stephanie introduces the "French faith" study, where the French word "délice," meaning both "delight" and "delicious," enriches interpretations and brings Scriptures like "taste and see that the Lord is good" to life. French Faith is a three-course meal that aims to serve you as you feed on the word of God to intensify your faith. It's a feast of words for the spiritual senses towards more of God.

Christmas shopping is now! So, the Gospel Spice courses are available at a discount with the code ROS30. We aim to combine spiritual growth with impactful giving, supporting Christian organizations combating human trafficking.

You will find all our courses at https://www.gospelspice.com/store

You know Stephanie, so you know her Bible courses are super in-depth, and absolutely insight-packed. You will most assuredly deepen your relationship with God through these courses.

We release new, updated Bible course a couple of times a year. So check back soon for more, or signup for our newsletter to be the first to know and receive exclusive coupon codes.

MORE ABOUT “CENTERING ON CHRIST | THE TABERNACLE”

Come with a heart thirsty for more of Christ and experience Him in fresh new ways!

Be drawn into deeper, more intimate worship of Christ. Discover the symbolism and ultimate fulfillment of the Tabernacle in Christ, and in you as His dwelling place. Experience God’s timeline of grace, from Eden past to Heaven future.

You will leave this study with a deep understanding of the symbolism of the Tabernacle and its fulfillment in Christ, and a renewed awe and passion for God.

More at https://www.gospelspice.com/tabernacle

MORE ABOUT “IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS”

From the comfort of your own home, you will discover the key places of the ministry of Jesus as Stephanie teaches from Scripture and provides an abundance of resources and insights straight from her recent experience.

She will share about special moments, like when she experienced a delightful, summer-drenched pine forest scent that might have been a familiar and favorite to Jesus as a child. She will invite you to one of his favorite childhood vistas, or tell you why Galileans were especially impressed with the gleaming white stones of Jerusalem.

She will show you what it must have been like to walk on the Emmaus Road with Jesus, and how the Judean wilderness inspired David to write the Psalms that point us to Jesus today.

More at https://www.gospelspice.com/footsteps

MORE ABOUT “GOD’S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT”

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Embrace the greatest quest of life today!

More at https://www.gospelspice.com/glory

MORE ABOUT “FRENCH FAITH”

Delight in Scripture through French eyes! French Faith is a three-course meal that aims to serve you as you feed on the word of God to intensify your faith. It's a feast of words for the spiritual senses towards more of God.

Unpack Scripture through the French culture and language with French words that would tell you something maybe unexpected about Christ. You, too, can experience French faith and delight in Christ so that you can approach Scripture and Jesus through French eyes.

More at https://www.gospelspice.com/frenchfaith

Do you enjoy Gospel Spice? Then let's deepen our relationship! There are 4 very simple ways to do that, and it would truly mean the world to us.

1- If you’ve enjoyed this episode, you will love receiving our newsletter. It contains value-packed free gifts and rich content each month. It’s at gospelspice.com/signup. There is always something new and exciting happening around here, and I don’t want you to miss out! Sign up at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- Did you know Gospel Spice has a YouTube Channel? There’s exclusive content there too. So, join Gospel Spice on YouTube! It's at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- Also please give us a star rating and a comment on your podcast listening app. Your reviews actually really do make a difference to help others discover and experience Gospel Spice. You would be surprised how helpful these are! So please leave a star rating and a review of a sentence or two. Thank you!

4- As always, we are praying for you! You can confidentially email us your prayer requests and praise items at the email address contact@gospelspice.com. It is our privilege to pray for you!

So, would you please invest 3 to 5 minutes of your time, maybe even right now, to do one (or more!) of the following suggestions:

1- signup on our website for our newsletter to receive gifts you’re going to love - at Gospelspice.com/signup

2- find us on YouTube, and see what content we’ve put together to help you grow closer to Jesus - at https://www.youtube.com/gospelspice

3- rate Gospel Spice on your listening app – it’s one of the easiest ways to share the gospel!

4- and finally, tell us how we can pray for you!

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Passover is a prologue to Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. This most essential of Jewish feasts seamlessly transitions from prophecies in the Old Testament, to fulfillment in Jesus. We invite you today to see how this prophetic landscape is shaped with divine orchestration by the hand of our deeply loving God!

Passover is a significant Jewish feast that not only commemorates the deliverance of the Hebrews from slavery in Egypt, but also points to Jesus’ mission and identity. We invite you today to navigate through the rich tapestry of the Passover tradition, examining its prophetic nature for the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The observance of Passover, with its sacrificial lamb, bitter herbs, and unleavened bread, is rooted in Old Testament events. Two lambs are central to this feast: one for each family and one to be sacrificed at the temple. The sacrificial lamb of the feast points to Jesus Christ, who becomes the ultimate sacrificial Lamb for our redemption. The act of painting lamb's blood on doorframes to prevent death eerily prefigures the sacrificial significance of Jesus' blood. Jesus deliberately fulfills the Passover feast of Pesach by instituting the Lord’s supper, and by going to the cross on our behalf. From washing his disciples' feet as an act of servanthood, to identifying Judas as the betrayer, Jesus adds new meaning to His last Passover meal - from the way He references the Passover elements, to how He identifies as the rejected stone becoming the cornerstone (Psalm 118).

The Passover feast is inextricably linked to the mission of Jesus, from the symbolism of the Passover elements to Jesus' own actions during the Last Supper. For instance, the 3rd cup of the Passover meal, identified as the cup of redemption, embodies the essence of the new covenant, which Jesus describes as the cup of his blood shed for the salvation of humanity.

Join us to experience Passover as Jesus did.

Don’t forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don’t miss out! It’s at https://www.gospelspice.com/store

The Gospel Spice Podcast is part of a larger range of tools given to you by Gospel Spice Ministries.

In a nutshell, we exist to inspire Christ-followers to delight in God.

In more details: we provide resources to empower Christian leaders across generational, social, ethnic and geographical boundaries towards more intimacy with Jesus Christ and discipleship effectiveness through a Biblical Christocentric foundation. The Gospel-Spice Ministries provide a safe environment for spiritual and community growth empowering people to know Christ more intimately, serve one another more powerfully, and reach the world for Jesus.

PLAY IT FORWARD by SHARING the link with friends and family.

PRAY IT FORWARD by praying for us and those you share it with!

PAY IT FORWARD!! Would you consider supporting this show today to help others enjoy it for free? It comes to you completely free, but is labor-intensive to produce, and we want to keep putting it in the ears of people!

Gospel Spice Ministries is a non-profit organization registered under the tax-exempt 501c3 status. Your donations are tax-deductible under IRS Section 170. We want to be the best possible stewards of your financial support. All donations above our minimal operating costs go to Christian organizations fighting human trafficking.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

(*ListenNotes ranking, 2023)

Support us on Gospel Spice, PayPal and Venmo!

Stephanie welcomes Alastair Sterne to discuss the intricate and joyful dance of divine longing. They explore the innate human desire to seek God, the mysterious nature of joy, and the cultivated wisdom that guides us towards spiritual fulfillment in Christ.

Alastair Sterne describes the innate human desire to connect with God as a dance. This longing, he notes, arises from the paradox of God being both mysterious and revealed. Jesus Christ reveals God in ways we are invited to explore. The pursuit of God is a journey towards an eternal dance—an unmistakable yearning threaded throughout humanity's history.

Joy is not the absence of pain but a testament to divine triumph through trials. Alastair reflects on his personal battle with severe depression—a transformative experience that led him to explore the cultivation of joy. He draws inspiration from the apostle Paul's paradoxical journey: finding profound joy amidst suffering, as explained in Philippians.

Joy serves as a divine longing, a sort of homesickness for the eternal. Alastair and Stephanie ponder the concept of joy, highlighting its elusive yet universally appealing nature. Joy transcends fleeting satisfaction, and aligns with a deep-seated desire for God's presence.

Wisdom, as discussed by Alastair, provides a framework for cultivating environments where joy can thrive. Drawing upon Proverbs and Miroslav Volf's insights, he argues that wisdom is integral to experiencing "the crown of the good life." By nurturing habits and attitudes, we can plant seeds that allow joy to grow—even amidst life's challenges.

Beauty too can be a bridge to divine presence: aesthetic experiences often lead to deeper spiritual connections. Beauty is a precursor to worship, signifying God's creative handiwork. Joy remains contagious regardless of its expression. It can manifest subtly through introspective personalities, or vibrantly via extroverted expressions. This contagious nature inspires others to pursue joy and strengthens the collective spiritual journey.

The church calendar invites us towards spiritual awareness, as well. Alastair values the rhythm it brings, providing opportunities to reflect on joyous seasons like Eastertide and introspective ones like Lent. He emphasizes integrating these spiritual practices into daily life to heighten one's awareness of God's presence.

Alastair Sterne invites us to explore the deeper dimensions of joy, wisdom, and longing. By embracing the dance with the divine, cultivating wisdom, and recognizing beauty in creation, we can align ourselves with a spiritual trajectory ever deeper into Christ. Alastair's prayer for all those who are listening, asking for God's joy to fill hearts, encapsulates the hope and assurance that await those seeking enduring joy in their spiritual journey.

MORE ABOUT ALASTAIR STERNE

Alastair Sterne (DIS, Fuller Theological Seminary) is a creative director turned pastor. He serves as the associate pastor at Coastline Church in Victoria, British Columbia. He previously partnered with Redeemer City to City and founded St. Peter's Fireside, a creative liturgical church in Vancouver. He is the author of Rhythms for Life: Spiritual Practices for Who God Made You to Be. Alastair and his wife, Julia, write and podcast together at ordinarymatters.org and collect joy with their daughters.

MORE ABOUT “LONGING FOR JOY.”

Can we still have joy in a world of pain and anxiety?

The troubles around us and in our lives lead many of us into a joyless experience where despair and hopelessness are the norm. Yet something within us still longs for a joy that transcends our challenges and gives us meaning and satisfaction.

Alastair Sterne says that our inner longings for joy actually point us to a God of joy who gives us both the capacity for joy and the realities of joyful experience. Sterne explores pathways to joy and why we often experience the absence of joy. He then offers theologically grounded and research-based practices for becoming people of joyful presence. Even if we are not temperamentally happy enthusiasts, we can gradually cultivate the deep abiding joy that we were created for and that enriches the world around us.

SAMPLE FROM “LONGING FOR JOY”

“When it comes to having children, someone once said, “You’ll have less fun but more joy.” I’m not sure I agree with the former but I wholeheartedly agree with the latter—being a father has amplified my joy. Indeed, it is among my greatest joys.

My eldest fractured her wrist yesterday. And today, we figured that out. Oops. It’s a relatively minor fracture (compared to her broken arm five years ago). She’s casted up and ready to go. I can’t say it was fun to be in the emergency room for hours on end. But there was nowhere else I’d rather be than by her side . . . even though she was mostly engrossed in a movie or book.

On my run this afternoon (my ankles are getting stronger, thanks be to God), I came across an intriguing bench. A rather idyllic path leads to it. The plaque reads: “A place to rest, reflect, and remember in loving memory of our grandmother, mother, sister, and daughter.” But when you sit on the bench, the view is rather, well, uninspired. A beautiful lake resides just around the bend, but this bench is positioned to look at . . . bushes.

But should you sit, rest, and reflect, you will see more than bushes. You will see the beauty of the ordinary. The unremarkable transfigured into glory. I won’t pretend to be able to name all the species of plants and trees. As I stood there, no longer perplexed by the position of the bench, I was enamored by the gift it offers: the beautiful ordinary.

Back to being a father: most days are ordinary. And if I’m careless, they can even feel unremarkable—a compilation of repetitions. But then moments poke holes in the veneer of banality, like hospital waiting rooms for relatively minor injuries. You look at life with a renewed thankfulness and your heart becomes a little more sensitive too. When I sit, rest, and reflect, I find that joy often abides somewhere between thankfulness and a sensitive heart.

Would it have been more fun to play hooky from school and go on a walk in the woods with my daughter rather than wait, and wait, and wait among the injured and sick? Of course. Nevertheless, joy sat quietly with us as we waited.

The joy of fatherhood and the joy of a well-placed bench.”

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

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Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

God's glory, our delight

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Stephanie here! We are in our Come to the Table series, and today is a bit of a surprise! I always find it fascinating to find fresh ways to worship Jesus Christ through the connections between different feasts and seasons. So today I invite you to delight in Christ through the unexpected juxtaposition of Purim and Lent.

We invite you into a delightful exploration of the divine tapestry that intertwines the ancient traditions of Purim with the solemn reverence of Lent, ultimately pointing to the redemptive Lordship of Jesus Christ.

Purim, a joyous and festive Jewish celebration, commemorates the deliverance of the Jewish people as detailed in the book of Esther. The intricacies of the story, from the absence of God's name in the book of Esther to the sovereignty and deliverance of His people, provide a rich tapestry to explore. In the Christian tradition, Lent serves as a period of preparation and reflection leading up to Easter, encompassing forty days marked by fasting, sacrifice, and repentance. Both Purim and Lent share a dark background of struggle and the hope of a joyous feast, creating an intriguing juxtaposition.

Steeped in history and tradition, Purim and Lent leads us to worship Jesus at their intersection. It's compelling to note that while Purim is celebrated with joyful feasting and the giving of gifts to the poor, Lent involves fasting before the celebration of Easter. Both observances intertwine notions of hardship and hope, underscoring the resilience and faith exhibited by believers. Purim and Lent beckon us to seek and find Jesus in the heart of these sacred observances. So, join the conversation today!

Don’t forget to check out our essential workbook to accompany this study. Stephanie personally created the content to invite you deeper into study. Don’t miss out! It’s at https://www.gospelspice.com/store

We invite you to check out the first episode of each of our series, and decide which one you will want to start with.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

Identity in the battle | Ephesians

Centering on Christ | The Tabernacle experience

Shades of Red | Against human oppression

God's glory, our delight