Watch Your Mouth

Episode 99 - Watch Your Mouth

I know a few people who claim Christianity but don't seem to have any problem using profanity or making an inappropriate joke from time to time. I don't often confront those who aren't as careful with their mouths and I've often had to explain why I don't use bad words. I'm not standing in any sort of judgment here: I've had a strong personal stance on profanity my whole life (even before I was dedicated to following Jesus, I believed it was wrong), but forsaking slightly off-color or inappropriate jokes has been a much slower process. All I want to do here is offer a Biblical perspective on this area of the Christian life. I would like to do that with four points, all from Paul's letter to the Ephesians. 

To those who have cracked the problem of unity in the church.

Listen: 

Unity in the church, amongst believers, was an essential thing for Paul the Apostle. On multiple occasions, he either wrote about the need for unity directly or it was implied through one of the many "one another" passages. Many a church leader has pondered this need for unity, have taught extensively on its practicalities, and worked tirelessly with members of their churches to promote it -- all to be met with tension in the church, relational strains with their members, and sometimes disunity that leads to division. 

Well, I want to offer some hope to church leaders everywhere.  Right in the middle of my own unity prepping, studying, teaching, and training, I accidentally found that there are some people who have already solved the unity problem. They were right around us and were probably there all along but went unnoticed by us pastors and teachers. There are at least five types of unity I've discovered with these unity triumphant people who have made themselves manifest to their own unity. Here are those five types, in no particular order. 

Disclaimer: any resemblance to actual people is mostly coincidental. This is meant to represent conglomerations of people, not any one person in particular. I've met multiple people in each of these categories... and most likely, so have you - that is what makes it funny. 

Ep. 93 - Saturday Unscripted No. 3

 In this episode: 

• This week: life with the ADD mind!
• Thoughts on Tomorrow's Sermon.
• Book Thoughts / Book Quote: This week from George MacDonald's At the Back of the North Wind. 

At The Back of the North Wind by George MacDonald

 I've started reading my next public domain book. This time it is a children's book. It is called At The Back of the North Wind and it is written by George MacDonald. You can listen to the first chapter here: 

Ep. 91 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 13 Part 3

 Episode 91

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 13 Part 3

Ep. 89 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 13 Part 2

 Episode 89

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 13 Part 2

Ep. 88 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 13 Part 1

 Episode 88

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 13 Part 1

Ep. 87 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 12 Part 3

 Episode 87

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 12 Part 3

Ep. 86 Reading with Pastor Matt the Mortification of Sin Chapter 12 Part 2

 Episode 86

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 12 Part 2

Ep. 85 - Saturday Unscripted for June 10th, 2023

 Episode 85

Saturday Unscripted for June 10th, 2023

In this episode, I talk about my week, my other podcast, tomorrow's sermon, and a Dietrich Bonhoeffer quote from Life Together.

Ep. 84 - Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 12 Part 1

Episode 84

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 12 Part 1

Reading Books

 I know that if you've followed this blog for any amount of time, especially in the last few years, you know I also have a podcast. What you may not know is that I have another podcast... 

To be honest, I forgot I had the other podcast. 

My other podcast is called Public Domain Books that are Harmless. I initially created that podcast during the "lockdowns" of 2020. I created it because I had been tasked with making "homeroom" videos for my school, where I was a disciplinary dean. (As you can imagine, there weren't a whole lot of disciplinary issues that we were dealing with.) Since I had a little more time on my hands, I decided to do some reading and making it available to the students.

Reading Revelation Number 1 - Revelation 1:1-3

The Revelation of Jesus Christ 

[1] The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show to his servants the things that must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, [2] who bore witness to the word of God and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, even to all that he saw. [3] Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near. 

(Revelation 1:1–3 ESV)

I've been avoiding you, you Book of Revelation. Not all revelation, just the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. Wow, that sounds terrible. More clarity is needed... I've been avoiding the actual Book of the Bible that we call "The Revelation to John." 

Ep. 82 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 11 Part 3

 Episode 82

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 11 Part 3

Ep. 81 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 11 Part 2

 Episode 81

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 11 Part 2

Ep. 80 Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin Chapter 11 Part 1

 Episode 80

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 11 Part 1

Ep. 79 - Reading with Pastor Matt On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 10 Part 3

 Episode 79

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 10 Part 3

Ep. 78 - Reading with Pastor Matt The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 10 Part 2

 Episode 78

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen 

Chapter 10 Part 2

Ep. 77 Reading with Pastor Matt On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 10 Part 1

 Episode 77

Reading with Pastor Matt

On the Mortification of Sin by John Owen

Chapter 10 Part 1

Ep. 76 - Reading with Pastor Matt On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen Chapter 9 Part 3

 Episode 76

Reading with Pastor Matt

On The Mortification of Sin by John Owen 

Chapter 9 Part 3