Starting with Acts 17:28 we go on an exploration of what it means to live, move, have our being, exist, and find our identity in Jesus Christ. Paul borrowed this concept from two, at the time, well known Greek philosophers, Aratus and Cleanthus. Paul realized that Jesus is the integrating force of the entire universe and he worked with the contemporary language of his day to help his audiences understand this. Now, 2000 years or so later, how are we to understand this and live into it? We're not scholars or theologians, but this is what we dive into in this episode.

The wilderness. It's often lonely, trying, and humbling. We've all been there in some form or fashion, whether it's estrangement from loved ones, the feeling that God is a million miles away, or just a crisis of faith that pushes us to our soul's breaking point. What can we learn from Moses, David, Elijah, and Jesus in their wilderness experiences? In this episode Rick shares stories of his own times in the wilderness and we pull out some beautiful lessons and even more lovely reminders that even when we feel lost and like we're wandering in a wasteland, God promised to never leave us or forsake us. We're never truly alone. Let's go into the wild together.

For the first time in three months we're back in front of the mics. It was a great holiday period (albeit quite busy) but it's so good to come back and talk about the Kingdom of God. It's a new year but the message is the same. Today we talk about developing themes in our walk with God, particularly "presence" and what it means to be "people in two places at once." They may seem like disparate themes, but it's all about Jesus, our union with Him, and how He wants nothing more than all of us so He can give us all of Him. Thanks for joining us. If you like what you hear, please comment and like. Happy New Year!

What is the posture of a servant? There are no volunteers in the Kingdom of God, only servants. A servant is, perhaps more than anything else, available and humble. They don't bristle at service. They don't consider themselves too good for even the most menial task. Being a servant isn't a position, rather it's a condition of our hearts. There's a vast difference between a server and a servant. Jesus is without question the ultimate example of a servant. Someone once asked, "If you knew you had one day to live, what would you do?" Jesus knew and He washed feet. How then should we live?

Our discussion today ranges across a spectrum from the way the Bible continues to amaze us no matter how many times we read these inspired and timeless words to how we long just to be as much with Jesus as is possible. However, where we eventually land is that Eden is inevitable. The story God has been telling since the beginning is the only way that this will all turn out. We get to choose what side of the story we end up on, but God gets the final word and that final word is nothing but good, better than anyone can imagine. Thanks for going with us on this journey. You can reach us at info@thecosmiccarwash.com if you want to hear more.

Somewhere I heard it said once, "In the end, people don't get what we deserve, we get what we desire." On the face of it, when considering this from the Eden perspective, the Kingdom of God viewpoint, I believe it's a true statement. But as we explore this topic further we realized it isn't so binary as it seems at first. And once we pushed into the topic further, it became clear that even God doesn't get what he deserves, but if we strive to give God what He deserves (all our worship, devotion, and love), He delights to give us what He desires - union with Himself. He transmits His existence to us. MIND BLOWN! Thanks for exploring this with us and coming away with a deeper question rather than a pat answer. Reach out to us at info@thecosmiccarwash.com

The Kingdom of God is not for spectators and the presence of God is not a vacation spot. Similarly, resilience doesn't happen by accident. It's our union with Jesus that restores our humanity and enables us to be a light in the darkness, that shining city on a hill Jesus spoke of. More than intimacy with Jesus, we are invited into, indeed we are made for union with Jesus. But this union must be cultivated. Like any farmer will tell you, cultivating for growth and good returns requires sustained intentionality over a period of time. As the dark of the world gets darker, it's union with Jesus developed by purposeful engagement with Him that makes His people shine ever brighter. Join us as we explore what this means and how we can work it out in our lives. If you want to connect with us, you can do so at info@thecosmiccarwash.com.

Leaning into Jesus as much and as often as we can. Being authentically human. Living our lives like Jesus would if He were us. Jesus' thrilling and imminent return. Join us as we dive into God n' Stuff. We love talking about and living out the Kingdom of God. Of course every day we find ourselves not being fully the people that we want to be, but rather than getting DIScouraged, we are ENcouraged that Jesus keeps working with us, on us, and through us. The Kingdom of God isn't far off in some other galaxy, billions of miles away; it's as close as the nose on our face, closer than the air we breathe. If you are following Jesus, however imperfectly, don't give up. Your faith will soon be richly rewarded when He returns. If you aren't a Jesus follower, we implore you as vehemently as we can to give Him your allegiance and experience what real life is like.

Check out the NT Wright video we reference here If you want to reach out to us, you can do so at info@thecosmiccarwash.com.