Episode 35

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Published on:

27th Jul 2023

Leftovers, Approval, and Life after Death

No stories. Just straight talk, repeatedly emphasizing a couple of key points. It's rare that Jesus spoke for long in this style. So when he did, it's worth paying extra attention.

In the last almost 30 verses in the Gospel of John, chapter 5, Jesus emphasizes these crucial truths:

  • He has come from God, the Father.
  • Everything he does is in unity with God.
  • There will be a resurrection of the dead with only one of two possible destinations – a resurrection of life or resurrection of judgment.

He also points out that those who didn't believe what he said about himself didn't believe because they were seeking others' approval and recognition instead of God's. Ouch.

After this discourse, Jesus goes to a different area where a crowd of 5,000 people show up -- having failed to bring a meal with them. What's up with that poor preparation?

Rather than chiding them for their lack of foresight, Jesus performs an amazing miracle. But this is about a lot more than meeting an immediate physical need -- although that's important. In this we can also see:

1. God can feed a lot of people with our small offering. But to do this we have to be willing to let go of what we have and be left empty handed -- temporarily.

2. We have to watch God break apart what we think is going to fill us.

3. We need to value the fragments left over. Goes doesn't want anything wasted -- and this goes for far more than food!

Grow your faith roots deeper in today's episode!

Empower yourself and your family to succeed at Life's Key 3 aims: Learn yourself, Love God, and Live connected. Subscribe to Hi(Impact) at Stephanie Presents for insights, encouragement, and practical resources!

Remember, my friend, you have an impact that is immeasurable, eternal, and irreplaceable.

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About the Podcast

Life's Key 3
Grow spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally smart
Be equipped to be spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally smart. Learn timeless truths from the Bible and modern insights from science on human dynamics and development. You can achieve your immeasurable, eternal, and irreplaceable impact -- and help upcoming generations do the same. Come curious. Go galvanized, ready to engage fully in God's grand story!
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About your host

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Stephanie Smith

Stephanie Smith's heart for teaching began with the chickens and cows on her childhood farm. ​Today’s audiences don't moo or squawk but instead appreciate Stephanie’s applying Biblical truths and human insights to real issues with artfulness, authority, and authenticity. Experiencing deep relational and emotional pain starting at birth, Stephanie is now on a mission to build spiritually strong, emotionally healthy, and relationally smart women and families.
Stephanie’s passion for education motivated helping launch and teaching at a homeschool cooperative and later a Christian school. She’s mom to five grown sons, mother-in-law to four heart daughters, and Nana to seven grands. Believing every person has an impact that is immeasurable, eternal, and irreplaceable, Stephanie invites and equips others to engage fully in God's grand story!