Paying Ridiculous Attention To Jesus

When you're feeling like your life needs a hard reset it's easy to leave Jesus behind and head to the self-help section of the book store and get on top of your issue. It's understandable why; they're inspiring, motivating, and believable. We know that if we can just make a few small changes in our lives they can have a huge overall impact. The problem is that they rely on our own strength and self-discipline. Jesus isn't looking for a paint by numbers relationship where he's already picked out the design and color. What he's looking for is to paint with you. For you to invite him into the drawing and let him make adjustments. He also knows that in the beginning you will have paintings that need do-overs and that with time you'll get better at it. That's how he wants to do life with us. Join us this week in the Old Testament as we look at the story of Gideon putting out a fleece as a way to be sure that he knew what God wanted. We'll also share from some of the top self-help gurus out there and compare wha

We give our best, try our hardest, and give our all. We chase after self-discipline, fight the good fight, and love our neighbors as ourselves. We win with love, give peace and kindness. We're all in for Jesus, and we know he's all in for us. But what if he wants to take your best and then waste it? In the Old Testament you were asked to go to the altar and give your best as an offering. You would labor to raise the best calf, the best lamb, or grow the best crop and then set it on the alter and light it on fire. Your best was a sweet smelling offering to the Lord and he was pleased with it. In a world dominated by the pursuit of the American dream, a world in pursuit of happiness, what would it look like to have your talent, your skill, your best you wasted on the altar? Join us this week as we go back to the Old Testament and look at some places where people like Job were wasted and still gave their best to the Lord. Related Resources: Join the Pigs: https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up

"God's Perfect Will" "What if I misunderstand his will?" "If I get on God's perfect track, does that mean my life will be perfect?" "Does God always want to make the choices, or does he have some choices I can make?" "What about free will?" "Is God's mind made up, or can he change his mind?" Join us this month as we talk about "What is God's Will?" It's so confusing to think about God's will. This week we're going to zoom in on the story of the Roman soldier who asks Jesus to perform a miracle. We're going to slow way down and pay attention to the things Jesus did and didn't do. We've heard from our listeners on the go that when we talk about related resources on the show, often they forget where to go find them or to download them later. We're setting up an email list that will send you the related resources each week from the episode so that you don't have to remember to. Related Resources: • Free Downloads to Help You Pay Better Attention to Jesus: https://www.mylifetree.com/theysay/download-library

We’re wrapping up our month long theme on identity, so be sure you go back and listen to all four of these episodes. We couldn't finish a series on identity without talking about body image. Join us this week as we interview Jobe Lewis and talk about his very unique journey towards combining his body and spirit. Jobe has a passionate message to encourage people to ditch their scales, focus on health and combine the spiritual health with fitness in everyday life. What would it look like if we de-compartmentalized Jesus from our diet and body images and instead invited him into them? Becky took a challenge a year ago and did a two week dieting experiment, you can listen to her journey here (https://www.mylifetree.com/the-dieting-experiment-thats-not-a-diet-part-two/). Start your own 2-week diet challenge with Jesus with our free download (https://www.mylifetree.com/they-say-podcast-2-week-diet-challenge/), this diet will set you free. Because self-improvement is overrated, paying ridiculous attention to Jesu

This month on Paying Ridiculous Attention to Jesus Podcast we're focusing identity, and who does Jesus say I am? Last week we talked about what it looks like to be set free from the shackles that are burdening us, and tripping us up. This week we are going to talk about what it would look like if we partnered with Jesus to set other people free. Join Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges as they unpack the lyrics from a Christian song written in the 80's about freedom, and what it feels like to patiently partner with the Holy Spirit for someone else's freedom from captivity. Become a Pig! After three weeks we have decided on a name for our group we are inviting you to. If you have no idea what that is you might want to pick up Rick's Jesus-Centered Life, there's a chapter called "Living a Pig Life" that will make this very clear. This group will get special emails from Rick and Becky as well as be invited to a private Facebook group focused on wading in the mud puddle stories of Jesus. Join the pigs or learn more.

What is Jesus hoping to set you free from? If you have grown up in Christianity you probably know all about conviction and sin. But what if there’s more to the story? If Jesus came to set captives free, what does that really look like in our life? And what if freedom is about even giving up things that aren’t necessarily sin? This week we have the amazing pleasure of interviewing author and blogger, Sarah Bessey. This is an honest conversation about how God is freeing her up in life, showing her the true author of discipline, and how the gentle the voice of the Holy Spirit really is. We’ll also examine the role of discipleship and how it’s difference than we might have thought. BONUS Rick wrote a fantastic new free download with his “how to guide” on having a spiritual retreat with Jesus, sign up for the member group to get your copy. (https://www.mylifetree.com/pratj-member-sign-up/) Our member group is growing! There’s no charge to be a part of it, but if you are a regular listener here we want to broad

Who does Jesus say I am? When I first met Rick, he talked a lot about this question. He said it was the second most important question in life. And that question scared me, because I have been raised in a world of broken mirrors. Those mirrors have decided to point out all the things that are “wrong” with me, and deep down inside I thought that’s what Jesus was going to do too. When I finally let Jesus in, he set me free. His names were: chosen, daughter, rain that fertilizes and makes things grow, protected, wise, and a destroyer of darkness. He also told me that my life was a beautiful mess, a perfect artwork and that even in the ashes of my darkness he was making a fertile and wild garden. This week join us as we talk about the way Jesus makes art with people’s lives. We’ll share our own practical insights on how we have created space in our lives for Jesus to name us. BONUS Rick wrote a fantastic new free download with his “how to guide” on having a spiritual retreat with Jesus. We will also be invitin

When you picture someone who has devoted his entire life to the passion of getting people to read the Bible…you might be thinking that person is a bit rigid, and judgmental. You are in for a refreshing surprise this week as we interview Glenn Paauw formally of Biblica and now running the Institute for Bible Reading. We love his heart for making the Bible alive and a story again. Be a part of starting a Bible reading movement this year. Many of our listeners read the Jesus-Centered Bible and we want to encourage you to pick up a half dozen copies and to be praying about who you can give them too. Because it was designed to make the Bible more relate-able and bring out the story of Jesus. Get your Bibles today! We will also be inviting our listeners to join a special group. There’s no charge to be a part of it, but if you are a regular listener here we want to broaden our relationship with you. We will randomly choose people to give stuff to you, reach out to get your input and advice on things and we’re goin

You opened your Bible, read a passage and immediately started applying it to your life. You read that part about how God doesn’t want you to tell a lie, and immediately started thinking about the small fib you told your co-worker the other day. Suddenly you’re wrecked with guilt and turning to prayer, or slamming the book closed. The truth is what happened is you missed the whole story. You missed what the passage was telling you about who Jesus is. Join us this week as we take a portion of Matthew 15 and apply a new filter while we read it. Watch as Jesus comes alive, and all of the insights we glean about him from a few paragraphs in the Bible. We want to invite all of you to take this experiment in your own Bible and share the new things you learn about Jesus. Related Links and Articles • The Jesus-Centered Bible- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible/ • A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman- https://www.amazon.com/Failure-Nerve-Leadership-Age-Quick/dp/159627042X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=14897857

You got out of bed at 5:30 a.m., crawled to the coffee pot, grabbed your Bible and journal and hit the couch for your quiet time. You're proud of yourself for getting there, making the time, and being present. But at the end you were left a little bit disappointed. Why is that? Why is it when we went to the Bible for a deeply satisfying relationship with Jesus, we ended up with a missed expectation? Join us this week with special guest Dr. Ken Castor as we share our personal journey with the Bible, coming up empty and finding Jesus again. This is a rare treat as Rick and Ken are co-collaborators of the Jesus-Centered Bible, they'll share the transformation that happened when they set out to find Jesus in the Old Testament. Related Links and Articles: The Jesus-Centered Bible- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible/ Grow Down by Dr. Ken Castor- https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/grow-down/ Make A Difference by Dr. Ken Castor- https://www.amazon.com/Make-Difference-365-World-Changing-Devotions/dp/14

In the Old Testament it’s hard to avoid a God who seems angry a lot, and sometimes even vindictive. And it’s hard to square that version of God with the Jesus of the New Testament, who (we like to tell ourselves) is essentially a nice guy. A kinder, gentler God. But Jesus tells us, over and over, that if we see Him we see His Father, too. He’s a mirror image of the God we can’t see. If we understand His heart, we understand the heart of God. That fierce God of the Old Testament is embodied, also, in the surprising, sometimes shocking, personality of Jesus. Join Rick and special guest host Tim Levert (author, ministry leader, and academic) as they bridge the gap between the God described in the Old Testament and the Jesus described in the New Testament—you’ll discover an integrated way to understand the whole of the Bible, and a deeper path to understanding God’s heart. Related Articles and Resources: The Jesus-Centered Bible- www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible/ The Simple Truth Bible- https://www.my

Pornography is a rapidly growing epidemic in our culture. Both kids and adults, men and women, Christians and non-Christians are all caught in its net. At the root of this “normalizing” of addiction to sexually explicit material is a diminishing ability to make and maintain intimate relationships. In one sense, Jesus is a tradesman who specializes in hand-crafted relationships, and that’s why he can offer us real hope, building back what we’ve lost. Join us this week as we talk to special guest Roxanne Stone (Editor-in-Chief at the Barna Research Group) about Porn Phenomenon, a new Barna study that’s one of the broadest assessments ever produced on pornography and its impact on our culture. We’ll also dive into how Jesus heals and restores our ability to live intimately with others, and how we can cooperate with his redemptive mission in our life. Related Links and Articles: • Porn Phenomenon from Barna- https://www.barna.com/product/porn-phenomenon/ • More on Roxanne Stone- https://www.barna.com/about/rox

God never promises an easy, or pain free life. But when struggles and challenges surface, how does God actually bring comfort to us? Is this comfort an instant fix, a tangible feeling, or something else altogether? Join us this week with special guest Sam Worthington (star of the soon-to-be released film, “The Shack”) as we focus in on what it looks like to be comforted by God when everything seems out of control. We’ll also zoom in on Jesus’ actions during the death of Lazarus in John 11. Related Links and Articles: - The Shack- http://www.theshack.movie/ - The Jesus-Centered Bible- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible/ - JesusCenteredLife.com- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered/

If 80% of communication is non-verbal, learning how to listen and respond to others with “Third Level” skill can be powerfully transforming in our relationships. This is the way Jesus interacted with people, and our attachment to Him enables us to do the same as we serve and love the people in our life. What does it mean to hear beyond a person’s words—to listen both horizontally (to the person’s “essence”) and vertically (to the Spirit of Jesus) as you interact? Join us this week with special guest Michael Warden as we learn how to tap into the Third Level of listening. Michael is a Christian leadership coach and team dynamics expert, helping organizations and individuals experience breakthrough in their relationships. Related Links and Articles: Michael Warden’s Website- http://michaelwarden.com/ Jesus-Centered Life- https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered/ Shrewd by Rick Lawrence- https://www.amazon.com/Shrewd-Daring-Startling-Command-Jesus/dp/1434700739 Sacred Ground Sticky Floors Blog- https://sa

We sat down with William Paul Young the author of the New York Times best selling book, The Shack, which is now being made into a movie releasing in theaters March 3rd across the country. This story is a story of redemption, love and Jesus’ relentless pursuit of our hearts. We look forward to the conversations that this movie will bring about and will be designing devotions and discussion guides for you to use with your friends and family. Related Links and Articles: The Shack Official Movie Site: http://www.theshack.movie/ A movie that asks hard questions and then answers them with the thing that matters most: https://www.mylifetree.com/reflections-on-the-shack-movie/ JesusCenteredLife.com

In classical music it is imperative that every musician hit their note exactly right and at the exact time. In the world of Jazz musicians have a plan going into the song, but the role of the band is to take a note and make it into something beautiful. There are not mistakes in Jazz, other than if the band doesn't work around a bad note and turn it into something. How do we see the role of using our own will, God's will and the holy spirit playing the bandstand reacting to every note we send out? Join Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges as they ZOOM in on John 15, listening to Jesus teach about the vine, the branches and abiding in him as a way to know his will. Also joined with a clip from Stefon Harris, famous jazz player explaining the role of jazz. Related Links and Articles: https://www.ted.com/talks/stefon_harris_there_are_no_mistakes_on_the_bandstand https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered/ https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/the-jesus-centered-life/ https://www.mylifetree.com/jesus-centered-bible-shop-pag

The current of technology is compounding around us, and with virtual and augmented reality exploding, it begs the question, "What happened to real reality?" This question, among others, is the topic of discussion for today's episode featuring an interview with special guest Joani Schultz about her recent experience at the Computer Electronics Show. Plus hear a clip with author and speaker Simon Sinek talking about the psychological impact of social media on young people, and Becky’s recent experience watching the Netflix show Black Mirrors. A zoom into John 14 rounds out the episode, looking deeper into how Jesus balanced the current of his culture with the relationships around him, plus practical ideas for how you can stay in the current of culture without going out with the technology tide. Related Links and Articles: From Joani Schultz: Why Nobody Wants to Be Around Christians Anymore: https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/nobody-wants-around-christians-anymore/ 4 Things for the Church on Technology by Joani

It's Luke chapter 4 beginning with verse 18. Jesus has finished his time of tempting in the desert. He has come back to his home town of Nazareth and is giving his inaugural speech into ministry. This is the speech that results in him being kicked out and rejected in his home town. Join us as we ZOOM in on this story the story of a speech about setting captives free. This week Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges will be joined by special guest Carl Medearis. Carl is a dear friend to us, a lover and follower of Jesus and also an international expert in the field of Arab-American and Muslim-Christian relations. Carl also hosts a gathering of people who simply want to love and follow Jesus in the mountains of Colorado. We will be there again this year camping and communing with others about Jesus, we would LOVE to have you there. Learn more at http://simplyjesusgathering.com/ Related Links and Articles: New Years Jesus-Centered Goal Planning [Free Download]: https://www.mylifetree.com/new-year-2017/ Finding You

Prayer. It's something we can often take for granted. How do you pray? What does it mean for your prayers to be heard...and answered? How do you know? When should you pray? How long should you pray? Join Rick Lawrence and Becky Hodges as the ZOOM in on Matthew 6:5-18, also known as the Lord's prayer. We will pay close attention to how Jesus taught us to pray and also share some of our favorite practical tips for creating a habit of prayer in your life. Related Links and Articles: Practical tips on prayer from this episode: https://www.mylifetree.com/how-do-you-pray/ New Years Jesus-Centered Goal Planning [Free Download]: https://www.mylifetree.com/new-year-2017/ How I Learned to Hear Jesus' Voice: https://www.mylifetree.com/how-i-learned-to-hear-jesus/ 7 Days of Centering on Jesus [Free Download]: https://www.mylifetree.com/7-day-devotional-series/ How I learned to read the Bible: https://www.mylifetree.com/part-1-learned-read-bible/ Jesus-Centered Life: https://www.mylifetree.com/shop/the-jesus-centered-li

It's that time of year. Exactly one week from now you're going to wake up and instantly start making lists of goals and plans in your head that will help you become the person you want to be this year. Lose weight, start a gratitude journal, learn a new hobby, read a new book, finally plan that trip you always wanted to take. Oh yeah and finally become perfect in every way. Join us as we take a good look at Acts Chapter 9 and how Jesus likes to come into our lives and show us who we really are. Plus see below for our free download challenge to plan your goals with Jesus. ps. Rick and I (Becky) want to wish you and your family the very best Christmas and Happy New Year. It's our greatest joy to do this podcast with all of you and we are so grateful that you listen! We have some really fun things planned for you next year including some special guests. Start the new year off with Jesus, we created a free download just for you to pay ridiculous attention to Jesus in the new year. Download it now and look f