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We’ve heard that we’re children of God, but why is it so hard to live as a child of God? Why can that identity feel elusive? In this final conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric wrap up our series on Identity Traps and look to what's next for the podcast. They also address key questions from the sermon, including: Can you define orphan-heartedness again? (0:40) Question from the audience—Deborah asks: “I am an educational psychologist/therapist, and I can tell you 95% of the cases I see boil down to an identity issue. Even when we know this information in our head, why is it so difficult to get it in our hearts? Is it the conflicting messages of the world just so loud that it drowns out the truth? It just seems we have such trouble applying this spiritual reality in our lives.” (3:54) Have you known anyone who truly lives like a child of God? (17:15) Are there any practices that you would recommend for developing that “child of God heart”? (20:39) As we wrap up our series, what changes are we looking forward to in the future? (25:18) Sermon for this episode: https://youtu.be/uXJlc0k2gpU For more info about The Moody Church, visit https://www.moodychurch.org/im-new  

We all want happiness, but it always seems to be just around the corner. How can we ever find the satisfaction our hearts long for? In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss Solomon’s identity trap, seeking satisfaction through possessions. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What was King Solomon's identity trap? (1:10) David was preparing for the temple, so did that help with lead time for Solomon? Should we make a big deal about it taking so long? (2:24) Do you have to be wealthy to be consumed by your possessions? Or is this an identity trap that can apply to all economic demographics? (7:14) If you are wealthy, how should you steward that? How should Solomon have stewarded his wealth? (9:44) What does it look like to live with open hands? (15:20) Solomon seems to be making people into possessions. Can you comment on how we might commodify people today? (20:36) What resources in the gospel help us with this deep identity need for satisfaction? (24:16) Sermon video is available here: https://youtu.be/5YAN8W5X9bw  Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected]  

Are you a control freak? Is your greatest fear being out of control? In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss the identity trap of seeking satisfaction through power. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What is Naomi's core identity trap? (3:30) Are there other ways we look for satisfaction through power? (6:58) How do we know if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? (10:19) Question from the audience: How does Levirate marriage work in practice, and does the relationship between Ruth and Boaz follow that pattern? (14:21) What resources in the Gospel help us with this deep identity need for satisfaction? (23:10) Watch the sermon for this episode here: https://youtu.be/VV5A1MnwKl8 Questions for Living The Message can be sent to [email protected]  

When will you be happy? We’re all looking for happiness, but where do we find it? In this episode, we explore a how to find a happiness that satisfies. In this conversation Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss the identity trap of the Samaritan woman at the well. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What was her identity trap? 0:39 Remarkably, the Samaritan woman seems glad that Jesus knows her past. Why does she respond with gladness to Jesus when her sins are exposed? 1:30 Are there other ways we look for satisfaction through people? 7:47 How do we know if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? 9:08 The disciples were probably caught off guard seeing Jesus talk to a woman alone, let alone a Samaritan woman! But v27 says they held back their questions, what do you think the trap they’re avoiding is? 12:48 What resources in the Gospel help us with our deep identity need for satisfaction? 16:00 What practical advice would you give someone who are struggling with finding satisfaction through people? 19:57 Sermon for this episode: https://youtu.be/MaEPHfIBbT0 Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected]  

Where do you turn when you’re in a bind? Naaman was a wealthy general who turned to his possessions to get him out of difficult situations. But in the end, he found that true security must be provided by God. In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss how we can fall into the identity trap of seeking security through possessions. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What is Naaman’s identity trap? (1:10) Are there other ways we look to possessions for security? (4:35) How do we know if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? (7:50) In Naaman’s story, God works in some very strange ways, some of which seem like amazing coincidences that work out perfectly. What should we make of this? (11:05) Why did Naaman want to buy-out his healing? (16:26) How can our hearts become resistant to grace? (21:49) What resources in the Gospel help us with our need for security? (25:36) Sermon for this episode: https://youtu.be/N9qLdSDDJRo Questions can be submitted to [email protected]  

What security blankets are you holding onto? Stay tuned as we learn how to let go of our security blankets and take hold of our security in Jesus. In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss Gideon’s identity trap: seeking security through power. They address key questions from the sermon including: What is Gideon’s identity trap? (1:20) What common ways do we look to power for security? (5:40) How do we know if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? (11:35) How are the fleeces in Gideon's story about power? (14:20) What would you say to the person putting out fleeces to get an answer from God? (17:16) How do we get out of the trap? (21:45) What resources in the gospel help us with our deep identity need for security? (25:55) The sermon for this episode is available at: https://youtu.be/7WqutXKK6YY Questions for living the message can be emailed to [email protected].  

Do you struggle to be yourself around others? If so, you may have fallen into the identity of trap seeking security through people. In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss Esther’s identity trap. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What is Esther's identity trap? (3:58) Esther was looking to the king for security. Are there other common ways we look to people for security? (7:50) How do we know if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? (11:05) How do we get out of the trap? (15:25) What resources in the Gospel help us with our deep identity need for security? (19:45) The sermon for this episode is available at: https://youtu.be/cyauelwzMsI Questions for living the message can be emailed to [email protected]  

In this episode, we discuss how Zacchaeus pursued significance through possessions. We addressed key questions from the sermon, including: What identity trap does Zacchaeus struggle with? What are the signs in our lives that possessions have a hold of us? What does this story say to those who have wealth and are pursuing generosity? Why are we prone to take God’s intimate knowledge of us for granted? What resources in the Gospel help us with our need for significance through possessions? The sermon for this episode can be found at https://youtu.be/eBlXsvO6IHs. Questions about Living the Message can be emailed to [email protected]. 

Are you a control freak, or do you know one? In this episode, we discuss Jacob’s disposition to seeking significance through power. We addressed key questions from the sermon, including: What is Jacob’s identity trap? (0:40) How do we define power? (2:58) How does Jacob get out of this trap? (3:37) Are there other ways we can seek significance through power? (7:52) Is it OK to make things happen? How do we know if we’re falling into a power identity trap or if we’re just working hard to make a difference? (10:06) What are some practical ways to move out of the trap? (14:55) What resources in the gospel can we apply to this identity trap? (17:58) The sermon for this episode can be found at: https://youtu.be/Gz-UTb94qnc Questions for Living the Message can be sent to [email protected].  

Does approval from others give you a sense of importance? What are some practical ways we can avoid this identity trap? In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss the identity trap of finding significance through other people. They address key questions from the sermon, including: What is Joseph’s primary identity trap? (1:05) How does Joseph get out of the trap? (2:17) Is Joseph’s actions towards his brothers born out of sinfulness or shrewdness? (6:00) Why does Benjamin receive a greater share when Joseph knows his brothers are prone to jealousy? (11:11) What other ways can we seek significance and approval from others? (14:24) Our culture is dominated by platforms designed to pursue the approval of others. For those of us who struggle with this area of significance, how can we diagnose if we’ve fallen into this identity trap? (16:13) How do we get out of this identity trap? (18:46) What resources in the Gospel are helpful for us to apply? (22:04) What are some practical ways we can rid ourselves of things that get in the way of God’s approval? (25:35) The sermon for this episode is available here: https://youtu.be/8UZohML9_qo Questions for the podcast can be emailed to [email protected].

Who are you, and where do you get your identity? In this episode, we’ll find where we can get the greatest identity we can ever have.    In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss how to diagnose our own identity traps by mapping our hearts. We’ll discover a way to determine who we are, how we’re wired, and how we can stay on track with our God-given identity.    They address key questions from the sermon, including:    1) How would you define identity?  (1:39)   2) Why is talking about an identity important? Can't we just repent, believe, and move on? (4:30)   3) Is it wrong to want significance, security, and satisfaction? (9:50)    4) What is the right way to pursue them? (11:45)   5) Is there hope for getting these three things in the right way while on earth? (15:23)   6) What’s the first step we can take for moving towards our true identity? (21:05)   A graphic map of our hearts used in the sermon is available at: https://moodyaudiobucket.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/audios/2023/01/05143926/Mapping-Our-Hearts-scaled.jpg   To watch the sermon for this episode, visit https://youtu.be/brEuXtdLO4I   Questions for Living the Message can be emailed to [email protected]. 

Away from the manger...our little Lord fled. The Christmas holiday holds such incredible beauty, but the original story is also filled with deep brokenness. How can we reconcile these two competing themes?   In this conversation, Pastor Philip and Pastor Eric discuss the Holy Family’s flight to Egypt and how that event can help us deal with post-Christmas letdown. They address key questions from the sermon, including:    1) What does Jesus’ exile to Egypt teach us today? (5:11)   2) How should this truth affect us who may live a life of relative ease? (9:13)   3) Jesus was despised. How we think of family and friends who think we're backwards and simple for being a Christian? (15:20)   4) How does this passage help us to cope with Christmas letdown? (20:14)   Questions for Living the Message can be emailed to: [email protected]   For more information about The Moody Church, visit: https://www.moodychurch.org/im-new