Only One Thing

The power of evil is at play in our world, in our lives. The good news is God's power is greater and He offers Himself and His action on your behalf, to deliver you from the power of evil, now and for eternity.

References:

Matthew 6:9-13

James 1:2-4

Ephesians 6:10-18

Revelation 21:1-8

Are you having a hard time forgiving that person?

Look to the cross. Receive again the immeasurable gift of God's mercy forgiving your uncalculable debt.

"Forgive as the Lord forgave you." Colossians 3:13

References:

Matthew 6:9-13

Romans 12:2

Matthew 18:21-35

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Does God care about your daily, physical needs?

"Although he already knows all things, He invites you to tell him your needs, to petition Him in prayer, to invite Him into your needs. Will God provide everything you ask for? No, maybe not. But He will always provide HIMSELF to you as you are vulnerable with Him in prayer. And at the end of the day, isn’t that our greatest need - the deep aching hungry hole in us crying out for the bread of life?"

Join us as we continue our walk through the Lord's Prayer. May we continue to learn who God is, why we can trust Him in prayer and why we pray in the first place.

What is God's will? Are you willing to say "Yes" to it? 

Today, we listen to two prayers Jesus prayed on the night He was arrested; One a bold declaration of God's desires, the other a face-in-the-dirt wrestling surrender kind of prayer. What do we learn of God's will in these prayers? Am I willing to surrender to God's will as Jesus does?

A few more passages giving us a view of God's will:

1 Thessalonians 5:18: Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Hebrews 10:10: For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time.

Ephesians 1:9 God has now revealed to us his mysterious will regarding Christ—which is to fulfill his own good plan.

Revelation 4:11: “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”

Hidden within the folds of The Lord's Prayer is an invitation, a call to response. We pray, Your Kingdom Come, and the Spirit of God whispers back, "Will you let my Kingdom come in you? Will you be willing to carry the reign of God in your heart, mind, soul, and body first? Will you be willing to submit to the reign of Christ in the place you inhabit?"

We wonder, what DOES the Kingdom of God, the reign of God, look like in my real life? 

Today, we listen to Jesus' Sermon on the Mount and listen for the ways He's calling us to live in HIS way. As you listen, remember, "with man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26)

What is it about God's holiness that secures His trustworthiness?

In today's episode, we explore why addressing God as "Our Father...Holy is your name" can inspire our utmost trust in the One we're talking to in prayer. 

References:

Isaiah 6:1-7

Isaiah 5:16

Revelation 4:1-11

Extra Reading:

The book of Isaiah in the Bible mentions God as Holy more than any other book in the Bible. It's a long one, but if you're looking for something to read to get a better view of God's holiness, start there.

Shoutout to Jackie Hill Perry's book, "Holier than Thou", which inspired and initiated much of the content for this episode.

When you hear God described as Father, what kind of Father do you imagine Him to be?

Today, we explore 'Father' in Scripture and find that three roles emerge alongside it: Creator, Provider, Protector. Because God is Father, He creates, He provides good gifts and He protects the children He loves. 

Do you know God as a good Father in your own life? We look to Jesus to show us the way back to the Father. 

Scriptures Referenced:

Deuteronomy 1:31; 32:6

Isaiah 43; 63:16; 64:8

Matthew 5-7 (7:9)

John 1:9-12; 17:25

Ephesians 2:18

James 1:17

When you hear God addressed as Father in the Lord's Prayer, what kind of Father do you imagine Him to be? It's important to recognize your own ideas and thoughts as you come to sit at the feet of Jesus. Are you willing to let the Word of God renew your mind and maybe even give you more truthful ways to think about God as Father?

In this episode, we continue our exploration of the Lord's Prayer. As we do, may our trust in God and our prayer life grow.

Do you feel like you don’t know how to pray? Like you don’t know how to relate to God? 

In this episode, I tell my own story of my sometimes awkward prayer life. In the middle of my confusion, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the words Jesus had already given me and you to pray. These words, this prayer has been changing me and my ideas of God. When I don’t know how to pray, Jesus gives words. 

Listen to the words Jesus gave us and pray along with Him.

Matthew 6:9-13 in NLT

Pray like this:

Our Father in heaven,

may your name be kept holy.

May your Kingdom come soon.

May your will be done on earth,

as it is in heaven.

Give us today the food we need,

and forgive us our sins,

as we have forgiven those who sin against us.

And don’t let us yield to temptation,

but rescue us from the evil one.

Revelation?? What could be waiting for us in Revelation? You may be as surprised as I was to discover a nativity story, a story of Christ's arrival waiting for us to explore in the mysterious book of Revelation. Be encouraged as we peek behind the scenes to understand what our reality is now because this little, undefeatable baby comes into the picture.

In this season of Advent, we're exploring three stories of Christ's arrival. What did these arrival stories mean to the people who experienced them firsthand? What could these stories of Christ's arrival mean to us now as we experience the arrival of Christ in our own lives? What hope do we find here as we look to Christ's second coming when all faith will be sight?

400 years is a long time. Especially if it's 400 years of silence from God. In today's episode, we bear witness to God breaking the silence after 400 years of no prophets, no word from God (time between Old and New Testament). Who did God choose to speak to first after these 400 years? What did He tell them and how did they respond?

In this season of Advent, we're exploring three stories of Christ's arrival. What did these arrival stories mean to the people who experienced them firsthand? What could these stories of Christ's arrival mean to us now as we experience the arrival of Christ in our own lives? What hope do we find here as we look to Christ's second coming when all faith will be sight?

Lean in and listen to a prophecy of Jesus' arrival from Isaiah 9:1-7. What did this prophecy mean to the people of Judah then? What does it mean for us now?

In today's episode, we explore the historical and political context into which Isaiah spoke the words, "Unto us a child is born...".

In this season of Advent, we're exploring three stories of Christ's arrival. What did these arrival stories mean to the people who experienced them firsthand? What could these stories of Christ's arrival mean to us now as we experience the arrival of Christ in our own lives? What hope do we find here as we look to Christ's second coming when all faith will be sight?

Welcome to Only One Thing! Today you'll find a quick meet and greet followed by a guided listening through Luke 10:38-42. This passage is what sparked this podcast right down to the title of it. It's the passage I keep coming back to when everything around me is yelling for my attention. Remember, only one thing is necessary

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I'd love to meet you! You can find me on instagram (@melanie.e.salte) or visit my website, www.melaniesalte.com

Does life feel loud? Like there's a million things yelling for your attention? I feel it. My desire for a deeper relationship with God is swept away so easily by all the items on my to-do list.

In Luke 10:38-42, Jesus says that only one thing is necessary. Like Mary (and Martha), we are invited to sit at His feet, a disciple taking in his every word.

This will be a space to lean in and listen for the voice of Jesus as we explore Scripture together. A space for me. A space for you. A space to be transformed more and more into Christ as we fix our eyes on Him. And maybe when we make our way back to our to-do list, we'll find out that it's been transformed too.

This podcast is an experiment of sorts. What happens when I create space to encounter Jesus through the Bible on a regular basis? What happens when I take His words that only one thing is necessary seriously? Let's find out together!