In this episode, we dive deep into Romans 7:14-25 to explore the struggle between self-effort and relying on God's power. If you've ever felt trapped in a cycle of trying harder yet still falling short, this conversation is for you. Host Ross O'Hair and guest Tom Price discuss how even as believers, we will give into fleshly temptations when we rely on our own strength. They share personal insights and practical wisdom on embracing our true identity in Christ, which empowers us to overcome challenges not by our might but through the Holy Spirit. By listening, you'll discover how to shift from self-reliance to God-reliance, unlock the freedom found in trusting God's presence within you, and experience genuine transformation in your walk with God.

Key Verses:

Romans 7:14-25: "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. So now it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want, it is no longer I who do it, but sin that dwells within me. So I find it to be a law that when I want to do right, evil lies close at hand. For I delight in the law of God, in my inner being, but I see in my members another law waging war against the law of my mind and making me captive to the law of sin that dwells in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!"

Quotes:

“God has shown me that true strength and success come from His Spirit working through me, not from my own self-effort to follow principles.”

“When we understand that our deepest desire is to walk in holiness because of our new identity in Christ, we can stop focusing on sin and start relying on God’s power within us.”

Key Points:

1. Believers often struggle with sin when trying to live righteously by self-effort rather than through God’s grace.
2. The law of sin affects our physical bodies, but our inner being delights in God’s law, aligning with our identity in Christ.
3. True freedom comes from trusting God’s power to transform us, rather than depending on self-imposed rules or willpower.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:00)
2. Scripture Reading (01:04)
3. Paul’s Perspective: Is This Pre- or Post-Salvation? (03:14)
4. Unpacking the “Law of Sin” (04:57)
5. Identity Check: Who Are We in Christ? (06:24)
6. Freedom Formula: Spirit-Led vs. Self-Effort (10:18)
7. Life Lesson: Tom Shares a Personal Story on Self-Discipline (11:03)
8. Finding Strength: How God Empowers Us (17:12)
9. Key Takeaway: Growing with Grace, Not Law (18:42)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Dramatic by FlowersMusic (all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Tom Price Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this episode, Ross O’Hair and Tom Price dive into Romans 7:7-13 to explore one of the more challenging aspects of faith: the tension between God’s perfect law and our human inability to follow it. Through relatable stories and insightful analogies, Ross and Tom unpack why our best self-efforts inevitably fall short of God’s standard, and why that realization is actually a profound blessing. Listeners will gain a fresh perspective on the purpose of the law—as a mirror that reveals our need for grace—and discover the freedom that comes when we rely on the indwelling Holy Spirit instead of striving on our own. If you've ever felt burdened by trying to be "good enough," this episode will offer you relief, clarity, and a renewed understanding of how God’s grace empowers us to live righteously.

Key Verses:

Romans 7:7-13: "What then shall we say? That the law is sin? By no means! Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, 'You shall not covet.' But sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, produced in me all kinds of covetousness. For apart from the law, sin lies dead. I was once alive apart from the law, but when the commandment came, sin came alive and I died. The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me. For sin, seizing an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me. So the law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good."

Quotes:

“The law is holy and perfect, but self-effort can never fulfill it. Instead, it often brings out our sin nature.”

“The law is like a mirror: it reveals where we fall short but has no power to make us righteous.”

“Grace always focuses on righteousness, while the law keeps our focus on sin and self-effort.”

Key Points:

1. The law reveals sin but cannot empower us to live righteously.
2. Self-effort in following the law often leads to more sin, not less.
3. True righteousness is achieved by relying on the Holy Spirit, not our self-strength.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:00)
2. Scripture Reading (01:02)
3. Context of Romans 5:6-11 (02:00)
4. What Does It Mean to Be Saved by Christ's Life? (03:00)
5. Reconciliation Through Christ's Death (04:00)
6. The Two Sides of the Cross (05:00)
7. Practical Example of Living Out Christ’s Life (10:02)
8. How to Apply Reconciliation Daily (12:00)
9. Conclusion and Major Takeaways (15:16)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Emotional Piano and Strings by GentleJammers (all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Tom Price Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this episode, Ross O'Hair and Tom Price unpack Romans 7:1-6, offering a powerful and practical understanding of the freedom Christians have in Christ. They explain how striving to meet the law's impossible standards will lead us to frustration and failure while embracing grace allows us to grow in righteousness and live in the freedom God intends. Through a rich analogy comparing marriage to life under the law, they show how Christ's death releases us from the law and enables us to bear fruit for God. Listen today to gain valuable insights into overcoming the pressures of performance-based acceptance and find encouragement to live confidently in God's grace.

Key Verses:

Romans 7:1-6: “Or do you not know, brothers—for I am speaking to those who know the law—that the law is binding on a person only as long as he lives? For a married woman is bound by law to her husband while he lives, but if her husband dies she is released from the law of marriage. Accordingly, she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies, she is free from that law, and if she marries another man she is not an adulteress. Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the law through the body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to him who has been raised from the dead, in order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the law, were at work in our members to bear fruit for death. But now we are released from the law, having died to that which held us captive, so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit and not in the old way of the written code.”

Quotes:

“Grace is a safe place for us to practice our gift of righteousness that was gifted to us through Christ.”

“The law demands absolute perfection but does nothing to help us achieve that perfection.”

“We've been released from performance-based acceptance and are now joined to God in intimate relationship.”

Key Points:

1. The law cannot produce righteousness; it only exposes our inability to meet its demands.
2. Through Christ’s death, we are released from the law and free to live under grace.
3. Grace provides the freedom to grow in righteousness without fear of condemnation.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:06)
2. Scripture Reading (01:15)
3. Why Paul repeatedly mentions the law (02:36)
4. The Law’s Purpose (03:55)
5. Marriage Analogy (05:39)
6. How grace provides freedom to bear fruit (06:18)
7. Living out freedom in everyday life (09:27)
8. Working in a grace-based work environment (14:46)
9. Major Takeaway (16:58)
10. Conclusion (17:43)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Cinematic Strings by Cleanmindsounds

(all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Tom Price Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this episode, Ross O'Hair and Jamie Pharis Pyles guide us through a exploration of Romans 6:14-23, revealing how to break free from the cycle of sin and live under the power of God's grace. The conversation offers practical insights into how believers can shift from living under obligation to living with joyful obedience from the heart. By listening, you'll gain a deeper understanding of how grace transforms your daily life, empowering you to make choices that lead to righteousness, peace, and abundant life in Christ. This episode will encourage you to trust God with your day-to-day struggles, embrace your new identity, and walk in true freedom.

Key Verses:

Romans 6:14-23: “For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification. For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Quotes:

"It’s really hard when you have to, but it’s really easy when you want to."

"When you truly understand what God’s done to you and how trustworthy He is, then you’ll start to see change in your day-to-day life."

Key Points:

1. Living under grace allows for genuine obedience from the heart, not out of obligation but desire.
2. The freedom in Christ leads to life and sanctification, while sin leads only to death.

Outline:

Introduction (00:00:06)

Scripture Reading (00:01:12)

Habitual Sin and Occasional Sin (00:03:26)

What It Means to Present Ourselves as Slaves to Righteousness(00:04:26)

Obedience from the Heart (00:08:43)

Contrast of Sin Versus Righteousness (00:05:03)

How Sin Affects Relationships (00:05:25)

Choosing to Live from Grace (00:09:44)

The Practical Walk of Believing (00:15:14)

Final Takeaway from Romans 6 (00:17:42)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Nordic Cellos by Orchestralis

(all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Jamie Pharis Pyles Scriptures Read By: Corrie O'Hair

Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

Have you ever wondered why you still struggle with sin, even though you’ve been made new in Christ? In this powerful episode, Ross O'Hair and Jamie Pyles explore Romans 6:8-14, uncovering life-changing truths about what it means to live as a new creation. They discuss how believers are no longer slaves to sin, but instead, are under "new management" — controlled by the Holy Spirit.

Through practical insights, Jamie explains how to break free from old habits and temptations by knowing our true identity, considering ourselves dead to sin, and presenting ourselves to God. Whether you’re struggling with long-standing habits or simply want a fresh understanding of God’s transformative power, this episode provides hope and actionable steps for real change. Tune in and discover how God’s truth can set you free!

Key Verses:

Romans 5:6-11: “For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation..”

Quotes: “When we believe God, we are believing in reality. It’s not just positive mantras, it’s the truth that transforms us.”

“Practice doesn’t just make perfect; it makes permanent. So, whatever you are practicing, that’s what you will automatically live out.”

Key Points:

1. Believers are no longer slaves to sin because their old nature is dead; the struggle now is with remnants of past habits.
2. Trusting God and presenting ourselves to Him daily is essential for breaking free from sin’s power.
3. Lasting change requires both personal reliance on God's truth and engagement with a supportive community.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:06)
2. Scripture Reading (01:12)
3. Our Death and Resurrection in Christ (02:13)
4. Under New Management (04:22)
5. Knowing Our New Identity (05:19)
6. Considering Ourselves Dead to Sin (08:07)
7. Presenting Ourselves to God (10:33)
8. Overcoming Temptations (12:05)
9. The Role of Community in the Transformation Process (18:29)
10. Conclusion (19:15)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Nordic Cellos by Orchestralis

(all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Jamie Pharis Pyles Scriptures Read By: Corrie O'Hair

Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this encouraging episode, Ross O'Hair and Jamie Pharis Pyles talk about Romans 6:6-7 and what it means to be truly free from sin. They share how, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we don’t have to be controlled by our old sinful habits anymore. Through helpful examples and personal stories, this episode shows how we can live in freedom every day. If you’re looking for hope and a fresh perspective on your walk with God, this episode will lift you up and remind you of the freedom Jesus gives!

Key Verses:

Romans 6:6-7: “We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.”

Quotes:

“You're no longer controlled by the power of sin. You are dead to it.”

“The more we believe the truth about being freed from sin, the more freedom we experience.”

Key Points:

1. The old nature has been crucified with Christ, so we are no longer slaves to sin.
2. True freedom from sin comes from knowing and believing in the death of the old self.
3. Experiencing freedom from sin is about walking in new patterns and understanding that the old ways no longer satisfy.

Outline:

Introduction (00:05)

Scripture Reading (01:01)

"Knowing" our crucifixion with Christ (02:05)

How Belief Impacts Behavior (03:51)

Roller Coaster Analogy (05:18)

The Old Self and Sin Nature (06:03)

Science of Forming New Behavior Patterns (08:15)

Personal Example of Finding Freedom (10:10)

Practical Advice for Walking in Freedom (12:16)

Major takeaway (13:34)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Emotional Movie Trailer by AirFamily (all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Jamie Pharis Pyles Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this episode, Ross O’Hair and Jamie Pharis Pyles dive into Romans 6:1-5 to uncover how being united with Christ in His death and resurrection transforms our daily lives. If you are struggling with sin or feeling like your past defines you, this episode will encourage and equip you to understand that, in and through Christ, sin's power no longer binds you—you’ve been made completely new! Learn how to walk in this freedom, rely on God's grace, and experience true victory as you live out your new identity.

Key Verses:

Romans 6:1-5 : "What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his."

Quotes:

“Sin brings death, but now we have the power of Christ within us. Why would we want to go back to that?”

Key Points:

1. Sin is no longer our master; we have been made new in Christ.
2. Our desires have changed because of our new identity in Christ, leading us to reject sin.
3. Relying on Christ’s power is essential for living out this new identity and reigning in life.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:05)
2. Scripture Reading (01:04)
3. Grace Over Sin: God’s Transforming Power (02:11)
4. Living as Someone Who Is Dead to Sin (03:08)
5. Baptism: A Picture of Our New Life in Christ (04:00)
6. Sin as a Power: Overcoming Its Grip (06:35)
7. United with Christ: Living from His Power, Not Your Own (07:47)
8. Why You No Longer Need to Be Defined by Sin (10:34)
9. Living Out Our New Identity (14:06)
10. Takeaway: Living in Victory (16:25)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Emotional Cinematic Trailer by AirFamily (all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Jamie Pharis Pyles Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina

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Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.

In this episode, Ross O’Hair and Beau Brezina dive into the powerful truth that when sin increases because of the law, God's grace becomes even more abundant. They explore how the law exposes our need for grace, and how through Jesus, we are empowered to reign in life—not by striving to meet impossible standards, but by resting in the righteousness God freely gives. If you're feeling weighed down by guilt, shame, or the pressure to "measure up," this conversation will show you how to step off the exhausting treadmill of self-effort and embrace the freedom that comes through God's unearned favor in Christ. Listen in and discover the life-changing power of grace!

Key Verses:

Romans 5:20-21: “Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Quotes:

"As you believe that you are right in Christ, and you say no to the sin, you're expressing the life and light of Christ."

Key Points:

1. The law reveals sin but cannot overcome it; only grace abounds over sin.
2. True life and righteousness are gifts received by grace, not earned by human effort.
3. Believers reign in life through Jesus, aligning with God’s truth and trusting His provision.

Outline:

1. Introduction (00:06)
2. Scripture reading (01:04)
3. The role of the law (01:49)
4. How grace reigns over sin (03:18)
5. Personal examples of living under grace instead of the law (06:02)
6. Trusting God's provision and reigning in life through grace (10:08)
7. Aligning our thinking with God's truth (11:18)
8. Major takeaway from Romans 6 (14:02)
9. Conclusion (14:46)

Theme Music:

Here Forever by Adigold Peaceful Documentary by LEXMUSIC (all rights and licensing from Envato elements)

Hosted by: Ross O'Hair Participating Staff: Beau Brezina Edited by: Ross O’Hair and Ben Brezina ---

Have a question or comment about this podcast? We want to hear from you. Email us at podcast@cftministry.org

Interested in more? Get the Living IN Jesus study.

In need of individual counseling? Visit our website to schedule an online or in-person appointment.