• Summary

  • Scott LaPierre (https://www.scottlapierre.org/) is a senior pastor, author, and conference speaker. This podcast includes his conference messages, guest preaching, and expository sermons at Woodland Christian Church. Each of Scott’s messages is the result of hours of studying the Bible. Scott and his wife, Katie, grew up together in northern California, and God has blessed them with eight children. View all of Pastor Scott’s books on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Scott-LaPierre/e/B01JT920EQ. Receive a FREE copy of Scott’s book, “Seven Biblical Insights for Healthy, Joyful, Christ-Centered Marriages.” For Scott LaPierre’s conference and speaking information, including testimonies, and endorsements, please visit: https://www.scottlapierre.org/conferences-and-speaking/. Feel free to contact Scott at: https://www.scottlapierre.org/contact/.
    © 2020 Scott LaPierre
    Show More Show Less
Episodes
  • Understanding Money: Is It Moral, Immoral, or Amoral?

    Understanding Money: Is It Moral, Immoral, or Amoral?
    Nov 17 2021
    Is money good or bad? Is it moral, immoral, or amoral to be rich or poor? Are people with money better or worse than those with less money? Read on to find out! Table of ContentsMistake 1: Thinking Something Is Amoral When It Is Moral or ImmoralMistake 2: Thinking Something Is Immoral When It Is AmoralThe Amoral Nature of MoneyHow We Spend Money Is MoralHow We Feel About Money Is MoralThe Love of Money, Versus Money, Is the Problem During college, I took a world religions class. A Buddhist monk was brought in as a guest speaker. He had no modern-day luxuries, such as a vehicle, computer, or refrigerator, because he thought these were sinful (immoral). He thought it was good (moral) to allow himself only what was necessary for survival, such as food, water, and shelter. But this is not what Jesus meant when He said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me” (Luke 9:23). There, Jesus referred to denying ourselves immoral pleasures, but the monk was abstaining from things that are amoral (non-sinful, or spiritually neutral): If you died with Christ from the basic principles of the world, why, as though living in the world, do you subject yourselves to regulations—“Do not touch, do not taste, do not handle,” which all concern things which perish with the using—according to the commandments and doctrines of men? These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh.Colossians 2:20-23 When people rigorously neglect the amoral and follow legalistic, man-made commands, there’s “an appearance of wisdom,” but there’s “no value against [indulging] the flesh,” which is to say there’s no spiritual benefit. It’s heartbreaking when people spend years rigorously denying themselves in ways that have no moral or spiritual benefit. The Bible teaches that drunkenness and homosexuality are immoral (1 Corinthians 6:9-10). It’s tragic when people spend years getting drunk or participating in homosexual relationships because they’re convinced their immoral actions are amoral. We must understand morality because if we don’t, we might find ourselves in one of the above situations and fail to see the goodness (morality) of certain behaviors and the sinfulness (immorality) of others. These are the two mistakes we typically make with morality. Let’s consider them in more detail so we’ll be prepared to view our money correctly. Mistake 1: Thinking Something Is Amoral When It Is Moral or Immoral Many verses discuss the morality of our words. For example: Matthew 12:37— Jesus said, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”1 Peter 3:10—“He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.” Most people know their speech is moral, but they might not know that the amount they speak (and listen) is also moral (versus amoral). James 1:19 says, “My beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” This verse contains three commands, which means we’re dealing with morality: it is moral to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; and it is immoral to be slow to hear, quick to speak, and quick to anger. Anger and listening might be mentioned together because they’re closely related. As a pastor, when I’m counseling couples, sometimes it’s obvious early on who’s more at fault when problems arise because they’re slow to hear and quick to get angry. Ecclesiastes teaches that one way to identify fools is they talk too much: “A fool’s voice is known by his many words…a fool also multiplies words” (Ecclesiastes 5:3; 10:14). David took so seriously how much he spoke that he prayed God would protect his mouth: “Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3).
    Show More Show Less
    Not Yet Known
  • The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, Immanuel (Isaiah 7:1-14)

    The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, Immanuel (Isaiah 7:1-14)
    Jan 10 2022
    Isaiah 7:14 says, “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and call his name Immanuel (which means God with Us).” Prophecy can have a near, partial fulfillment and a future, greater fulfillment. In Isaiah’s day a young girl was a virgin. She would get married, cease being a virgin, have a child, and name that child, Immanuel. There is nothing miraculous about this birth, other than God predicted it. When Ahaz saw this child named Immanuel, he would think of Isaiah’s words and the child would serve as a sign that God would deliver Judah in the future. Seven hundred years later, Mary gave birth to Christ as a virgin and He was literally, "God with Us.” Table of ContentsFamily Worship Guide for The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, ImmanuelSermon Notes for The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, ImmanuelLesson One: Some people don’t want to believe.Lesson Two: Jesus is the true and greater Immanuel in that He (part one) was born of a virgin.Lesson Two: Jesus is the true and greater Immanuel in that He (part two) is literally God with us.Lesson Two: Jesus is the true and greater Immanuel in that He (part three) gives us victory over the greatest Enemy. https://youtu.be/QqRy2X2hxFE Isaiah 7:14 says, “The virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and call his name Immanuel (which means God with Us),” and Jesus fulfilled this. Family Worship Guide for The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, Immanuel Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: Isaiah 7:1-13, Hebrews 11:1—Who is Ahaz, Rezin, and Pekah, and what is the relationship between them? Where does Ahaz want to turn for help and why? What does Isaiah’s son’s name mean and why is it significant? How did Ahaz view Rezin and Pekah and how did God view them? What is the significance of them trying to put Tabeel on the throne?Day 2: Isaiah 714, Matthew 1:21-23, John 1:14—Why did God want to give Ahaz a sign? Why did Ahaz not want to ask for a sign? Why did Ahaz not want to believe, and why do you think some people choose not to believe? Describe the sign God gave Ahaz. What does it mean that prophecies can have a near and partial fulfillment and a future, greater fulfillment? Describe how that occurs with this account. Can you think of any other examples in Scripture?Day 3: Isaiah 7:2 cf. Hebrews 2:14-15, 1 Corinthians 15:26, 54-57—How is Jesus the true and greater fulfillment of the prophecy? How is Jesus literally God with us? Describe the enemy Ahaz faced versus the enemy we face. The child in Ahaz’s day served as a sign of victory over what enemy? In what way does Jesus serve as a sign of a greater victory? Sermon Notes for The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, Immanuel The title of this morning’s sermon is, “The Virgin Shall Conceive and Bear a Son, Immanuel.” You can probably tell this is the message I was going to preach on Christmas if I didn’t get Covid. I wanted to preach it today, because I think it works just as well on any Sunday. We are going to learn about one of the most amazing, and familiar, prophecies in the Bible, but just to let you know ahead of time, it’s going to involve learning the background to it. This is important, because without the background we can’t appreciate the prophecy. There are three names in this account that I want you to be able to keep straight, so I put them in the bulletin: Ahaz is the wicked king of Judah. He worshipped other gods and even sacrificed his son to Molech. One commentator said, “He was a cowardly, superstitious and hypocritical ruler, one of the worst kings Judah ever had.”Rezin is the king of Syria and he’s also badPekah is the king of Israel (also called Ephraim throughout the account) and – you guessed it – he’s bad too. Rezin and Pekah are allies and they attacked Ahaz. Ahaz wants to turn to Assyria for help instead of turning to God. God sends the prophet Isaiah to Ahaz to try to get him to trust Him instead of Assyria.
    Show More Show Less
    Not Yet Known
  • Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to Jesus (Luke 15:1 and Haggai 2:10-13)

    Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to Jesus (Luke 15:1 and Haggai 2:10-13)
    Feb 21 2022
    Luke 15:1 says, “Tax collectors and sinners were drawing near to Jesus.” The end of the previous chapter contains the strongest verses in all of Scripture regarding discipleship. Jesus preached them because the crowds were bloated. They were filled with people who weren’t true disciples. Jesus wanted to thin the ranks. The tax collectors and sinners not only remained but drew closer to him. They were tired of their spiritual sickness, and wanted to be made well. Are you spiritually sick? There is a Physician who wants to make you well. Jesus wouldn’t turn away the tax collectors and sinners in his day and he doesn’t turn them away in our day. https://youtu.be/kXvRO7kDmEs Luke 15:1 says, “Tax collectors and sinners drew near to Jesus.” They were tired of their spiritual sickness, and wanted to be made well. Table of ContentsFamily Worship Guide for Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to JesusSermon Notes for Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to JesusLesson One: Holiness can’t be transferred.Lesson Two: Unholiness can be transferred.Lesson Three: Keep unholiness out of your life by (part one) evangelizing versus compromising.Lesson Three: Keep unholiness out of your life by (part two) pointing tax collectors and sinners to the Physician.Lesson Four: Tax collectors and sinners who know they’re sick draw near to Jesus. Family Worship Guide for Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to Jesus Directions: Read the verses and then answer the questions: Day 1: Haggai 2:13, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Proverbs 13:20, 1 Corinthians 15:33—Why were tax collectors and sinners viewed so poorly in Jesus’s day? What did the Jews think about holiness in Haggai’s day? Regarding holiness what can and can’t be transferred? What application does this have for us?Day 2: Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16, James 1:27—How might we be tempted to disguise our compromise as evangelism? What does it mean to use our freedom as an opportunity for the flesh? What would it look like to do so? Why is it fitting to call Jesus a Physician? In what ways is Jesus like an earthly physician?Day 3: Luke 5:27-32, 1 Timothy 1:15, Galatians 6:1—What did Jesus mean when he said he didn’t come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance? Why did so many turn back from following Jesus at the end of Luke 14? Why do you think tax collectors and sinners drew near to him? What makes you want to draw near to Christ? Sermon Notes for Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw Near to Jesus The title of this morning’s sermon is, “Tax Collectors and Sinners Draw near to Him.” On Sunday mornings we’re working our way through Luke’s gospel verse by verse and we have reached Luke 15. Please stand with me for the reading of God’s Word. Luke 15:1 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. 2 And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” You may be seated. Let’s pray. We have The Exchange approaching. Hopefully you received some information about it recently. It is a program that will help us learn to share the gospel and be more evangelistic. Fittingly, we have reached the chapter that contains the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost sons, and shows the Lord’s heart for the perhaps more than any chapter in Scripture. The verses at the beginning of the chapter discuss Jesus’s relationship with people who were considered the worst in society: tax collectors and sinners. Let me explain tax collectors because we will see them throughout the sermon… Eight times in the synoptic Gospels it says tax collectors and sinners, instead of murderers and sinners or adulterers and sinners. Why is it written this way, as though being a tax collector is the worst sin imaginable? Because to the Jew, it pretty much was! The Romans severely taxed the Jews, and the tax collectors who collected the taxes for Rome were Jews. he Jews hated the Romans and the tax collectors who ...
    Show More Show Less
    Not Yet Known
Children's Audiobooks Relationships Parenting & Families Christianity Spirituality
Show More Show Less

More from the same

Author

What listeners say about Living God's Way with Scott LaPierre

Average Customer Ratings

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Audible.com.au reviews

Amazon Reviews
No Reviews are Available
In the spirit of reconciliation, Audible acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.