Life Over Coffee With Rick Thomas

Biblical decision-making is not that difficult if you are the only one making the decision. There are challenges, of course, but it's much easier if you're the only one affected by the decision you make. Once the number of contributors to the decision-making process increases and the consequences are broader, it will be more challenging to navigate with humility, clarity, and mutually agreed-upon cooperation regarding the path forward. Having guidelines for couples and friends is crucial. Read, Watch, Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/guidelines-for-making-decisions-as-a-couple/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Show Main Idea: We will explore the impact of unresolved anger on relationships. Through a gospel-centered lens, we will offer practical tools and biblical wisdom to help us address the root of anger, exchange it for Christ-like patience, and foster an environment of love, forgiveness, and restoration. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-528-webinar-overcoming-anger-how-it-complicates-our-relationships/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

The gospel practicalized is a transcendent lifestyle that overrides cultural and religious traditions, preferences, and expectations. The convolution between primary and secondary things can be dizzying, especially in a world that works overtime to invert what is good with evil. A practicalized gospel teaches us to live well with others, especially those who make choices that are different from ours. In a world gone mad, all Christians must work hard to distinguish the negotiable from the non-negotiable. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/how-to-live-with-people-with-different-preferences/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Show Main Idea: Our heavenly Father is the de facto leader of our lives and homes. To build strong marriages and families, we must determine that we will address our life with God, make the necessary changes, and then ask Him to enable us to export our life with Him to those we love. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-527-webinar-follow-the-leader-creating-a-redemptive-community/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Every four years in America, its citizens have the opportunity to vote for the next President of the United States. It’s the privilege of free countries where the political class serves the citizens, or that is what it says on paper. In America, it’s no longer that way in practice as the government has become the hegemonic power, making the right to vote a fragile and sober time when faith and responsibility intersect at a high level. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/a-christian-perspective-on-the-presidential-election/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

This presidential election cycle is my sixteenth. Admittedly, I do not remember the first one because I was one year old, and they would not let me vote. It was 1960. I do remember the second one in 1964, but I had no opinion other than keeping Lyndon Johnson in there since he had not had an entire run. It seemed unfair to replace him. I remember the others and have had varying views depending on my awareness of what was happening. Now, it’s 2024, and here we are: who should we elect as our next president? Few election cycles have been as troubling as the last few. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/who-are-you-voting-for-as-president-this-november/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Someone asked me why I share political messages on my personal X account. He then followed up by saying that politics stink. It was not one of those “stay in your lane” questions as much as it was a curious onlooker, a fellow Christian thinking about their role in the political arena. His question is worth exploring, and every Christian who wants to make a difference in their world should evaluate their role in politics and culture. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/why-christians-should-engage-in-politics/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

In the summer of 2018, we were visiting Lucia’s sister in Minnesota when she told us about a nearby Trump Rally in Fargo, North Dakota. Our van just so happened to need a repair, and Fargo was the nearest Toyota dealer, so we decided to attend the rally while in Fargo. It was a memorable night, a bucket list type of event. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/went-president-trump-rally-last-night/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Show Main Idea: Rick Thomas talks to Dr. Jenn Chen about her latest book, Biblical Counseling and Mental Disorder Diagnosis. Dr. Chen, formerly an integrated psychologist who later received her Master’s in Biblical Counseling, has written an excellent book that is culturally relevant to the dangers of secular psychology. This book is an outstanding tool for all disciple-makers as they engage our brothers and sisters immersed in and influenced by a psychologized culture. Show Notes: https://lifeovercoffee.com/podcast/ep-525-dr-jenn-chen-biblical-counseling-and-mental-disorder-diagnosis/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the striking surprises about the time we live is the imperceptible and incremental changes that happen culturally. Things move so slowly, and we’re so preoccupied that we don’t recognize shifts until we’re shocked out of our mundane lives. The evolution of marketing and politics is one of those phenomena of our society that leaped forward in 2015. What happened is a stark call to action for all believers who love their country and want to make a redemptive difference in the lives of others. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/people-missing-point-about-donald-trump/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the striking surprises about the time we live is the imperceptible and incremental changes that happen culturally. Things move so slowly, and we’re so preoccupied that we don’t recognize shifts until we’re shocked out of our mundane lives. The evolution of marketing and politics is one of those phenomena of our society that leaped forward in 2015. What happened is a stark call to action for all believers who love their country and want to make a redemptive difference in the lives of others. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/people-missing-point-about-donald-trump/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

There is a twist of irony when one person condemns another, even if the accusation is correct. Jesus was right when He said, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.” To paraphrase, He said that if you choose to dish it out, it will likely come back on you. If we do not guard our hearts when we critique others, we may forget that we are not guilt-free, probably doing adjacent things as we critique. We see this play out a zillion times a day in our country. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-one-thing-that-is-worse-than-admitting-youre-a-racist/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

In 2020, the number one question circulating in people’s minds was, “Should I wear a mask?” Perhaps you wore one, and it was a non-issue. Praise God. I’m sure you were aware that many of your friends were not where you were. It never occurred to me to write on this subject, but it proved to be a paper-thin problem that turned into a mountainous stumbling block for too many people. As most of our dilemmas go, we usually begin by asking the wrong question, which makes our mask problem an excellent case study to help us think rightly about the next cultural and political overreach. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/to-wear-a-mask-or-not-is-not-the-most-important-question/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

One of the most hotly debated terms this century is the word woke. It means to be aware, as in, “I have woke up to [this cause].” Formerly, you were not aware; now, you are. Woke is most often used in the context of what some folks believe are the oppressors and the oppressed: “I am awake to your oppression.” Within this group of woke people, you will find a spectrum of adherents. On one end, there are the innocent idealists, and on the other, there are angry activists. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/two-degrees-of-woke-the-innocent-idealist-and-angry-activist/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Our country is in a tailspin. The most popular word an immediate pathway to cancellation in America today is racism. Two hundred-plus years of striving and tension around race are spilling over into our streets and onto our social media platforms. The noise is so loud. It’s annoying, tedious, concerning, and a lie. Some people are reacting with no filter, while others want to bury their self-censoring heads in the sand. Why are we here? What happened to us? More importantly, what can we do? Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/the-new-slave-owner-is-a-liberal-paternalistic-government/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

When it comes to human relationships and societal structures, there are threads of unity and discord woven side by side. It’s a delicate balance between building up and tearing down, and often hinges on subtle attitudes and actions that can go unnoticed until the fabric begins to fray. I want to explore this delicate balance between unity and discord by discussing how the insidious patterns of autoimmunity, verificationism, and psychosis create a sadistic, triune collective that, if left unchecked, can unravel the very essence of our families, churches, and nations. My goal isn’t merely to identify these common traits that can infect all of us but to seek pathways to restoration grounded in the timeless truths that call us to love beyond ourselves. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/an-analysis-of-how-to-destroy-a-family-church-or-country/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can mak

The Bible is clear: those who forget God will not endure (Job 8:13). This truth applies not only to nations but also to churches and individuals. God, who sits enthroned above the earth, sees all inhabitants as mere grasshoppers (Isaiah 40:22). When a nation turns away from God, it sets in motion a process of escalating chaos, disunity, and eventual destruction. It is tragic and ironic that many of today’s leaders—whether in politics or media—fail to recognize this historical pattern. While no nation is without flaws, America’s historical success has often paralleled its alignment with Christian principles. However, as we drift from these foundations, the fabric of our society begins to unravel. Read, Watch, or Listen: https://lifeovercoffee.com/great-nation-falls/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

Every day, you have to make many decisions, big and small. Some of them are life-changing events, while others aren’t as consequential. It would shock many of us to realize how often we’re deciding things. From micro-decisions, those subtle, silent decisions, to life and family-altering decisions, having a good grasp of biblical decision-making is vital. I have a decision-making case study and a few practical guidelines that will serve you in all of the decisions that you have to make. Read More: https://lifeovercoffee.com/helpful-tips-on-how-to-make-decisions-big-and-small/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

When deciding anything, you must be in faith regarding that decision, which is why the most important question you will ever ask yourself when making a decision is, “Am I in faith to (insert the thing you’re thinking about) to do this?” Thus, having a biblically informed conscience that does not obscure your presuppositional lens will help you to see the facts clearly, and it will give you the best shot at making the most God-honoring decision. Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/a-simple-guide-on-how-to-make-a-decision-about-anthing/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.

There are no his versus her problems in anyone’s marriage. There are one flesh problems. Your physical body is an excellent illustration of this worldview. If your finger is hurting, your body is hurting. If there is something wrong with your one flesh marriage, regardless of who is struggling, the whole body is in the struggle. Though you have unique lives, you are one flesh, too. What are the implications and practical applications of two unique people who become one flesh? Read Here: https://lifeovercoffee.com/your-husbands-problems-are-your-problems-your-wifes-problems-are-your-problems/ Will you help us to continue providing free content for everyone? You can become a supporting member here https://lifeovercoffee.com/join/, or you can make a one-time or recurring donation here https://lifeovercoffee.com/donate/.