Podcast Summary:

Imagine walking into a church service where everyone’s attention is focused not on the performance, but on one purpose: to honor Jesus. The atmosphere shifts, and before a word is sung, you're moved to tears by the presence of God.

In this episode of As In Heaven, we dive deep into two intertwined principles of the kingdom: honor and humility. We explore how these two elements are not only central to our relationship with God but essential for building thriving communities and families.

But how do we truly live out these principles in our everyday lives, in a world that often prioritizes status, success, and pride? How can we live out honor and humility in a culture that often values power and pride, and how do these kingdom principles transform our relationships with God and others?

1. Honor Invites God's Presence: True honor shifts the atmosphere, allowing God's presence to dwell in a room. It's not just mentioning His name but adoring and exalting Him.
2. Humility Precedes Honor: Biblical humility is the foundation for experiencing honor in the kingdom. Yielding to God allows His honor and blessing to flow.
3. Honor Reflects Love and Respect: Honor is love and respect made visible, not based on what people have done, but on the fact that they are made in the image of God.
4. Dishonor is Destructive: Dishonoring others opens the door to chaos and breaks relationships, while honoring brings blessings and builds strong communities.
5. Humility and Service: Jesus' act of washing His disciples' feet illustrates the power of humility, where true leadership is rooted in serving others.

1. "Jesus doesn't walk into a room where His name is mentioned. He walks into a room where He's honored and adored."
2. "Honor is love and respect made visible - it's not about what someone has done but who they are in God’s image."
3. "Humility is a superpower in the kingdom - it opens the door for God’s honor, glory, and blessing."

• 00:00 – Introduction: Welcome to the episode on kingdom principles of honor and humility, setting the stage with the power of honor.
• 00:49 – Story of Honor: Bryn shares how a worship service changed her entire approach to prayer and worship through the power of honoring Jesus.
• 03:43 – Engaging with the Heart of God: Bryn explains how engaging with God's heart transforms spiritual practices like prayer and worship.
• 05:41 – Why Honor Matters: Bryan unpacks the biblical principle of honor and how it contrasts with worldly views of success and status.
• 10:46 – Honoring One Another: Discussion on how we honor others, not based on their position or power, but as people created in God's image.
• 12:51 – The Impact of Dishonor: Bryan shares personal experiences of dishonor and how it negatively impacts relationships.
• 16:22 – Honor vs. Obedience: Exploring the difference between obedience and honor in family dynamics, especially between parents and children.
• 24:53 – Honor in Difficult Situations: How to navigate showing honor in abusive or toxic relationships, while maintaining healthy boundaries.
• 28:40 – Pivot to Humility: Transition to discussing biblical humility and its foundational role in kingdom living.
• 30:41 – Humility as Yieldedness: Humility is yielding to God’s authority and submitting to others out of love, leading to true honor.
• 32:58 – Jesus’ Example of Humility: Reflecting on Jesus washing His disciples' feet as an ultimate act of humility and service.
• 36:29 – Honor and Humility in Everyday Life: Closing thoughts on how to intentionally live out honor and humility in daily interactions.
• 37:36 – Prayer: A prayer for the grace to live in humility and honor, bringing God's kingdom to earth as it is in heaven.

Podcast Summary:

Imagine being in the midst of absolute chaos - storms raging, danger all around - and yet feeling an unexplainable peace, a calm that defies the chaos.

In this episode of As In Heaven, Bryan Elliott, Chantal Fowler, and Matt Davis explain the kingdom principle of peace - what it means to experience true shalom even in life's most turbulent moments.

How can we, as believers, access the peace that passes understanding when the world around us is in turmoil? How can we stop trying to manufacture peace and instead lean into the peace that is a person - Jesus Himself? How do we experience and maintain God's peace (shalom) amidst the chaos and uncertainty of life?

1. Peace is a Person: True peace isn’t something to be grasped but a person - Jesus, the Prince of Peace - whose presence changes everything.
2. Shalom is Now: We often think of peace as something in the future, but Jesus offers His kingdom and peace now. It's available in every moment.
3. Rest and Peace Are Linked: True peace doesn’t come from external circumstances, but from resting in God’s sovereignty and provision.
4. Casting Cares is an Active Practice: Peace requires us to intentionally cast our cares onto Jesus, trusting Him fully with the burdens of life.
5. Peace Displaces Chaos: God's peace is not just a feeling but a transformative power that displaces fear, anxiety, and chaos.

1. "We can have the peace that passes all understanding when we give up the right to understand."
2. "Shalom is the realm of heaven, and that’s what we have access to 24/7."
3. "True peace isn’t about the absence of chaos, but about being anchored in Christ, no matter what storms are raging around us."

• 00:00 – Introduction: Setting the scene with the story of the king and the perfect picture of peace.
• 02:11 – Personal Story: Bryan shares how he found supernatural peace in the midst of his daughter’s tragic death.
• 05:36 – Peace in Chaos: The difference between avoiding fear and experiencing peace in the midst of it.
• 07:33 – Yielding to Peace: The importance of humility and yielding to Christ to experience peace.
• 11:29 – The Threat to Peace: How the world’s chaos and worry crowd out peace and how we can combat it with faith.
• 16:02 – Rest and Shalom: Understanding how peace is tied to Sabbath rest and casting our cares onto God.
• 20:00 – Practical Peace: What it looks like to actively cast our cares and find peace in God.
• 29:24 – The Meaning of Shalom: Explaining the full, rich meaning of the Hebrew word shalom and how it encapsulates God’s peace.
• 32:35 – Jesus Speaks Shalom: Reflecting on Jesus calming the storm and how we experience His peace today.
• 35:31 – Prayer and Verses of Peace: Hosts read passages of Scripture to invite peace over listeners' lives.
• 42:05 – Conclusion: Final thoughts and a prayer for peace to close the episode.

Podcast Summary:

Imagine driving through life with no gratitude, constantly missing the beauty and joy right in front of you. We've all encountered people like that - perhaps we've even been that person.

In this episode of As In Heaven, the hosts explore the kingdom principle of thanksgiving, discussing how thankfulness is not just a ritual but a transformative heart posture that changes how we experience life, relationships, and God.

How can practicing gratitude shift our spiritual lives, health, and mindset, even when circumstances are difficult? How can we cultivate a heart of thanksgiving, especially in the midst of life's challenges, and why is it vital to the kingdom of God? Let’s find out!

1. Thanksgiving is transformative: It shifts our focus from lack to abundance and ushers us into God's presence, deepening intimacy with Him.
2. Physiological impact of gratitude: Thanksgiving releases hormones like serotonin, dopamine, and oxytocin, promoting mental and physical health.
3. Community amplifies gratitude: Surrounding ourselves with thankful people helps us stay grounded in gratitude, even when we’re struggling.
4. Thankfulness combats entitlement and comparison: Gratitude shifts us away from self-pity and victimhood, helping us embrace contentment and dependence on God.
5. Thankfulness is tied to humility: True thanksgiving acknowledges God's sovereignty and grace, leading us to humility and deeper trust in His provision.

1. "Thankfulness literally changes our experience of life, both spiritually and physically. It ushers us into the presence of God and rewires our brains."
2. "Gratitude is the gateway to joy. When we give thanks, we stop dwelling on what we lack and start recognizing all that we’ve been given."
3. "Thankfulness leads us to humility, and humility leads to deeper intimacy with God. It’s a beautiful spiral of goodness."

• 00:00 – Introduction: Setting the tone - how gratitude shapes the kingdom life.
• 02:14 – Personal Gratitude Stories: Hosts share what they’re thankful for.
• 03:47 – Scripture Focus: Reading Psalm 100 and its message of thanksgiving.
• 06:13 – The Science of Gratitude: How thankfulness impacts our physiology.
• 10:20 – Gratitude in Every Season: Practical ways to practice thanksgiving.
• 19:43 – Hearing God's Voice: The role of gratitude in listening to the Shepherd.
• 25:14 – The Power of Gratitude: Why thanksgiving is vital for spiritual health.
• 33:09 – Community and Gratitude: How others remind us to give thanks.
• 41:00 – Thankfulness and Humility: How gratitude guards us against entitlement and comparison.
• 46:09 – Closing Prayer: Asking for the grace to be continually thankful.

Episode Summary

Think back to the last wedding you attended. Do you remember witnessing the bride walking down the aisle to meet her groom? This is a moment filled with promises of love that will be tested throughout their lives.

In this episode of As In Heaven, we dive into the heart of the greatest kingdom principle: love.

How can we live out true love, the kind that Jesus modeled, in a world where love is often distorted? How do we avoid becoming known for what we are against rather than who we love?

This episode wrestles with the disconnect many Christians face: while we are called to be known by our love, society often sees us as defined by judgment.

How can we reclaim the heart of the gospel and demonstrate authentic, Christ-like love?

1. Love is the defining mark of Christian discipleship – It’s not about agreeing with everyone but showing consistent, unconditional love.
2. We plant seeds of love even when we don’t see immediate results – Trust that God will nurture what you plant, even when others' responses seem slow or negative.
3. The kingdom of God is an other-focused kingdom – True love is not self-serving but seeks the good of others, regardless of personal cost.
4. Engagement doesn’t equal endorsement – We must engage with the world, loving those who live differently without endorsing every lifestyle.
5. Love involves boundaries – Loving well also includes setting healthy boundaries to protect relationships and honor God.

1. “No one's ever been drop-kicked into the kingdom. People are always loved into the kingdom.” – Bryn
2. “We only love because He first loved us. An encounter with God's love changes us forever.” – Bryan
3. “You don’t add love to what you do; you live from the place of love.” – Chantal

• [00:00] – Introduction: The Law of Love
• [01:21] – Bryan’s Communion Moment: A Vision of Jesus on the Cross
• [03:18] – Bryn’s Life Mission: Loving People into the Kingdom
• [05:50] – The Kingdom of God: Love in Action
• [12:23] – Bryn’s Story: Loving without Expectation of Return
• [16:27] – Planting Seeds: The Long Game of Love
• [20:28] – Engaging vs. Endorsing: Jesus’ Model of Love
• [27:06] – Kindness that Leads to Repentance: A Jewish Doctor’s Story
• [34:53] – Love and Trust: Sacrificial, Other-Focused Love
• [41:45] – Daily Practice: Living from a Place of Overflowing Love
• [49:24] – Seeing People through God’s Eyes: Loving Beyond Agreement
• [54:29] – Conclusion: Love is the Greatest Kingdom Principle

Our goal should be to live by a constitution that feels too good to be true - a set of rules and principles meant to guide us into a flourishing life. Sadly, this often seems impossible in a world so far from such a system.

In this installment of the “Setting the Table” series, Bryan and Matt dig deep into The Kingdom Constitution, navigate the tension between our earthly reality and the upside-down, joy-filled kingdom of God.

The problem is clear: many of us are living in the "empire" of this world, struggling to trust institutions like the church and government, while yearning for the transformative power of God's kingdom. But how do we live out these radical, counter-cultural principles of God's kingdom in a world that feels broken and disillusioned?

This episode invites listeners into the challenging yet liberating process of learning to live under God's rule - a journey that promises joy, creativity, and intimacy with the Holy Spirit.

1. Trust in Institutions is Declining: The church and government are losing credibility, but God's kingdom offers a trust that transcends human failure.
2. The Kingdom Constitution is Counter-Cultural: God's kingdom operates on joy, mercy, and humility, flipping the values of worldly power and control.
3. Holiness is a Relationship, Not a Rulebook: True transformation comes from intimacy with Jesus, allowing His holiness to reshape us from the inside out.
4. Joy is a Person: Joy isn’t just an emotion, it’s the presence of Jesus within us, a state we live in regardless of our circumstances.
5. The Kingdom Requires Surrender: Living under God's rule means embracing suffering and letting go of worldly attachments, but it leads to unimaginable joy and freedom.

1. “Joy is not something you manufacture. The joy of the Lord is our strength - it’s His joy, and it comes to us through union with Jesus.” – Bryan Elliott
2. “We want the experience of the kingdom without reading the constitution of the kingdom.” – Matt Davis
3. “Joy allows us to stay in relational connection even in suffering. It’s a mindset that shifts our consciousness into the awareness of Jesus’ presence.” – Bryan Elliott

• 00:00 – Introduction: The Kingdom Constitution
• 02:35 – Trust in Institutions vs. God's Kingdom
• 07:01 – Defining the Kingdom Constitution: God's Perfect Design
• 11:55 – The Challenge of Engaging with Scripture
• 16:01 – Biblical Principles Work, Whether We See Them or Not
• 18:43 – The Sermon on the Mount: The Condensed Kingdom Constitution
• 22:27 – The Beatitudes: Pathway to Joy
• 26:23 – Joy as a Person: The Role of Jesus in Joy
• 33:46 – Laughter and Joy as Hallmarks of the Kingdom
• 39:23 – Creativity and Joy in the Kingdom
• 44:20 – Extravagant Love: The Woman with the Alabaster Jar
• 50:43 – Sacrificial Living: The Story of William Borden
• 55:22 – Empire vs. Kingdom: The Tension We Live In
• 01:03:57 – The Invitation to Holiness and Suffering
• 01:09:14 – Closing Prayer of St. Francis: Living as a Sacrifice

Imagine starting your day with the expectation that God will show up in every ordinary moment—whether it's making breakfast for your kids or heading into a long shift at work.

In this episode of As in Heaven, Bryan Elliott and Matt Davis wrestle with a key question: What does it mean to live out the Kingdom of God in the midst of daily life?

They highlight how Jesus’ mission is passed on to us and how even small acts of kindness and service can make an eternal impact.

Through stories of faith, practical insights, and examples from Scripture, they unpack what it means to engage in kingdom living, no matter your context or routine.

1. Kingdom Living is for Everyone: Whether you're a busy parent or working long hours, every part of your life can be holy and missional when done unto the Lord.
2. Small Acts with Big Impact: Just as a little yeast permeates a whole loaf, even the smallest acts of love and kindness can have profound, kingdom-shaping results.
3. Faith in Action: The kingdom of God is about living out love, not just in words but through practical, spirit-led actions that bless others.
4. No Sacred-Secular Divide: There is no difference between "sacred" and "secular" work when everything is done as worship to God.
5. Generational Legacy: Kingdom living has the power to impact not just our lives but future generations, creating a ripple effect of spiritual fruit.

1. “Even the smallest act of kindness is an act of discipling the nations.” — Bryan Elliott
2. “Jesus’ mission was to make the invisible kingdom visible, and now He’s passed that mission on to us.” — Matt Davis
3. “It’s not about the size of the act; it’s about the love behind it. The kingdom of God is an inside-out kingdom.” — Bryan Elliott

• 00:00 – Introduction to Kingdom Living and Jesus' Mission
• 01:21 – The Great Commission and Discipling the Nations
• 02:28 – Loving People in Everyday Life: Practical Kingdom Living
• 07:27 – Kingdom Living for Busy Parents and Workers
• 10:50 – Living with Expectation: Seeing God in Daily Routines
• 15:50 – Small Acts, Big Impact: The Kingdom as Leaven
• 19:25 – Tackling Big Problems Through Simple Acts of Love
• 24:01 – The Power of "See Something, Do Something" in the Kingdom
• 26:23 – Building a Spiritual Legacy Through Kingdom Living
• 31:26 – Trading Earthly Treasures for Eternal Rewards
• 35:27 – Ending Well: Living for the "Well Done" of Jesus
• 39:17 – Closing Prayer and Reflection on Kingdom Living

In this episode of the As in Heaven podcast, Bryan explores the profound concept of Kingdom Identity with Matt and Bryn.

The episode opens with a reflection on how early childhood dress-up games reflect our longing to shape our identity and who we become. However, Bryan and Bryn challenge the notion that a Christian's identity is easily defined by worldly standards, emphasizing the transformation that comes with embracing our true identity as sons and daughters of God.

Through personal stories, Bryan shares his journey from being a lukewarm Christian to living out a Kingdom worldview, and Bryn recounts how understanding her identity in Christ radically reshaped her life.

Together, they dive into the implications of moving from an "orphan" mindset to one of spiritual sonship, where true belonging and purpose are found in Jesus. This episode invites listeners to rediscover their Kingdom identity and live out of the abundance that comes from being deeply rooted in Christ.

1. Kingdom Identity vs. Worldly Identity: True transformation begins when Christians stop living with one foot in the world and fully embrace their Kingdom identity.
2. The Orphan Spirit: Many Christians live with an orphan mindset, impacting how they view themselves and approach their relationship with God.
3. Adoption Into Sonship: Being adopted into God's family through Christ changes everything, offering a new lens through which we see ourselves and others.
4. Prayer and Intimacy: Prayer isn't just about asking for things; it's about engaging deeply with the heart of God and aligning with His will.
5. Living as Conduits of Heaven: Christians are not containers, but conduits of God's presence, called to let His love and power flow through them to the world.

1. "You can't have one foot in the world and one foot in the Kingdom; you'll be double-minded and ineffective in all your ways." — Bryan Elliott
2. "When we move from an orphan mindset to knowing we are sons and daughters of the King, it changes how we live and pray." — Bryn Elliott
3. "We are not containers that leak; we are conduits of Heaven, meant to overflow with God’s love and power." — Bryan Elliott

• 00:00 – Introduction: Kingdom Identity and Childhood Dreams
• 01:38 – Bryan's Journey from Lukewarm Christianity
• 04:04 – The Power of Generational Kingdom Identity
• 06:33 – Kingdom Worldview vs. Christian Worldview
• 09:37 – Moving from Orphan Spirit to Sonship
• 14:28 – Understanding Adoption and Identity in Christ
• 18:52 – How Identity Shapes Prayer and Worship
• 23:55 – Engaging with God's Heart in Prayer
• 27:23 – Royalty, Identity, and Living as Conduits of Heaven
• 38:13 – Daily Reminders of Kingdom Identity
• 44:04 – Closing Thoughts: Living Abundantly in Our Kingdom Identity