Reflexion, A Spiritual Community

Chuck Smith, Jr

Christian based teaching from Chuck Smith, Jr

  1. 6d ago

    What Is Lexio Divina?

    Some time ago, I took a course in speed-reading We were required to practice every day for at least an hour - the only drawback–I chose to read books that didn’t interest me, so I wouldn't get distracted by their content • but going fast, I got nothing at all from them – I wasn’t reading, but just looking at words - later on I was exposed to a method of slow-reading • the purpose: to get as much as possible from what I read ◦ this applied specifically to reading the Scriptures ◦ the benefit is hearing God speak to me clearly and directly • and that is what I want to teach you this morning

    47 min

  2. Jun 14

    Jude 24-25 06/14/2026

    Here we are, after several weeks, at the end of Jude There’s not another letter in the New Testament exactly like it - a small bit of 2 Peter incorporates some of the same lines • but the overall structure and content of Jude are unusual, ◦ and his quotations from two non-biblical books is unique • but coming to the end, he closes with a familiar prayer ◦ it’s not his exact words that are familiar, but how the words are arranged ◦ Jude signs off with a “doxology” - the Greek word doxa, is frequently translated “glory” • and this word usually appears in doxologies, making it easy to identify them • a doxology is a prayer or song in praise of God ◦ in many churches doxologies are read, recited, or sung every week

    34 min

  3. Jun 7

    Jude 17-23

    My friend, Clint Freeman, sent me an article this week It has to do with Artificial Intelligence and I added it to my “weird news” file Darin White, “Four in ten Gen-Z and millennial adults say spiritual advice from AI is just as trustworthy as advice from a pastor. One-third of teenagers have talked to an AI companion rather than a human being about serious, personal issues. Thirty-nine percent of Gen Z would skip or delay a doctor’s visit if AI told them their symptoms were low risk . . . . And 26 percent of Gen Z adults have engaged in some form of romantic or companion relationship with an AI chat bot.” - this is either scary or silly, but there is another development that is more serious for us White, "[In] April, a tech company . . . launched an AI-generated avatar of Jesus that people can talk to, pray with, and seek spiritual counsel from for $1.99 per minute. The avatar was trained on the King James Bible . . . .” - one of the concerns I have about this, is AI is not bullet-proof • I’ve been reading Adam Smith’s The Wealth of Nations ◦ in chapter 5, he quotes an author without naming him, but claims he was, Adam Smith, “by far the most illustrious philosopher and historian of the present age” ◦ I assumed he was referring to David Hume, because he was a friend that Smith admired • when I looked it up, an AI engine immediately popped up and curtly (I felt) reported, "no philosopher is quoted in book 5 of The Wealth of Nations ◦ dissatisfied, I searched for the actual quote, and that was in Hume’s writings ◦ feeling vindicated, I corrected the snobbish AI bot

    59 min

  4. May 31

    Jude

    A couple weeks ago I got a phone call The number looked familiar, so I answered – “Hello” - a man’s voice asked, “Is this Charles?” • at that point it was obvious he didn’t know me • so I said, “Maybe” - there are too many scams running in our world for me to take chances • if you respond to a text or call, a fake offer, a warning, ◦ or a simple “click” and next thing you discover is that your bank account is emptied, ◦ or your credit card is hacked, or your identity is stolen • I appreciate the warnings I receive regarding the con artist who are constantly fishing for personal information That is how we are to read Jude's letter What he wrote was a “fraud alert” – as he has said, “For certain people have crept in unnoticed”

    58 min

  5. May 24

    Job 8-11

    I have been reading a book by Bill Elliot, who is a therapist But it’s not about psychology – it has the unlikely title, Falling Into the Face of God – it’s an autobiography of sorts • Bill felt called by God’s Spirit to go to the Judean desert • and , to spend forty days there like Jesus, only without fasting – on day 17, he was meditating on Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness • then his thoughts went to Jesus and disciples in Philippi, and the moment when he called Peter “Satan” William J. Elliot, “Why did Jesus do that? Especially since Peter was just trying to be helpful? It was because Peter was opposing Jesus’ deeper sense of destiny and Jesus’ deeper sense of God’s will. Satan comes from the Hebrew word for ‘opposer’ or ‘adversary.’ And that’s the point: we each have friends, and even parts of ourselves, that are often opposed to our deeper truth and connection with God. Even though they are trying to be helpful, they are still adversaries. So how do we find the skill and the courage to rebuff those well-meaning adversaries—especially when they love us and have often loved us in the past.”

    43 min

  6. May 17

    Mark 14:22-25 The Lord's Supper

    We’re going to reenact the story - this is what Jesus meant for us to do “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26) • in this ritual, there is the potential of a profound encounter • he has given us something: ◦ for our eyes to see ◦ for our ears to hear ◦ for our hands to touch ◦ for our mouths to taste ◦ for our minds to contemplate ◦ for our souls to receive - I am going to present this to you as a devotional thought • what I mean, is something other than a Bible study tracking the literal meaning of each word • instead, this is what I perceive happening in these few verses

    28 min

  7. May 10

    Jude 5-8

    There have been songs, that I loved the first time I heard them There are others that I had to hear several times to appreciate - but the ones that I've loved at first sight had two qualities: • the sound of music (instruments and vocals) and the lyrics ◦ psychologists refer to this response to music as “emotional resonance” ◦ the sound waves and meaning of the music find a string that vibrates deep in the soul • for me, one of the songs that instantly moved me was Van Morrison’s  When will I ever learn to live in God? “When will I ever learn to live in God?  When will I ever learn? He gives me everything I need and more  When will I ever learn?”

    51 min

  8. May 3

    Jude 1-4

    On the days I spend with three of my grandchildren, I sometimes say to my thirteen year old grandson, “I’m going for a walk, do you want to go with me?” - he has never said, “Sure, Grandpa, let’s go” – never • and I know why – he’s convinced it won’t be fun ◦ he’d have to get unnecessary exercise, and ◦ it’d be difficult to stay on trail with eyes glued to his cell phone • this morning I’m inviting you to take a walk with me– ◦ through the book of Jude – it’s a short walk, ◦ and much of it is unpleasant, or confusing, or dark - what I don’t want to do is make this a Bible study • my tendency is to be drawn to technicalities ◦ that’s a problem with this letter that was written in haste, ◦ so there are several tough technical issues – also, • a lot of its information is crunched together in a short space, ◦ entire stories abbreviated in three or four words ◦ and there are even references to stories we’ve never seen in the Scriptures

    50 min
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Christian based teaching from Chuck Smith, Jr

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  • Creator
    Chuck Smith, Jr
  • Years Active
    2017 - 2026
  • Episodes
    446
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Reflexion, A Spiritual Community
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    Reflexion, A Spiritual Community