God Made Podcast

Greg Rains
  • 5.0 (5)
  • Christianity

Real conversations about following Jesus when life doesn't slow down — from a pastor who's still figuring it out too.

  1. 1d ago

    7 Habits That Made Paul Unshakeable

    What made the Apostle Paul so resilient, useful, and faithful through opposition, suffering, and change? In this episode, Greg and Kristi look at seven habits and disciplines that shaped Paul’s life and helped him remain faithful to the end. Paul didn’t rush to be validated. He prayed for people specifically. He never stopped learning. He kept his hands dirty. He refused to walk alone. He never graduated from grace. And he trained with the finish line in mind. These habits were not a formula for earning God’s favor. They were patterns of faithfulness formed by grace—patterns that shaped Paul’s character, strengthened his ministry, and helped him endure when following Jesus became costly. This conversation explores both sides of Paul’s life: the private habits that prepared him for powerful ministry and the deeper convictions that kept him faithful through hardship. The question is not only, “What shaped Paul?” It is also:What habits are shaping us into people God can use—and what will help us remain faithful to the end?

  2. Jul 22

    What Really Happens When You Stop Going to Church? | The God Made Podcast Ep. 13

    What really happens when you stop going to church—and is attending church every Sunday enough to make someone a faithful follower of Jesus? In this episode, Greg and Kristi have an honest conversation about both sides of church involvement. First, they explore what Christians can gradually lose when they become disconnected from a local church. The greatest danger is usually not missing a single Sunday. It is allowing isolation to become the normal way we attempt to follow Jesus. Christian community provides encouragement, accountability, relationships, opportunities to serve, and people who help us remain faithful when life becomes difficult. While sermons and online content can be valuable, they cannot fully replace life within the body of Christ. But simply showing up is not the finish line. A person can attend church regularly, listen to sermons, sing worship songs, and still remain spiritually passive. Presence in the room is not the same as becoming a devoted disciple of Jesus. Greg and Kristi discuss the difference between attendance and engagement, how church hurt can make connection difficult, and how Christians can begin moving from merely attending toward building relationships, serving others, obeying Scripture, and participating in the mission of the church. This conversation is not about earning salvation or shaming people into attending more services. Salvation is by grace through faith in Jesus. The goal is not merely better attendance—it is meaningful engagement with Jesus and His people. The God Made Podcast helps everyday Christians navigate the real struggles of following Jesus with biblical truth and practical wisdom.

  3. Jul 15

    This Is Why Reading the Bible Isn’t Changing You | The God Made Podcast Ep. 12

    Why are you reading the Bible, hearing sermons, and consuming Christian content—but still not seeing real change in your habits, reactions, relationships, and decisions? In this episode of the God Made Podcast, Greg and Kristi unpack James 1:22–25 and the difference between simply hearing God’s Word and actually obeying it. The problem may not be that you need more biblical information. It may be that you have learned to consume truth without responding to it. We talk about why Bible reading plans can become checklists, how devotionals can sometimes replace real meditation on Scripture, and why exposure to truth is not the same as surrender to truth. You will learn a simple three-part framework for Bible study that leads toward real spiritual growth: Slow Down → Respond → Repeat Instead of rushing through chapters just to finish a plan, learn how to read smaller passages more carefully, identify one clear act of obedience, and stay with that truth long enough for it to shape your everyday life. In this episode: -Why knowing more Scripture does not always lead to transformation-What James means by being a hearer but not a doer-How Bible reading can create spiritual self-deception-Why consistency matters—but frequency alone is not enough-How to use repeated reading and Scripture immersion-A practical 30-day challenge to help the Bible move from information to obedience-How to identify one specific response every time you read Scripture The Bible is not failing to change you. You may simply be walking away too quickly. Key Scripture: James 1:22–25 Subscribe to the God Made Podcast for practical Christian living, biblical discipleship, spiritual growth, and honest conversations about what it really looks like to follow Jesus in everyday life. #BibleStudy #ChristianLiving #SpiritualGrowth #ChristianPodcast #Discipleship #BibleReading #James1 #FollowingJesus #BiblicalTruth #FaithInAction

  4. Jul 10

    Don't Give Up Praying Just Yet. | The God Made Podcast Ep. 11

    Have you ever felt like giving up on prayer because nothing seems to be changing? You're not alone. In this episode of the God Made Podcast, Greg and Kristi talk about one of the hardest parts of the Christian life: continuing to pray when God seems silent and your circumstances stay the same. Looking at Luke 18, where Jesus tells the parable of the persistent widow, we discover why persistent prayer isn't about convincing God to care—it's about learning to trust Him while we wait. In this episode you'll discover: Why Jesus told us to "always pray and never give up"What persistent prayer actually accomplishesThe difference between trusting God and trying to pressure GodOne practical way to strengthen your prayer life this week If you've been discouraged by unanswered prayer, this conversation is for you. Question: What's one prayer you've been tempted to stop praying?

  5. Jul 8

    God's Silence: What You're Probably Missing | The God Made Podcast Ep. 10

    When God feels silent, it's easy to assume He's distant—or even gone. But what if His silence doesn't mean His absence? In this episode of the God Made Podcast, we open Psalm 13 and discover how David wrestled with God's silence, why honest prayer is an act of faith, and how to trust God's character even when He seems quiet. If you're walking through unanswered prayer, spiritual dryness, or a season of waiting, we pray this conversation encourages you and points you back to the faithfulness of God. In this episode: 00:00:00 Why God sometimes feels silent00:11:28 What Psalm 13 teaches about honest prayer00:15:55 Why silence doesn't mean abandonment00:20:14 One practical step to strengthen your faith this week Question for you:Have you ever experienced a season when God felt silent, only to realize later that He was working all along? We'd love to hear your story in the comments. If this episode encouraged you, please like, subscribe, and share it with someone who needs this reminder today. #GodMadePodcast #ChristianPodcast #Faith #Prayer #GodFeelsSilent #UnansweredPrayer #ChristianLiving #BibleStudy #Psalm13 #TrustGod #HopeInGod #WalkingByFaith

  6. Jul 1

    How to Trust God When You’re Struggling with Fear and Doubt | The God Made Podcast Ep. 9

    What does it really mean to trust God when you still feel afraid, disappointed, uncertain, or tempted to take control? In this episode of the God Made Podcast, Greg and Kristi Rains talk honestly about why even faithful Christians can struggle to trust God. Trusting God sounds simple until life gets hard, prayers seem unanswered, fear creeps in, or disappointment leaves us wondering what God is doing. This conversation looks at what the Bible teaches about trusting God, why trust is difficult even after years of following Christ, and how believers can grow in faith when life feels uncertain. We talk about biblical examples like Abraham, David, Peter, and Job, and how their stories remind us that struggling does not mean you have failed. It means God is still teaching you to depend on Him. If you have ever thought, “I trust God… but I’m still afraid,” this episode is for you. In this episode, we discuss: What it really means to trust God Why Christians still struggle with fear and doubt How control can quietly replace faith What unanswered prayer does to our trust How disappointment affects our walk with God Biblical examples of people who learned to trust God Practical ways to grow your faith and surrender to God Trusting God is not pretending everything is easy. It is learning to believe that He is good, faithful, and present even when life does not make sense. 🎙️ God Made Podcast - Real conversations about Christian life, faith, family, and following Jesus in the everyday moments.

  7. Jun 10

    The Good Parent Trap: What's the Cost? | The God Made Podcast Ep. 8

    You are not a bad parent. You are just pouring into your kids' world — and quietly leaving eternity on the table. This is a conversation about godly parenting in a culture that never stops adding to the calendar. Greg and Kristi Rains offer honest christian parenting advice for the family that is doing everything right and still feels like something is missing. Drawing from biblical parenting principles in the book of James, they talk about the slow drift that happens when busyness quietly crowds out the most important things — and what it actually looks like to build a christian family around what lasts. If raising godly children matters to you, this conversation will give you something real to take home. Part of the God Made Podcast — parenting tips and faith conversations that help you move from Sunday into everyday life.

  8. Jun 3

    The Real Reason Smart People Keep Making Dumb Decisions | God Made Podcast Ep 7

    Why do smart people keep making dumb decisions? The problem is not always a lack of information. Sometimes being smart simply makes us better at justifying what our hearts already want. In this solo episode of the God Made Podcast, Greg unpacks James 3:13–18 and the difference between intelligence and biblical wisdom. James warns us that not everything that sounds reasonable is actually wise. Some decisions may look logical on the surface while being driven by jealousy, selfish ambition, pride, or fear. So how can you tell whether a decision is truly wise? The answer is not found only in the argument you can make. It is found in the fruit your decision produces. In this episode: Why intelligence and wisdom are not the same thingHow we rationalize choices we already want to makeThe warning signs that your heart may be misleading youThe difference between earthly wisdom and wisdom from aboveWhy defensiveness may reveal more than you realizeThree questions to ask before making an important decisionHow to seek biblical wisdom in everyday life Before you make your next major decision, ask yourself: What do I want badly enough that I may be rationalizing it?What kind of fruit is this decision already producing?Am I genuinely willing to yield if God shows me that I am wrong? A bad decision does not become wise just because you can explain it well. Do not judge wisdom by the explanation. Judge it by the harvest. 📖 Scripture: James 3:13–18🎙️ The God Made Podcast helps Christians move faith from Sunday into everyday life. Subscribe for weekly conversations about Christian living, relationships, spiritual growth, and following Jesus in the real world. #BiblicalWisdom #ChristianLiving #BibleStudy

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About

Real conversations about following Jesus when life doesn't slow down — from a pastor who's still figuring it out too.

Information

  • Creator
    Greg Rains
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    14
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Greg Rains