The Eternal Love Story Podcast

Mike Cleveland
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Christianity

Out of the overflow of the heart, the pen writes. mikecleveland.substack.com

  1. 38m ago

    When the Foundation Has to Change

    What happens when you discover that something you’ve taught and believed for years needs to change? In today’s episode, I share a turning point in the history of Setting Captives Free, when I realized that our approach to overcoming sin needed a new foundation. A trusted pastor gave me a simple answer that changed the direction of our ministry: rebuild everything upon the gospel of Jesus Christ. But why is the gospel not only God’s power to save us, but also His power to change us? Listen to today’s podcast, then join me for a short Bible study below. Let’s open our Bibles for this short study. We’re going to consider what it means to build our lives and ministries upon the gospel of Jesus Christ, not merely to mention the gospel occasionally, but to make it central to everything we believe, teach, and practice. 1. The Only Foundation: Jesus Christ Read 1 Corinthians 3:10–15 Paul tells us that he laid a foundation as a wise builder, but then warns, “But each one should build with care.” Why? Because “no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Paul is speaking about Christian ministry, about how we teach and build up others in the faith. The foundation isn’t our wisdom, our methods, or our ability to help people change. It is Jesus Christ, whom Paul proclaimed through the gospel. This means that every lesson we teach, every counsel we give, and every encouragement or correction we offer must be built upon Christ and His finished work. We don’t simply add the gospel to our teaching as an introduction or conclusion. The gospel is the foundation from which our teaching flows. Consider how this changes the way we help someone struggling with sin. Instead of beginning with a list of things they must do, we begin with what Jesus Christ has done. We help them see His love at the cross, His victory over sin and death, and the new life He gives through His Spirit. Then we teach them how to walk in that new life. Consider: When you seek to grow spiritually or help someone else grow, do you begin with what you must do for Jesus, or with what Jesus Christ has already done at the cross for you? 2. The Message of First Importance Read 1 Corinthians 15:1–6 Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel they had received and upon which they stood. Then he identifies what is “of first importance”: Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, He was buried, and He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures. Notice that Paul is reminding believers of the gospel. They had already received it, yet they still needed to hear it, remember it, and stand upon it. And what is the gospel? It is not a set of instructions for improving ourselves. It is the announcement of what Jesus Christ accomplished for us. He died for our sins. Our guilt was laid upon Him, and He took the judgment we deserved. He was buried, confirming that His death was real, and showing us that our sins were buried with Him. And He rose again without our sins, proclaiming victory over sin and death. This is why the gospel must remain central to Christian teaching. Every command in the New Covenant is given in the light of what Christ has accomplished on the cross and through His resurrection. Sometimes the gospel comes first, providing the reason and power for obedience. Sometimes an admonition directs us back to Christ and His finished work. Throughout the New Testament, Christian obedience is inseparable from the announcement of the crucified and risen Savior. We don’t obey to earn God’s love. We obey because, through Jesus Christ, we have already been loved, redeemed, and made His own. Consider: Is the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ the continuing center of your Christian life, or have you gradually shifted your attention toward your own performance? 3. The Continuing Power of the Cross Read 1 Corinthians 1:18 Paul writes that the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, “but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Notice those words: “to us who are being saved.” Paul includes himself and other believers. The message of the cross remains God’s power at work in those who belong to Jesus Christ. We never graduate from the gospel. The same message that brought us to faith continues to shape our hearts, renew our minds, and transform our desires through the Holy Spirit. Think about how the New Testament teaches obedience. We are called to forgive because God forgave us in Christ (Ephesians 4:32). We are called to love because Christ loved us and gave Himself for us (Ephesians 5:2). We are called to put away sin because we have died and been raised with Christ (Colossians 3:1–5). Do you see the pattern? The commands are rooted in the gospel. What Christ has done becomes the foundation for how we now live. And this must also shape our ministry to others. Whether we’re preaching, mentoring, counseling, teaching children, or encouraging a friend, our goal isn’t merely to produce outward behavior changes. It’s to bring people continually to Jesus Christ, trusting the Holy Spirit to transform them through the truth of the gospel. Consider: When you read a command in Scripture, do you immediately focus on how hard you must try, or do you first consider how that command flows from your union with Jesus Christ and His finished work? Today’s Encouragement The gospel is not merely the doorway into Christianity. It is the foundation upon which the entire Christian life is built. So build carefully. Let every instruction you receive from Scripture, and every instruction you give to others, be understood in the light of Jesus Christ, crucified and risen. Return often to the cross. Consider His love, His sacrifice, and His victory. And trust the Holy Spirit to produce in you the obedience and Christlikeness that no amount of self-effort can create. The foundation is Jesus Christ. The message is His gospel. And the power to change comes from God. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  2. 1d ago

    Day 6: Why Rules Cannot Set You Free

    Welcome to Day 6 of The Eternal Love Story. In today’s podcast, we discover why rules, restrictions, and personal determination cannot produce the freedom from sin that Jesus Christ provides. Listen to the podcast above, then open your Bible to Romans 7:4–6 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. As you read, ask the Holy Spirit to turn your eyes away from your own efforts and toward Jesus Christ. 1. We Died to the Law So That We Might Bear Fruit for God Romans 7:4-6 So, my brothers and sisters, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. 5 For when we were in the realm of the flesh, the sinful passions aroused by the law were at work in us, so that we bore fruit for death. 6 But now, by dying to what once bound us, we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code. 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. Read Romans 7:4. Notice the purpose of our death to the Law through the body of Christ. Paul says it is “in order that we might bear fruit for God.” This is wonderful news! We did not die to the Law merely to receive forgiveness. Through Christ’s death, we have been brought into a new relationship with the risen Savior, and that relationship produces spiritual fruit. Consider: When you want to overcome a particular sin, where does your attention naturally go? To the things you must stop doing, the rules you must follow, the restrictions you’ve made and the effort you must make? Or to Jesus Christ, who died and rose again so that you might bear fruit for God? 2. The Law Cannot Cure the Sinful Heart Read Romans 7:5. Paul tells us that sinful passions were aroused by the Law. The problem is not God’s Law, which is holy and good, but sin within us, which can use even God’s good commandments to stir up sinful desires. As believers, God has given us new hearts that love Him and desire to obey Him. Yet we still contend with sin, and trying to overcome it through law, rules and restrictions cannot produce the transformation we need. That transformation comes through Jesus Christ, by the power of the Holy Spirit. We may establish restrictions, follow programs, or make resolutions to change. Some of these may provide practical help, but none can remove sin from the heart. If we look to them as the source of freedom, we are looking in the wrong direction. Consider: Have you ever become so focused on avoiding a sin that your thoughts remained occupied with that very sin? What does Romans 7:5 teach you about the limitations of your own efforts? 3. The Spirit Changes Us as We Behold Christ Read Romans 7:6 and 2 Corinthians 3:18. Romans 7:6 tells us that we have been released from the Law to serve God in the new way of the Spirit. And 2 Corinthians 3:18 reveals something beautiful: as we contemplate the Lord’s glory, we are being transformed into His image by the Spirit. This is the great difference between trying to change ourselves and being changed by God. Rules direct our attention to what we must do. The gospel directs our attention to what Jesus Christ has done. Look at the cross. See the Savior carrying your sins, suffering in your place, and giving Himself in love for you. See the risen Christ to whom you now belong. As you behold Him, the Holy Spirit works within you, over time producing the fruit that your own efforts could never create. Consider: What would change in your daily life if, instead of continually measuring your progress, you spent more time searching the Scriptures to see the glory of Jesus Christ? A Final Encouragement You cannot obey your way into freedom from sin. But through the body of Christ, you have died to the Law so that you might belong to the risen Savior and bear fruit for God. Don’t make your rules, restrictions, or resolve the object of your attention. Survey the wondrous cross. Behold Jesus Christ. Trust the Holy Spirit to change you as you look to Him. Tomorrow, in Day 7, we’ll consider what happens when we discover that the foundation we’ve been building upon must change. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  3. 2d ago

    Day 5: When Jesus Demands the Impossible

    Welcome to Day 5 of The Eternal Love Story, our daily journey through Radical Amputation vs. Gospel Transformation. Today’s podcast explores a passage of Scripture I had taught for ten years without understanding its central purpose. In Matthew 5, Jesus makes demands so high that no amount of spiritual effort or religious discipline can fulfill them. But what do those impossible demands have to do with finding freedom from habitual sin? Listen to today’s episode above, then spend a few minutes with this short Bible study. We’ll discover why the gospel is not only how God forgives our sins, but also how He breaks sin’s power in our lives. 1. Can Religious Discipline Make Us Free? Jesus says in Matthew 5:20: “For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.” The Pharisees were extraordinarily disciplined. They knew the Scriptures, practiced fasting, and carefully observed religious regulations. Yet Jesus declared that we need a righteousness greater than theirs. Most Christians readily agree that religious discipline cannot make us righteous before God. We are justified by faith in Jesus Christ, not by keeping the Law. But here’s where we need to think carefully. We may believe that Christ makes us righteous through faith, yet believe that freedom from habitual sin comes through our own discipline, restrictions, and determination. In other words, we trust the gospel for forgiveness but turn to the Law for freedom. Can the Law accomplish our sanctification when it could never accomplish our justification? 2. Can Cutting Things Off Change Our Hearts? In Matthew 5:27–28, Jesus says: “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Jesus then speaks of gouging out an eye and cutting off a hand. Why such shocking language? Because Jesus is showing us just how far we would have to go if we attempted to free ourselves from sin through our own efforts. But even if we went to such extremes, we would still fail! A person without eyes can still lust, and a person without hands can still sin. Our problem is not ultimately with our eyes or hands, but with our hearts. And no amount of cutting things off can remove sin from the heart. We can remove access to pornography, alcohol, certain foods or other temptations, and there may be wisdom in doing so. But removing access does not remove sinful desires. A person can be separated from a temptation while still longing for it. Jesus exposes the impossibility of removing sin through outward amputation. We need something far greater than a change in circumstances. We need a changed heart. And no amount of Law-keeping can produce that transformation. 3. What Does God’s Law Require? Jesus concludes Matthew 5 with these words: “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) Consider the three demands we’ve encountered. 1-Our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees. 2-Our hearts must be free from sin. 3-We must be perfect as God Himself is perfect. Who can accomplish these things through personal effort? No one. This is where the Law brings us to the end of ourselves. We stop asking, “What more can I do?” and begin crying out, “How can I be righteous? How can I be free from this sin that has mastered me?” And that question leads us directly to the cross. 4. How Does Jesus Provide What We Cannot? Isaiah 53:8 says of Jesus: “For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgression of my people he was punished.” We cannot cut sin out of our hearts. But Jesus was cut off from the land of the living to bear our sins. Through His suffering and shed blood, He accomplished what our religious efforts never could. He removed our guilt, reconciled us to God, and provided His own perfect righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” Through faith in Jesus Christ, we receive the righteousness we could never produce ourselves. But does this gospel only change our standing before God? Or does it also change our lives? 5. Is the Gospel Also the Way We Overcome Sin? Listen to Paul’s question in Galatians 3:3: “After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?” We begin through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We continue through faith in the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit works in us as we look to Jesus, see the cross more clearly, believe His promises, experience the power of His resurrection, and depend upon His finished work. And Romans 6:14 gives us this wonderful promise: “For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace.” Notice the connection. Sin loses its mastery over us not because we’ve become better at keeping God’s law or man’s rules, but because we are under grace. Justification and sanctification are distinct works of God, but neither is accomplished through self-righteous effort. Both are received through faith in Jesus Christ and accomplished by God’s grace. The same Savior who forgives our sin also breaks its power. The cross is not merely where we begin the Christian life. It is where we continually look to find cleansing, freedom, and transformation. Questions for Reflection * Have you ever trusted Jesus for forgiveness while depending primarily on rules, restrictions, or willpower to overcome habitual sin? What has that produced in your life? * How does knowing that Jesus was “cut off from the land of the living” change the way you understand His words about cutting off a hand or gouging out an eye? * Romans 6:14 connects freedom from sin with living under grace rather than under the Law. What would it look like for you to approach today’s struggles by faith in Christ and dependence on His Spirit? Look to Jesus The Law reveals a righteousness we cannot produce and a heart we cannot cleanse. But the gospel reveals a Savior who has done both for us. Jesus bore our sins, shed His blood, and gives His righteousness to those who believe. And through His Spirit, He changes the very desires that outward restrictions could never reach. We don’t receive righteousness through faith and then achieve freedom through self-effort. We look to the same crucified and risen Savior for both. Tomorrow, in Day 6, we’ll explore why the difference between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant matters so deeply for our freedom from sin. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  4. 3d ago

    Day 4: The Swept and Empty House

    Welcome to Day 4 of The Eternal Love Story, our 17-day series exploring the difference between radical amputation and gospel transformation! In today’s podcast, we examine Jesus’ description of a house that was swept clean and put in order, yet remained dangerously empty. We also consider an important question: Is someone truly clean simply because they’ve stopped a sinful behavior? I encourage you to listen to today’s podcast first, then spend a few minutes with the Scriptures below. We’ll discover the difference between thinking we’re clean and actually being cleansed by Jesus Christ. 1. Clean in Our Own Eyes, but Not Before God Proverbs 30:12 “There are those who are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed of their filth.” What a remarkable warning! Here are people who believe they’re clean, yet God declares that they haven’t been cleansed. Their understanding of their condition is completely different from God’s assessment. Someone might say, “I’ve been clean for 365 days,” meaning they haven’t engaged in a particular sinful behavior. While abstaining from sin is good, the absence of a particular behavior doesn’t mean the heart has been cleansed. The question isn’t simply whether we’ve stopped doing something wrong. The question is whether we’ve been washed from our sins through Jesus Christ. 2. What We Were, and What Christ Has Done 1 Corinthians 6:9–11 In verses 9–10, Paul describes people whose lives were characterized by various sins, including sexual immorality, idolatry, drunkenness, greed, and other forms of unrighteousness. He warns that those who remain under sin’s dominion will not inherit the kingdom of God. But then comes one of the most beautiful statements in Scripture. In verse 11, Paul declares: “And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” Notice the words “that is what some of you were.” Their former sins no longer defined who they are now. Something wonderful had happened to them through Jesus Christ. Paul describes that transformation with three powerful words: You were washed. Their sins had been cleansed through the saving work of Jesus Christ. They were no longer standing before God in the filth of their former lives. You were sanctified. God had set them apart as His own people. They now belonged to Him, and the Holy Spirit was at work transforming their hearts, desires, and conduct. You were justified. God had declared them righteous through Jesus Christ. Their acceptance before Him rested not on their record of good behavior, but on Christ’s perfect righteousness. Do you see the difference? The Corinthians weren’t merely celebrating how long they’d avoided certain sins. They had been washed, set apart, and declared righteous through Jesus Christ. True cleansing changes both our standing before God and the direction of our lives. 3. The Fountain Opened for Cleansing Zechariah 13:1 “On that day a fountain will be opened to the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.” What a beautiful picture! God promises a fountain opened specifically for the cleansing of sin and impurity. And where do we find the fulfillment of this promise? In Jesus Christ, whose blood was shed at the cross to cleanse sinners. The answer to our uncleanness isn’t to scrub harder, try harder, or accumulate more days of abstinence. It is to come to the Savior who was pierced on the cross to open a fountain of cleansing, and who gave Himself for us out of love. At the cross, Jesus took our sins upon Himself. Through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness, His righteousness is credited to us, and His Spirit begins making us new. We don’t cleanse ourselves and then come to Jesus. We come to Jesus to be cleansed. Questions for Personal Reflection * Have you ever measured your spiritual condition primarily by what you’ve stopped doing rather than by what Jesus Christ has done for you? * How do the words “you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified” change your understanding of what it means to be clean? * Are you looking to Christ not only for forgiveness but also for the inward transformation of your desires and affections? Looking to Jesus As you finish today’s study, remember that true cleansing isn’t something you achieve through your own efforts. It is something Jesus Christ provides through His finished work on the cross, the blood He shed to atone for your sins. Come to the fountain opened for sinners. Look to the Savior who shed His blood for you, rose again, and gives His Spirit to those who belong to Him. And instead of boasting in how many days “clean,” boast in the cross of Jesus Christ, through which you have been crucified and raised to new life, washed and made new. Tomorrow, in Day 5, we’ll discover how a sermon on Matthew chapter 5 began to change everything I thought I understood about freedom from sin. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  5. 4d ago

    Day 3: The Confession That Changed Everything

    Welcome to Day 3 of The Eternal Love Story, our 17-day series exploring the difference between radical amputation and gospel transformation! In today’s podcast, we hear a surprising confession from a woman who had stopped drinking but was still miserable and longing for alcohol. Her experience raises an important question: Is stopping a sinful behavior the same thing as being free from sin? I encourage you to listen to today’s podcast first, then spend a few minutes with the study below. We’re going to open John 8:31–36 and discover what Jesus Himself teaches about genuine freedom. John 8:31–36: Freedom That Only Jesus Can Give Verse 31: “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples.” Jesus begins by describing those who truly belong to Him. They don’t merely learn a few principles and apply them to their lives. They continue in His Word, holding fast to it, believing what He says and following Him. Genuine discipleship is a living relationship with Jesus Christ, not simply a program for improving our behavior. Verse 32: “Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” Notice the connection between knowing the truth and experiencing freedom. Jesus isn’t offering another set of rules for controlling sinful behavior. He’s pointing us to the truth that sets captives free. And as we continue reading, we’ll discover that this freedom comes through Jesus Himself, who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life” (John 14:6). Verse 33: “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” The people listening to Jesus didn’t recognize their need for freedom. They were looking at their heritage and their circumstances rather than their spiritual condition. Isn’t it possible for us to make the same mistake? We might point to how long we’ve avoided a particular sin and conclude that we’re free, without considering the condition of our hearts. Verse 34: “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Here Jesus identifies the real problem. Sin is more than an outward action. It is a cruel master that seeks to rule our hearts, desires, affections and actions. A person may stop a particular behavior while still craving it inwardly. That’s why genuine freedom requires more than removing opportunities to sin. We need deliverance from sin’s penalty and power, from its guilt and its grip on us. Verse 35: “Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever.” Jesus now introduces a beautiful contrast between a slave and a son. A slave has no permanent place in the household, but a son belongs there. Freedom from sin isn’t merely about escaping a cruel master. Through Jesus Christ, we are brought into God’s family, where we belong to Him and enjoy the privileges of His children. Verse 36: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Here is the glorious conclusion! Jesus doesn’t say that if we try hard enough, establish enough restrictions, or maintain enough days of abstinence, we’ll finally be free. He says that the Son sets us free. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus paid the penalty for our sins, broke sin’s dominion over us, and gives us new life through His Spirit. This is freedom that human effort could never produce. Questions for Personal Reflection * When you think about freedom from sin, do you tend to focus more on what you’ve stopped doing or on what Jesus Christ has accomplished for you at the cross? * Are there sinful desires you have tried to control through rules and restrictions rather than bringing them to Jesus Christ for transformation? * How does knowing that the Son Himself makes you “free indeed” change the way you approach your struggle against sin? Looking to Jesus As you finish today’s study, consider the words of Jesus once more: “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Look to the cross, where Jesus took your sins into death, and to the empty tomb, where He rose victorious. Your freedom is not found in your ability to keep yourself from sinning, but in the Savior who died and rose again to make you His own. As you continue in His Word and walk with Him, trust Him to change not only what you do, but also what you love. Tomorrow, in Day 4, we’ll discover why a house that has been swept clean and put in order can still be in terrible danger, and why true cleansing requires something far greater than outward reform. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  6. 5d ago

    Day 2: We Were Convinced

    Welcome, friend! Today is Day 2 of our 17-day journey through Radical Amputation vs. Gospel Transformation, and I’m so glad you’re here. In today’s podcast, “We Were Convinced: When Changed Behavior Looked Like Freedom,” I’ll share how I once believed that removing opportunities to sin was the key to freedom. I’ll tell you how that belief shaped the early years of Setting Captives Free, why we celebrated the results, and what we failed to understand about genuine freedom in Jesus Christ. I encourage you to listen to today’s podcast first, and then work through the five-minute Bible study below. The podcast introduces the problem through my personal story, and the study takes us into God’s Word to discover how Jesus Christ cleanses and transforms us from the inside out. If you prefer to read the study first and listen afterward, that’s perfectly fine too. My prayer is that whether you’re listening or reading, you’ll see more of the glory of Jesus Christ and experience His transforming power in your life. Clean on the Outside, Dirty on the Inside 1. The Problem: Cleaning the Outside Jesus said to the Pharisees: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.” (Matthew 23:25, NIV) And then Jesus gave this instruction: “First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.” (Matthew 23:26, NIV, excerpt) Imagine washing the outside of a filthy cup while leaving the inside untouched. Would you want to drink from it? Of course not! Yet Jesus said this was precisely what the Pharisees were doing spiritually. And this is where we went wrong with Radical Amputation. We taught people to remove televisions, cut off Internet access, and eliminate opportunities to sin. When their outward behavior improved, we celebrated their freedom. But we had overlooked the most important question: Had their hearts been cleansed? Jesus established the proper order: First clean the inside, and the outside will become clean also. 2. The Gospel: How Does the Inside Become Clean? Jesus’ words raise an important question: How can a sinful heart become clean? Hebrews 9:14 answers: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ ... cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:14, NIV, excerpt) Notice what cleanses the conscience. It isn’t what we amputate, eliminate, or remove from our lives. It is the blood of Jesus Christ. At the cross, Jesus took our sins upon Himself and suffered the judgment we deserved. In exchange, God credits Christ’s perfect righteousness to everyone who believes (2 Corinthians 5:21). We come to the cross empty-handed, bringing nothing but our sin, and receive the cleansing that only Christ can provide. Radical Amputation tried to clean the outside, the behavior. The gospel of Jesus Christ cleanses us from the inside out. 3. Daily Transformation: Beholding Christ’s Glory But this cleansing and transformation are not merely something we experienced when we first believed. The Christian life is one of continually coming to Jesus Christ. Listen to 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18, NIV, excerpt). How are we changed? By beholding the glory of Jesus Christ! Every day, as we open the Scriptures and come to God in prayer, we have the privilege of seeing Jesus afresh. We see His love displayed at the cross, His mercy toward sinners, His perfect righteousness, and His finished work on our behalf. And as we behold Him, the Holy Spirit transforms our hearts. Our affections change. Our desires change. Our lives begin to reflect the Savior we love. This is not behavior modification. This is gospel transformation. And the change may be imperceptible to you at first. But each time you see Jesus, you are being transformed. 4. Reflection Consider these questions as you come to Christ today: * Have I been measuring spiritual growth mainly by what I have stopped doing, rather than by how Jesus is changing my heart? * According to Hebrews 9:14, what cleanses my conscience, and why can my own efforts never accomplish that cleansing? * When I read Scripture and pray, am I coming merely for instructions about what to do, or am I coming to behold the glory of Jesus Christ and be transformed by His Spirit? Today’s encouragement: Come to Jesus again today. Look to His cross, see your sins laid upon Him and His righteousness credited to you, and behold the love of the Savior who gave Himself for you. Keep coming, keep looking, and trust His Spirit to change you from the inside out. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  7. 6d ago

    Day 1: Two Hands, Two Very Different Kinds of Freedom

    Day 1: Two Hands, Two Very Different Kinds of Freedom A Five-Minute Gospel Study Guide Radical Amputation vs. Gospel Transformation | November 1, 2026 Welcome to Day 1! Today we begin our 17-day journey through the Scriptures, discovering the difference between man’s efforts to overcome sin and the transforming power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Look carefully at the cover of the book. Notice the two hands. One hand has been cut off and lies lifeless. The other has been pierced by a nail, reminding us of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. These two hands represent two very different ways of seeking freedom from sin. The severed hand represents man’s way. We attempt to overcome sin by cutting things out of our lives, denying ourselves certain pleasures, making commitments, following programs, and taking steps to change our behavior. These things may have an appearance of wisdom, but they cannot transform the sinful heart. The pierced hand represents God’s way. Instead of focusing on what we must cut off, we look to what Jesus Christ accomplished when He was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, and crucified for our sins. Through faith in Him, we receive forgiveness, His righteousness is credited to us, and our old self is crucified with Him. One hand represents what man attempts to accomplish through his own efforts. The other represents what Jesus Christ has already accomplished through His death on the cross. Which of these two hands holds the answer to genuine freedom from sin? That’s the question we’ll explore in today’s podcast and study guide. Listen to Today’s Podcast Before listening, take a moment to read through the study guide below. Keep the Scriptures and questions in mind as you listen. Afterward, return to the study guide, open your Bible, and consider what God teaches us about freedom from sin. Today’s Five-Minute Gospel Study Guide 1. The Severed Hand: Man’s Way of Seeking Freedom When people want freedom from habitual sin, the most natural response is to begin cutting things out of their lives. They install internet filters, eliminate certain foods, avoid particular places, deny themselves pleasures, make commitments, join recovery groups, or follow step-by-step programs. These things may appear wise. After all, if something is causing us to sin, doesn’t it make sense to remove it? But notice what Scripture says: Colossians 2:21–23 (NIV) “Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!” “Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Paul acknowledges that these methods have an appearance of wisdom. They seem sensible, disciplined, and even spiritual. Yet they cannot conquer the sinful desires of our flesh. A person may remove every opportunity to commit a particular sin and still desperately desire that sin. The outward behavior may be restricted while the inward heart remains unchanged. This is the severed hand. It represents man’s attempts to obtain freedom through his own efforts. Consider: Why can removing opportunities to sin never, by itself, remove the desire to sin? 2. The Pierced Hand: God’s Way of Setting Us Free Now consider the other hand. This hand is not severed and lifeless. It is pierced by a nail. God’s way of setting sinners free is not another program, a stronger commitment, or a better set of rules. It is the death of His Son, Jesus Christ. Isaiah 53:5 (NIV) “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.” Look carefully at what Jesus endured. He was pierced, crushed, and punished. And notice why: for our transgressions, for our iniquities, and to bring us peace with God. Jesus stood in our place, bore our sins, and accomplished what we could never accomplish for ourselves. But there is something even more wonderful. Through faith in Jesus Christ, His righteousness is credited to us. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV) “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” And Scripture tells us that something happened to our old self when Christ was crucified. Romans 6:6 (NIV) “For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.” Think about that! Jesus was not merely crucified for us. Our old self was crucified with Him. This is the pierced hand. It represents the finished work of Jesus Christ, through which God forgives sinners, gives them a new standing before Him, and breaks sin’s dominion over their lives. Consider: According to Romans 6:6, what happened to our old self when Christ was crucified, and what is the intended result? 3. Two Hands, Two Very Different Kinds of Freedom The contrast could hardly be greater. Man’s way: Cut off temptations. Deny yourself pleasures. Make commitments. Follow steps. Try harder to change your life. God’s way: Look to Jesus Christ, pierced for your sins, crushed for your iniquities, punished in your place, and crucified so that your old self might be crucified with Him. Practical restrictions may limit opportunities for sin, but they cannot give a new heart or break sin’s dominion. Only Jesus Christ can accomplish that. Listen to His promise: John 8:36 (NIV) “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” Notice who sets us free. Jesus does not say that our programs, commitments, restrictions, or efforts will make us free. He says the Son sets us free! A Final Question: How Does God Actually Set Us Free? It seems reasonable that if we want freedom from sin, we should remove temptations, deny ourselves certain pleasures, make stronger commitments, and follow a program for change. As Colossians 2:23 teaches, these methods have an appearance of wisdom. But they have no power to conquer the sinful desires of the heart. God’s way of setting us free is altogether different. His Son was pierced for our transgressions, crushed for our iniquities, punished in our place, and crucified for our sins. And when we are united to Christ by faith, Scripture tells us that our old self was crucified with Him. If God sets us free through the crucifixion of His Son and our union with Him in His death, why would we look to our own efforts to accomplish what only the cross of Jesus Christ can do? Take a moment to consider which method you have been using. Then turn your attention to the nail-pierced hands of Jesus Christ, who alone has the power to set you free. Tomorrow, in Day 2, we’ll continue exploring how the gospel of Jesus Christ transforms the human heart. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

  8. Oct 23

    Why Trying Harder Doesn't Set Us Free

    Why is it that trying harder to overcome sin so often leaves us discouraged, defeated, and exhausted? What if the answer isn’t greater determination, stronger resolutions, or more effort, but something Jesus Christ has already accomplished for us? Why try to push against the prison walls when Jesus opened the prison door? In this 15-minute gospel teaching from Romans 6:1–14, we’ll discover why the Christian life is not about improving our old selves, but about understanding our death and resurrection with Christ. The prison door has been opened. The question is whether we will continue struggling against the walls or walk in the freedom Christ has already purchased for us. I pray this teaching will turn your eyes away from yourself and toward the Savior who truly sets captives free. Production note: I wrote and prepared this teaching, and the narration was produced using an AI-generated version of my own voice. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit mikecleveland.substack.com/subscribe

See All (74)

About

Out of the overflow of the heart, the pen writes. mikecleveland.substack.com

Information