Podcast
Seeking Approval Podcast
Hosted by Dr. R.C. Smelcer - Gilead Baptist Church · EN
Seeking Approval is a Bible-based podcast that deals honestly with one of the quiet struggles many believers face: the desire to be accepted, affirmed, and approved by people rather than resting in the approval of God. In a world driven by opinions, applause, comparison, and constant noise, this podcast turns the listener back to Scripture for clarity, conviction, and peace.
Each episode opens the Word of God and addresses real-life pressures through sound biblical teaching, thoughtful reflection, and practical application. The focus is not on self-esteem, popularity, or performance, but on learning what it truly means to stand approved unto God. Topics include people-pleasing, identity in Christ, spiritual confidence, handling criticism, and living faithfully without chasing affirmation.
This podcast is designed for believers who want to grow deeper in their walk with the Lord, strengthen their spiritual foundation, and learn how to live with conviction in a culture that constantly demands compromise. The goal is simple: less striving for approval from man, and a greater confidence in the approval that comes from God alone.
43episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
SA Ep67 - Becoming a Prayer Warrior (Part 1)
Mar 2300:22:02Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSA Ep67 - Becoming a Prayer Warrior Part SummaryIn this opening episode, we begin a powerful series on the Lord’s Prayer by uncovering a truth many believers overlook: prayer is not merely devotion, it is spiritual warfare. Jesus did not give the prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 simply as words to repeat, but as a pattern that prepares believers for the spiritual battles of daily life.The Bible teaches that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces that oppose the work of God. Because of this reality, prayer becomes one of the most important weapons in the believer’s life. Yet many Christians treat prayer as a routine religious habit rather than a deliberate act of engaging the enemy and seeking God’s protection.In this episode we explore the danger of a prayerless life, the spiritual exposure that comes when believers neglect prayer, and why Jesus designed the Lord’s Prayer as a strategic preparation for daily spiritual conflict. We also address a common problem among Christians today: praying words without truly expecting God to work.As this series begins, listeners are challenged to rethink their approach to prayer. Prayer is not simply speaking to God. Prayer is stepping onto the battlefield and depending on the power of God for victory.
Transcribe →SA Ep66 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 5)
Mar 2000:17:07Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSA Ep66 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 5) The final episode turns from deception to victory. Revelation 12:11 reveals how believers overcome the enemy: through the blood of the Lamb, the word of their testimony, and a life fully surrendered to Christ. Satan’s accusations are defeated through the cleansing power of Christ’s sacrifice. His lies lose their influence when believers boldly confess their faith and stand publicly for the truth. And his threats lose their power when Christians value Christ above comfort or safety. The episode concludes with a clear presentation of the Gospel: God loves humanity, sin separates us from Him, Christ died to provide salvation, and that salvation must be personally received through faith. Through Jesus Christ the lies of the enemy are replaced with the truth that brings freedom and eternal life.
Transcribe →SA Ep65 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 4)
Mar 1900:16:01Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSA Ep65 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 4) Genesis 3:5 reveals the ultimate temptation presented by Satan when he tells Eve, “Ye shall be as gods.” This promise appeals to humanity’s desire for independence and self authority. Instead of trusting God to define truth and morality, the devil encourages people to determine right and wrong for themselves. This philosophy lies at the heart of modern humanism and cultural rebellion against God. Yet Scripture reminds us that there is only one true God and that humanity was created to reflect His image, not replace His authority. When societies reject the rule of God, the result is not enlightenment but moral decline. This episode exposes the lie of self deification and points back to the rightful greatness of God.
Transcribe →SA Ep64 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 3)
Mar 1800:20:45Tap to summarizeSend us Fan MailSA Ep64 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 3) After questioning God’s goodness, Satan moves to the next step in deception by directly contradicting the Word of God. In Genesis 3:4 the serpent boldly declares, “Ye shall not surely die,” openly denying the warning God had given to Adam. This moment marks the first direct contradiction of God’s Word in human history. The same strategy continues today through philosophies that reject absolute truth, including relativism, subjectivism, pragmatism, and postmodernism. When society abandons a fixed standard of truth, moral confusion quickly follows. Yet Scripture stands unshaken, declaring that God’s Word is truth and that it remains forever settled in heaven. This episode explores why the authority of Scripture is essential for both faith and life.
Transcribe →SA Ep63 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 2)
Mar 1700:17:43Tap to summarizeSend a textSA Ep63 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 2)In this episode we examine the first step in Satan’s strategy of deception. In Genesis 3:1 the serpent asks Eve a subtle but dangerous question that reframes God’s generosity as restriction. Although God had given Adam and Eve abundant provision in the garden, Satan shifted their attention to the one command they were told to obey. The goal of this deception was to plant doubt about the goodness of God. When people begin to believe that God is withholding something good, obedience starts to feel like loss rather than blessing. Scripture reveals a very different truth. God “giveth us richly all things to enjoy” and promises that no good thing will be withheld from those who walk uprightly. In this episode we expose the lie that God is a cosmic killjoy and rediscover the truth that sin steals joy while God restores it.
Transcribe →SA Ep62 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 1)
Mar 1600:25:03Tap to summarizeSend a textSA Ep62 - Dialogue with the Devil (Part 1)In this opening episode, we step into Genesis chapter three to uncover the strategy Satan has used since the beginning of human history. The fall of mankind did not begin with an action but with a conversation that planted doubt in the mind. Scripture reveals that Satan’s motive is destruction, for Jesus said in John 8:44 that the devil was a murderer from the beginning. His method is deception, using lies that are often mixed with fragments of truth in order to make them believable. The true battlefield of spiritual warfare is therefore the mind, because what a person believes eventually shapes how that person lives. As Proverbs 23:7 teaches, “For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he.” Understanding the devil’s strategy helps believers recognize deception before it produces disobedience. Genesis three shows us that Satan begins by attacking belief long before behavior changes.
Transcribe →SA Ep61 - How to Stand Again (Finale)
Mar 1300:16:20Tap to summarizeSend a textHow to Stand Again Finale SummaryIn this final episode, we arrive at the turning point of Psalm 42: “I shall yet praise him.” The psalmist teaches us that faith can declare future praise even while standing in present pain. Learning to talk back to our soul and place our hope in God does not mean every problem immediately disappears. The Christian life is an ongoing battle between the spirit and the flesh, fought daily and sometimes moment by moment. That is why we must continually repeat the pattern we have learned: speak truth to your soul, anchor your hope in God, and choose to praise Him. Ultimately, our hope is not rooted in positive thinking or emotional strength but in Jesus Christ alone. Because Christ rose from the dead, the believer has a living hope. The valley is not the end of the story. One day, we will yet praise Him.
Transcribe →SA Ep60 - How to Stand Again (Part 6)
Mar 1200:14:27Tap to summarizeSend a textHow to Stand Again Part 6 SummaryIn this episode, we rediscovered the Bible’s definition of hope. Hope in Scripture is not a wish or positive thinking. It is confident expectation based on the unchanging character of God. Hebrews tells us that hope is “an anchor of the soul, both sure and stedfast.” It holds the believer steady even when the storms of life rage. Jeremiah reminds us that God’s thoughts toward His people lead to an expected end, and Romans declares that He is the God of hope who fills us with joy and peace in believing. True hope is anchored outside of us, not in our emotions or circumstances, but in the faithfulness of God Himself. And when we understand that, we begin to see the valley differently. It may not be our ending. It may be our refining.
Transcribe →SA Ep59 - How to Stand Again (Part 5)
Mar 1100:25:49Tap to summarizeSend a textHow to Stand Again Part 5 SummaryIn this episode, we learned that trusting God does not mean always understanding Him. Psalm 42 calls us to “hope thou in God,” even when the valley remains unexplained. Isaiah reminds us that His ways are higher than ours. Job declares, “Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” Romans assures us that all things work together for good. When life feels disorienting and our emotions misread reality, we must learn to fly by instruments. Feelings fluctuate, but the Word of God is steady. God’s silence is not His absence. His mystery is not His neglect. Faith in the fog means anchoring yourself to His character and His promises rather than demanding explanations. But hope must move beyond being something we say. In the next episode, we will discover what biblical hope truly is — not a wish, not optimism, but an anchor for the soul.
Transcribe →SA Ep58 - How to Stand Again (Part 4)
Mar 1000:23:50Tap to summarizeSend a textIn this episode, we reached the turning point of Psalm 42. The psalmist stopped merely describing his pain and began addressing it. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” He teaches us that there is a difference between listening to ourselves and speaking to ourselves. Our emotions narrate our experience, and if left unchecked, they shape belief. But healthy self examination is not self condemnation. It asks honestly, “What is happening in me?” rather than accusing, “Something is wrong with me.”We learned that heaviness must be identified before it can be surrendered. Sometimes the source is grief. Sometimes it is sin. Sometimes it is broken trust, fatigue, or spiritual attack. Not every valley has the same root, and clarity matters. Scripture calls us to examine ourselves, to recall truth deliberately, and to invite God into the search. You must name it before you can give it to God. But the psalmist does not stay in analysis. He does not circle endlessly around his emotions. He gives direction. And in the next episode, we will follow that direction upward, because analysis alone does not lift you. You must look higher.
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