Podcast
Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast
Hosted by Dr. James Merritt · EN
Under the leadership and dynamic preaching of Dr. James Merritt, Touching Lives exists to touch the lives of the lost and enrich the faith of the found. Our goal is to present the eternal, never-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would hear and pray for the Holy Spirit to move mightily among His people.
Touching Lives is currently broadcast in all 50 states and in over 140 countries around the world. All sermons, articles, and other content is made available through various digital media formats on the web. Literally millions of people have been affected through the ministry of Touching Lives with thousands responding to the Gospel of Jesus for the very first time.
33episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
Trust and Obey
Mar 800:39:30Tap to summarizeWho were Jesus’ favorite Old Testament heroes? If you guessed Moses, you’d be right—Jesus mentioned him 25 times. But number two might surprise you. Abraham, referenced 17 times, appears in Jesus’ teaching nearly as often. Why did Jesus love talking about this man? Because Abraham shows us a relationship with God that doesn’t start with our searching for Him, but with His grace finding us. Three thousand years before Jesus walked the earth, God spoke to a 75-year-old idol worshiper living in present-day Iraq and gave one command: “Go.” Abraham didn’t know where he was going, why he was going, or what would happen when he got there. But he knew who was telling him to go, and that was enough. Every time you trust God’s word and obey His will, you discover what Abraham learned—that when you walk with God, He shows you things you could never see standing still. Learn the three steps that take you from where you are to where God wants you to be.
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The Lord’s Supper
Mar 100:37:25Tap to summarizeWhat if the most important meal you’ll ever eat isn’t about satisfying physical hunger but remembering spiritual salvation? Three thousand years ago in Egypt, Jewish families smeared lamb’s blood on their doorposts so God’s angel of death would “pass over” their homes. One thousand years later, Jesus transformed that ancient Passover meal into something far more personal. He established the Lord’s Supper. In it, He showed that He was the ultimate Passover Lamb and His blood would cover the sins of all who believe. Because of His death and His shed blood, a holy God can pass over your sins. This isn’t a funeral; it’s a celebration of the One who is alive. Every time you take this meal, God invites you to remember and appreciate what happened, examine what’s happening, and anticipate what’s coming.
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Stand Tall Stand Strong
Feb 2200:43:15Tap to summarizeIn the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evilfree. As one author wrote, “I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity.” Throughout our study of Elijah, we’ve seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused with the good life. While the good life might avoid evil, ignore it, or let others deal with it, those living the God life don’t have that option.
Transcribe →Choose Wisely
Feb 2200:40:15Tap to summarizeWhat happens when you trust the wrong guide? While driving through northwest Indiana, a man named Iftikhar Hussain drove off a ramp to a bridge that no longer existed, killing his wife Zohra. Police believe he ignored numerous barricades including orange barrels, cones, large “Road Closed” signs, and concrete barriers, all because he was listening too closely to his GPS. His wife died not because a bridge was out but because her husband made the wrong decision. The story is a heartbreaking picture of what life is really about. The force of your life and the course of your life are defined by your decisions. You are where you are, who you are, and what you are right now because of your decisions. Dr. Seuss said it best: “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” In Genesis 13, we meet Abraham’s nephew Lot, whose name fits perfectly. He had a choice between two lots of land and chose the wrong lot, and it cost him a whole lot. The story teaches us about pre-decisions, meaning those decisions you make before you make “the decision.” When you make good pre-decisions, you’ll stick to your convictions instead of caving to your circumstances. See how your problems reveal your priorities, your priorities drive your decisions, and your daily practices determine where those choices take you.
Transcribe →Bring the Umbrella
Feb 1500:45:45Tap to summarizeIt is the worst drought in biblical history: 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or not) that only God can get us out of drought. Through one of the most famous prophets in the Old Testament, you see how you, too, can live the God life—a life that is pure, powerful, and prayerful. You can see God work in your family, at work, and in your future because the secret to a powerful life is a prayerful life.
Transcribe →Never Doubt God
Feb 800:46:00Tap to summarizeEver find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, “God, where are you?” “Do you even care about me?” “Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?” If so, you’re following in the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survived a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt in the eye. Maybe you’ve followed God and lived according to His Word, but the economy crashes, you lose your job, or the marriage ends. What do you hold on to when doubt feels stronger than belief? Watch how Elijah walks through the valley of despair to the other side of doubt, remembering one timeless truth: If you trust and obey, God clears the way. As you trust God, you discover His promise, provision, providence, and power.
Transcribe →Life Begins Here
Feb 100:50:05Tap to summarizeIf you say that someone is “living the good life,” you mean they’re living in comfort and luxury with few problems or worries. The good life is what our culture celebrates—financial success, personal comfort, and freedom from hardship. But there’s something far greater, far more fulfilling, and far more enduring than the good life—it’s “The God Life.” God wants you to experience the good life by living the God life. It is a life lived in the intimate presence of God, made possible through the supernatural power of God, all for the magnificent praise of God. The God life ignites when you’re accomplishing the divine purpose God created you for, reflecting His glory in everything you do, and offering His goodness to a broken world that desperately needs it. How do you enter the God life? Learn from a man by the name of Elijah.
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Seed Sowing
Jan 2500:43:45Tap to summarizeOne of the most amazing sights in America is the giant Sequoia tree. It towers up to 325 feet tall, weighs over 6,000 tons, and can live more than 3,000 years. The famous General Sherman tree is 275 feet tall and 100 feet wide at its trunk, with roots stretching 80 feet in diameter. But that massive, nearly indestructible tree started from a seed no bigger than a tomato seed. That’s the power of a single seed. And when that tree matures, it produces 400,000 seeds every year, capable of creating entire forests. Jesus understood this power, which is why He told a parable about the most powerful seed of all, God’s Word. Every believer is called to be a seed sower, and Psalm 126 gives us both the promise and the pattern of what that looks like. “Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy. Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them” (Psalm 126:5–6, NIV). Once you understand what it means to “sow with tears,” you’ll learn why some seeds produce forests while others never break ground.
Transcribe →Building Blocks
Jan 1800:44:15Tap to summarizeIn 2009, British TV host James May built a full-sized, livable house with LEGO® bricks. The house was complete with a toilet, a shower, and a LEGO® cat. May didn’t use wood, concrete, or steel. He used millions of small plastic bricks that most people consider children’s toys. As a follower of Jesus, you’re just like that LEGO® brick. One LEGO® brick is worthless, but when you put them together, you can build something people actually live in. Every LEGO® brick is designed to connect with other bricks. Without connection, the brick will never be what it could be. If you’re a follower of Jesus, you’re a building block. Think about the early church. It survived without any political power, military might, or buildings because God used the building block of small groups. When you connect with other believers in a small group, three essential things are built for you, by you, and with you. And what gets built is the difference between surviving and thriving in your faith.
Transcribe →Where You Belong is Here
Jan 1100:42:45Tap to summarizeA pastor once called in sick on Sunday morning so he could play golf. Standing on a long par 4, he hit the ball like never before. It soared through the air and dropped right into the cup for a hole-in-one. Peter looked down from heaven and said, “Lord, are you going to let him get away with this?” The Lord smiled and said, “Who’s he going to tell?” That’s funny until you look at what’s actually happening in our churches today. The reality is that if you were born after 1984, there’s less than a 10% chance you’re in church each week. Now think about this. If you have no desire to be with believers one day a week, why would you think you’d enjoy being with believers in eternity? The author of Hebrews writes to believers who had started “… giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing …” (Hebrews 10:25, NIV). Part of growing up in the Lord is showing up for the Lord. Here are the three reasons why that matters more than you might think.
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