The Living Waters Podcast

Discernment is becoming harder to practice in a world saturated with constant noise and endless opinions. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar examine how digital overload, social media, and frictionless interactions have created a discipleship problem where believers are shaped more by algorithms than by Scripture. The guys explain that discernment is not just knowing right from wrong, but recognizing truth from almost truth, and that deception often works by dulling awe and distracting hearts from God’s presence. They emphasize the need for genuine relationships, slow reading, and meditation on God’s word as the antidote to shallow knowledge and spiritual confusion. The guys also warn that truth mixed with error can be more dangerous than outright lies, making daily engagement with Scripture essential. Ultimately, the guys call listeners to let Scripture become their filter, to learn the voice of the Shepherd, and to stay rooted in Christ amid a distracted and noisy age.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

True freedom is often misunderstood as the ability to do whatever we desire. Still, Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar examine how Scripture defines freedom as living to glorify God and walking in righteousness. The guys explain that the idol of freedom emerges when something good is taken too far, causing people to violate God’s commands in pursuit of their own desires. They emphasize that without Christ, humans are enslaved to sin, passions, and self-righteousness, and that true liberty comes through surrender to Him. Freedom is not chaos or lawlessness; it is the disciplined ability to function within God’s boundaries and enjoy Him forever.The guys explore how civil freedom can often be confused with spiritual freedom. Even in a society with many liberties, humans remain bound to sin unless Christ reigns in their lives. They describe sin as addictive, like a drug that offers pleasure but leads to bondage, and they challenge listeners to think about what they are worshipping. Self-rule cannot coexist with devotion to Jesus, and the guys encourage believers to seek God’s will every day, align their desires with His, and develop contentment in the unique path He has planned. Freedom is not measured by what we can do, but by obedience to the Lord who governs all parts of life.The guys also discuss how personal freedom affects others. Using examples from universities and conversations with college students, they show how passions can enslave people and how sin acts as a dictator in life. True liberty means doing what is right regardless of others' opinions, yielding to the fruit of the Spirit rather than the flesh, and living without fear or hidden agendas. The guys encourage listeners to examine their lives, consider how they spend unstructured time, and evaluate whether they are genuinely free or secretly controlled by desires, habits, or societal pressures.Finally, the guys remind believers that freedom is relational and transformative. Walking in the light and desiring the Lord above fleshly pleasures reorients identity, repentance, and surrender. They challenge listeners to resist modern distortions of freedom, from self-mutilation to justification of sin, and to remember that God’s commandments lead to life, not restriction. The pursuit of man often rejects God, but when the Son sets someone free, they are free indeed. The guys call believers to continually return to Him, yield to His authority, and embrace the true liberty that only comes through Christ. Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

True freedom is often mistaken for doing whatever we want, but Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar explore how Scripture defines it as living to glorify God and walking in righteousness. The guys explain that the idol of freedom arises when good things are taken too far, leading people to disobey God’s commands and remain enslaved to sin, passions, and self-rule. They highlight that civil liberties do not equal spiritual freedom and that true liberty comes from surrendering daily to Christ, aligning desires with His will, and embracing the unique path He has for each believer. The guys also examine how personal freedom impacts others, showing that sin acts like a dictator and that genuine liberty is doing what is right regardless of opinions or circumstances. They urge listeners to review their lives, yield to the fruit of the Spirit instead of the flesh, and live openly without hidden agendas. Ultimately, the guys remind believers that freedom is relational and transformative, calling them to walk in the light, resist modern distortions of liberty, and continually turn back to the Lord, who alone sets them free.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

True virtue becomes visible only when the desire to walk faithfully before God outweighs the instinct to manage appearances for others. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar examine how virtue signaling has become a modern way of seeking approval, noting that the human urge to belong often pressures believers to display moral outrage or spiritual discipline without genuine conviction. The guys explain that people have always looked for safety in groups, and that this instinct can quietly influence the heart, even in Christian settings.The guys discuss how social media amplifies this struggle by rewarding the performance of virtue. They point out how easy it is to post a Bible verse, a devotional highlight, or a polished quote without allowing those truths to shape character. Christian leaders carry an added weight because their online presence serves as a form of shepherding, and the guys worry that many settle for shallow guidance rather than deep spiritual engagement. Mark recalls receiving a negative review simply for quoting someone unpopular, and the guys use that example to show how expectations can override thoughtful reflection.The guys turn to resisting the lure of appearances and returning to the steady work of communion with God. Virtue comes from God’s own righteousness, justice, and truth, and the guys emphasize that Christians need to slow down, detach from screens, and develop habits that shape the heart rather than the image. They encourage believers to reflect on whether frequent posting influences their behavior or simply reveals what already exists beneath the surface. The more people disconnect from quiet spaces, the easier it becomes to slip into spiritual performance rather than genuine spiritual depth. They suggest taking small steps, such as dedicating the first moments of the day to reflection rather than scrolling.In closing, the guys stress that holiness is demonstrated not through public declarations but through consistent, humble acts of repentance and love. They warn against overcorrecting by trying too hard to avoid virtue signaling, which can distract from the gospel. Instead, they urge believers to show real love, confess sin promptly, and accept correction without defensiveness. They remind listeners that the true mark of a Christian is a heart focused on God’s approval rather than human applause. The difference between virtue signaling and true virtue is the motive; when believers seek the Lord’s approval above all, it will change how they live, respond, and quietly grow.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro

Many believers confuse the appearance of virtue with its substance. Ray, E.Z., Mark, and Oscar explain how virtue signaling arises from fear, peer pressure, and the desire for approval, showing how social media rewards superficial displays of spirituality. They clarify that true virtue cannot be created through posts or outrage but develops through taking time, studying Scripture deeply, and allowing God’s righteousness to transform motives. They warn that when believers seek visibility, they risk drifting from the quiet work of communion with God and settling for habits that enhance their image rather than strengthen the soul. The guys point out how easy it is to share spiritual content without letting it take root, leading to performance rather than genuine transformation. They encourage Christians to confess sin promptly, seek God’s approval above human applause, and establish daily routines that shape the heart. In doing so, believers learn to live with sincerity, depth, and a consistent pursuit of true virtue.Send us a textThanks for listening! If you’ve been helped by this podcast, we’d be grateful if you’d consider subscribing, sharing, and leaving us a comment and 5-star rating! Visit the Living Waters website to learn more and to access helpful resources!You can find helpful counseling resources at biblicalcounseling.com.Check out The Evidence Study Bible and the Basic Training Course.You can connect with us at [email protected]. We're thankful for your input!Learn more about the hosts of this podcast.Ray ComfortEmeal (“E.Z.”) ZwayneMark SpenceOscar Navarro