Journey Church Amarillo

Pastor Howie finishing his sermon series on "When God Seems" 

Today it is when he seems late

Pastor Howie dives in to his series on when God seems.

If fasting clears the noise and simplicity anchors the heart, prayer is the ongoing conversation that keeps us connected to the Vine.

In the final part of our series, we are diving deep into the heartbeat of spiritual life: Prayer.

We often think of prayer as a slot on our calendar, but it’s meant to be the atmosphere we breathe. In this episode, we talk about two powerful dimensions of communication with God:

• Praying all the time: Turning our daily routine into an ongoing conversation. Walking, working, driving—every moment is an invitation to connect.

• Praying purposeful prayers: Moving past vague requests and learning to pray with specific intention, alignment, and authority.

When we mix consistent connection with intentional purpose, our faith moves from a duty to a dynamic relationship.

When God seems inattentive 

We live in a world that constantly tells us to consume more, do more, and be more. But what if the secret to a deeper spiritual life isn't adding anything at all? It’s clearing the clutter.

In our latest episode, we dive into the beautiful, counter-cultural disciplines of Fasting and Simplicity:

• Fasting isn't just about giving something up; it’s the intentional removal of distractions so we can see God more clearly.

• Simplicity isn't about deprivation; it’s the art of learning to be deeply content with exactly what we already have.

When we empty our hands, we finally make room for what matters most.

What actually has dominion over your heart? Mark 12 presents a series of encounters and parables that cut straight to the core of that question. Like the tenants in Jesus' parable, we often want all the blessings of God without giving anything back to Him. We divide our hearts among our jobs, our status, our image, and our finances, leaving God a small corner we pull out when life gets hard. Jesus makes it clear that God does not ask for part of our hearts. He asks for all of it. The widow who gave her last two coins was not celebrated because of the amount, but because of her posture. True faith is not performed. It is owned, lived, and then shared.

Ever notice how naturally we hype up the things we love? A good meal, a great movie, a sports team... we are literally hardwired to praise. We were made to worship.

But when we substitute God for things that were never meant to carry the weight of our devotion, we end up empty. In this week's episode, we break down worship as a daily, life-giving spiritual discipline that centers our souls.

#SpiritualDisciplines #FaithPodcast #MadeToWorship #ChristianPodcast #FaithJourney #WorshipAsALifestyle

When Isaiah encountered God's glory in the temple, his immediate response was 'Here I am. Send me.' This powerful moment reveals that truly seeing God compels us to serve others. As believers in the priesthood of all believers, every Christian is called to ministry and empowered by the Holy Spirit for service. Service isn't optional volunteering - it's the natural lifestyle of a believer. We can serve within the church through hospitality, technical teams, children's ministry, and care teams, while also serving outside through our jobs and community involvement. When we shift our perspective to see every interaction as an opportunity to show Christ's love, our daily work becomes worship and service to the Lord.

If your Bible reading feels like checking a box, you might be missing the point.

There is a massive difference between reading the Word for information and meditating on the Word for transformation. One is a task; the other is a relationship.

In this week's episode, we're breaking down the discipline of meditation. No gimmicks, no deep-breathing exercises—just pure focus on what God has already said and how it rewires our relationship with Him.

Stream the new episode now on all platforms.

#SpiritualGrowth #BibleStudy #Discipleship #FaithJourney #ScriptureMeditation

Research shows that reading the Bible at least four times per week creates a dramatic tipping point in spiritual growth, leading to significant decreases in negative behaviors and increases in positive spiritual activities. There are three powerful approaches to Scripture: reading for information using the FACT method, reading for application using the SOAP method, and reading for transformation using the REAP method. Each approach serves a vital purpose and they often work together to deepen your engagement with God's Word. The key to experiencing life change is consistency in regular Scripture reading, allowing God to transform you from the inside out.