How God is For You When All Seems Against You-Rich Lessons from the Life of Jesus with Joshua Ryan Butler

Welcome to the very first episode of Wider Lens, a brand new podcast that allows me to go broader than the topic of marriage. To kick it off, we are interviewing Mr. Joshua Ryan Butler to discuss his new book. God is on Your Side: How Jesus is for You When Everything Seems Against You.

 In this episode, we explore what it really means to receive from Jesus instead of striving on our own. From the healing at the pool in John 5 to the picture of Barabbas’ pardon, we talk about how the gospel frees us from self-sufficiency, restores us in our failures, and feeds us when we feel empty. Together we wrestle with why we resist His help, how to cultivate spiritual hunger in a distracted world, and what it looks like to let Jesus shepherd us through shame, wounds, and wilderness seasons. It’s my prayer that this episode encourages you to believe God is on your side.

 

Episode Highlights:

The Lord’s love is a freely given love.

Earthly relationships may feel transactional, but God offers freedom from the burden of that.

Our God is accessible and He wants to redeem the broken parts of our lives. 

Quotes from Today’s Episode:

1. "God is on your side, particularly when it most feels like life is against you." - Josh Ryan Butler

2. "Before I called you to use you, I called you to love you." - Josh Ryan Butler

3. "In the darkest moments, I found God ministering to me through His word and Spirit." - Josh Ryan Butler

4. "Jesus calls himself the bread of life, and the only requirement to come is that you're hungry and thirsty." - Josh Ryan Butler

5. "Our deepest hunger is meant to drive us towards God first and foremost." - Josh Ryan Butler

6. "God's no to our sin is embedded within His bigger yes to who we are created to be." - Josh Ryan Butler

7. We live in a culture where everybody is rewarded for what they do, and it's hard to believe that God just loves us." - Dr. Kim

8. "It's almost like it's too good to be true, but it is true." - Dr. Kim

Go Deeper:

1. Are there parts of your life or your heart you feel like you need to keep hidden from the Lord?

 

2. When’s the last time you felt lonely or alone?

 

3. Are there places in your life you’re denying restoration because you’re stuck in the cycle of shame?

 

Mentioned in this Episode:

• Find Joshua Ryan Butler on Instagram.

• Buy his book: God is on Your Side: How Jesus is for You When Everything Seems Against You

• Dr. Kim is on Substack. Dr. Kim goes broader than just marriage. You can get wisdom, personal stories, and godly encouragement from him weekly. Sign up today!