Heartburn Cafe

The Cross of redemption

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 21:38:27 +0000

This episode is focused on Easter. There were three crosses on the hill that day.

One we call the cross of redemption, one the cross of reception and the other the cross of rejection. In this episode we talk about the cross of redeption.

Discipleship

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 16:32:09 +0000

This podcasthas to do with the importance of discipleship in our churches. For too long we have not taken new Christians on their journey of spiritual growth. We stick them in an existing class where the information being taught is often over their heads. They need one-on-one discipleship to help get them on their spiritual feet in order to walk the Christian life. Mature believers should be the ones taking a new believer along side and help them on their journey.

The value of family

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 17:58:00 +0000

I am reminded of the value of family during the Christmas season. In this series I will share my experience of family value from child to the present time. If we have not experienced family value then we can begin now to change that cycle so that family value can be a reality in the future. Take time this Christmas to sit down with your family and share with each other what God is doing in your life. If God isn't doing anything in your life then I would suggest you tweak your spiritual life to enable Him to begin His work.

Rejecting the Truth

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 18:55:09 +0000

This episode is about rejecting God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. In the Old Testament days God was the truth and people often rejected His truth. In the New Testamen Jesus was the truth and people often rejected His truth. Today, in the Church age, the Holy Spirit will lead us in all truth and people often reject His truth.We must be aware of the fact that the Holy Spirit is very real and evident in our lives to enable us to receive power to live our lives for God.

Potential and Possibilities

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 17:34:18 +0000

In this episode our comments are drawn from Ephesians 3:16-21. With the Holy Spirit there is great potential and possibility for us to be strong in our dealings with all of our relationships in a Christ like manner.

The Stilll Small Voice

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:21:00 +0000

In this episode Al shares his own testimony on how the Holy Spirit was active in his life, especially during his teenage years, the years in the military and during the first few years of marriage when he was involved in sinful activity that was contrary to the Word of God. He is grateful that the Holy Spirit was willing to be right in the middle of his activity during that time.

The Holy Spirits action

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 18:32:00 +0000

This episode is about the Holy Spirits action within us when we think or do something sinful that would grieve Him. Would he move far from that sinful thinking or behavior or would he engage us concerning what we are doing? I believe He would engage us in order to help us not to sin or if we did carry out a sinful action, He would enable us to seek forgiveness of that sin. How involved do you believe the Holy Spirit is in your life moment by moment?

Political Rhetoric

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:18:00 +0000

This podcast is about how hateful Christians can be when it comes to political rhetoric. The Bible says that one of the signs of the Holy Spirit abiding within us is our love one toward another. When listening to people that claim to be Christians on radio and television there often times comes across a hateful spirit rather than the love of the Holy Spirit. This episode is to provoke us in our thinking and for us to listen to see if we are involved in such rhetoric.

Holy Spirit Advantage

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 17 May 2010 02:30:00 +0000

In the last two episodes, I have been talking about heart management. This episode is the beginning of a new series focused on the person of the Holy Spirit. True heart management can only happen when we give up the “spirit of our mind” and yield to the “mind of the Spirit.” Our lives would be much different if we had Jesus at our side in the physical 24/7. The fact of the matter is that it would be impossible for over 6 billion people to have Him at their side. In John 16:7, Jesus said to the disciples that He was going to leave and send the Comforter. He tells the disciples this would be to their advantage since He was leaving and the Holy Spirit was coming. This makes sense, then, because the Holy Spirit lives within the believer, and we now have the opportunity to be with Him 24/7. This is very profound, and it should have such an impact on us that we would desire to give our lives to Him and live a godly life. Don’t lose sight of the impact the Holy Spirit has on our Christian lives.

Heart Management - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 00:48:00 +0000

In this episode, we follow up on our last podcast about Heart Management. We talked about the "spirit of our mind" and the "mind of the Spirit". In this follow up episode, we talk about the Holy Spirit. I truly believe we do not emphasize the work and the power of the Holy Spirit of God in our lives. This is why we mess up our lives so many times; we are relying on the” spirit of our mind” rather than following the “mind of the Spirit”. Make no mistake about it, God knows more about our need, our direction, our good, and our purpose than we do. It boils down to this: we need to step down from the throne of our lives and allow God His rightful place.

Heart Management

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 17:57:00 +0000

This is a new series dealing with the management of the heart. It helps us to understand how we can take the 'old' man off and put the 'new' man on. The principle lies between Ephesians 4:22 and 4:24. Look at Ephesians 4:23 where it speaks of the 'spirit of your mind'. Our mind has its own spirit which means it has its own opinion, its own outlook and its own position pertaining to all things in life. In other words, the spirit of our mind thinks it knows best. To contrast this, Romans 8:27 says the 'mind of the Spirit' knows best because it knows the will of God. This is how we take the old off and put the new on, by allowing the 'mind of the Spirit' to control the 'spirit of our mind'. Enjoy!

Standfast

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 02:33:00 +0000

We have been talking about "how Christianity works", and last week we came to the conclusion that “it works because of Him.” In this episode, we are talking about the freedom and liberty we have in Jesus Christ and how often times we find ourselves living in bondage. Why is it so difficult to live in spiritual freedom? Do we think that to be spiritual we cannot have freedom? Do we think that somehow we have to beat ourselves up thinking that spirituality can only be lived in bondage? Galatians 5:1 make it very clear that we are to stand in liberty and not to allow anything or anyone push us into the corner of bondage as if we are a prisoner. Be free, my friend, and stand in His liberty.

It Works Because Of Him

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:10:00 +0000

Have you ever made excuses about why you are not able to live a godly life? Maybe you have said, 'I have tried, but it just doesn’t seem to work for me'. Maybe you have said, 'I am a Christian, and I will do the best I know how but am tired of trying to live a godly life because it just doesn’t seem to work'. This podcast deals with that very issue, and the scriptures we use will crush that thinking to bits and pieces. Listen, God has given to us everything we need as pertaining to the Christian life. We need to quit making excuses, turn our lives over to God, and let Him mold us into what He wants us to be. Enjoy!

Resting in Christ

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 23:35:00 +0000

This episode parallels the previous series titled "how does it work?". We draw some thoughts from Matthew 11:28-30 about resting in Christ. One sure sign that Christianity isn’t working in our lives is when we experience turmoil, agitation, frustration and lack of joy. These words do not describe resting, especially resting in Christ. So I simply ask the question as someone asked me a few years ago. Why are you agitated and frustrated? Is it because you are in control of your life, you are hooked up with your own yoke, and you carry your own burden? You might want to ponder this question.

How Does It Work? - Part 3

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:52:00 +0000

This is the final episode of this series. In this episode, I take what we have learned in the previous episodes and try to apply it to our every day life. To be victorious over many of the things I mention in this episode, we have to decide if we really believe there is a God and if we believe He dwells within us. Then we must believe there is a great power within us to accomplish great things in our lives. Believing this enables us to rise to a new level in our Christian life. How does it work? It is He that does the great work within us. That’s how it works. Believe that, and you will experience it for yourself.

How Does It Work? - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 20:17:00 +0000

This episode continues with the challenge on figuring out how Christianity works. The focus is on the fact that God has begun a good work in us and we are to co-operate with Him to work out that which He has worked in. Simply consider the Divine energy we have living within our lives to enable us to be successful in living the Christian life in a way God intended. It doesn’t get any better than this.

How Does It Work?

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:44:00 +0000

This is a new series answering the question: how does the Christian life work? How do we work out what God has already worked in? We do a study on the Greek word to define the word work in the New Testament. The Greek word is ergon, which means power, might, vigor, and activity. God dwells within us and has energized us with His power. Consider Philippians 1:6, which says, “He has begun a good work in us.” So, then, how do we take that God-given energy and power and work it out of our lives into every day living? That is the ultimate question we try to answer in this series.

Back on the Linear Line

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 17:06:00 +0000

This is the final episode of our series "defining moments in life". By now, we have learned the difference between Chronos time and Kairos time. We have learned to recognize the Kairos moments or what we call the loop. Once we recognize the moment, we are then able to negotiate the loop. Once we negotiate the loop, we find ourselves back on our spiritual linear line. The challenge is to live the normal Chronos time in 2010 but always be aware of the Kairos moments God will send our way in the coming year.

Negotiating the Loop Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:30:00 +0000

We continue to work through the Kairos moment or loop in part 2 of this most recent series. Last week, we talked about the right half of the loop, which we called REPENT. We also identified three words that describe how to work through the first half of the loop. These three words are observe, reflect, and discuss. We are calling the second half of the loop, which is the upward side or the left side, BELIEVE. The following three words describe how to work through this side of the loop and move up the a linear line once again: plan, accountability, and act. Following this formula will expedite the amount of time we spend in our Kairos moments.

Negotiating the Loop

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 02:04:00 +0000

In this episode, we begin the process of working through the loop of a Kairos moment in life. We focus on the right side of the loop in which we talk about the word repent, which actually means a change of mind. The three key words to help us negotiate through the right half of the loop are observe, reflect and discuss. In our next podcast we will talk about the word believe, which is on the left side of the loop.

Redeeming the Time

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 23:41:00 +0000

In this episode, we take a look at what it means to redeem the time. Redeeming the time simply means to take every opportunity of our Kairos moments God has allowed us to enter. In our last episode, we talked about how we are often chasing time and running right past our Kairos moments, moments that we define as God's time in which He draws us closer to Him.

Chasing the Clock

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:56:00 +0000

After Adam fell into sin in the garden, he found himself for the first time in Chronos time. His life was now measured by a clock and calendar, and was limited. Today, we find ourselves chasing the clock. We have busy schedules. Every hour of the day is taken up as we run to and fro. Sometimes we fall behind time and find ourselves late for an appointment. This chasing the clock causes us to run right past God's time or what I call Kairos time. Thus, we are often late for God's appointed time for us - that time in which He intends for us to grow in our spiritual life. Don't be so busy that you miss God's appointed time!

Responding to Defining Moments

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 16:04:00 +0000

In this episode, I list four ways in which we might respond to those Kairos moments in our lives - those Kairos moments that are usually etched into our lives and define us for the rest of our lives. They define who we are. They are events in our lives that will define us as a bitter person or a better person depending on how we respond to these moments. We must look at these moments as being a positive force in our lives to grow us in our spiritual life.

Defining Moments

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:46:00 +0000

"The defining moments of life" series I pray will be a blessing to you. It is about the Kairos moments that take place in our lives. Moments that actually define our life. Kairos moments of time are not associated with a clock or a calendar, they are simply an event, an occasion, an opportunity.What I want to emphasis is the fact that as painful as they may be they also can be a positive time in our lives drawing us closer to God.

short series of encouragement

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 19:55:00 +0000

This podcast is to explain why we have been away for a few months and to let you know what our future will be with Heartburn cafe podcasting.
Included are a few words of encouragement that are needed in the culture we are living in today. It was David that said " I encourage myself in the Lord." Certainly He is the great encourager.

#74 - Names of God - Adonai

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 04:31:00 +0000

The concept of having a master over us in our culture is not something we welcome. The Bible is clear that in our confessions of salvation, we are to confess him as Lord. This episode, we try to challenge everyone to yield to his Lordship as we discuss the third name of God in our series - Adonai.

#73 - Names of God - Jehovah Shalom

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 28 May 2009 20:08:00 +0000

The second episode in our series on the names of God deals with Jehovah Shalom, or the Lord Our Peace. How do we find peace in our lives? Al and Stephen discuss several aspects of that peace, including having peace with God, figuring out how to trust God, and how to live our lives through Him.

#72 - Names of God - Jehovah-Jireh

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 02 May 2009 17:51:00 +0000

After a delay in episodes, we start a new series this week on the names of God. This episode, we look at Jehovah-Jireh, or "The Lord will provide". Throughout the series, we want to explore how it's possible to take His name in vain. In other words, are there times when we don't trust God to provide?

#71 - Kiss & Make Up - Part 4

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 18:53:00 +0000

This episode we discuss the actual process of reconciliation. In other words, we talk about how to carry out the action of reconciliation. Remember that there is a right time and attitude to perform this process, and we look at several points to keep in mind.

#70 - Kiss & Make Up - Part 3

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 01:09:00 +0000

This episode is part 3 of our series on reconciliation and is basically a continuation of last week's episode. We simply look at how to solve the problem, and to do so, we discuss 5 solutions. However, only 1 solution is really the desirable one, but you have to listen to find out which one that is!

#69 - Kiss & Make Up - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:53:00 +0000

How do we practice reconciliation? This episode, we look at 4 promises we should make in order to move towards complete reconciliation. It's a short one, but a good one.

#68 - Kiss & Make Up - Part 1

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 17:46:00 +0000

Now that we've talked about forgiveness, let's look at the second aspect of forgiveness, which is reconciliation. Sometimes reconciliation is more difficult to accomplish than forgiveness itself. Not only is reconciliation an event, it is also a process. So join us for this new series as we build upon our last series of forgiveness.

#67 - Freedom of Forgiveness - Forgiveness Checkup

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:40:00 +0000

This week, we review the last few episodes on forgiveness, and from there, we move on to checking up on our forgiveness. What does this involve? Well, after understanding what forgiveness is and after that forgiveness is put it into practice, how do you and I ensure that we are actually forgiving ourselves and others? Join us this episode as we talk about the steps to take to make sure we are practicing a spirit of forgiveness.

#66 - Freedom of Forgiveness - Practicing Forgiveness

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 02:57:00 +0000

After talking about how to understand forgiveness, this week, we talk about putting forgiveness into practice. I'm sure everyone has dealt with anger, bitterness, resentment, and so on. However, how do we change and transform these feelings and emotions into that of grace and forgiveness? This episode, we discuss how to achieve this, as well as Biblical guidelines for forgiveness. We also look at examples of bitterness, loving our enemies, and times when it's difficult to forgive people.

#65 - Freedom of Forgiveness - Understanding Forgiveness

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 04:08:00 +0000

Allowing yourself to forgive is mind-boggling peaceful. This week, we start a new series about the freedom we'll have by forgiving those who have wronged us. First, though, what is forgiveness? What does it involve? This episode, we'll try to address that and get down to the basics on forgiveness and reconciliation.

#64 - The Great College Dilemma

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:53:00 +0000

Erin and Andrew join us again this episode as we discuss the great college dilemma - or rather, why do churches struggle with college ministries, and what do college students look for in a church? Obviously we can't possibly answer both of these questions to the fullest in one episode, but we'll try to crack at the surface of this dilemma.

#63 - Faith On Your Own

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 03:49:00 +0000

Andrew Courtney and Erin Helstern join us this episode as we discuss how to own your faith, or rather, how to make your faith your own. What is it like living as a Christian when you finally get out on your own? How do you make your faith a priority?

#62 - Questions Answered - Installment 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 01:28:00 +0000

Well, hopefully the question is answered. This installment is all about forgiveness. Derek Schuessler joins Al this week to look at two types of forgiveness: that of vertical forgiveness (dealing with God), and horizontal forgiveness (dealing with others). If God forgives us, do we need to forgive ourselves? What is the cause of us feeling that urge or need to forgive ourselves? Why can't God's forgiveness be enough? All of these questions are perfectly good questions, and we try to answer them in this episode. Please let us know if you have any other topic, struggle or question!

#61 - Questions Answered - Installment 1

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 01:08:00 +0000

This episode, we discuss two different topics. The first topic involves having peace with ourselves, others, and God. The second topic deals with owning our faith as well as making that spiritual transition from high school to college.

Also, let us know if you have any other questions or topics for us to answer or discuss! We would like to do this type of episode regularly, but we need your input, so please feel free to let us know what you would like us to talk about!

#60 - Connections - The Value

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 16:30:00 +0000

Have you ever sat in church, not knowing who the person is in front of you? We as Christians need not live in a vacuum; rather, we need to be connected. There is value in connecting to other Christians, including what you offer to others as well as what they offer to you.

Furthermore, we'd like to connect to all of you, the listeners. If this episode touches you, or if you have something you're struggling with, let us know by either emailing us or by leaving a comment on the website.

#59 - Connections - Loving God

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 02:14:00 +0000

If we want to make connections with other people, we've got to make a connection with God. This episode, we divulge a bit on how to go about doing this. We talk about the fruit that we should be producing as Christians, about letting God carry our burdens, and about talking to God on a daily basis.

#58 - Connections - Loving Others

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 02:03:00 +0000

Making connections and building relationships are both essential to Christianity. If we're going to grow in Christ and minister to other people, we've got to make connections first. How do we go about doing this, then? It all starts with loving other people, and that's where we start this series.

#57 - The Thanksgiving Episode

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 00:30:00 +0000

Happy Thanksgiving!

What are you thankful for? Leave a comment on this post and let us know!

Hmmm… have you ever thought about what God is thankful for? A curious question! Join us in our thanksgiving episode as we banter with the idea of being thankful.

Also, we'd like to thank all of you for staying with us for the past year. We look forward to podcasting for the next year, and we'd love to have you all join us!

#56 - Trust and Verify - Building Character

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 02:58:00 +0000

Discipleship is not about gaining knowledge as much as it is about building character. If someone asks you about the hope that they see in you, they must have seen something different in you that they didn't see in someone else. Essentially this is verifying your salvation - not that you aren't a Christian, but that you are a light to the world. How do you get to the point where people ask you this? By building you character!

#55 - Trust and Verify - Lukewarm

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 04:42:00 +0000

How do we know if we are lukewarm, or even other Christians, for that matter? How do we keep ourselves from crossing the line of keeping someone accountable to judging them. Finally, what is the measuring stick we use to judge lukewarmness?

#54 - Trust and Verify - Part 1

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 04:18:00 +0000

Should we care what other people think of us? Does our testimony matter, or rather, should it? This episode, we look at the importance of verifying salvation, as well as what is involved with it. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!

#53 - Applying Our Worldview

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:42:00 +0000

Now that we've discussed what a worldview is, and proposed a definition of possible worldviews, let's look at how we can apply our worldview to our daily lives. What do you use as a filter? What do you have at the center of your worldview? Also, we relate an awesome email from Justin that talks about this very topic. Hope you all enjoy!

#52 - What's Your Worldview?

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 23:33:00 +0000

A person's worldview constitutes the filter they look through at the world. That worldview is like a spider web, with core values on the inside and looser values on the outside. Every person's worldview is different, just as every person is unique in their own way. Join us this episode as we discuss this very interesting and actually very relevant topic.

#51 - Sidekicks Continued

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:26:00 +0000

Heroes are a fun topic, so we kinda got stuck on them (and their sidekicks) over the past few weeks. This episode, we put emphasis on the fact that even sidekicks can do amazing things for Christ. Did you know you're significant, even if you don't consider yourself to be a hero? So, this week, we finish up the sidekicks discussion, as well as wrap up the series. Look for a new topic next week! Oh, and stick around at the end of the episode again. It made me giggle, at least!

#50 - Biblical Sidekicks

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:14:00 +0000

Episode 50! Well, we talked about heroes last couple of episodes, so now let's talk about sidekicks. In today's world, sidekicks often have a diminished role in popular culture. They are there as backup but they never get to play an important role like the hero. The Bible, however, has some "sidekicks" that go against the popular thinking in that they actually mattered and did things for Christ. These sidekicks were merely sidekicks in name - they were able to use their position to support, encourage and in some cases, lead.

#49 - Biblical Heroes

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 00:37:00 +0000

Last week we looked at cultural heroes, so let's take it a step further and look at Biblical heroes this week. What makes a good hero? Do all heroes have to be perfect? Maybe the best hero is someone we can identify with. Join us this week as we try to answer these kinds of questions!

Also, be sure to stick around at the end of this week's episode, and don't forget to let us know who your heroes are!

#48 - Everyday Heroes

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 04:02:00 +0000

I'm if asked, everyone could come up with at least one hero that has either influenced them or has at least made an impact on their lives. This episode, we take a little informal break and talk about our own heroes, both spiritual and cultural.

#47 - The Numbers Game

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 01:52:00 +0000

We thought we would do a laid-back approach to this episode. With the approaching school year comes changes in schedules and for us, difficulty in getting together to record episodes. We are considering changing the amount of episodes per week as well as length of each episode. So, we'd like to hear your ideas and thoughts on the issue! Please contact us here or via email to weigh in!

#46 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Positive Playgroups

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 01:13:00 +0000

Another series has come to an end, and this episode, we conclude our "baby-proofing" series with more on discipleship. Building relationships, seeking discipleship and participating in fellowship are all areas of the modern church that have fallen by the wayside. If you've never experienced being discipled, or discipling someone else for that matter, you are missing out on an important aspect of the Christian life! So, as we wrap this series up, that is our challenge.

#45 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Parental Supervision

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 00:32:00 +0000

This episode, it's all about discipleship and how it's a missing element in Christianity. Many of those places we fail, such as falling down stairs, opening too many doors, taking too much medicine, etc., are areas where discipleship is key.

#44 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Medicine Cabinet

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 00:43:00 +0000

After a short break, we're glad to be back!

This episode, we continue on with the our "baby-proofing" series as we talk about the medicine cabinet. I'm sure everyone has had or has seen the spot in a house where medicine or chemicals are stored, whether they are under a sink, in a drawer or behind the mirror. Obviously, taking too much medication or using too much of a certain chemical than what is intended can have disastrous effects. How does this correlate to our Christian lives, then? Listen to this week's episode to find out!

#43 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Stairs

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:11:00 +0000

If you've ever been in a house with a small child, you most likely have seen a gate at the entrance to stairs. The gate is there, obviously, to keep that child from falling since they don't realize the danger that lies below.

How many times have we been at the edge of stairs looking below? Have you ever fallen spiritually, emotionally, physically? This episode, we look at ways to safe-guard ourselves from falling down life's stairs.

#42 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Doors

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 17:02:00 +0000

Continuing on with the theme of "child-proofing your life", we look at doors in this episode. Putting locks on doors or cabinets keep children safe. Many times, curiosity and ignorance gets the best of them. Throughout life, we encounter many different doors, entry ways into other areas. We have to decide which doors we'll go through and which ones we won't, and "child-proofing" those doors can keep us safe from going through doors we shouldn't.

#41 - Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets - Intro

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:08:00 +0000

This episode, we start a brand-new series entitled "Putting Plastic In Electrical Outlets", or more simply "child-proofing your life". If you've ever had siblings or children, you most certainly have seen child-proofing products, such as outlet plugs, door clips, stair gates, and so on. How does this relate to the Christian life, then? One specific example is discipling new Christians to develop a relationship with Christ. Too often do new believers get left in the corner to fend for themselves. Maybe you've been in the same boat. Join us for this series as we dive not only into discipleship, but all areas of the Christian life where "child-proofing" or guarding ourselves against sin and Satan become necessary if we desire to further our walk with God.

#40 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 7

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:04:00 +0000

In this final episode of the series, we take a different perspective on Elijah's learning experience in the cave. As God brings in the fire, the earthquake, and the wind, He reveals to Elijah that He isn't in those things. Maybe you've experienced similar situations of emotions and chatter or "earthquakes" in your life. God may not always be in those things, but He wants you to learn how to work through them. Again, He's that small voice that guides you through situations like that.

#39 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 6

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:58:00 +0000

Elijah begins to realize that he has to change his perspective. God provides a very teachable moment in this section of the story for Elijah regarding humility. God also gives Elijah an assistant - Elisha, who will go on to provide his own stories and lessons.

#38 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 5

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 01:49:00 +0000

We continue with Elijah's emotional downfall this week. ELijah is finally offered a glimpse of how God works - and it's not how one would expect. God shows Elijah that sometimes He doesn't work through big and flashy productions but rather in a small whisper or a gentle breeze.

#37 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 4

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:29:00 +0000

During times of hardship, often times we simply want to give up. God however wants to bring us through those times of pain, and He provides just enough to get us through.

#36 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 3

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 15:29:00 +0000

Physically worn, Elijah was simply down. Maybe you've been here before, almost depressed, as you begin to neglect physical needs while being emotionally defeated by what appears to you to be failure. Priorities, patience and faith come hand-in-hand when healing during these times. God promises His grace to us to heal us physically, emotionally and spiritually. Remember, God deeply loves and cares for you and knows exactly what you need; He ministers to us when ministry sucks!

#35 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 00:47:00 +0000

As a continuation of Episode #34, we look into the moment in Elijah's life when he said, "enough is enough" and was at the brink of quiting. Have you felt that way when serving? Have you felt as if you just can't go on any further? Have you ever felt like you're in the "desert" of life? We have to realize that we absolutely cannot focus on ourselves. Keep your eyes focused on Him, and once you do, see what He does!

#34 - When Ministry S ucks - Part 1

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:16:00 +0000

Ministry, whether it be full-time or not, can be overwhelming at times. This episode, we look more deeply at the story of Elijah and his ministry burn-out. As you'll see, God was able to encourage and uplift Elijah at a time when, to put it frankly, ministry simply sucked.

#33 - Stinkin' Thinking

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 28 May 2008 04:15:00 +0000

This week, we take a break from any series to offer encouragement and a challenge for those who may have given up on the Christian life.

#32 - What's Your Flavor? - Homemade

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:22:00 +0000

At last, we made it! The final "flavor" of Christians - homemade. This episode is a challenge for all of those who may be at a different point in their Christian life. Homemade ice cream takes hard work - it takes churning, time and patience. Likewise, becoming a "homemade ice cream" Christian takes faith, molding, patience, time, maturity - it's not easy! It might even hurt a little, but in the end, the end product tastes so good!

#31 - What's Your Flavor? - Fat Free Yogurt

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 15 May 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Truth be told, there are some who come to church on a regular basis that are not Christians. These people can be considered "fat free" because they lack the "fat" of Christianity. There are two kinds of "fat free" people: those who are seeking a relationship with Christ but haven't found it yet; and those who have grown up religiously but have never made a personal commitment to Christ. Gaining that personal relationship with Christ doesn't require church membership, or doing good deeds, or paying money to the church. He only requires that you have faith and ultimately accept Him as your Savior. Good stuff!

#30 - What's Your Flavor? - Smoothie

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 07 May 2008 06:00:00 +0000

Smoothies, although they may be rare, are those who take advantage of the church and try to make a quick buck. More often than not, these kinds of people often cause more damage than good and usually only benefit themselves. Keep in mind that we're not talking about those sincere programs out there, but rather those whose goal is to profit off of other Christians.

#29 - What's Your Flavor? - Chocolate Sundae

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:20:00 +0000

This is probably the most common Christian - the "chocolate sundae", Sunday only Christian. Have you been here, or are you here right now? I'm sure nearly everyone has at one point in their life. Having a lack of commitment, having the wrong attitude, or maybe simply being apathetic can all contribute to being a "chocolate sundae" Christian. Realize that all Christians have the responsibility to use their spiritual gifts and contribute to the body throughout the week. It's a continuous walk with Christ, not just on Sunday.

#28 - What's Your Flavor? - Banana Split

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 00:11:00 +0000

The next flavor in the series, Banana Splits, are those Christians who tend to do as the flavor implies - cause splits or quarrels in the church. More often than not, power is what they seek the most and they focus on ways they can take control of this or that. If you can identify with this, remember that God has designed the church to allow the pastor, or shepherd, to guide the body - even pastors can suffer from wanting too much control. Remember that you are an integral part of God's church, His body. Take your concerns to the pastor or if you leave, inform the pastor of your decision. We understand that this type of Christian and situation is not easy to discuss, but be encouraged to know that God has things under control!

#27 - What's Your Flavor? - Blizzard

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 04:37:00 +0000

Often times, Christians who are "blizzards" tend to add to what the Bible says, whether that be to salvation, to morality, and so on. Legalism, or putting the law over everything else, can destroy Christianity and divide the body of Christ. Adding to the Bible not only shows that what God wrote isn't good enough, but it is also very hypocritical.

Remember, if you follow the Word of God, you can't go wrong. When we add to it, we set ourselves up for trouble.

#26 - What's Your Flavor? - Peppermint

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:18:00 +0000

Peppermint-type of Christians are those who focus only on feelings and emotions. Remember, nothing is wrong with emotions, but you have to make sure to balance them in your overall Christian life. If you're only going to operate off feelings and unrealistic expectations, disappointment will greet you as you grow. The Christian life gets difficult and we'll have to meet hard times and sin! You will never see only happy times as a Christian, and everyone goes through trials and tests. An encouragement for those of you who do meet disappointment and trials, then, is to remember that you haven't lost your relationship with Christ, only the luster. He's always there for you, no matter what!

#25 - What's Your Flavor? - Chocolate Vanilla Swirl

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 06:37:00 +0000

Falling into this type of Christianity is easy because it involves seeing things in black and white. If this fits you, realize that there's more to life than good and bad, black and white! God wants His relationship with you to be more than this right or wrong. Serving Him out of a sense of duty, or becoming a Christian out of fear, can turn off non-Christians and can push away other Christians. Ultimately, God's grace and direction can guide you to the in-between lifestyle, one that brings joy!

#24 - What's Your Flavor? - Rocky Road

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:20:00 +0000

Let's take a look at the first kind of Christian - Rocky Road. These are Christians that go through hard times and have never learned how to handle their situations, making them bitter and tart. However, take a look at Proverbs 3:6. If you struggle with this, you don't have to live and walk down that rocky road all your life! God shows us that if you recognize and follow Him and live for Him, He'll guide your path - He'll show you how to get off that rocky road!

#23 - What's Your Flavor? - Intro

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 21:15:00 +0000

We begin a brand new series, all about the different "flavors" of Christians out there. To bring it home, we try to compare types of Christians to flavors of ice cream. When you go looking to buy ice cream, you soon realize just how many flavors exist - and this is true for Christianity, too. Each week, we'll take a new flavor and associate it with a type of Christian that might be similar to that flavor.

#22 - MindFull - Practical Living

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 00:18:00 +0000

Living right is first achieved by your thinking, which is what we talked about last week. By changing the way you think, you are able to practice a practical lifestyle. Once you have learned how to think, it's up to you to take that and apply it to your own life. The way you live goes hand-in-hand with the way you think! If you put into practice what you learn, you gain the power of God's peace, eliminating any anxiety, which goes back to our first episode in this series. All of these topics are related, and if you give Him your burdens and actively work to change the way you think, God can do wonders.

#21 - MindFull - Positive Thinking

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 19:55:00 +0000

A further extension of gaining peace from God is positive thinking, or correct thinking. What we fill our minds with truly affects our everyday living. Often times we lie to ourselves or think on negative things much more often than anything positive. Philippians 4 talks about the types of things we should think about. By changing the way we think, we are able to give God our worry and gain from Him our peace; it's all connected and related! This week, try to surround yourself with positive people as well as try to find the positive in situations you would normally only find the negative. With the peace of God and positive thinking, we move closer to living a joyful life.

#20 - MindFull - Downloading Peace - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:40:00 +0000

This episode, we continue the talk of finding peace during times of worry and anxiety. The real key to finding this peace is having complete faith and trust that He'll give us peace in the first place! Once we are able to trust that He'll give that peace to us, we find strength, then, to move on through whatever may be troubling us. Remember a few episodes ago when we talked about uploading our worry to God? That strength and peace we'll gain will allow us to push through that after we've given whatever is bothering us to Him.

#19 - MindFull - Downloading Peace

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 01:07:00 +0000

If God allows us to give him our worry, is there anything we get in return? Well, He gives us something that literally exceeds our mental capacity! When we throw our burdens of anxiety and worry onto God, He gives us a peace that we can't even comprehend. Peace that passes our human knowledge. Often times we never take a step back and allow that peace to hit us. The next time you worry about this or that, try letting God take it and see what He gives you back!

#18 - MindFull - Uploading Worry

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 23:56:00 +0000

I'm sure all of us have been worried about this or that at least once in our lives. Being anxious or worrying are a natural part of being human, and God knows this! This episode, Al looks at a few verses that advise us to give that burden of anxiety to God. Guess what? God is so interested and concerned about us that he WANTS us to give all of our worries to Him. By doing this, well, we'll talk about the benefits next week!

#17 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living in His Timing

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 03:34:00 +0000

God doesn't tell time the way we do by looking at a clock or calendar. Rather, He sees not only our entire life picture but also our children and our grandchildren. To put it simply, God has bigger plans than even we may know right this instant. Having faith is ultimately the only way we can live by His timing, and remember, He can use any situation, good or bad, for good! That's very encouraging.

#16 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living by Faith

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 02:51:00 +0000

God is more powerful than any problem or trial we will every face. Why does God seem to be so far away sometimes, then? As we discuss in this episode, in order to live according to God's Will requires something that doesn't come to us normally: faith. Think of it as a sort of sixth sense, if you will... and if we live by faith, He will be there for us! God ultimately wants us to completely trust Him in our day-to-day living, and quite often, that's what it takes to live by His Will.

#15 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living His Passion

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 05:31:00 +0000

We dive deeper into the Bible this week to discover how we can live like Christ and be filled with His will. The Holy Spirit is brought into the discussion - how He is the one that fills us with that will of God! Ultimately, the direction for our life lies in God's teachings and the advice He gave to us. The only problem is that we never tap into the available resources! Find out how having the desire to be more like Christ and living for Him through the Bible will fill us with God's plan in this week's episode.

#14 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living By His Word

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 04:30:00 +0000

Pulling it all together, we dive into the Bible this week and look at how His own words guide us. Even though we may never find this magical treasure chest with God's map for our life in it, we can get road signs, directions and advice straight from Him! You may think to yourself, how do I do this? How can I get this priceless information? Guess what!? We can discover these things if we just open the Bible and honestly have a desire to take in what He wants us to learn! ... and how comforting and amazing is that?

#13 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living In His Plans

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:26:00 +0000

In this third episode of the series, we begin to realize that God is more concerned with us trying to find Him rather than us trying to find His "will". How can we define what God's "will" is exactly? Is it a dot on a map, is it a line on a blueprint? More than either of these, God is waiting for us to find Him and Him alone. All other things are useless until we desire Him first!

#12 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living Right

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 23:37:00 +0000

If living in the now is what God wants, how do we go about doing it? Well, the will of God is more about being the right person than making the right decisions. When we focus less on leaning left and right and more on living right, only then are we able to fall into His hands and His plan.

#11 - Is God Playing Games With Me - Living in the Now

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Wed, 09 Jan 2008 00:16:00 +0000

This new series, we ponder the question: is God playing games with us? Too often do we find ourselves focused on the future and worrying about what is to come. More importantly, however, is what we do with today! Join us this episode as we discuss living in the now.

#10 - New Year Challenge

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sat, 29 Dec 2007 01:57:00 +0000

We hope your Christmas went well and was enjoyable! In this short episode, Al provides a new year challenge as a lead-up to the next series. What can possibly be better than the most well-known new year resolutions? How about following Christ and letting him guide you into the new year!

#9 - Battle of the Sexes - Potential for a New Moment

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 22:20:00 +0000

Maybe you have made a mistake. Well, you are definitely not alone! What happens if the moment comes and you mess up? God knows we are human and knows we will inevitably screw up time and time again. Guess what? He has forgiven you and will continue to forgive you from here on out! Knowing that, then, we are able to have real potential for a new moment and a new future. What a great opportunity to have!

#8 - Battle of the Sexes - Patience for the Moment

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 03:30:00 +0000

Patience, patience, patience. Something so easy to talk about yet so difficult to practice, even more so when it comes to sexuality. By being prepared for the moment, you enable yourself to be patient and wait for that moment as well. Only God can take away our anxiety, and with His power, we can be patient for anything!

#7 - Battle of the Sexes - Prepare for the Moment

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 03:59:00 +0000

What happens when we find ourselves facing a temptation or battle? Well, God provided us with an answer! As Joseph did with the wife of Potiphar and David did with Goliath, we are to prepare for the moment. If we do this and forget about ourselves, we are able to win those battles and find a way out.

#6 - Battle of the Sexes - Man vs God

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:55:00 +0000

While the title may sound deceiving, it is not a battle between male and female. This new series involves dealing with a worldly idea of sex versus a Heavenly one, a Battle of the Sexes, if you will. Why is sex such a struggle for most people? This episode, we try to put it all in a different perspective and explain why God made sex the way He did.

#5 - iDeal or No Deal - Part 5

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 03:52:00 +0000

It's a wrap! We looked at Romans 12:2, which speaks of a world image. What then is our image to look like? Romans 8:29 answers that question by informing us that we are to be in the image of Christ, a total opposite of the worldly image. How is this done? By a transformation of the mind, an extreme makeover that leads to the true iDeal.

#4 - iDeal or No Deal - Part 4

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 11 Nov 2007 03:26:00 +0000

Clifton Curry, youth minister at Glenville Baptist Church in Wichita, KS, contributes his thoughts as we move into the fourth part of our series. We look at why most of us often want Jesus in our life but not in our lifestyle. Sometimes we create self-inflicted pain by striving for what society calls ideal, so we dive into Ecclesiastes this episode to drive home the point that God wants everyone to enjoy and rejoice in life.

#3 - iDeal or No Deal - Part 3

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 02:02:00 +0000

This week we clarified the difference between entertainment and escapism. Several new areas, such as work-a-holics and sports addicts, were brought into the conversation. Many of these things can be a way for one to escape the reality of a flawed relationship, including our relationship with Christ. Our challenge this week is for us to take the time to look at our lives as God sees us. We looked at I Samuel 16:7 and explained how God looks at the heart.

iDeal or No Deal - Part 2

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Tue, 23 Oct 2007 21:44:00 +0000

This week we extend the conversation about the ideal situation and discuss how it affects you. Do you bend your moral standards to be more like the ideal? What do you escape to when in fact your situation is not ideal? We visit Psalm 139:13-17 and try to answer these questions and more as we cover the three areas of intellect, economical level and physique.

iDeal or No Deal - Part 1

heartburncafe@gmail.com (Al Schuessler) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:00:00 +0000

This episode introduced our series titled iDeal or No Deal. We discuss areas in which we are apt to measure ourselves with our peers; those 4 areas include our physique, family, economic level and intellect. Who is to determine what is the standard in our life? We dive into II Corinthians to answer that question and discuss ways we can look beyond the worldly definition of iDeal.