Religion & SpiritualityReligionSpirituality

Be Encouraged

Dean Chicquette

"Be Encouraged," the podcast where we dive into the New Testament topic of TRUST with heartwarming stories and uplifting anecdotes to inspire your faith journey.

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38 episodes
Avg 9 min
English

Episodes 38

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S5 · E19
Thursday · 21 min
Beyond the Menu
Symeon the New Theologian, a transformative Byzantine mystic, emphasized that direct, personal encounters with God are essential for every Christian. Unlike many of his contemporaries, Symeon shared his intimate mystical visions of divine light and his honest struggles with doubt through poetic hymns and theological discourses. His work challenged the religious establishment by prioritizing felt spiritual experience and the guidance of holy mentors over mere intellectual study or formal church rituals. Modern organizations continue to promote his evangelical message, viewing his call for Holy Spirit renewal as a remedy for superficial faith. Ultimately, these texts present a portrait of a saint who redefined theology as an ongoing, conscious relationship with the person of Christ.
S5 · E18
Wednesday · 13 min
Tangible
Come to the Light. Come and be cleansed. Expose the empty soul. Be filled with God.
S5 · E17
Wednesday · 18 min
The True Oasis
Jesus is enough. Trusting His Person, His presence, and His Holy Spirit is all you need. I would love to tell you to come to Christy to get everything you want, but I can't. Instead, I simply say: Come to Jesus so He can have everything He wants.
S5 · E16
September 14 · 12 min
The Divine Now
Do you have the courage to live in the now? Are you willing to submit to God?
S5 · E15
September 13 · 5 min
The Trinity
This material explains the distinction between God’s single essence and the three divine persons of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The collection emphasizes that this triune nature serves as a foundational model for human communities and personal spiritual growth.
S5 · E14
September 12 · 5 min
Spiritually Complete
As long as you are proud, you cannot truly know God, because a proud person is always looking down on things and people rather than looking up. God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. Therefore, submit to God.
S5 · E13
September 11 · 24 min
Unleash The Soul
The text describes the human soul as a divine creation animated by the breath of God, not a biological accident. It explores the soul's anatomy, identifying it as the human identity and the seat of conscious choice, specifically the decision to live in light or darkness. Choosing the light of life functionally means surrendering to Christ's lordship, replacing selfish motivations with a spirit-led nature marked by love and peace. This transformation, described as being born again, shifts the individual from independence to dependence on God. Ultimately, the document serves as a spiritual guide and call to action, encouraging readers to secure eternal life by uniting their will with God's will.
S5 · E12
September 8 · 23 min
Rest
Sooner or later, every one of us ambles into our last sunset. It doesn’t knock or ask if supper’s ready—it just slides down the sky like a mule that’s done its day’s work. You can holler if you want, but sunsets aren’t famous for turning around. By then, the bones start whispering that maybe we’ve plowed enough furrows for one lifetime, and the promise of a better rest begins to sound downright sensible.
S5 · E11
September 8 · 18 min
Lights
This episode explores the spiritual discipline of maintaining inner peace and joy regardless of external chaos or disruptive circumstances. The author argues that a constant conflict exists between the human flesh, which is rooted in distrust, and the spirit, which relies on divine trust. By viewing life’s challenges as a metaphorical ski run, the author suggests that individuals are often thrust into the unknown by a higher power to foster spiritual growth. Rather than attempting to control outcomes by personal will, believers are encouraged to surrender their desires and embrace God's presence. This act of faith transforms the individual into an instrument of redemption, allowing them to mirror the light of Christ within a disordered world. Ultimately, the source emphasizes that total reliance on the Lord brings order to life's inherent instability.
S5 · E10
September 3 · 41 min
In His Image - Recapped
Join us an a bold journey where in the end we are once again being the people God designed us to be.
S5 · E9
September 2 · 13 min
The Reoccupation
This episode redefines Christian salvation from God's perspective, drawing on the works of Major Ian Thomas, arguing that it is not merely a one-time ritual or a guarantee of an afterlife, but rather the active indwelling of Jesus Christ. This conversion requires a total surrender of authority, allowing God to functionally govern every mundane and significant decision in a person's life. The author utilizes analogies of oil lamps and fueled cars to illustrate that a human being cannot fulfill their purpose without the divine presence operating within them. Instead of simply following religious doctrines or emulating a moral example, the believer must permit Christ to literally animate their thoughts and actions. Ultimately, the source emphasizes that the purpose of the crucifixion was to bring God into the believer, transforming them into an entirely new creation through His residence.
S5 · E8
September 2 · 19 min
From The Porch
This episode explores the theological and practical transition from initial faith to a state of continuous spiritual rest in Christ Jesus. By distinguishing between the “threshold” of seeking relief and the “home” of permanent habitation, the text argues that true peace is found in abiding rather than striving. But to abide, one must first arrive. This life of rest is illustrated through the dual metaphors of the vine and the yoke, representing the internal trust and external obedience required for a surrendered life. The material highlights a twofold dependence: the believer relies on the divine for life, while the divine chooses to manifest fruit through the believer. Maintaining this connection involves the “morning watch” and the “secret of the now,” prioritizing daily communion over future perfection. Ultimately, the sources reframe life’s hardships as a restorative pruning process designed by a careful gardener to increase a person’s capacity for joy and service..
S5 · E7
August 31 · 17 min
Practical Trust
Resting in the Trustworthy One who not only has come to house you but to live through you is the first and last step toward perfection.
S5 · E6
August 30 · 20 min
Active Passivity
Active Passivity: The Paradox of Divine Empowerment Aug 16, 2026 This presentation explores the concept of Active Passivity, which describes the Christian life as a paradoxical cooperation between divine power and human action. According to the text, believers are called to express externally what God is already initiating internally, rather than relying on their own strength or willpower.
S5 · E5
August 29 · 6 min
A Case For Addiction
In this episode, Dean Chicquette presents a spiritual perspective that reclaims addiction as a fundamental human drive intended for relationship with God. The author reflects on his personal struggles with dependency, ultimately concluding that the human capacity for intense craving is a divine design meant to be satisfied by Christ rather than worldly substances. By reframing religious devotion as a "drug of choice," the source suggests that humans possess an inherent inner void that only the creator can truly fill. This spiritual attachment is described as a pathway to abundant life, characterized by virtues such as joy, peace, and self-control. Ultimately, the work encourages readers to redirect their compulsions toward the divine in search of wholeness and purpose.
S5 · E4
August 27 · 19 min
Abiding in the Vine
Review of Andrew Murray's Abiding in the Vine: Chapter 1 "P004-All You Who Have Come to Him" to discover the secret of abiding.
S5 · E3
August 25 · 20 min
Entering The Divine Darkness
This episode examines the life and philosophy of Pseudo-Dionysius, a mysterious sixth-century theologian who utilized a pseudonym to explore the intersection of Neoplatonic philosophy and Christian mysticism. Central to his work is the concept of negative theology, which suggests that God transcends all human language and can only be reached through silence and the negation of intellectual concepts. He illustrates the indwelling of Christ through the example of the Apostle Paul, describing an ecstatic union in which the believer is transformed and opened to the divine presence. This spiritual journey is facilitated by the ecclesiastical hierarchy and sacraments, which serve to unify the Church and elevate the soul toward deification. Ultimately, his writings encourage a pursuit of God through sacrificial love and a structured ascent within the community of faith.
S5 · E2
August 19 · 16 min
Unmaking Saul
The Apostle Paul realized Christ within through a violent, blinding encounter on the Damascus Road. In that moment, the risen Jesus confronted him directly, shattering his self-righteous identity as Saul. Paul later articulated this discovery as the great mystery: "Christ in you, the hope of glory" (Colossians 1:27). He said God REVEALED His Son in him. He wrote, "It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). His former self—the zealous Pharisee—was crucified with Christ. What remained was a new creation, a living temple indwelt by the risen Lord. Paul's entire apostolic message became the proclamation of this indwelling Christ, transforming him from persecutor to preacher of the very mystery he once opposed.
S5 · E1
August 17 · 18 min
Heaven In Your Boots
Jakob Böhme discovered Christ within through a profound inner crisis and mystical vision. In 1600, while gazing at a pewter dish reflecting sunlight, he experienced a "flash”, a sudden, overwhelming inner illumination that revealed the divine nature within his own soul. He felt the inner birth of Christ taking place in his being. For Böhme, discovering Christ within meant realizing that the soul's true center is a "nothingness"—a place where all self-will and desire die so that the divine life of Christ can be born and live in its place. He described this as the spiritual "clothing" of the soul with a new body of divine substance, achieved by dying to one's own ego and surrendering wholly to God. This was the discovery of Christ as an indwelling, transformative presence that remakes the soul from the inside out.
S3 · E23
Mar 26, 2024 · 2 min
Trust is Enough
I am glad to provide some scriptures that strengthen and encourage you as you trust God. Remember, He is faithful, loving, and ever-present, and He will never leave nor forsake you. Quoted from NIV.

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