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PODCAST

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast

Dr. James Merritt

Under the leadership and dynamic preaching of Dr. James Merritt, Touching Lives exists to touch the lives of the lost and enrich the faith of the found. Our goal is to present the eternal, never-changing Gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would hear and pray for the Holy Spirit to move mightily among His people. Touching Lives is currently broadcast in all 50 states and in over 140 countries around the world. All sermons, articles, and other content is made available through various digital media

religion & spirituality

All Episodes

38:54

We Are Sent

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/06/08

Russian author Leo Tolstoy once wrote, “My question was the simplest of questions…. ‘What will come of my whole life? Why should I live, why wish for anything, or do anything?’” This question echoes in every human heart: What’s my purpose? Why am I here? While philosophers may debate the greatest question of life, believers in Jesus don’t have to wonder about their purpose. As we continue our “Who We Are” series, we discover the fourth dimension of the cross-shaped life: we haven’t just been born

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42:20

Here To Serve

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/06/01

The great 19th century evangelist, Dwight L. Moody said, “The measure of a man is not how many servants he has, but how many men he serves.” This is the essence of the cross-shaped life we're exploring in our “Who We Are” series. While our culture often measures success by what we accumulate or achieve, Jesus demonstrates a radically different measure of greatness. As He declares, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark

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40:01

Disciple Made Disciple Maker

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/05/25

Are you who you’re supposed to be, and are you what you’re supposed to be? While “Christian” appears only three times in the entire Bible, “disciple” shows up 269 times. In the first century, being a disciple wasn’t just about learning information; it meant becoming an apprentice who followed someone, watched how they lived, and grew to become like them. In other words, there’s a profound difference between deciding to become a disciple and living as a disciple. Our mission at Cross Pointe is

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47:01

Here I Am To Worship

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/05/18

Everyone worships something. Well-known novelist David Foster Wallace said, “Everyone worships. The only choice we get is what to worship.” Some worship money, fame, or success. Whatever controls your thoughts and behavior is what you worship. Jesus has a life-changing conversation about worship with an unlikely person—a Samaritan woman with a troubled past. In that encounter, Jesus makes a revolutionary declaration: “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John

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43:23

Exit Right

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/05/11

One of the greatest aspects of the Bible is that it tells the stories of real faith of real people—both their successes and failures. Throughout "The God Life" series, we've studied Elijah, a man just like us, showing not just how to live but how to exit this life God's way. Now, Elijah knew exactly when his final day would come. And he’s not the only one who had this intel. His successor, Elisha, also knew. And Elijah sowed into the next generation until his final moment on earth. For most of us,

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42:55

Stand Tall Stand Strong

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/05/04

In the aftermath of any tragedy, we face this reality: Evil is real and rampant. There is no place on this planet that is evil-free. As one author wrote, "I will never understand those who can read the headlines every day and then assert that people are basically good ... Evil is woven into the fabric of humanity." Throughout our study of Elijah, we've seen him facing or fleeing evil, but always returning to fight it, because that’s what it means to live the God life. And it’s not to be confused

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42:52

Justice Is Served

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/04/27

When someone commits a crime, we want that person "brought to justice" because justice is a divine desire. While we often say "God is love," His most fundamental attribute is holiness. Because God is both holy and loving, He must also be just. In a world where money, bribes, and sometimes crooked judges allow criminals to go free, we're learning through Elijah's story that there is a God who is just, and justice will always be served. Even in Elijah’s time in history, when the people of God

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41:15

The Empty Tomb

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/04/20

There are three special days that give Christianity center stage around the world: Christmas Day points to a cradle, Good Friday points to a cross, and Easter points to a cave. Without Easter, the other two days would be meaningless. Our world is filled with thousands of religions, but only four are built on personalities rather than philosophies. Judaism's Abraham, Buddhism's Buddha, and Islam's Mohammed all died and remain dead. But Jesus Christ did something no other religious leader has done;

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46:26

Bring The Umbrella

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/04/13

It is the worst drought in biblical history: for 3½ years, 42 months, 1,278 days, 30,660 hours without a single drop of rain. Imagine that for a moment. The stench of death from countless animal carcasses, every day dreading the immense thirst. It’s safe to say if you were in the umbrella business you went out of business. Even to this day with all of our technological advancement, all of our increase in knowledge, and all of our financial resources and education, we know (whether we admit it or

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43:50

Whose Side Are You On?

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/04/06

A six-year-old boy gets unexpectedly recruited to help seat guests at a wedding. After a quick explanation of what he’s to do, he confidently responds, “Oh yeah, I got this, Pop. That’s easy.” When the first guests arrive, this boy offered his arm and said, “Now, Ma’am, whose side are you on?” That simple question—"Whose side are you on?"—cuts straight to the heart of the spiritual battle you face every day. It’s not between the bride and groom but between the true God and countless false gods

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45:30

Never Doubt God

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/03/30

Ever find yourself staring at the ceiling at 3 AM, whispering desperate questions like, "God, where are you?" "Do you even care about me?" "Are my prayers hitting the ceiling and bouncing back?" If so, you’re following the footsteps of spiritual giants. In 1 Kings 17, the great prophet Elijah barely survives after a powerful showdown with false prophets, idolaters, and a wicked king and queen. Alone and desperate at the bank of a small brook, receiving food from scavenging ravens, Elijah looks doubt

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49:39

Life Begins Here

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/03/23

If you say that someone is "living the good life," you mean they're living in comfort and luxury with few problems or worries. The good life is what our culture celebrates—financial success, personal comfort, and freedom from hardship. But there's something far greater, far more fulfilling, and far more enduring than the good life—it's "The God Life." God wants you to experience the good life by living the God life. It's life lived in the intimate presence of God, made possible through the

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45:00

Built To Last

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/03/16

A breathtaking subdivision in British Columbia, known as the Seawatch development, was designed to be a luxurious paradise. The homes, valued at over a million dollars, overlooked pristine waters, but when winter came, disaster struck. Houses collapsed into sinkholes because they had been built on unstable ground. This tragic event illustrates a powerful truth Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount: a life built on a faulty foundation will not stand. As Jesus concludes His sermon, He tells the

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47:20

Don’t Kid Yourself

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/03/09

Have you ever heard of the “placebo effect?” It occurs when someone experiences improvement in their condition simply because they believe they are receiving treatment, even though the treatment itself has no real benefit. This psychological phenomenon is harmless when it comes to medicine, but when it comes to faith, self-deception can have eternal consequences. Jesus warns that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven. Many people claim to follow Jesus, but their

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46:52

Counterfeit Prophets

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/03/02

Over the course of human history, countless sermons have been preached, but the greatest sermon of all was delivered by the greatest preacher—Jesus Christ. His Sermon on the Mount was revolutionary, challenging the cultural and religious expectations of His listeners. As Jesus nears the conclusion of His sermon, He issues a stark warning about a danger that has plagued the church from the beginning—false prophets. Unlike external threats, this danger arises from within the church. Satan attacks both

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44:36

How Do You Get To Heaven?

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/02/23

Dr. Billy Graham once told a story about asking a young boy for directions to the post office. After the boy explained the way, Dr. Graham invited him to his crusade, saying, “If you come tonight, I’ll tell you how to get to heaven.” The boy replied, “No, I don’t think I want to do that.” When Dr. Graham asked why, the boy said, “How are you going to tell me how to get to heaven when you can’t even find the post office?” Many people assume they are going to heaven simply because they die. For every

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47:32

Keep On Keeping On

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/02/16

There was a five-year-old girl watching her mother apply cold cream to her face. Curious, she asked, “Mother, why do you do that?” The mother replied, “To make myself beautiful.” Moments later, when the mother wiped the cream off, the girl exclaimed, “What’s the matter? Giving up already?” Just like that little girl’s humorous observation, we often approach prayer with the same mindset—giving up too soon. Have you ever felt like giving up on God? Have you ever prayed and felt like your prayers made

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44:17

Don't Rush To Judgement

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/02/09

If we are truly going to follow Jesus, we must accept that we will be different from the world. Nowhere is that more evident than in Matthew 7, where we encounter one of the most misunderstood, misused, and misapplied verses in the Bible: “Judge not, that you be not judged” (Matthew 7:1). This verse has become a cultural slogan, often quoted by people who reject or ridicule the Bible. Even among Christians, the idea that judging is wrong has gained traction, particularly among younger believers

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44:41

The Domino Effect

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/02/02

There is a principle that applies to business, physics, and life—it’s called “The Domino Effect.” This principle describes how one event can set off a chain reaction of related events. A great example of this is the atomic bomb, where one atom splitting causes an unstoppable chain reaction. The same concept applies spiritually. In The Sermon on the Mount, Jesus describes a spiritual domino effect that can transform our lives if we start with the right "first domino." Many people place financial

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41:02

Prayer 301

Touching Lives with Dr. James Merritt Audio Podcast ·

2025/01/26

As we’ve seen in the last two messages in this series on prayer, the first part of prayer focuses on God and His glory. Today, we’re going to see how the second part of prayer focuses on us and our good. We're told specifically that we ought to ask God for three things when we pray, and those three things deal with the three biggest needs in our lives. The first deals with our physical needs, the second deals with our emotional needs, and the last deals with our spiritual needs. The first thing we

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