Stephanie welcomes a guest teacher as part of our God's Glory, our Delight series. Steve Laube is joining us as a theologian and Bible teacher. Among many other things, Steve is a Sunday Class teacher with deep passion for delight in the glory of God, and decades of study in theology. He brings to us today his passion for Scripture and his eye for detail as we join Peter, James and John on the mountain to witness the once-in-history Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ. Peter's inkling to build "three tabernacles" (or "booths" or "tents") when he witnessed the event and the presence of Moses and Elijah, might indicate that the transfiguration took place in the general season of the "fall festivals" of Jewish faith - the festival of succoth, or festival of booths, being preeminent among the Jewish fall festivals. Succoth starts in 2022 on October 9, so we are releasing this episode in conjunction with this beautiful celebration.

The transfiguration is the most paramount event in the earthly life of Jesus Christ to reveal His glory. Through the eyes of Peter, James and John we are invited to experience delight in the glory of the One and Only begotten Son of the Father, on whom His glory and delight dwell. So we ask,

Why does the transfiguration matter to our faith today?

Why does it matter that Moses and Elijah showed up on the mountain with Jesus?

Why could they (and we) not stay on the mountaintop? Why do we need to descend back into the valley?

What does the Jewish festival of Succoth have to do with the Transfiguration?

Steve opens the texts of Scripture to us today to beckon us into experience of delight in the glory of Jesus Christ.

You will find the notes Steve mentions, in the Gospel Spice Library available to all members! Join for free at gospelspice.com to access this, and much more!

MEET STEVE LAUBE

Steve is also an influential figure in the world of Christian publishing as a veteran of the bookselling industry with over 40 years of experience. In the 80s he was a bookstore manager; then spent over a decade with Bethany House Publishers; later, he became a literary agent, founding The Steve Laube Agency. He was also inducted into the Grand Canyon University Hall-of-Fame by their College of Theology. He is married with three grown children and two grandsons.

Steve is the President of The Christian Writers Institute and publishes the annual Christian Writers Market Guide. In addition, he is the Publisher for Enclave Publishing, a division of Oasis Family Media, one of the premier publishers of science fiction and fantasy written from a Christian worldview.

You will find more about Steve and his literary agency at https://stevelaube.com/

If you want to listen to Steve's teachings, check out inneraltar.com where you can listen from the device of your choice and also as a podcast format.

You will find the notes Steve mentions, in the Gospel Spice Library available to all members! Join for free at gospelspice.com to access this, and much more!

DISCOVER ENCLAVE PUBLISHING

Enclave is a leading publisher of Christian speculative fiction. Whether it’s Christian science fiction you love, or fantasy, time travel, steampunk, alternate history, spiritual warfare, superhero, or technothriller—if it’s speculative and it comes from the Christian worldview, Enclave is the place to go. We strive to get Christian speculative fiction into the hands of the fans who love and devour great stories.

An enclave is a group of like-minded people in a place where they are surrounded by those who are not like-minded. It is not a place to hide, instead, Enclave is a place where authors and fans of Christian Fantasy and Science Fiction can come together and then go out and make a difference through worlds of words. Our stories can seem strange but underneath they contain powerful expressions of Redemption, Truth, and Hope.

You will find more about Enclave Publishing at https://www.enclavepublishing.com/ 

Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/enclavepublishing/) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/enclave.publishing)

 

 

GOD'S GLORY, OUR DELIGHT | THE GOSPEL SPICE SERIES

Delighting in the glory of God. Does this concept strike you as reserved for spiritual contemplatives? What if, instead, it proved the highly practical, deeply foundational perspective you need right now?

Why does God’s glory even matter in our day and age? How can we learn from Jesus to make His glory our true North and lifelong quest? What keeps us from fully stepping into this God-ordained purpose for our life? How do we kindle delight for God on a daily basis? And, once we have embraced God’s glory as our heart’s true delight, how can we then come alongside others?

Join us to cultivate a sincere delight for God’s glory, rooted in an honest, hard look at the depth of our need, and in the much deeper Reality of His grace. Trace the glory of God through Scripture and in your own life. Behold the exact radiance of God’s glory, revealed in Jesus. Learn to see yourself as Christ does—through the lens of the Father’s love at the cross. Jesus offers to overwhelm our deadly self-centeredness with His resurrection power. He carries us every step of the way, even as He calls us to true humility on the path to glory.

Who has time to cultivate the delight that comes from pondering the glory of God? And yet, nothing could be more urgent today. Marthas and Marys, Peters and Johns—we are all invited to dare to dream of a lifestyle of God-centered delight. Nothing could be more practical.

Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

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Go to gospelspice.com for more, and go especially to gospelspice.com/podcast to enjoy our guests! Interested in our blog? Click here: gospelspice.com/blog

You are invited to join us on the Gospel Spice Prayer Bible Study, titled "The heart behind prayer" starting September 20, 2025! Details and registration here: https://www.gospelspice.com/prayer 

There are a few things in our Christian life that we know we should do more, or at least better – and prayer just might top the list. Prayer is a mystery. Why would a conversation with a human have any influence on God’s eternal, sovereign plan? It defies logic, and beckons love. How can God, the Almighty Lord of Hosts, be this close, this personal? It defies understanding, and beckons involvement.

But, lack of time, inspiration, and discipline, combined with the ruthless tyranny of our busy lives, push prayer to the periphery, to the “one day I’ll get to it” pile. And yet, we can excel at what we endeavor to undertake. So, why isn’t prayer more of a spiritual priority? Could we develop a mindset around prayer that made it attractive, inspiring, even maybe delightful? What if we attuned our spiritual ears to listen to God, and our spiritual eyes to see His provision?

As an unassuming student, I’m going to humbly offer to share the little I have learned from others about the joy of prayer. I will give us theology, practical tips, and useful resources, sharing what works for me as we, together, learn to pray.

If you find prayer intimidating, or if your lack of prayer makes you feel guilty or “less than,” then this is the place for you! If you have been a student of prayer for many years, this is the place for you too! If you have breath in your lungs, then prayer can become one of the deepest joys of your day. Don’t miss out!

A PERSPECTIVE ABOUT PRAYER

To pray is to believe that God not only hears, but that He responds. It is to stand in the gap for a broken world, wielding the authority of Christ, empowered by the Spirit, and trusting in the goodness of the Father. The question is not whether prayer works, but whether we are willing to pray the kinds of prayers that invite God’s Kingdom into the darkest places of the earth—and of our own hearts.

We may never fully understand the mechanics of prayer, or how it intersects with God's sovereignty, but we are not called to understand everything. We are called to be faithful. And faithfulness means showing up—in prayer, in persistence, in expectation.

So today, let us pray not only for the comfort of our hearts, but for the transformation of the world. Let us take our place as image-bearers, co-laborers, and co-heirs. Let us believe that God is still listening—and still acting. Because He is.

There’s only one way to find out what might happen when we truly pray like this.

Let’s begin.

THE MINDSET BEHIND THIS COURSE

Before we begin, let me tell you the obvious: I don’t really know how to pray. I’m a humble student and absolute beginner at the holy endeavor that is prayer. So, this course isn’t really about what I’ve learned, or any wisdom I might have gathered. But, I’ve sat at the feet of many prayer warriors over the decades, through books and teachings.

So, I’ll share what I learned from them. Humility is going to be our primary heart posture! With each lesson, I will offer a few thoughts, practices, and ideas – with much humility, and not taking myself too seriously. I will also share her favorite books and resources about prayer. FInally, I will introduce you to some of the most influential prayer warriors of our history as the Body of Christ.

Most importantly, I will invite YOU to pray! Learning to pray comes from praying. Our humble ambition is to inspire you to pray, and to give you a few tips on how to do that. Then, it’s up to you! Prayer is a lifelong endeavor. Let’s make it delightful together!

So, let’s get started.

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