Link to devotionals - https://cliffviewchurch.org/devotionals

Authentic Christian living begins with believing the right things about who we are in Christ. In this Milk to Meat episode, we examine how spiritual identity produces authenticity, aligned choices, and resilient faith.

We start with a simple but penetrating truth: “You may not live what you profess, but you will undoubtedly live what you believe.” When our relationship with the Lord is real and alive, what we profess with our mouths begins to match how we live. Knowing who we are spiritually allows us to resist external pressures to conform to the world and instead live in alignment with what God is calling us to be.

From there, we explore how understanding that we are chosen, forgiven, and God’s workmanship equips us with resilience and strength. Drawing from Romans 8:1–4, we unpack the powerful reality that there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Through His sacrifice and resurrection, Jesus broke the power of sin and condemnation once and for all.

We explain how the Law of Moses could reveal sin but could not save us, because it depended on human effort. In His great love, God took responsibility for what we could never fix. Jesus came in the likeness of sinful flesh, lived a perfect and blameless life, bore our sin, and satisfied the righteous requirement of the Law on our behalf. Because of this, we are now free to walk according to the Spirit rather than the flesh.

This episode highlights how freedom from condemnation changes the way we live—replacing fear, victimhood, and powerlessness with confidence, obedience, and Spirit-led strength. When we truly believe what Christ has done, our lives begin to reflect it, and authentic faith becomes visible in how we walk every day.

Link to devotionals - https://cliffviewchurch.org/devotionals

Why is identity so foundational to spiritual growth? In this Milk to Meat episode, we explore why knowing who we are in Christ is essential for living a stable, purposeful, and resilient Christian life.

Scripture tells us that our spiritual identity—being redeemed, adopted, and called children of God—defines who we are before it ever shapes how we live. When our identity is rooted in Christ rather than in feelings, achievements, or external validation, we gain a firm foundation and security that the world cannot offer. Unlike worldly identities that shift with success or failure, our value is established by God Himself and affirmed through our relationship with Him.

We discuss how this God-given identity anchors us during life’s storms, just as Jesus promised in John 16:33. When our security comes from the Father, obedience, humility, and faithfulness matter more than worldly approval or success.

From there, we examine how identity brings purpose and direction. Knowing who we are clarifies what we are called to do—live in relationship with God and continually grow closer to Him. As we do, we begin to reflect Christ more clearly, and good works naturally flow from that relationship. Drawing from James 2:14–18, we see that works are not the source of faith, but the evidence of a living, active faith rooted in Christ.

Finally, we talk about how, as we grow in intimacy with the Lord and allow Him to lead us, He begins to direct our focus, time, and energy toward specific callings and areas of obedience. Spiritual maturity doesn’t begin with activity—it begins with identity.

This episode challenges us to stop striving for validation and instead live from the unshakable truth of who we already are in Christ.

Link to devotionals - https://cliffviewchurch.org/devotionals

What truly changes when someone becomes a new creation in Christ? Is it just behavior—or is it everything?

In this Milk to Meat episode, we dig into 2 Corinthians 5:17 and unpack what it really means when Scripture says, “the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.” We explore how salvation is not merely a moment, but the beginning of a lifelong transformation where God reshapes every part of who we are.

Using the powerful illustration of a master craftsman taking an old, seemingly useless piece of wood and turning it into a work of art, we examine how God works in our lives. The process involves cutting away old, dirty, broken pieces that don’t belong in the final vision. As we surrender more fully to Jesus as Lord, submit to His Word, and grow in our relationship with Him, the old layers of sin and misplaced priorities begin to fall away—and Christ begins to shine through us.

We talk about how what once mattered to us slowly loses its grip, while what matters to God becomes important to us. His dreams become our dreams. His thoughts begin to shape our thinking. This transformation isn’t instantaneous in every area, but as we continue walking closely with the Lord and surrendering our lives to Him, our desires increasingly align with His.

We also discuss how old habits we once felt powerless to break begin to lose their hold as we rely on the Holy Spirit to do the work only He can do. Along the way, our perspective changes—not just how we see ourselves, but how we see others. We develop a love and urgency for the lost.

Finally, we look at the woman at the well in John 4:7–30. Despite her status as a Samaritan woman—considered the lowest in her culture—Jesus meets her right where she is. After encountering Him and having her sin exposed and forgiven, she can’t keep it to herself. Her transformed life compels her to tell others what she has found.

This episode is a deep look at what it means to be made new—and how a real encounter with Jesus always leads to real transformation and a desire to share Him with the world.