In this solo episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Pastor Sam Edwards unpacks the biblical meaning of “return,” explaining it as coming back not to a place or religion but to the identity God created us to live in, accessed through Jesus. Drawing from Malachi 3:7, he describes how Israel drifted from God by withholding their best because they shifted trust to other sources, mirroring how people today replace faith in God with other provisions.

In Isaiah 30, he recounts Judah’s choice to seek safety in Egypt instead of God and God’s warning that this misplaced trust would lead to defeat, highlighting Isaiah 30:15: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength.”

He connects this to the prodigal son and emphasizes that we cannot earn our way back—return is a gift made possible by the cross alone.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Anthony Serino and Pastor Sam Edwards discuss how taking Christianity seriously can bring friction, ostracism, and persecution in family, friendships, and workplaces.

They explore why faith provokes opposition, tracing it to conviction and fear, and connecting persecution in Colossae to modern “little-g” idols people defend as identity. They describe cultural flashpoints and “flags,” tell a story about leaving a coffee shop in Asheville over political and pride signage, and emphasize that Christians should not treat people as the enemy but recognize spiritual forces at work.

They talk about boldness, discernment, boundaries, and hard cases like divided marriages, urging believers to show up in Christlike love while rooting out compromise. They address fear’s roots, practical ways to seek Jesus’ truth, and promote monthly Encounter Nights focused on encountering God, ending with prayer.

In this episode of The 5th Gospel Podcast, Pastor Sam Edwards explores what it truly means to guard your heart through Jesus and why our internal thoughts eventually shape our words, relationships, decisions, and actions.

Using a personal story from his teenage years, Pastor Sam unpacks Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 12:34: “Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks.” What we dwell on internally doesn’t stay hidden forever. Under pressure, what we've allowed to grow inside of us eventually comes out.

The question becomes: Are you focusing on the truth of what Jesus says—or the “truth” your past has taught you to believe?

He explains how past failures, broken relationships, fear, shame, and insecurity can become lenses through which we see ourselves and our future.

Guard your heart. Examine your thoughts. Take them captive to Christ. And don't allow the lies of your past to speak louder than the truth of Jesus.