3 Pillars Podcast

08/08/2025

The Cost of Following Jesus

We know from Scripture that salvation is a free gift that Jesus offers to those who trust and believe in Him. But just because our salvation is free—doesn’t mean the rest of our lives with Jesus will cost us nothing as well.

Jesus says that following Him will cost us everything. This doesn’t mean we have to earn our salvation or work for acceptance, but it does mean that following Jesus requires everything that we have.

When we become disciples of Jesus, we follow in His footsteps. We let Jesus teach and guide us. If we are serious about this, then our lives will become patterned after His life. This means that just as Jesus took up a cross and gave up everything He had, we also must be ready to carry our own cross.

So what does it mean to take up a cross and follow Jesus? It means that we should be ready to give up everything for the sake of Jesus. It means denying ourselves by surrendering our own desires and plans for God’s desires and plans. Rather than focusing on ourselves, we center our lives around God’s mission in the world: loving Him and loving others as we make disciples. 

Taking up one’s cross isn’t easy, but there is nothing in this life that is better than following Jesus. While immediate pleasure often feels more desirable in the moment, it quickly fades and leaves us searching for more. No possession or position can lead to true satisfaction in life—that is found only in Jesus.

Take a moment to think about your life. Are there things that you’re holding onto that you would be hesitant to surrender to Jesus? Are there relationships that serve your own desires rather than God’s? Commit to following Jesus regardless of how difficult or challenging life might become. The cross, while painful, is temporary—abundant life with Jesus is eternal.

08/07/2025

God’s Great Gift of Love

The Book of Romans, Paul’s letter to the churches in Rome, is a foundational letter that covers many important topics in the Christian faith.

In it, Paul describes our lives prior to knowing God as being distant from God, and even enemies of God—we chose to live against His good plan for our life. He also talks about the goodness and grace of Jesus that provided us with a path back to God through salvation.

Central to Paul’s argument and experience as a Christian is found in Romans 5:8. He says that while we were still distant from God and running from Him, God sent Jesus to die for us. It is through this that God displays His ultimate love for us as children.

Paul isn’t just speaking in theory—he is speaking from experience! God met Paul in the midst of his work to persecute Christians. And while Paul was an enemy of God, God still made a way for Paul to come back to the heart of Jesus.

The same is true of us.

Regardless of what our life looks on the outside, we all start at the same place as Paul—we were all once distant from God. And it is only through Jesus that we have been brought close to Him, and are now part of His family. Today, remember that you have a way back to God, thanks to Jesus' sacrifice!

08/05/2025

Check out this week’s episode on Goodpods

We will be discussing the First Marine Corp Leadership Principle: Know Yourself and Seek Self-Improvement

SummaryIn this episode of the 3 Pillars podcast, Chase Tobin delves into the 11 leadership principles, focusing on ... | Listen & Review on Goodpods™

08/05/2025

God, help me to never become tired of doing good things. As I grow closer to You, give me the endurance to serve and love others no matter how I’m feeling. I want to bring those around me closer to You—so please help me to act more like You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

08/04/2025

The Bible is not only God’s Word—it’s His invitation. It speaks beauty, truth, hope, and redemption. The most important thing isn’t how fast you read or how well you understand—it’s the posture of your heart.

The Bible is not only God’s Word—it’s His invitation. It speaks beauty, truth, hope, and redemption. The most important thing isn’t how fast you read or how well you understand—it’s the posture of …

08/03/2025

Heavenly Focus

“Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.”
— Colossians 3:2, KJV

Paul’s letter to the Colossians is a masterpiece of Christ-centered theology. Writing from prison, Paul urges the believers in Colossae to live in light of the supremacy and sufficiency of Christ. In chapter 3, he makes a pivotal shift from doctrine to ethics: since believers have died and risen with Christ (Col. 3:1), they must now reorient their entire perspective.

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1. Reordering the Inner Life

The King James rendering—“Set your affection”—captures a rich Greek verb, phroneō, which goes beyond emotional attachment. It means to direct one’s mind, will, and desires toward a particular goal. This is not a passing thought or fleeting feeling. It’s an intentional, sustained mental posture.

The command is in the imperative, denoting urgency and agency. Believers must make a conscious effort to redirect their focus—from the transient to the eternal, from “things on the earth” to “things above.” This echoes Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 6:21: “For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”

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2. Things Above: Living the Resurrection Now

To set one’s affection “on things above” is to think and live in alignment with the risen Christ, who is “seated at the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1). This doesn’t mean escaping earthly responsibilities, but engaging them from a heavenly perspective—guided by eternal values, not temporal gain.

This mindset transforms how we view work, relationships, suffering, and success. The believer’s citizenship is in heaven (Philippians 3:20), and so the ethics, priorities, and passions of that kingdom must shape our choices here and now.

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3. Guarding Against Earthbound Distraction

Paul contrasts “things above” with “things on the earth.” This is not a condemnation of the material world (which God created and called good), but a critique of the earthbound mindset—life lived without reference to God. Earthly things include sinful desires, pride, greed, and temporal obsessions that crowd out kingdom focus (see Col. 3:5).

This verse challenges us to ask: What preoccupies my thoughts? What governs my affections? What goals am I pursuing? If the answer is mostly rooted in this world, Paul says: reorient, reset, realign.

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Colossians 3:2 is more than mental advice—it is spiritual formation. By setting your affection on things above, you are anchoring your soul in Christ’s reign and God’s purposes. Live upward. Think eternally. Let heaven shape earth through you.

08/01/2025

Had an incredibly exciting week at work, so this week’s episode will come out tomorrow!

Thank you for your attention!

08/01/2025

Timeless Wisdom

After being rescued from Egyptian slavery and wandering around in the wilderness for 40 years, the Hebrew people finally stood at the edge of the land God had promised.

Though their long-time leader, Moses, had just died, God appointed Joshua to take his place. During this transition of authority, God gave Joshua some wise advice:

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.”
‭‭Joshua‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The “Book of the Law” refers to the first five books of the Bible—also known as the Torah (in Hebrew) or the Pentateuch (in Greek). Today, we have that and more—66 books of the Bible, including the Old and New Testaments.

God gave the Law to Israel through Moses. These instructions reveal God’s intentions, character, and heart.

And even though God was speaking directly to Joshua at that time, His advice holds timeless wisdom for us still today…

Reading, listening to, and thinking deeply about God's story informs and shapes us.

God’s instructions are good, and His commandments are wise. They tell us who God is and who He’s created us to be. They show us where His people have been and where they are going.

When we meditate on His Word, study its contents, and understand its core message—everything changes.

We don’t have to live meaningless lives; we can step into the world with purpose. And even when we face battles like Joshua did, we'll always be better off with the timeless wisdom of God.

07/29/2025

A Bright Light

Think back to Genesis 1—when God created the world. One of the first things He said was “Let there be light” (Genesis 1:3). Just like God created light to shine upon the earth, Jesus came as a light to all mankind.

Jesus says that He is the light of the world. He also points out that light is necessary for finding our way in this world. Jesus is the light that guides men and women into true life.

Jesus is not only the light that illuminates our path in life, but He is also the one who illuminates everything we see. It is by Jesus’ light that we can look at the rest of the world and make judgments on what is right and good.

Light in the Old Testament is often a symbol of judgment, because it is light that exposes the darkness and evil in the hearts of people. Jesus is the true Judge who comes with the authority of God the Father to judge the hearts of men and women (John 8:13-17).

While Jesus is the true Judge of all humanity, those who follow Him and believe in His resurrection have nothing to fear concerning judgment. We are no longer condemned by our past, but through Jesus we are given access to new life in Him (Romans 8:1).

Take a moment to thank God for shining His light in your life. Because of Jesus, you can experience the grace and peace of God!

07/28/2025

In this post, I’ll share how incorporating coffee into my routine—with simplicity and moderation—supported my well‑being, sharpened my mind, and deepened my daily rhythms. And I'll explain why going light on additives is critical so you don’t lose coffee’s intrinsic benefits.

In this post, I’ll share how incorporating coffee into my routine—with simplicity and moderation—supported my well‑being, sharpened my mind, and deepened my daily rhythms. And I’ll explain wh…