In Episode 101, we continue building our Foundation of Hope by talking about prayer — not as a religious routine, but as a living, breathing connection with God.

I share how prayer changes the atmosphere when we surrender to Jesus, especially in moments of anger, frustration, confusion, or emotional overload. Even when everything in us wants to stop praying, choosing to keep going invites the presence of God — and His presence changes everything.

We talk about the truth that God sees you and loves you, even in moments when you’re frustrated with Him or feel completely alone. Prayer doesn’t require perfect words — it requires honesty. Sometimes prayer simply starts with, “Jesus, I hope You’re there… please hear my heart.”

This episode also challenges us to pray not only for the people we love, but for the people we struggle with — the ones who frustrate us, reject us, or make life difficult. Scripture reminds us that prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings are meant for everyone.

Just like any relationship, our relationship with God grows when we spend time talking with Him — airing out what’s going on in our lives and drawing near with open hearts. Prayer becomes both the place where hope is restored now and where we’re reminded of the eternal hope we have with Him forever.

Scripture Focus:

1 Timothy 2:1

Support & Connect:

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Episode 100 is a milestone — and in this episode, we pause to set a remembrance stone.

Just as God’s people would stop and mark what the Lord had done, this episode reflects on the journey of the I Am Matthew Podcast — where it began, how God has carried it through, where it stands today, and where we believe He is leading it next.

I look back over the last 100 episodes and the faithfulness of God in every season — the growth, the struggles, the unanswered prayers, the open doors, and the moments where hope carried us forward. This episode isn’t about numbers or accomplishments — it’s about remembering what God has done and trusting Him with what’s still ahead.

This remembrance stone is both a testimony and a declaration: the same God who brought us this far will lead us forward.

Thank you for walking this journey with us.

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In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about communion and why it is essential for believers.

Communion isn’t just a ritual or tradition — it’s something Jesus Himself instituted, rich with meaning, remembrance, and hope.I walk through the moment Jesus established the Lord’s Supper, what it represents, and just as importantly, what it does not represent. Communion is not about re-sacrificing Christ or earning salvation. It is a sacred act of remembrance — remembering His broken body, His shed blood, and the covenant we now stand in because of Him.We also look forward — because communion doesn’t only point us back to the cross, it points us ahead. Jesus said He would drink of it again with us in the Kingdom, making the Lord’s Supper a declaration of future hope and the promise of what is still to come.Every time we take communion, we proclaim the gospel — Christ has died, Christ has risen, and Christ will come again.Scripture Focus:Luke 22:19–201 Corinthians 11:23–26Support & Connect:🌐 Website: https://www.iammatthewministries.org💙 Donate on Venmo: https://www.venmo.com/u/IAmMatthewMinistries📧 Email: robert@iammatthewministries.org

In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we talk about baptism — what it truly is and what it is not. Baptism is an outward expression of an inward change, a public declaration of what Christ has already done in the heart.

I address some common misunderstandings surrounding baptism — including the belief that someone cannot go to heaven unless they are baptized, or the idea of forcing people into baptism.

We look to Scripture and remember the man on the cross who cried out to Jesus and was promised paradise — without ever stepping into the water.We also explore John the Baptizer, who baptized for repentance, and even Jesus Himself choosing to be baptized — not out of necessity, but obedience and identification.

Ultimately, baptism points us back to hope — hope in Christ alone, hope in salvation by grace, and hope in the new life we have because of Him. Baptism doesn’t save us… Jesus does.

Scripture Focus:

Luke 23:42–43

Matthew 3:13–17

Mark 1:4

Romans 6:3–4

Support & Connect:

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In this episode, I talk about the Christmas season and address some of the concerns people have about pagan traditions being associated with Christmas. I share how many first-century Christians navigated cultural practices in order to avoid persecution, while still holding firmly to the truth of who Christ is.

From there, we turn to the heart of the Christmas message — that when God sent His Son into the world, He didn’t announce it to royalty or the religious elite. He sent angels to proclaim the birth of Jesus to shepherds — a group of people whose testimony wasn’t even accepted in court at that time.

That detail matters.

It reminds us that Christ came for the overlooked, the rejected, and the ordinary. The message of Christmas is not about status or perfection — it’s about hope. Hope for those on the margins. Hope for those who feel unseen. Hope for all of us.

As we move through this holiday season, this episode invites us to reflect on the truth that Jesus came to bring lasting hope to a broken world.

Scriptures Mentioned (CSV):

Luke 2:8–14

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In this episode, I walk through Hebrews 13, focusing on the practical instructions the writer gives us about how faith is meant to be lived out daily. Belief isn’t just something we confess — it’s something we practice.

Hebrews 13 lays out what a life grounded in Christ should look like:
loving others, showing hospitality, honoring marriage, resisting greed, trusting God’s provision, and holding fast to Jesus no matter the season.

This episode challenges us to examine whether our lives reflect what we say we believe. Because when our hope is rooted in Christ, it doesn’t stay theoretical — it becomes visible in how we love, serve, endure, and obey.

Scripture Focus:

• Hebrews 13

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In this episode of our Foundation of Hope series, we look at one of the most beautiful and hope-filled truths in all of Scripture — that God desires no one to perish, but for everyone to come to repentance.

This foundation of hope isn’t limited. It isn't selective. It isn't only for the people who “look the part,” grew up in church, or have a clean past. It's for everyone.

I talk about how no matter what you've done — and no matter what anyone else says about you — God has opened the door of salvation wide. His heart is that every person would turn, repent, and find life in Him. This episode is a reminder that:

➡️ No sin is too great.
➡️ No past is too broken.
➡️ No person is too far gone.
➡️ And no voice on earth can overrule what God has spoken.

This foundation of hope reaches to the very edges of humanity… and it reaches to you.

Scriptures Mentioned (CSV)

• 2 Peter 3:9

🌐 Website: https://www.iammatthewministries.org
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