The Gift of Thorns Audio Study: Jesus, the Flesh, and the War for Our Wants

Written by A. J. Swoboda

Narrated by A. J. Swoboda

The Gift of Thorns Audio Study dives deep into some of the hardest questions we wrestle with in the war for our wants:

- What do God's desires and Satan's desires have to do with us?
- Which desires did God place in our hearts at creation and why?
- What can we do when we start losing our desire for God?
- Why do some unwanted desires persist after we start following Christ?
- Is it possible to want a good thing too much?
- How can we discern which desires to crucify and which to nurture?

This video study provides examples of the theme of "thorns" that pops up over and over throughout the Bible. How will these thorns be, in the words of God, "for you" (Gen. 3:18)? A world where we do not get all that we want is the greatest gift ever. Join A. J. Swoboda in a personal exploration of the human problem, What do I do with my desire?

Session Titles and Runtimes:

1 - God's Desire (26 min)

2 - Human Desire (24 min)

3 - Satan's Desire (17 min)

4 - Fleshly Desire (18 min)

5 - Waning Desire (16 min)

6 - Undesired Desire (14 min)

7 - Killing Desire (15 min)

8 - Nurturing Desire (16 min)

9 - Ordering Desire (19 min)

10 - Resurrecting Desire (15 min)

11 - Longing Desire (17 min)

• Language: English
• Publisher: Zondervan
• Release date: May 28, 2024
• ISBN: 9780310153429

A. J. Swoboda

A.J. Swoboda (Ph.D., Birmingham) is an associate professor of Bible and Theology at Bushnell University and lead mentor for the Doctor of Ministry Program on Spiritual Formation and Soul Care at Friends University. He is the author of many books, including The Gift of Thorns, After Doubt, and the award-winning Subversive Sabbath. He hosts the Slow Theology podcast with Dr. Nijay Gupta and writes the widely read “Low-Level Theologian” Substack. A.J. lives and works on an urban farm with his wife and son in Eugene, Oregon.