Citizen of Heaven
I am Hal Hammons, a citizen of heaven. I broadcast regular reports of what it is for a child of God to live in Satan's world. My reports typically break down into four segments:"What I've been preaching" -- a point I have made in a recent sermon."What I've been reading" -- A brief breakdown of a book of the Bible or other reading material that has helped me in my understanding or application of the Bible."What I've been hearing" -- news from the internet or other sources about what is going on, either among brothers and sisters in Christ or out in the world at large."What I've been playing" -- how I've been entertaining myself in my spare time, and some spiritual points I have been able to extract.
Episodes
411 episodes
FLAGS: His banner of love. "All the Colors We Will See." Green, yellow, red and black. Red Flags.
For years, semaphore flags have been used to communicate over long distances. This week I’m using flags myself; here’s hoping the message gets through. We’ll discuss the flag Jesus waves and how we benefit from it; the flag some Americans wave,...
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Season 6
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Episode 307
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19:31
BOATS: Captain Jesus. "The Boys in the Boat." Yacht Rock. Imhotep.
I love boats. If it weren’t for the time investment, the enormous financial investment, and the fear of drowning, I’d be on the water all the time. This week we’ll cover Jesus’s expertise at the captain’s wheel and how we get too distracted to ...
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Season 6
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Episode 306
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19:51
HAPPINESS, part 3: with Jacob Hudgins and Scott Beyer.
This is the last part of my conversation with Jacob Hudgins and Scott Beyer. Links to their good work are in the show notes. Here we discuss whether making yourself happy, with no consideration of others, is ever a good objective. As we w...
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14:36
HAPPINESS, part 2: with Jacob Hudgins and Scott Beyer
I’m a sarcastic person. Sarcasm makes me happy. So what should my response be when it makes other people unhappy? Can I get them to change, or do I have to? Here to help me with the answers are Jacob Hudgins and Scott Beyer. Jacob preaches for ...
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27:41
HAPPINESS: with Jacob Hudgins and Scott Beyer
In my search for guests this month, I finally settled on a couple of preachers who strike me as having a generally happy outlook on life, thinking maybe I could learn something. And I absolutely did. Jacob Hudgins preaches for the Twin City chu...
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Season 6
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Episode 305
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32:55
LUCKENBACH: The center of the universe. "Luckenbach, Texas." That song. Willie and the Great Domino Confrontation.
Yes, Luckenbach, Texas, is a real place. Barely. Its presence in the Texas consciousness, however, is as big as Texas itself. Today we’ll cover how its insignificance makes it so great; the glory days of Luckenbach and what remains in their pla...
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Season 6
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Episode 304
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19:28
COLLEGE STATION: Normal and weird. "The Twelfth Man." Highway 6. Cornhole.
We went to my hometown last week; this week it’s my adopted hometown. The contrast could not be more stark, and both towns like it that way. We’ll discuss how concepts as opposite as normal and weird can become basically interchangeable; how wi...
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Season 6
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Episode 303
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19:45
AUSTIN: 37th St. "The Amazing Armadillo." SRV and Number One. 'Dillos in Austin.
We’re talking about my hometown today, for better and for worse. Longhorns, fear not: I have kept my biases to a minimum. Aggies, rest assured: we go to College Station next week. This week it’s all about the lights that are shining and what th...
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Season 6
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Episode 302
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19:49
DALLAS, part 3: with Jerry King and Jeremy Dehut
Jerry King, Jeremy Dehut and I wrap up our conversation about the city of Dallas by discussing its most famous fictitious citizens and the lifestyle they represent. You, too, can live on the Southfork Ranch with J.R., Bobby, and the rest of the...
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23:42
DALLAS, part 2: with Jerry King and Jeremy Dehut
When you think Dallas, you think silver football helmets with big blue stars — at least, I do. Sometimes your heroes live up to their calling, sometimes not so much. In the second part of my discussion with Jerry King and Jeremy Dehut, we discu...
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38:25
DALLAS: with Jerry King and Jeremy Dehut
We’re starting the year off right with Texas month. I’ll be giving all the unfortunate uninitiated out there the grand tour, high points and low points alike. We’ll start in the D/FW metroplex (whether that’s a high point or a low point is up t...
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Season 6
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Episode 301
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25:59
WHY: Lamech and Enoch. "1877." The Police. Meet-ups.
We’ve been talking about gifts this month. I’m going to complete the journey today by commenting on your gift to me – 300 weeks of letting me talk about the things I care about. I thought I’d use this landmark occasion to give you four examples...
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Season 6
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Episode 300
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16:46
BEST BOOKS OF 2024, final edition
In lieu of my regular monthly report, I am here today to finish my list of the best books I’ve read this year. My final total for 2024 is going to come in at between 204 and 210 books — well off my ridiculous pace of 2023, but still, a lot. Obv...
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29:02
MEANING: Life. "The Meaning of Everything." Death of the author. Monopoly.
I have another gift for you this week. You’ve figured out by now I’m leaning toward the conceptual, deeper end of the gifts spectrum. Hopefully you’ll still get a smile out of it. We’ll discuss my 5-minute version of the meaning of life; one au...
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Season 6
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Episode 299
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19:27
THINKIEST BOOKS OF 2024, second half
More than anything else, I read to make myself think. Maybe I’m thinking about a point of view I have not explored much, maybe I’m thinking about a struggle that I am facing or I’m helping someone else face, maybe I’m thinking about how lessons...
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29:02
LAUGHTER: Abraham and Sarah. "Stuff Christians Like." Reading the room. Pie Face!
I hope I both give and receive the gift of laughter this holiday season. It really is the best medicine in a sick, sick world. But not all laughs are created equal. This week we’ll cover the pros and cons of the most famous laughing fit in the ...
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Season 6
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Episode 298
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19:47
SURPRISING BOOKS OF 2024, second half.
My Surprising Books list for the first half of the year appeared on June 14 of this year. Please go back and check that out if you have not done so already.My second-half list includes: The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, by L. Frank B...
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26:35
SECURITY: Salvation. "The Hiding Place." Bonds. The Weakest Link.
Security may not be the first blessing that comes to mind. But really, what good would any of the other blessings be without it? This week we’ll discuss our salvation and exactly how and why we should feel secure in it; a hero of the Christian ...
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Season 6
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Episode 297
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18:57
GIFTS, part 3: with BJ Sipe and Terry Francis.
Unfortunately, this segment concludes my discussion with BJ Sipe of Danville, KY, and Terry Francis of Chelsea, AL. We wrapped up (pardon the expression) by discussing the best gift you can give your family and/or your church family — your time...
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28:23
GIFTS, part 2: with Terry Francis and BJ Sipe
We’re talking Gifts this week with BJ Sipe and Terry Francis. BJ works with the church of Christ in Danville, KY; follow him through the Set Your Mind Above podcast. Terry is with the Chelsea church of Christ in the Birmingham area. We recorded...
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29:17
GIFTS: with Terry Francis and BJ Sipe
This month we’re dwelling on the good things God gives us, and one of the biggest blessings He’s given me recently is my conversation with BJ Sipe and Terry Francis. BJ works with the church of Christ in Danville, KY; follow him through the Set...
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Season 6
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Episode 296
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36:47
MONTHLY REPORT, November 2024: I am thankful.
This month I'm giving thanks -- especially for everything God has brought me through podcasting.
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7:21
INSANITY: Paul and Festus. "Heart of Darkness." The definition. Obscurio.
Our survey of some of the horrors of the world takes us inside the human mind this week – a scary place if ever there was one. We’ll discuss Paul’s alleged struggles with insanity and how we can develop the real thing ourselves; a journey into ...
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Season 6
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Episode 295
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18:55
ALCOHOL: Not for kings. "The Mayor of Casterbridge." Drinking songs. Viticulture.
Surely no sin in our culture, except perhaps for fornication, has been glamorized more than drinking. Too bad Prohibition didn’t work. But then, making sin illegal rarely does. We’ll discuss whether drinking rules apply to rich and poor alike; ...
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Season 6
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Episode 294
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18:48
FAKES: False teachers. "Fake History." Modern miracle workers. Masterpiece.
This month we’re talking about some of the bad things in this world. Unfortunately we have plenty of specific topics to choose from. This week we’ll discuss fake brethren and their fake gospel, and the very real problems they cause; the fake st...
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Season 6
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Episode 293
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19:21
