Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Theme Scripture: Mark 10:6-9
Human beings are different from all the rest of God’s creation. Of all the creatures on this earth, we were the only ones created “in God’s image.” God was intentional with this, as the human race was meant to be an extension of God’s family here on this planet. He created us as social and relationship-oriented beings. We were created to be connected - not just with our Creator, but with each other. In many spiritually based groups, this connectivity is defined by the phrase “soul ties.” These are often described as the most intense connections people can have between them. They are credited with having their basis on a mystical level. The question is, do these soul ties accurately represent what God intended humanity’s connections to look like, or are they way off base?

Theme Scripture: 1 John 2:1
The biblical definition for sin is "to miss the mark." To illustrate the point, let’s think about shooting an arrow at a target. As you aim for the bullseye, you shoot. You hit the target but missed the bullseye. Because your shot did not hit the mark, it fits the definition of sin. You can say, "But wait a minute! I hit the target," and you did, but you were aiming for the bullseye. Seeing sin through this "all or nothing" lens can be frustrating and even scary. What does God do with all of our “just missed” sins? How about those bigger sins, where at times we may not even aim the arrow? Are we simply lost causes? Fortunately, the Bible explains all of this to us in great detail. The conclusions the Scriptures draw us to are both dramatic and inspiring!

Theme Scripture: John 15:15
In the book of Proverbs, it says a friend loves at all times. So, what does that really mean? Jesus called his followers "friends." This should give us a sense of its importance. Marriage can and should be between friends. Brotherhood in Christ should be fertile ground for forging deep and powerful friendships. It turns out, there is a lot to this friendship thing. Fortunately, we have many biblical examples of what true friendship looks like and what principles need to be present to build a friendship that will not only flourish but become a vital contributor to faithfully following Jesus. As we will see, God created the concept of friendship for our happiness, wellbeing and fulfillment!

Theme Scripture: Ecclesiastes 9:10
What is the status of promises these days? Has the making of a promise become a simple figure of speech? When we say, “I promise,” are we really saying, “I'm going to try,” or “I really do intend to accomplish what I said I would do”? Have we lost our connection between our promises and our integrity? It seems as though the power of a promise has gone from being a guarantee of what will happen to a way of showing effort in getting things done. So, what does God see in us when we make a half-hearted promise to someone else? Does this kindle His wrath, or does it just disappoint Him? What should we know and do when it comes to making and keeping our promises?

Theme Scripture: Psalm 145:13
In our last episode about God’s vengeance bringing the end of the world as we know it, we examined several Old Testament prophecies that pointed to how God’s vengeance works in the dismantling of all vestiges of our present and sin-ridden world. When these dramatic prophecies are focused on without the context of the rest of God’s character, they are often understood to paint a bleak and harsh picture of who God is. In this episode, we will again focus on Old Testament prophecies. However, this time we will be looking at what happens AFTER the vengeance of God is exercised. What we will find is a breathtaking view of not only who God is, but what His plan REALLY has in store for ALL of humanity. If you truly want to know who God is, then follow along as we unfold the rest of the story!

Theme Scripture: Romans 1:18
If we take a look around us, what we see can be confusing. On the one hand, we live in a time where science, technology and medicine are incredibly advanced. Billions of people throughout the world hold the world in their hands with their smart phones. That’s amazing! We are creating artificial intelligence that can solve problems and do research. That’s unbelievable! A doctor in one location can do surgery on a patient in another location through technology. That’s breathtaking! On the other hand, we have depths of unrest, partisanship, dissatisfaction and egotism that are striking and disturbing. We have so much, and yet we wallow in our discontentment. All in all, what’s lacking is a foundational respect for and loyalty to our Creator. God is the one who gave us minds capable of such amazing things, and yet we disdain His presence in our society. No wonder He is unhappy!

Theme Scripture: Matthew 17:2-3
The vision on the Mount of Transfiguration was one of those magnificent events in the life of Jesus that gives us some insight into just how remarkable his earthly ministry was. This vision had everything - it had Jesus’ very appearance changed to one of brightness and glory. It had the appearance of two Old Testament powerhouses who were talking with this glorious version of Jesus. It had the booming voice of God from heaven. And then it had the sudden removal of all these amazing elements and the world suddenly became normal again. In the midst of all of the glory and splendor shown here, we need to ask some simple questions. First, why did this happen? Second, what can we take away from this for our own benefit and understanding?

Theme Scripture: Acts 8:39
There are several scriptures in the Bible that really capture our imaginations. The account of Jonah and the great fish is one, Elijah being taken up in a whirlwind is another. One more of these is the account of the disciple Philip when he was instructed by God to find an Ethiopian man on a deserted road and witness the gospel to him. After this amazing and well-known encounter, the Scriptures say Philip was snatched away by God’s spirit. What does that mean? Many believe it was a miracle, and that Philip was supernaturally transported away from that place in an instant. Others believe he was simply and powerfully compelled to leave. Which perspective is true? Let’s unfold the events that lead to this detail and see what we can learn from the Scriptures!

Theme Scripture: Hosea 12:3-4
Many know the story of Jacob wrestling with an angel. When we just drop in on the account and read what happened, there are many unanswered questions. Why would you pick a fight with an angel anyway? Why would an angel even let you fight? Couldn't the angel have overwhelmingly defeated Jacob even before the altercation began? What could possibly be gained by such a confrontation? Once we begin to understand who Jacob was and the experiences of his life that led up to this confrontation, it all begins to fall into place. What we will find is that Jacob lived a life filled with experiences of great faith, as well as experiences of great deception and rivalry. God allowing him to wrestle with the angel gives us a clue as to how God knows us and meets us where we are.

Theme Scripture: James 1:22
We have all heard the saying, “Life is what you make it!” It is usually at the approach of a new year or a birthday or some landmark life event when we turn our focus inward and think about changes we would like to make. Normally, these changes are aimed at finding a greater measure of happiness, health or fulfillment in our daily lives. So, what should we decide needs changing? Even more importantly, how will we decide to implement those changes? On the surface, this may sound easy, but for the vast majority of us, it is not. Life tends to get in the way, along with old habits and second thoughts. Then there is our old friend, our comfort zone! Why would we want to leave that, as it is so, well...comfortable? What can we learn from the Scriptures to help us actually implement God-honoring life changes?