Episodes
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
EP. 1306: Are Christians Really Baptized Into Christ?
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Tuesday Nov 07, 2023
Theme Scripture: Ephesians 4:4-5
Arise and be baptized! This and many other similar scriptural statements have in many ways defined Christianity. Unfortunately, because Christianity is so splintered it applies these very important words and instructions in a wide variety of ways. Some say baptism changes you, others say it is a symbol, and others say it is necessary for heaven. Some baptize infants, others baptize children and others, adults only. Some baptize into a church or denomination, while others baptize into Christ. Some see baptism as a necessary beginning to walk towards Christ, while others see it as a symbol of having decided to sacrificially follow Christ. How can all of this be one baptism? It can’t! What do we do with all of this? We search the Scriptures and look for the originally intended message behind Christian baptism.
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Ep. 1305: How Do Satanic Demons Influence Our World?
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Tuesday Oct 31, 2023
Theme Scripture: Ephesians 6:12
We live in a diverse world, and that can be a really wonderful thing! To observe and embrace the positive differences in our cultures, our backgrounds and our characters is worthy of celebration. Appreciating the immense differences we see in nature due to geographic locations is a fascinating journey through God’s creation. But here is a problem. Diversity, just like most anything else we as imperfect humans celebrate, can go to extremes that take the basic principles of godly righteousness and corrupt them with darkness and evil. This inevitably leads to the destruction of that which is good. What has this got to do with Satan and demons? Everything! Satan and those who follow him are masters of subtlety and can easily make darkness look like light.
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Ep. 1304: How Do Guardian Angels Take Care of Us?
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Tuesday Oct 24, 2023
Theme Scripture: Hebrews 1:13-14
As Christians, we all are encouraged by the scriptural principle that God’s angels are watching over us. What better hands could we be in than those who were sent by God himself to care for our very lives! As encouraging as this scriptural principle is, we need to be careful to avoid turning this reverent truth into some kind of human imagination that skews and corrupts its purity. The Bible is very specific as to the kinds of roles that angels do and do not occupy in our human lives. For us to truly appreciate how angelic influence works, we need to be prepared to accept that MANY of the notions and traditions surrounding angels are simply human-based fantasy and imagination. This may sound disappointing, but it’s actually good news, as we want to define angelic activity through God’s word and His word only!
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
Ep. 1303: How Can I Doubt My Doubts? (Part II)
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
Tuesday Oct 17, 2023
Theme Scripture: Matthew 28:16-17
In our last episode, we talked about doubt as a permanent fixture in our present world and experiences and how this can be both a positive thing as well as a negative thing. There are many ways the seeds of doubt are planted. We can doubt as a result of misinformation or misunderstanding. We can doubt when we have a limited perception of our circumstances. We can doubt when we are in a difficult situation or have unmet expectations. Whatever the case may be, doubt is a very real part of our Christian experience. As we continue our conversation in this episode, we will focus on how doubt manifested itself in the New Testament and what we can learn from it. To clearly understand doubt is to open the door that can diffuse it or use it, whichever brings glory to God!
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Ep. 1302: How Can I Doubt My Doubts? (Part I)
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Tuesday Oct 10, 2023
Theme Scripture: Matthew 28:16-17
Everybody doubts. So, is this a good thing or a bad thing? The answer is a resounding yes! Doubt can be a godly tool of necessary and righteous caution just as easily as it can be an ungodly tool of imperfect human judgment and destruction. Appropriate doubt that is fact- and integrity-based is an early warning system that can keep us focused on and engaged in the most important things. This kind of doubt is a welcome addition to our lives and should be counted on. By the same token, highly charged doubt that is primarily fed by feelings and personal preferences needs to be examined and adjusted according to higher godly standards. How can we learn to doubt the doubts we should doubt without doubting the doubts that undoubtedly protect us?
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Ep. 1301: Can We Be Content With Chaos?
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Tuesday Oct 03, 2023
Theme Scripture: James 3:17
Chaos rules. Just look around at the world’s social, political and moral condition. We all want what we want, and we seem to now go to greater lengths than ever before to demand that we have it. Having what we want doesn’t stop there, as we now more often than not demand that what I want is accepted by all. This chaos is not merely limited to my social media presence. Oh no, it expands into my perceived right to relabel any and every aspect of life as I see fit. From politics to family dynamics, to workplace expectations to educational environments, we are running towards a social order founded upon disorder. What are we as Christians supposed to do with all of this? How could these unsettling and monumental developments possibly be a part of God’s plan?
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Ep. 1300: I’m a New Christian. Now What?
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Tuesday Sep 26, 2023
Theme Scripture: Galatians 3:26-27
To claim the name of Christ and call ourselves Christians means we are claiming ourselves to be separate from the world. This sounds like a noble claim - and it is - though sometimes you’d never know it. Think about how many people make this claim and bear the Christian label but seem to be just like everyone else. This is a sad testimony to how, over time, Christian practices have been severely diluted. In many cases, this watering down is to the point of not even being able to recognize true Christian principles. For someone who has just come to Christ, this can be a serious challenge. Are these new Christians being guided into the process of following Jesus’ footsteps, or to some other examples? What should any and every new Christian be focused on learning and growing towards?
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Ep. 1299: Who is God? (Part III)
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Tuesday Sep 19, 2023
Theme Scripture: Genesis 1:1
As we have discovered from Part I and II of this series, God is the Mighty One who has power and authority. He is the Self-Existing One who created humanity in His image for the purpose of having a personal relationship with them. Planet Earth was and is to be the eternal habitation of this human family. As God revealed himself through man’s experiences, many aspects of His character became evident. He is the Supreme and Exalted Sovereign. He is sufficient and caring, and He continually provides. He is not only "Jehovah Elohim" of individuals, but He is "Jehovah of hosts." He sanctifies, shepherds and brings peace to those who follow Him. He is our rock, our fortress, and through His providence, He provides salvation. This is a mere sampling of the breadth of God’s character as revealed in the Old Testament.
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Ep. 1298: Who is God? (Part II)
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Theme Scripture: Genesis 1:1
So many people believe God is a man-made myth. They see Him as a figment of the imagination of religious zealots who desperately seek some kind of higher power. When you look at mythological gods or the gods of some religious factions, you can certainly see the reasoning for that point. However, when we look at the God of the Bible, it has to be an entirely different story. What other book, what other belief system, gives you such a detailed and specific approach to knowing who God is the way the Bible does? In Part I of our series, we focused on God’s introduction to the world of humanity in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. We then focused on how God revealed Himself to Abraham. As we begin this second part of our series, let’s recap how God has been revealed through creation and Abraham. This will set the stage for the next steps of seeing who God is.
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Ep. 1297: Who is God? (Part I)
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Theme Scripture: Genesis 1:1
Whether we like it or not or believe it or not, the presence of powers higher than our human understanding cannot be denied. The debate begins and rages when we try to label these powers. Our human perspectives, belief systems and even how we claim to apply science all come into play here. As Christians, we by definition believe God is the ultimate source of power. We believe Him to be wise, just and loving in His expressions of that power. But how do we know this to be true? It is no surprise that the answer to knowing who God is exists in a very broad and orderly fashion in the Bible. Literally starting at the beginning will lay a foundation for us to not only begin to understand God, but to also begin to have a deep appreciation of who He really is.