Christian Questions Bible Podcast

History does repeat itself. Sometimes in its repetition we can see the heartbreak of the transgressions of the past repeated in the present with an even deeper and more insidious result. Look around you and what do you see? Shootings, stabbings, bombings, race riots, gangs, rape, murder, genocide; Black lives matter, police lives matter, all lives matter but what does it matter? Politicians lie, people lie and so many lie unnecessarily in early graves. Save the whales, save the schools, save the planet, save the children, but save them for what future? Muslims against Christians, Christians against other Christians, and seemingly the world against Judaism while the Atheists say, "I told you so." Women's rights, animal rights, civil rights, gun rights, LGBT rights - so many rights, but everything still seems so wrong. The world has become dangerous and angry. Their clamoring for peace is drowned out by the ever increasing clamor of violence. Where. Is. God? Does He hear? Does He know? Does He care? Has God completely lost control of our world?For us, the answer to this direct question is a resounding NO!  God has NOT lost control – not at all and not for one second!  Having said this, we are not implying that the world is now even remotely in harmony with God’s will and way; on the contrary, we see the world now as further from God than ever before/  Sounds like we are just digging a deeper hole for ourselves, doesn’t it?  Let me explain:
We have to understand the viewpoint from which we look upon this dilemma.  If we look from the inside out (because that is where we live), all we can see is the trouble and unrest surrounding us.  Look back in history and we see the trouble was there.  Look forward to the future and the trouble sure seems to be heading there as well.  In short, an inside out perspective can only see misery and death.  What if we were to look from the outside in as God does (because that’s where He lives) – what would we see then?  We would see a plan and a pattern with a beginning, middle and an end to the trouble.  Most importantly, we would see the reason for all of this.  If we could look from the outside in, we could then be on the same page as God and could therefore see the hope that God planned that He Himself sees.
We start to understand this unique perspective by going back to the prophet Joel.  Joel gave us a specific prophecy about massive destruction at the end of the age brought upon our world by “The Lord’s Great Army.”  Joel describes them as gnawing, swarming, creeping and ravaging locusts.  So who is in this army?  It probably isn't who you think!  What do they do?  How do they destroy society and how does this all add up to an amazing message of hope for the future of every man, woman and child who ever lived?
Check out our Monday August 22nd broadcast, “Has God Lost Control of Our World?” and see things from a new perspective.  It all adds up to an incredibly refreshing and revealing look at how God’s will can be accomplished for the good of the world even when the world in general does not give God the time of day.

Good and Evil. Throughout history there has always been a battle between the two and for many who hold a religion as sacred, this battle has its leaders. As Christians, we embrace God Almighty as the unequivocal Creator and Leader of all that is good and righteous, and we see Satan as the captain of all the dark forces that stand against God. So, just who is Satan? Is he a real being, and if so, how did he get to be so evil? If God created all that is good, then how could God have created Satan, the father of darkness? Does Satan come from someplace else? Did God make a mistake? First of all, God most certainly did not make a mistake.  What He did do was to create a spiritual race of beings (those whom we often refer to as angels) who had the ability to think for themselves and make choices, much in the same manner as His creative process with the human race.  This ability to choose was not without ample reference and clarity as God showed himself to be their benevolent maker, living on a spiritual plane of existence that was higher and more powerful than they were.  God was their unmistakable Father and their unequivocal guide.  This being said, where did Satan come from?
Scriptures tell us Satan was known by the name “Lucifer” before he chose rebellion.  It is odd, for when we hear that name we generally conjure up an evil, hideous and dark being, dripping with anger and jealousy.  The name “Lucifer” actually means “morning star” and he is described in the Bible as being beautiful, powerful, respected and fully in harmony with the will and word of God.  The book of Job says Lucifer was a very mighty and privileged being seemingly at God’s side as the intentional creation of planet earth began.
So, what happened?  How does one go from being “all in” and a driver of the plans and purposes of the Almighty God to being “all out” and becoming the primary driver to thwart and replace the plans and purposes of the Almighty God with one's own plans and purposes?  How does one go from joyfully following a proven path of goodness, creativity and harmony to paving their own path of rebellion, lies and self aggrandizement?
It starts with a thought.  Here again the Scriptures tell us what that thought was, what other thoughts and plans it led to and then how those thoughts and plans became actions, and those actions became habits, and those habits forged a destiny.  Check out our August 15, 2016 broadcast, “Who is Satan?” and follow along as we put the pieces of this tragic puzzle together.  Listening will not only provide a better understanding of who Satan is but also a clearer perception of how we as individuals can avoid the same pitfalls and instead become true warriors for righteousness.
 

Everyone loves a hero. Everyone loves to watch “that guy” as he (or she) defies the odds, stands up against darkness, evil or injustice and fights – sometimes he fights alone and sometimes his fight inspires others to stand and fight with him. We admire the guts, the vision and the strength of such people, for they in their heroic actions represent what we would like to be. So, what makes someone a hero? Is it one heroic action or is it a life lived in a heroic way? Do people become heroes because of their strength or in spite of their weakness? Are heroes made or are they born? How can you and I become more heroic in our everyday lives?Becoming heroic in our lives means living in a way that can not only change you, it can change your environment and the people around you as well.  For this to happen, one must have or develop heroic qualities and that means understanding what these qualities are and how they work.  So, who is a hero we can look to and learn from?
What about David when he took on and defeated the giant Goliath?  This is a truly remarkable story of faith, courage and a whole lot of heroism.  Consider the setting.  Israel’s army is on one hill and just across the valley is the army of the Philistines on another hill.  They are all preparing for battle when this one soldier - this one very BIG soldier - steps out from the ranks of the Philistine army and presents a challenge.  He personally challenges anyone from the ranks of Israel to fight him  one on one with the winner claiming victory for his respective army.  Straightforward?  Yes.  Simple?  No.  You see, Goliath was about nine feet tall!  He was a lifetime warrior; his coat of armor alone weighed about 220 pounds, the shaft of his spear was about 3 inches thick and the head of his spear weighed about 25 pounds.  He was more than formidable and he looked unbeatable!  Would YOU want to stand up against him?
David, on the other hand, was about 17 or 18 years old.  He was probably about 5’6” or so.  He was a shepherd not a soldier, and he was delivering supplies to his three oldest brothers who were soldiers while this was happening.  Goliath had been taunting Israel for 40 days when David arrived, and everyone was unnerved by the giant and the insurmountable odds he represented.  So David volunteered and said he, the shepherd, would stand before and defeat the massive warrior who daily jeered and insulted them, for they were God’s people and God’s hand would surely be with them.
We all know how the story ends, but what we don’t necessarily know is how the heroism and faith of David led him through this epic battle.  What did David need to know, need to do and need to think to become God’s hero?  Check out our August 7, 2016 program, “How do You Define “Hero”?” and see what the elements of a heroic life are and how they can change you!

Lots and lots of people pray, and we pray for all kinds of things from wanting more material things in our lives to wanting to be healed from disease or injury, to wanting bad experiences to end. While we also pray for God’s will to be done, it seems as though the focus of most of our prayers is about – well, it is all about "me" – what I feel, what I want and what I prefer. Think about it...praying is supposed to be spiritual access to the God of all things and in that access all we can focus on is...me!? So, how is prayer supposed to work? Are there guidelines or rules for HOW we should pray? Are there dos and don’ts for WHAT we should be praying for? Is prayer an open and easily accessible tool for anyone who wants to talk to God or is it more of a privilege for those who are seeking God’s will?Because prayer is a worldwide, multi-religion phenomenon, our conversation needs to narrow to the Judeo-Christian principles of prayer.  In so doing, that focuses our search for the basics of prayer towards the book in which we have the most confidence – the Bible. What a gold mine!  We found that prayer as a tool has three basic components:  Privilege, Process and Persistence. If we understand these three pieces, we can begin to understand how to make prayer a vital and effective part of our daily lives.
Let’s concentrate for a moment on privilege.  If you really believe that the God of heaven is the Creator of all things and that He is all-seeing and has a plan for the world and for you then STOP!  THINK!  When you pray, you are talking to Him and you are trying to listen to what He – the highest and most powerful being in and beyond our universe - is telling you.  If this does not give you a sense of undeserved privilege then, well, let’s just say that you might need to reflect and think it through again.
Many prayers in the Bible show us this deep and reverential attitude towards approaching God.  David in Psalm 63 is a great example.  He wrote this prayer while he was a fugitive, hiding in caves in Judah from King Saul who had gone mad and sought to kill him.  As David began to pray under this life threatening strain, he gave us verse after verse of praising God and of the boundlessness of God’s mercy and  security of God’s love.  It is only after thoughtfully lauding the greatness of God that he asked for help in his life-threatening circumstances.
Perhaps we should follow David’s lead in our own prayers and put first things first.  Let’s try to intentionally appreciate the magnitude of our God before we pour out our woes, fears and failures to him.  When we do this we will more easily begin to see our trials through the godly eyes of faith rather than the defeated eyes of struggle.  Making this adjustment will then help us to see His plans and answers more plainly as well.
Check out our July 31, 2016 program, “What Should We be Praying For?”  There is so much more to learn about regarding the value of prayer, and it is all right there for the taking!

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"Materialism" is a philosophy that permeates much of the world today. It is the belief that physical stuff underlies everything real, and it rejects any supernatural forces as having influence in our world. It teaches that the universe came into existence on its own, without any intelligence or design behind it; and it has proceeded randomly since. Further, it is claimed there is no natural moral code in this accidental universe other than what man comes up with. Thus there is no reason why we are here and no hope beyond death. The material world is all there is or will be. Related to this is the concept of "scientism," which is the belief that science is the only reliable source of truth. Is this true? Is science the only source of truth? Does science really validate godlessness? Or does science show something else entirely?
Admittedly, attempting to talk about science and relating it to the existence of God is a monumental task, for both Science and God are enormous and complex. Science proves itself to be based on precision and design and we believe that God is in fact the designer not only of Science but of everything else in the physical universe. Where there is a designer and a design, there must also be a plan. The Bible helps us to trace God’s plan for the universe, for our galaxy and for all of mankind.
Planet earth. We all know water drives earthly life but what many of us don’t know is that the properties of water are very unique and therefore perfectly suited to sustain life. For water to be able to do its life sustaining work our planet needs to be orbiting the sun within a narrow band where water can flow, where the sun’s gravity won’t overwhelm the planet and where we won’t burn up or freeze. The phrase “The Goldilocks Zone” has been adopted by some researchers to describe this narrow life sustaining band around our sun because its conditions are “just right.” A question we should ask ourselves is, were these elements put in place by chance or by design?
Did you know the thickness of the earth’s crust is vital to life? Did you know the precise strength of earth’s magnetic field is also vital to life? And what about the precise combination of oxygen, nitrogen and carbon dioxide in our atmosphere – this is vital as well. Again, the question to ask is, could all of these things just randomly happened or was it by design?
When you look at the properties of the sun, the size and placement of the moon, and the nuclear, gravitational and electromagnetic forces in the universe, what continues to be revealed is design and extraordinary precision. Is it all by chance?
There is so much more! You owe it to yourself to listen to our July 24th, 2016 broadcast “Does Science Show the Existence of a Creator?” even if you don’t believe in “Intelligent Design.” We would love to hear what you think!

Most of us really don’t like ourselves. We are too tall or short, too fat or thin, too reserved or too lazy. We don’t like ourselves because we don’t think before we act or we think too much and don’t act at all. We don’t like ourselves because we are not attractive enough or we don’t have enough charisma or we are too lonely or we run away from our problems. Maybe we think we are too forward and forceful or too confrontational or maybe we think we are too analytical, too self-conscious or just plain wimpy! Whatever the case, we seem to be unhappy with ourselves, which brings us to the question – as a Christian aren’t we supposed to not like ourselves so we can be more like Jesus? So, shouldn’t we be happy in our unhappiness? Let’s stop already! Too many questions – let's find some answers!
The real problem with not liking ourselves is not that we are unlikeable.  On the contrary, most of us can rattle off the names of many people we know who actually do like us.  The problem is that we determine our desire to like ourselves by using an unreliable and sliding scale.  Here is the process:  our self assessment usually comes to the front of our minds when difficult things happen - we have just gone through a tough experience or a break up of some kind or we have come up short in some effort.  We look at the results that are obviously not ideal and then inevitably compare ourselves to someone else who happens to have been successful in the same circumstance...and surprise surprise, the seeds of self loathing are planted!
This is such a flawed approach in so many ways, yet it is such a common approach among so many people.  To change that which is common requires taking an uncommon path that begins with our common conclusions.  Let me explain:  A common reason for our not liking ourselves is that we are flawed.  The Bible even verifies this as it tells us we are “born in sin and shapen in iniquity.”  We read this and think that all too common thought, "Well, no wonder I don’t like myself!" and now we have begun accepting a premise (based on fact though it may be) without considering the larger and infinitely more important viewpoint.  This unconsidered viewpoint is the heavenly one – it is God’s own viewpoint and observations of what and who we are.
What does God think of what and who we are?  Is He looking down at us flabbergasted at our condition?  Does he see us as broken beyond repair and a total waste of His time?  No!  We know He sees us differently because the Bible is not only clear on the matter, it is detailed as well.  Therefore, should we not try and adopt His perspective of us as a baseline for our “likeability” rather than our own flawed and ever-changing conclusions of our “likeability”?  Yes!  But how?
Please, take some time and listen to our July 10th 2016 broadcast, “But, do You Really Like Yourself?” and give yourself the opportunity to refresh the way you see yourself.  If you let it, this program can help to change and elevate the very path of your thoughts!

We are blessed. We live in a country where freedom of speech and assembly are a given – a country where we can choose who to worship and how we accomplish that worship. We live in a country where we can apply ourselves, work hard and attain levels of success that are not only rare, they are unheard of in many other places. We live in America and we have the freedoms we currently enjoy because of the wisdom and sacrifice of the countless patriots who founded our country long ago. As we pause over the 4th of July weekend to celebrate their efforts and succes, we also want to pause to look long and hard at our present interpretation of freedom. Have we lost our way when it comes to the privilege of living in freedom and assuming the necessary responsibilities that are inherent to it? Is our freedom here in America on borrowed time?Understanding freedom is a tricky thing.  If you asked the average person  you see everyday what freedom is, we all know that you would get a variety of answers.  If you tracked the answers by age brackets, I think you would find (my opinion here) that our youngest adults – those in their 20’s and early 30’s would lean towards answering the question with a "freedom means being able to do what you want" kind of a statement.  They are essentially saying that freedom is self-directed.  But is it?
To truly understand the way freedom works best and produces its maximum results, we need to go back to the time when, well, when freedom was best.  That time was way back when Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden and God dealt with them directly.  He blessed them with their environment and gave them dominion.  These gifts were the basis of how mankind’s free world was supposed to look.  It was a clean and fresh world in which they were given the authority to guide the growth of their pristine environment as they tended and nurtured it.  Adam and Eve truly were free!
Along with the breathtaking benefits God had given them, He also gave them guidelines.  These guidelines provided necessary boundaries for mankind’s freedom and dominion to operate within and they were simply and powerfully stated: This garden is all yours, but do not eat of a specific tree, or else you will suffer serious consequences.  These boundaries rounded out the defining qualities of freedom.
Mankind’s original freedom had immense benefits, built upon the unequivocal foundation of clearly stated responsibilities - take care of what you are given and respect the boundaries your Creator has set.  So, freedom as it was originally given was not simply “freedom with responsibility” it was actually “freedom because of responsibility.”  Now that is a major difference!
What are the implications of “freedom because of responsibility”?  Is our interpretation of freedom today on the same page, or do we not even know that that page exists?   Check out our July 3rd, 2016 broadcast, “Freedom and responsibility – Still Important?” and see not only where all of this leads us, but also see how to step up to freedom because you are responsible!

Life can get heavy sometimes. It can happen for all kinds of reasons – our own poor judgment or mistakes, circumstances beyond our control, accidents or a tragedy. Whatever the reason, the fact is that sometimes life just becomes a heavy burden. When life does get heavy we begin to doubt and to fear, which opens the door to begin down that ever-consuming road of discouragement and even depression. So, how do we fight this? How do we find a formula that will help us to stand up and walk under the weight, to fight through the fear and to persevere through the pain? How can we transform the heaviest experiences of our lives into the best growing experiences of our lives?
The first and perhaps most important part of the answer to this question is that it is possible – it is possible to transform our heaviest, hardest and most ominous experiences into the fertile ground of acceptance, growth and change.  To make this transformation happen, we need a specific pattern to follow, and it just so happens that this pattern is neatly laid out for us in the first chapter of James.  Verse two of James 1 shocks us into paying attention to what is about to follow:
James 1:2: (NASB) Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials...
Now, on the surface this may not seem unusual as it seems that James is telling us to consider – to think about a different perspective – to try on a different way of thinking.  Well, as is so often the case there is much lost in translation here.  You see, to “consider” in this particular context carries the meaning of “fix in your mind as truth” an absolute statement of perspective rather than a mere idea or suggestion.  So if we were to paraphrase this seemingly benign statement to try and really capture its meaning, I think it would sound more like; fix in your mind as truth that it is a cause for calm delight (joy) when you encounter (are surrounded with) various trials (various ways of being proven). 
Now, let’s be practical...who in their right mind is going to have calm delight when their life is falling apart?  Actually, to really be practical, the question needs to be rephrased.  We should rather ask; who would like to know that when their life seems to be falling apart, there really are powerful and positive reasons behind it and the end result will be amazing beyond their comprehension?  You see, this is what James is driving at – this is how he is getting our attention!
Please check out our June 26, 2016 broadcast entitled, “How do You Stand When Life gets too Heavy?” and see how to fill in the process James lays out for us to bear the heaviest burdens of our lives.  It is a truly remarkable journey that has the potential to take your burdens, reveal their blessings and give you the strength to carry them - and who doesn’t want that?

To figure out how important the substance of what we believe is, we really need to go back before the varied traditions of Christian thinking developed to the time when the original messengers of the Gospel were on the scene.  That would be the twelve Apostles and what we find there is telling.  For instance, the Apostle Paul, while in prison and knowing that he was near his death, wrote a touching and profound letter to Timothy, a young man who Paul considered to be his spiritual son.  In this letter, Paul tells Timothy that he is almost spent and that Timothy would have to step up and become a leader within the young and vibrant Christian movement.  Paul encourages, directs and warns Timothy about what is to come and even gives what would probably have been a surprising prophecy about the future of Christianity.
The Apostle’s prophecy is short, simple and direct.  He said there will come a time when they – many who are operating within the confines of the name of Christ - would not endure sound doctrine and instead would be looking to hear only those things that they wanted to hear.  Paul is saying there would be a rampant epidemic of selfish ambition, laziness and mediocrity that would permeate the church.  This would result in those who are coming to learn and be transformed ending up being those whom church leaders would seek to please and prop up.   In other words, the sound and solid foundation of the true Gospel teachings delivered by Paul and the Apostles would be replaced (subtly at first) with pagan and idolatrous thinking and activity which would lead to Christianity becoming "unchristian."
We live in the very day the Apostle Paul prophesied about.  That means we each need to look around our own Christian environment and ask ourselves, what do I believe a Christian life should look like?  Is my belief in accordance with the original Gospel or has it been hijacked by convenience and popularity?  What do I believe is God’s plan for the world?  Is my belief in accordance with the original Gospel or has it been hijacked by tradition and fear?  Check out our June 19, 2016 broadcast, “Is What You Believe That Big of a Deal?” because what you believe IS a big deal!
 

…But do you trust me? Such a question pierces right down to the heart of any matter, for true trust is sacred. Any relationship - be it family, friends, business or otherwise - will thrive when trust is intact. With trust, growth, change and the conquering of obstacles are all not only possible but probable. With trust there is security. When trust is broken – and it can be broken in an instant with a single word or action – any relationship is headed for shipwreck upon the rocks of disappointment and despair. Rebuilding after such a shipwreck is a long and difficult process. So, how can we learn to trust the right things in a deep and secure fashion?
"Trust" according to Merriam Webster Online Dictionary means, "assured reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something."  Think about it – trust is not just relying on someone or something; it is assured reliance, a reliance that is deep and convicted, a reliance that has no doubts.  God through Jesus is unequivocally trustworthy - unequivocally worthy of our assured reliance - and to learn to have this kind of trust in Him will absolutely change your life...so how do we learn it?
The Old and New Testaments have different shades of meaning for trust.  In the Old Testament, trust is described in a very physical way, as its meaning is to flee for protection or to hide for refuge.  So, when you have serious issues in life that cause stress or cause you to need to find safety and security, you go to the person or place you believe will absolutely cover and protect you from danger – you go to the person or place you implicitly trust.
The New Testament describes trust very much in the context of hope and persuasion.  That might sound odd until we think it through.  Trust is hope in that as we look to the future in the context of this very unsettled world, we need to have something to anchor our souls.  The Bible’s teaching and prophecies provide us that anchor, for they give us solid reason to hope for – to have utter confidence in – to trust the future, because if God revealed it, then it will in fact come to pass.  To hope, to truly look forward with convicted hope, is therefore to trust.
Persuasion is trust as well, for when we are persuaded of something, when we are shown the proof and clarity of something to the point of our adopting it as a basis for our life, we have then put trust into play.  To be persuaded is to trust.
Now that we know what trust looks like, how can it in a very practical way become an integral part of our lives? Check out our June 12, 2016 broadcast entitled, “How do We Learn to Truly Trust?” and see how the Bible not only gives us living examples of trust being developed, it also shows us how to step-by-step make trust real and vital in our lives!