Christian Questions Bible Podcast

Theme Scripture: Genesis 2:23-24
It would seem that most entering into marriage do so with high expectations of a life of happiness, fulfillment and companionship. Unfortunately for far too many, these expectations are foreign to their reality. Excluding marriages that end in divorce, how many are truly happy and fulfilled, and how many are simply going along to get along? These are hard things to look at. In order to do so in a positive and growth-oriented way, we need to establish two basic truths for our conversation. First, let’s understand that “Happily ever after” is a fairy tale ending. The feelings it ignites of an everyday bliss-filled life are unfair and not real. Second, let’s understand that our marriages CAN be happy, fulfilled and full of companionship, IF we know what we’re striving for and are willing to put in the effort!

Theme Scripture: Matthew 23:27
Jesus was at odds with the scribes and Pharisees. They stood for traditions that had been built upon the foundation of the Jewish Law but were not part of the already complex rules and guidelines God had commanded through Moses so many generations before them. No, these traditions were fabrications, and were likely in place to separate the ruling class from the people. Meanwhile, Jesus stood for the people. He stood for those who were less educated, less fortunate and less prominent, as they were the ones most likely to be open to God’s grace and mercy. This division came to a head shortly before Jesus was crucified, as he directly confronted these leaders with their hypocrisy. In Part I, we began to address the seven powerful "woes" Jesus had proclaimed to them.

Jesus was a wise, loving and compassionate man. His whole reason for becoming a man was to give his life as a ransom for every single human being who ever lived, and you can’t be more selfless and giving than that. Yet, with all of his compassion, Jesus was also one to not mince words when a hard message was needed. This becomes extremely evident when we examine the seven woes he proclaimed to the Pharisees in Matthew chapter 23. Of all the words we have recorded from Jesus’ earthly ministry, these are the most blunt and direct. So, what was Jesus really saying to the scribes and Pharisees? Was he showing a fundamental dislike for them? Was he exposing their true characters so everyone could see? Or was he simply expressing his dislike for who they were and what they stood for?

Theme Scripture: Romans 12:12
Let’s face it. We all know that each and every one of us can be better. We can be better human beings, better friends, co-workers, spouses, cousins and certainly better Christians. The challenge here is obvious. Being “better” requires change. Significant change. To be better in whatever area we are focusing on requires a different mindset, which brings different words and actions. This all translates into work! So, how do we go about actually becoming “better”? Where do we start? How many parts of our lives do we try to change? Do we work on them all at once? How do we figure out what the very highest priorities are? What if we fail? How does the Bible guide us with all of these details?

Theme Scripture: James 1:19-20
In our last episode, we laid a foundation for understanding and managing harmful biases. One primary lesson we learned was that we ALL - no matter who we are and what our background is - are biased. While this is an uncomfortable truth, it is a necessary realization, for a true Christian is to strive to overcome any and all fleshly inclinations. We also learned this overcoming is no easy task. Just because we may be able to point out a personal bias does not mean we are on a path to dismantle it. On the contrary, often times recognizing our biases can make us very self-protective. In this episode, we continue to uncover specific ways our biases show themselves and specific scriptural principles to deal with them. This is no easy task. Hold on, here we go!

Theme Scripture: James 1:19-20
I was recently summoned for jury duty. As I sat in the room at the beginning of the day, the court and its representatives showed some really informative introductory videos on what to expect and look out for when serving on a jury. The main topic they focused on was bias. Their premise was that we ALL have biases and we ALL can be in danger of following them rather than following the simple facts of a case. I was struck by their significant efforts to enlighten and warn about this sometimes subtle but incredibly common enemy of justice. Our claiming to be Christian does NOT somehow magically release us from our previous biases. In fact, our claims to Christianity may even be in jeopardy because of our personal biases. So, how do we learn to recognize this devious and damaging tendency?

Theme Scripture: Jonah 1:1-2
We all have heard of the biblical account of Jonah and the whale. Because it is so unique and dramatic, it has been an often-repeated story with many lessons - and rightfully so. What many don’t realize is the magnitude of the events and teachings surrounding this amazing circumstance. First, one point of clarification. It wasn’t a whale, it was a “great fish.” When we examine how and why Jonah came to be in the unlikely position to be swallowed by that fish and what happened afterwards, we end up with a powerful story of God’s will versus our preferences. The bottom line here is that Jonah is an example of what NOT to do when tasked with godly responsibilities. However, he’s also an example of what TO do. Let’s unfold this account and see how both of these descriptions can be true.

Theme Scripture: John 1:40-41
As Christians, when we think about Jesus and his reason for being born as a man, we’re always inspired by the selflessness of his sacrifice to redeem Adam and all of humanity from sin and death. This gift is truly beyond anything we deserve. When we think of the Messiah, we instinctively think of Jesus. In our last episode, we explored a Jewish perspective regarding their expectations of Messiah. What we found were several differences, but also several inspiring similarities. Today, we delve deeply into many Old Testament prophecies. We’ll focus in on the astounding detail with which they not only describe Jesus, but also provide all of humanity with the hope for a new life and the opportunity to live it forever. The bottom line? We’re blessed to have God’s amazing plan unfold through Jesus our Lord and Messiah.

Theme Scripture: John 1:40-41
Christians differ on a lot of things, and sometimes these differences can be troublesome. The basics we all agree on are centered on Jesus. We believe he died for our sins, and we believe he came to give his truest followers the opportunity to be in heaven with him. We also believe he is the Messiah. As a matter of fact, we look at the Old Testament prophecies and have a hard time comprehending why those of the Jewish faith aren’t able to recognize his Messiahship. It seems obvious! Obvious until we realize a few startling scriptural facts. First, the label “Messiah” is only used twice in the Old Testament. It is only used twice in the New Testament as well. This means that what we see as overtly obvious, may in fact be more hidden than we ever thought. So, what do we do now?

Theme Scripture: Isaiah 11:9
God gave us the ability to understand and appreciate His plan of the ages by revealing that plan within the pages of the Bible. This plan is focused on the necessary steps to bring ALL of His creation - both heavenly and earthly - to an existence that will completely and forever live in harmony with one another under His mighty hand and will. In Parts I and II of this series, we looked at how that shaping and revitalizing to a state of perfection takes place. It began with the Old Testament heroes of faith, continues with the faithful disciples of Christ now, and will come to include an opportunity for each and every human being later. In this episode, we look at the nations of the world, beginning with Israel. What does the Bible tell us about the perfecting process of all these nations? Plenty!