Christian Questions Bible Podcast

It turns out that someone has not only already asked that question but answered it as well.  Todd Alexander was our guest for the June 5, 2016 broadcast titled, “How can I Inspire Like Jesus?” and he brought his answers with him.
We began our conversation by reviewing the depth of inspiration that Jesus gave and then began to look at how he did it.  Now, obviously being the perfect son of God put Jesus in a natural position to be inspiring, but there was much more to it than that.  Jesus used seven very specific methods to inspire others, and by observing how he used them, we can we can begin to unlock the secrets of being inspirational ourselves.
The first key is “Question.”  Now, that may seem a little odd, but stay with me.  Jesus would ask questions to create a thought or a thought pattern in the hearts of potential followers.  By asking a question instead of declaring a truth, Jesus actually gave ownership of whatever the lesson was that he was teaching to the potential disciple, and when we own something we tend to take better care of it.  So, questions really can be tools to guide others and to lift them up to a higher level of thinking.  In short, questions can really inspire.  We just need to make sure the questions we ask are for the benefit and betterment of those we are addressing, otherwise our results will be far from inspiring.
The second key is “Love.”  Because “God is love,” this key to inspiration can actually bring the recipient of our expression of love to catch a glimpse of the face of God through us!  Just thinking about that is inspiring!  Remember, we as Christians are to love all men and that includes our enemies, so while thinking about implementing this key is exciting, it is certainly not without its challenges.
Keys three through seven?  No time for those now, but that does not mean they do not have the same potential impact as the first two.  Please check out our June 5, 2016 broadcast titled, “How can I Inspire Like Jesus?” and give yourself the full opportunity to not only be inspired but to learn how to pass on true, deep and transformational inspiration to others!

Inspiration elevates people. Everyone loves inspiration and wants to be inspired. We love to hear or watch stories that bring us inspiration, and we will go back to those stories again and again to refuel. Even more than going back to those stories, we would love to be inspiring to others – we would love to be that story that people go back to again and gain. Jesus was like that. He was a constant source of inspiration in everything he said and did, and for the last two thousand years, billions have gone back to the accounts of his life to be inspired and directed. Well, what if you could learn how Jesus inspired others and begin to become an inspiration yourself?
It turns out that someone has not only already asked that question but answered it as well.  Todd Alexander was our guest for the June 5, 2016 broadcast titled, “How can I Inspire Like Jesus?” and he brought his answers with him.
We began our conversation by reviewing the depth of inspiration that Jesus gave and then began to look at how he did it.  Now, obviously being the perfect son of God put Jesus in a natural position to be inspiring, but there was much more to it than that.  Jesus used seven very specific methods to inspire others, and by observing how he used them, we can we can begin to unlock the secrets of being inspirational ourselves.
The first key is “Question.”  Now, that may seem a little odd, but stay with me.  Jesus would ask questions to create a thought or a thought pattern in the hearts of potential followers.  By asking a question instead of declaring a truth, Jesus actually gave ownership of whatever the lesson was that he was teaching to the potential disciple, and when we own something we tend to take better care of it.  So, questions really can be tools to guide others and to lift them up to a higher level of thinking.  In short, questions can really inspire.  We just need to make sure the questions we ask are for the benefit and betterment of those we are addressing, otherwise our results will be far from inspiring.
The second key is “Love.”  Because “God is love,” this key to inspiration can actually bring the recipient of our expression of love to catch a glimpse of the face of God through us!  Just thinking about that is inspiring!  Remember, we as Christians are to love all men and that includes our enemies, so while thinking about implementing this key is exciting, it is certainly not without its challenges.
Keys three through seven?  No time for those now, but that does not mean they do not have the same potential impact as the first two.  Please check out our June 5, 2016 broadcast titled, “How can I Inspire Like Jesus?” and give yourself the full opportunity to not only be inspired but to learn how to pass on true, deep and transformational inspiration to others!

Resentment! How dangerous is it? Is there a way to prevent resentment within us? Resentment is a potentially lethal evil that can cause great harm inwardly and toward others. It has the power to enslave us to the past. When we resent people, we give them power over us. Resentment is based on a way of thinking that suggests, I have been wronged or deserve better. It comes from an entitlement or victim-type mentality and it leads to bitterness. How do we avoid this sinful state? How can resentment lead to death?
Our May 29, 2016 broadcast titled, “How Can Resentment Lead To Death?” focused on six related emotions that can cause resentment: Selfishness, Anger, Discontent, Pride, Jealousy and Humiliation. We examined biblical characters who experienced these related emotions to see if they fall into this awful trap of resentment or rise above it. To add to our discussion we took a look at the poem “Gaining Victory Over Self” and discussed how to overcome the emotions that can lead to resentment.
Holding a grudge against someone can harm us and the other person. When we nurture anger, selfishness, and other emotions that lead to resentment, it turns into a concentrated dose of emotional poison! If we don’t get rid of anything related to resentment and we allow this to happen in our heart, it is almost like idolatry! Why - Because we are replacing God in our heart with the resentment instead.
Resentment is something that eats away on the inside of us and we have to be the one to let it go. When resentment and bitterness are a firmly established condition of the heart, it is more difficult to get rid of. We need to weed out resentment so it doesn’t destroy us! It is important to weed out the smaller things, like selfishness, pride, anger etc. before it turns to resentment and creates damage in our own hearts, minds and bodies.
Mark 11:25: (NASB) “Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions.” Forgiveness is a decision to let go of resentment and to keep it out of our hearts and minds. Forgiveness changes our destination!

The whole idea of being our brother’s keeper comes up very early in the Bible, and it comes up under some really bad circumstances – the murder of Able by his brother Cain. God had watched the circumstances develop that would lead to Cain’s growing rage and God actually intervened with a potential solution. The Bible shows us the thought pattern of Cain – the downward spiral he willingly stepped into and followed rather than following God’s solution. It is a really scary sequence, because it is the all too common spiral of rage that is alive and well today. Cain inevitably chose to ignore God’s direction and followed his own rage instead with the result of a murdered brother. When God rhetorically asks Cain where his brother is (he was laying dead in a field) Cain’s response is the infamous line “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
The answer to that infamous question is a resounding yes! We are to be our brother’s keeper – but what does that really mean? First of all, the word “keeper” literally means “to hedge about, to guard” “generally to protect, to attend to”. So, the first thing to notice is that being our brother’s keeper is much more than just acknowledging or noticing our brother – it means to be protective of him, to work towards his best safety and welfare.
The next thing we need to think about is another really good age old question “Who is my brother?” Who should be on my radar to “protect and defend”? Here again we see that all of humanity is not and should not be treated in the same way by each of us. Whoa, really? Are we saying that we should be discriminating in the way we treat others? Yes – but please remember that the word “discriminating” does not always mean prejudice – it means using wisdom as well!
Think about it – we treat our family in a special way because we have a special physical bond, a commonality with them. We treat our brotherhood in Christ in a special way – similar to family – because we have a special spiritual bond and commonality with them. We treat our neighbors and associates in a different way, in accordance with whatever our common ground is and we treat our enemies differently, because of a lack of commonality.
What do all of these relationships have in common? Love! We are to love all of them. Check out our May 22, 2016 broadcast “Should We be Our Brother’s Keeper?” and see how to apply this “protect and defend” principle in different ways depending on the relationship involved, as it just might make your day!

Equal pay for equal work. When you hear that statement, you think – who wouldn’t think that is a good idea? Who in their right mind would argue against such a thing? Did Jesus teach us a contrary lesson to this principle of equality? When we read the parable of the workers in the vineyard, it sure seems to be teaching that God cares more about playing favorites than about treating people equally. Is that really the lesson that Jesus is teaching here?
Parables are tricky. They are stories designed to teach a point or a principle in picture language. The pictures are taken from everyday life. Back in Jesus’ day farming, fishing household servants and social differences were some of the common denominators that all could relate to and Jesus used these things freely as tools for teaching. The parable of the workers in the vineyard told a common story of a land owner looking for day laborers to work in his vineyard and how he gathered more and more of them throughout the day. What was uncommon in the story was that when the work day ended, the landowner paid all of the laborers the same wage, even though some worked twelve hours and some worked only one. How can this be good, especially if God is represented by the landowner?
Like we said, parables are tricky. The other part of the equation is why – why did Jesus see a need to teach a particular lesson? In the case of this lesson, Jesus was teaching his Apostles about social standing and self importance. What made this parable necessary was that just before it, Jesus had been discussing entering God’s Kingdom with a young, well off and educated Jew. This young man knew, respected and followed the Jewish Law and because he was blessed with wealth, the Apostles thought he was a prime candidate for the kingdom. Jesus read the young man’s heart and saw that he was too attached to his earthly wealth and stature and told him to leave it all behind and follow him. The man could not do it and went away sad. The Apostles who had left all and were already following Jesus figured they were in line for something great. Jesus saw in them some of the same attachment to their standing and stature with him that the wealthy young man had to his riches.
So Jesus taught. He captured their attention with the story and as a result imparted to them a timeless lesson of serving God with humility. While he was at it, Jesus also gave them a prophetic look at how the Gospel would spread throughout the world. It is so much like Jesus to teach more than one thing at a time!
Parables are tricky and because of that, when we figure them out, they are really cool as well! Check out our May 15th 2016 broadcast, “Did Jesus Support Wage Discrimination?” and see how a parable that on the surface seems to support inequity actually teaches the grace and wisdom of God!

We live in a time of great contradiction. There are voices that shout, rant and insist for all in our society to embrace and accept everyone no matter what their choices in life are and no matter what their actions in life may be. Their message in many ways is framed as one of love – love for those who are opposite, love for those who are different. Then there are those like myself who say that while I am willing to accept and love people regardless of their choices, I will not embrace anything I believe is not moral or righteous. I will love the person but not the action. For this I have been called a "hater" by those who preach that you should embrace those who are different than you. Jesus told us to love our enemies, but what exactly does that mean? Am I not loving enough? Do I need to change?
Love your enemies. It is a principle for living that is looked up to and striven for by some and laughed and scorned by others. No matter how you look at it, loving ones enemies is a difficult and rare occurrence because it involves some level of acceptance we are not inclined to want to give.
There is a lot of talk around about accepting and embracing those who are different than you – those who in some ways would represent an enemy or opposition. Not only is there talk, but there is a movement as well – a movement that demands an unequivocal acceptance and embracing of people and their alternative behaviors. At first glance this movement appears to be founded in love and respect for all, and that would certainly be a good thing. The problem arises when those of us, who for the sake of moral belief and conviction, are willing to accept peopl, but not embrace behavior that we deem inappropriate or immoral. It is here where, based on personal experience, we suddenly become enemies who are to be shut down and ridiculed. ...Hardly an example of the very acceptance that this movement claims to preach!
Jesus lived and taught the concept of loving our enemies. He not only told us to love our enemies, he told us to pray for them and even to bless them. Wait a minute. Bless them? How do you bless someone who you think is wrong? How do you bless someone who does evil? How do you bless someone who wants to hurt you? Isn’t this going a little too far?
Our May 8th, 2016 broadcast entitled “Why Should We Love Our Enemies?” focused on these very questions. We not only examined what Jesus was saying about loving our enemies, but we took significant time learning the why and how of what he said. And no surprise, it turns out that in Jesus’ words and actions there are several profound lessons for every day application waiting to be put into practice. Jesus didn’t make loving our enemies an easy task but he did make it a desirable and attainable one.
One lesson that is an important building block for learning to love our enemies is that of blame. Sometimes we think that in order to love our enemies we need to not blame them for wrongs they have committed but this is not right. Blame is not only appropriate it is a necessary step in love. That being said, we need to understand how to blame in a godly way. On top of this we need to learn the other necessary steps that help us to complete the process of loving our enemies. Check out the broadcast and see how loving our enemies can not only work but can enhance our everyday lives!

“I think that God is telling me to look for another job,” or “God wants me to buy this house instead of that one,” or “It’s God’s will that I be happy.”  As Christians, we may have made statements like this and we would assume that anyone making these types of statements has some way to know what God wants for them.  The real question is how do we really know?  Is there a formula or a ritual or a feeling that shows us what God wants for us?  You would think that if God is working with real and true Christians, then he would have a really clear way to show them what He wants.  So, is there a really clear way for us to see God’s will?
This answer, like any answer to really difficult questions, has several moving parts because the subject of God’s will is enormous.  Is God’s will explicit or implicit?  Is His will specific or general?  Does God really care about the mundane parts of our lives - is His will present in the kind of phone we have or the dish washing detergent we buy?
In this broadcast, we tried to simplify and focus the matter.  We began by establishing what God’s will is not. It is not like a dot on a piece of paper - so small and precise that the odds of hitting it are like the odds of nailing the exact center of the bulls-eye on a dart board.  These odds would be slim and frustrating at best.  Rather, God’s will is much more like a circle.  There is room for creativity, diversity and thoughtfulness within this circle because we as Christians are a collection of creative, diverse and free moral beings.
So, if we can picture God’s will as a circle, then the next logical thing to look at is what makes up the borders of that circle.  Are there things (be they principles, actions or morality) that present themselves as definitive guidelines that separate us from being able to operate within or outside of God’s will?  Can we know what these borders are and therefore better know how to keep the scope of our decisions within the "safety zone" of the will of God?
It turns out the answer is yes.  There are many clear and concise scriptural guidelines that define what kinds of decisions would be within the scope of God’s will and what kinds of decisions are wandering around outside those protective borders.  Check out our May 1st, 2016 program “How do You Know What God Wants You to Do?” and see if it can help to define and hone the relationship between God’s will and your decisions.

Courage. It is an attribute we all can envision somehow or other. Courage is digging deep within to do what others won’t. It is acting in spite of fear, it is standing up when no one else will, it is joining with others against the odds, it is facing an enemy when you are overmatched. Courage is being, doing, seeing and thinking beyond what you thought possible – it is strength personified, perseverance in action and focus revealed. Courage changes things. So, can you develop courage? Can you actually make yourself more likely to be courageous?
How would you describe courage?  To me, courage is digging deep within to do what others won’t – it is acting in spite of fear, it is standing up when no one else will, it is joining with others against the odds, it is being overmatched and still facing your enemy.  Courage is being, doing, seeing and thinking beyond what you thought possible – it is strength personified, perseverance in action and focus revealed.  Courage changes things. Dramatically.  The problem with courage is that it is an attribute that seems to be waning in our present day.  Rather than digging deep to find the strength to answer calls to courage we now just barely scratch the surface of character as we settle in and answer calls to conformity.  How can we change this?
One way to rekindle the call to courage is to look back in time and find someone who was faced with a serious dilemma and see what they did to gather themselves, focus and plow through the problem. For us this search is easy, for the Bible is full of examples of courage. Think of Noah, or Moses, or Elijah or Daniel. All of them are heroes of faith and all of them are heroes of courage.  For the sake of today’s conversation, we will consider another – we will look to Joshua.
Joshua’s call to courage was different than the others because he was called upon to take the place of the great deliverer Moses. Moses had died before he could lead Israel into their Promised Land so God laid the mantle of leadership upon the shoulders of Joshua.  Talk about an impossible task – how could anyone have ever taken the place of Moses?
God knew how daunting this would be, so in the book of Joshua the first chapter, God explained what he needed from Joshua as his new leader.  The great thing is that as God walked Joshua through the steps to becoming a courageous leader, he was also teaching us how to make courage an integral part of our daily lives.
God told Joshua three times to be strong and courageous within the first nine verses of chapter one. He was delivering a very specific message – that is that strength is a necessary basis for true enduring courage. Without internal strength of character as a foundation, courage cannot survive long term, because courage needs to be fed by strength. It is on this basis that the five principles used to develop courage are built.
Listen in to our April 24, 2016 broadcast “What Does Courage Look Like?” and watch how those five principles of courage are related by God to Joshua.  Then, listen to how those five principles of courage can change your own thinking, perspective and even change your life!

Regret stinks.  And it stinks for so many reasons.  Think about it - you do something and the result for whatever reason is just not good, so you end up deeply regretting that action.  Now, it’s not enough to just look back over what happened and feel that twinge of pain just once - no, of course not.  Because you have a deep regret, you get to play that experience over and over again in your mind.  You get to feel the pain, experience the guilt and relive those messy choices, sometimes multiple times in one day!  And guess what happens the next day and the next day and the next?  See, regret stinks!
We are here to tell you that it doesn’t have to be this way.  Really.  What you need to do is to understand and apply few things and by so doing you can take your nasty and destructive regrets and actually transform them into practical tools to navigate your present and set up your future.  Once you know the “what” and the “how” of the fix, all that will be left are the daily choices to apply the fix.
We walked through this whole thing in our two-part series “Will My Regrets Ever Leave Me Alone?” from April 10th and 17th, 2016.  In these two broadcasts, we discovered some amazing and life-changing biblical principles that squarely focus on dealing with our regrets. These principles are revealed by the Apostle Paul, who was previously known as Saul of Tarsus and as anti-Christian as one could be before being converted by Jesus himself.  The regret that Saul, now Paul, would have had to deal with was enormous, for he had persecuted, imprisoned and even sanctioned the murder of the very Christians he would spend the rest of his life serving.  Jesus knows this and talks Paul through the process of managing his regrets so he would be able to focus on the critical work of spreading the Gospel instead of constantly reminding himself of how bad his past was.
It turns out there are five basic step-by-step principles that Jesus taught Paul to manage regret.  Like any series of steps, the first few are really foundational and need to be securely in place before the rest can be applied.  Accept and embrace the pain of your actions and assume responsibility are the first two steps we begin with to manage our regrets.  Oftentimes we do these steps naturally, but the BIG problem is that we stop there and don’t apply the next three steps of transformation.  Again, don’t stop there as it is hazardous to your well being!
Please check out “Will My Regrets Ever Leave Me Alone?” parts 1 and 2 from April 10th and 17th.  Life can change if you know how to change it and these five principles just might help!

Daniel was a prophet in the Bible who lived many many years before Jesus and he was given glimpses into the future that were extraordinary. The odd thing about his future glimpses was that he was told that he would not understand them and to “seal them up in the book until the time of the end”. This would have been a bummer for Daniel, but not so much for us because we happen to live right at the time when the mystery surrounding his mysterious prophecies can be unraveled.
In our April 10, 2016 program “Did the Prophet Daniel See the Future?” we had a special guest with us as we embarked on the unraveling process. Now, because there is SO much by way of future glimpses in the book of Daniel, we chose to focus on just a few very powerful lines of prophecy from Daniel the 12th chapter. The first several verses of this chapter laid out several profound things:
Standing up for the children of God’s people/ Israel
The Time of Trouble
Resurrection
Reconciliation
The Time of the end
Knowledge increased
Running to and fro
Some of the basic principles of understanding these things are as follows – The time of the end is a long time – hundreds of years. Once you figure out when the time of the end starts you begin to see that housed within that long time frame are the many other details mentioned above. While this might sound complicated it is far more amazing than complex.
We spent about half of the program looking at the unmistakable proofs that this prophecy really does unfold and apply in our very day. Did I say that these proofs were unmistakable? Did I mention that these prophecies were amazing? I meant every word! Please, take some time and listen, then tell us what you think!