24 Minute Bible - A Simple Journey to Understand the Bible

Episode #186 No business, no sports dynasty, no political movement is of any consequence unless it outlives its predecessor. That is equally true of the church of Jesus. Mentoring ‘leaders’ and ‘handing off the baton’ to a new generation is of ultimate importance. In the books of Timothy and Titus, the focus of Paul’s letters is training and empowering new church leaders (Timothy and Titus) who wi...

Episode # 186 Whether now or 2000 years ago, the promised RETURN of Jesus was of great interest to all Believers. That was especially true of the church of Thessaloniki. Paul wrote two letters to this church (and to us) giving us Holy Spirit insights about the ‘how and when’ of the event— as well as encouraging us to not get ‘lazy’ in the ‘present’ while looking for the Glory of the future.

Episode # 185 It seems that ‘prison’ is the ‘birthplace’ of some great writing— Pilgrim’s Progress (John Bunyan), Civil Disobedience (Henry David Thoreau) and Don Quixote (Miguel de Cervantes) to name a few. By the same token, God wrote three powerful and inspired New Testament books — Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians— through the Paul’s incarceration. Known as the ‘prison epistles’, these bo...

Episode # 184 Sometimes it takes stern language to get attention. That is the case with with the book of Galatians. The churches of Galatia were being drawn back into legalism and a salvation based on works. In unmistakable terms, Paul says ‘no’. Grace and the atoning work of alone are the means of our salvation!

Episode #183 Paul’s letters to the church at Corinth are instructive and uniquely personal. Instructive in that Paul addresses a multitude of subjects to the church family living in Corinth. He speaks of divisions and lawsuits, sexuality and marriage, spiritual gifts and resurrection bodies. Then there are the personal stories Paul’s shares about himself that he share no where else— his persecutio...

Episode #182 Romans is the most complete book in the Bible. It is a 'precept upon precept' description of God's plan through the ages: his Redemption of mankind from the grips of sin. No other book so succinctly and methodically speaks to the ways and means of the Salvation plan. It is Paul's 'opus' -- his most important work of the New Testament.

Episode #181 When a movie is a box office 'hit,' there is almost always a sequel. In a sense, Luke's book of Acts is just that - a sequel to the Gospel account of Luke. In his gospel, Luke tells the story of Jesus. In Acts, Luke tells the story of the glorious Church birthed by Jesus' victory over sin and the freedom released into the world because of it.

Episode #186 Isn’t it amazing how much one’s perspective of earth changes when traveling by air. Looking down from the heights bring a whole new appreciation to our everyday view of things. Well… welcome to the Gospel of John! John’s Gospel gives us a high and lofty view of Jesus and his life. John is often called the ‘Eagle gospel’. It is the last Gospel written. Ninety per cent of the material i...

Episode #179 Jesus’ Gospel story is told, by God’s design, from 4 different perspectives. Matthew tells if a Lion of Judah— a Jewish perspective. Mark emphasizes Jesus as the ‘sacrifice’ for sin. John reveals Jesus from a ‘heavenly view (which is shying is called the ‘Eagle Gospel’. Then there is Luke! The only non-Jewish author in the Bible — Luke, the doctor and historian— writes of Jesus from a...

Episode #178 The main theme in the Gospel of Mark is ‘hurry’. Over 34 times Mark uses the term ‘immediately’ (‘straightway’ in King James Version). Mark was a young man… he was often in the presence of Jesus and the disciples… his home was probably the place we know of as the Upper Room. His is the shortest and the most ‘action filled’ gospel. Enjoy this podcast on the Gospel of Mark.

Episode # 177 Matthew’s Gospel, the first book of the New Testament, shouts the message loud and clear: the KING OF THE JEWS has come. In this very ‘Jewish’ book (Matthew quotes the Jewish Old Testament 43 times), it is easy to see the main point of this Gospel. What God Promised Abraham so many years ago is now fulfilled on earth. The KING of KINGS has come!

Episode #176 The 12 books called the Minor Prophets are placed in the Bible in chronological order. The last two books END the Old Testament and prepare for a ‘New Day’. Both books speak in powerful ways about the ‘Coming King’. Zechariah gives us specific ‘visions’ of the Coming King. And Malachi prophecies of the coming of John the Baptist— one who will ‘bridge’ the gap from the Old to the New T...

Episode #175 Habbakuk was a 'complainer'...Zephaniah was a 'singer'...and Haggai was a 'builder.' Well ...at least these three terms are the 'memory handles' to help you know ONE THING about these Minor Prophets. Enjoy!

Episode #174 Grace, repentance and judgment - that is the heart of these three Minor Prophets. The realities for the culture of Israel and Nineveh are just as true today. God gives grace...but there is a limit to His patience. And then, expect the bell of Judgment to ring!

These three books speak to issues that are 'front and center' in today's world. Joel looks at the 'locusts' of sin and decay and informs us they we can RETURN. Amos writes about God's anger with our treatment of the poor, weak and disadvantaged and promises that JUSTICE will roll like a river. Obadiah's focus is on the pride of the Edomites - a pride that the Lord decla...

Episode #172 Sometimes Bible characters are asked to do some odd things: build an Ark when there is no Flood or raise a staff to part a Red Sea. But perhaps God’s request of Hosea was the ‘oddest’: marry a prostitute. The focus of Hosea is the God-commanded ‘marriage’ of Hosea to the wayward Gomer. It is also a dramatic picture of faithful God (the husband) and his relationship with the wayward an...

Episode #171 Was there ever a man in the Bible like Daniel? Statesman, visionary, genius! He served (and perhaps converted) in the administrations of at least 4 Persian kings. He was the conduit for 7 powerful visions or dreams. He is referenced by Jesus in the Gospels. And maybe most interesting of all— God Himself speaks of the faith, wisdom and moral integrity of Daniel. What a testimony! What...

Episode #170 Jeremiah, a contemporary of Ezekiel, witnessed the physical destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. EZEKIEL vision was, perhaps, even worse as he watched the very PRESENCE… the Glory of God— depart from the Temple. ‘Glory Departed’ is the theme of this amazing book.

Episode #169 Jeremiah is known as the ‘weeping prophet’— and he genuinely had a lot to ‘cry about’! The people of Judah would not listen or repent. He was the last prophet to a culture that was headed for destruction. And, Jeremiah watched as the enemy burned the 400 year old Jewish Temple of Solomon to the ground. A LOT to weep about! But still, in his ‘lamenting’ (the book of Lamentations was wr...

Episode #168 The book of Isaiah is filled with incredible and long reaching prophetic insights— from the Virgin Birth to details of the ‘Suffering Servant’ to the prophetic promise , fulfilled in 1948, that Israel would be ‘reborn’ as a nation. Hope you enjoy this teaching on Isaiah and his part in the Narrative of God.

Episode #167 Song of Songs is probably the most ‘PG-13’ book in the Bible. It explores the beautiful creation of God: Romantic Love. ‘Take a listen’ to this podcast and hopefully understand how God has wires is to know the deepest ‘pleasures’ of our human existence.

Episode # 166 Every action begins with a belief or philosophy. What we ‘do’ is what we ‘believe’. Solomon shares his experiences and his ultimate conclusion on the search for the meaning of life. Welcome to Ecclesiastes.

(Episode #165) How to BEHAVE WISELY— that is the thrust of the book of Proverbs. The 31 chapters of ‘rememberable sayings’ speak to the down to earth issues of our lives— marriage, money, work, sexuality, character and so much more.

Episode #164 Psalms is a book written to address the human EMOTIONAL states that impact us all. Sometimes we rejoice, sometimes we question, sometimes we repent and sometimes we reflect on the twists and turns of our human existence. Psalms covers all of our emotions....and brings us peace!

Episode #163 Probably taking place during the days after the FLOOD of Noah and the CALLING of Abraham, the book of Job describes the life of a man named Job from an ‘earthly’ AND a ‘Heavenly’ viewpoint. So much deep truth and insight… contained in the book of Job.