Bible in Life

The Values of God's Kingdom are Good for the World Christianity emerged in a world vastly different from the values espoused by followers of Christ. Slavery was assumed a necessary part of a functioning society and slaves could be thought of as living property and tools. An adulterous wife was a disgrace to be dealt with harshly, but men were free (even expected!) to have numerous sexual partners....

A Foreigner in Your Own Land  Here’s a question for you: are you an American who happens to be a Christian or are you a Christian who happens to live in America?  In other words, what is your core identity that shapes your beliefs, values, and practices? Is it being citizen of the USA (or whatever country you live in)? Or is it your allegiance to King Jesus?  Philippians 3:20 says that followers o...

What is the Purpose of Government?  The Bible is a bit conflicted about human government. In an ideal world, God would be king and his will would be done on earth as in heaven. Humans would live in loyal partnership with him and serve a viceroys of his rule, extending his aims and agendas on earth. That was the plan when God created the world and human beings. The problem? We don’t live in an idea...

In this episode, I give a short update on life and ministry and then explore this question: How does our discipleship to Jesus affect our political engagement? The fact is that since the beginning proclaiming Jesus as Lord has been a political statement with huge implications. For example, in Thessalonica, the accusation agains the apostle Paul was that he acted "contrary to the decrees of Caesar,...

In all of life, a certain status carries with it specific responsibilities.  You make the sports team, so now you have to go to practices and train.  You get your driver's license, so now you have to follow the rules of the road. You become a pet owner, so now you have to feed and care for the animal.  And the same is true in God's kingdom. Being "saved" brings specific responsibilities. In other...

On this episode, we explore two more questions sent in by a listener. Question 1 - How can I deal with doubts and uncertainties that arise along the journey of life? The key thing here is honesty. You’ll probably never have 100% absolute certainty on everything (I don’t) and but loyal trust is key. And keep your eyes focused on Jesus, confident that he rose from the dead.  Question 2 - What are so...

Questions about Living for Jesus   Listener Questions: 1. How can I discover and pursue my true calling or purpose in life? 2. What principles and values should I prioritize to live a life in accordance with my Christian beliefs? 3. Are there any practical steps or habits I can incorporate into my daily routine that would help me stay on the right path?     Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and...

Learning to Receive Feedback Feedback can be hard. It can sting. But... We can't grow and change without it.  Receiving feedback is essential if we want to grow as a person and as a disciple.  In this episode of the Bible in Life podcast, I explore how we can learn to receive feedback well.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this minis...

Live Intentionally - You Don't Drift into Christlikeness  Becoming like Jesus from the inside out takes intentional effort. Paul uses athletic imagery for it, comparing it to going to the gym and getting in shape and to an athlete who is training for a contest. In this episode we give 4 keys for training to become godly.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhi...

The Bible changed my life. I believe it can change yours. I believe that by sharing it, God can use you to help change someone's life.  That's the heart behind the Bible in Life story.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/jo...

Love Involves Presence. You want to be with someone you love... and they, if they love you, want to be with you. And Advent is about presence... coming to be with. It really is the culmination of the whole story of the Bible because the Bible is a true love story.  So in the episode we wrap up out Advent series by reflection on God's loving presence.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed t...

How to Have Peace in an Un-peaceful World | Advent 2023 The angels announcing the news of Jesus' birth proclaimed,"Peace on Earth!" But ... Even though Jesus has come, the world is still full of unpeace. Wars. Famine. Political infighting. Hostility. Inflation. Conflict of all kinds. Where's the peace and how can I have it? Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have...

Joy to World! Why? How?  The world can seem pretty bleak. Does realism make joy senseless?  Or is there good reason for joy even in a dark world? Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The Listener’s Commentar...

Hope - A Posture of Waiting | Advent 2023 We stand between Jesus' first advent and his second. And in this place we can look back at what God already has done to fulfill his promises.  And yet... There's still more.  So we live in hope, waiting, like children who can't wait for Christmas, eagerly looking for Christ to come again! Romans 8:18-25 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present...

Genesis 1:26 tells us something crucial about human nature: "Then God said, 'Let Us make mankind in Our image, according to Our likeness.'" What does it mean to be "made in the image of God"?  And why does that matter? What difference does it make that you and I and everyone else is made as the image of God?  On this episode, Dr. Carmen Imes helps us explore this subject. Dr. Imes is associate pro...

Why are you here? What's purpose and meaning of life?  Human beings are meaning-seeking creatures. We need purpose and meaning for our life. So why do you and I exist?  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   T...

Why Should You Obey God's Commands?  Are God's commands arbitrary religious laws?  Are they true just because they're in the Bible?    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The Listener’s Commentary - In-dept...

One of the most distinctive aspects of Jesus' way is his instructions to "love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44) and to "bless those who curse you" (Luke 6:28). This is a hallmark of our discipleship to Jesus.  The apostles passed on this teaching too. Paul writes, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse" (Romans 12:14). And Peter puts it like this: "not returning evil for evil or insult...

Sean McDowell and John Marriott authored a new book entitled Set Adrift. It's a fantastic guide to help someone wrestling with what they believe without giving up on their faith altogether.  In this episode, I discuss the topic of deconstructing without deconverting with John Marriott.  John teaches at Biola University and Whittier Christian High School. He has a Phd in Intercultural Studies and h...

Proverbs 16:9 says, "The mind of a person plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps."  In some mysterious way, God's sovereignty oversees the steps of our life. How does that work out? We may never know with absolute certainty, but in Acts 19-28 we see a living example of how a person plans his way but the Lord directs his steps.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https:...

How do you communicate the gospel in a pluralistic age?  The challenge is real because people are all so different when it comes to religion. Some have a religious background but not a Christian background. Some have no religious background at all. Some have a Christian background but have rejected it as an adult. Some are hostile towards the Bible and Jesus.  In such a milieu, you can't share the...

In Acts 16 Paul models for us a principle that shaped how he made decisions. In fact, it was a governing principle that shaped his whole life. And it should shape ours as followers of Jesus too. Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissio...

Acts 12   Does God always answer prayer? Not the way we often think. And the Bible doesn't hide from this fact. It teaches us that God is a real person who makes real decisions in response to our prayers and Acts 12 is a good example of this.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time don...

Acts 5:1-11   Luke, the author of Acts, told the story about Ananias and Sapphira for a very important reason. The message of that story holds a very important lesson for us as the church today.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http://worldfamilymissi...

Acts 3-4 How does the gospel move forward? In Acts 3-4 we see a good model.  In this episode we reflect on what it might look like to be open for business to loving people and sharing the good news about Jesus.    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthly or a one-time donation at the link below. http:...