Bible in Life

What climate is necessary for us to thrive as disciples?  What climate is best for making disciples?  A climate of grace and truth. Why is this? The biblical answer to that question is that we are made in the image of God. God is truth and God is love. So that means that as human beings we are made to run on grace and truth This is the climate in which human beings flourish.  Free 30 Page eBook to...

The discipleship path entails growing in faith. But that doesn't happen alone. Discipleship always happens through a life-on-life transfer. We learn from each other. We practice the "one anothers" with each other. We provide concrete examples of following Jesus for each other.  Growing in faith happens together.  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.ne...

Being a disciple means you attach yourself to Jesus to become like Jesus. The goal is to become like him in character and mission. How do you go from new follower of Jesus to substantially like Jesus?  What's the path?  If you're helping somebody grow as a disciple, what's the path you should be guiding them along?  If you're a pastor, does your church have a clear path that guides someone from ne...

Where does discipleship start?  What is the goal discipleship aims at?  In this episode, we explore the catalyst for and goal of living as a disciples of 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://worldfamilymissions.org/john-whittaker/   The List...

What is the Gospel? This question is terribly to the topic of discipleship because as Bill Hull and Ben Sobels say, "The gospel you preach determines the disciples you make" ... and it will determine the kind of disciple you are as well.  And unfortunately, the typical gospel in the evangelical church has been really good at making church members with a ticket to heaven but not disciples of Jesus....

Be and Make Disciples This episode explores the question, What would it have been like to be discipled by Jesus? We can answer this question by reading the Gospels. There was this well-known line from the Mishnah about being “covered in the dust” of your rabbi. It reflects both traveling behind him learning as you discuss important topics and sitting at his feet as he taught in a house. This is ex...

Matthew 28:18-20 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” What is a disciple?  How do you make...

This episode of the Bible in Life explores the two fundamental practices for spiritual growth and how to practice them consistently and in a way the actually leads to growth. If you want to grow spiritually this year, these two practices are the key.  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-...

This episode explores 5 implications of the fact that we living between the now and the not yet and are still waiting for the restoration of all things.    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...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.   We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.   Even though Jesus came as the initial fulfillment of the advent hop...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.   We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.   In our last episode we reflected on the coming of Jesus, the fulfil...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.   We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.   In this episode, we reflect on the coming of the Messiah in answer...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.   We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.   In this episode we consider the theme of exile and how being forsak...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.   We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.   In this episode we consider the nation of Israel, a key part of the...

Advent 2022 Over the next several weeks, I want to consider the story we believe is the the true story of the world leading up to the coming of the Messiah and then go beyond that to what we’re still waiting for today.  We’ll look at the promise and its initial fulfillment and then its final fulfillment when Christ comes again.  In this episode, we look Abraham and the promise that through his off...

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 says, "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." Gratitude can be commanded because it can be intentionally practiced. And it's good for us to do so... that's why God in his goodness and wisdom calls us to be grateful. This episode encourages us to intentionally practice gratitude.  Free 30 Page eB...

2 Corinthians 7:1 says, "Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let’s cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." In this episode we reflect on what it looks like to perfect holiness in the fear of God. Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a recurring monthl...

There are so many Bible translations out there. Which translation is a good one? How should you use translations for Bible study? And what are some good study Bibles?    Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Study Bibles: ESV Study Bible - https://amzn.to/3U8FpcA Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible - https://amzn.to/3DAZCAL Archaeology Study Bible -...

Sometimes a verse becomes so familiar, we can actually miss its meaning. Or miss some of its meaning.  I think that's the case with 2 Corinthians 5:21:  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. We assume we know what this is talking about, and we think it's talking about how God declared us righteous through Jesus' death. But it...

When Paul writes Philippians, he's in custody in Rome. He hasn't been able to travel and preach for nearly 4 years. Yet Philippians is known as the epistle of joy. Why is that?  It has to do with what mattered most to Paul... with where he found his life and joy.  He models this for us in both the letter to the Philippians and in Acts 16 when he started the church in Philippi.    Overview of Phili...

In 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10, Paul models for us the power of an eternal perspective.  Life isn't easy. There's hardships, disappointments, sickness, pain, and death.  As Christ's apostle, Paul experienced all the normal hardships of life plus suffering that came for the sake of Jesus. But Paul says he didn't lose heart; instead he was of good courage.  How so? He had an eternal perspective! And we...

This episode of the Bible in Life reflects on 2 Corinthians 3:18: "But we all, with unveiled faces, looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit." -2 Corinthians 3:18 What's the significance of "unveiled faces"? What does it have to do with transformation? And how does all of this fit into the cont...

Praying. It's important. I admire people who are good at it. But I struggle with it... and I've met many people who also struggle with it.  In this episode, I reflect on my own struggles with prayer and with lies at the heart praying faithfully.  Matthew 7:7-11 7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and t...

I received this question from a listener: How can Christians justify David's behavior (war crimes, adultery, murder, etc)? This is an important question that has to do with the nature of the Bible and how to read it.  So, how do we justify bad behavior like this ... or do we?  Free 30 Page eBook to help you Hear and Heed the Bible:  https://www.johnwhittaker.net   Support this ministry: Set up a r...

The Bible is more than a book of inspiration or religious rules. It also describes history ... God's work in history - in the real world of space and time. This is how God chose to reveal himself. Archaeology helps us understand the world of the Bible and see how reliable the Bible's history is.  For a good introduction to the topic of Archaeology and the Bible see Titus Kennedy's book Unearthing...