Christian Podcasts - Learn the Bible with Mike Mazzalongo

In his return journey to God, Solomon has found that wisdom and wise living are the surest way to find contentment and avoid wasting one's short lifespan.

Solomon has been sharing the fruit of his hard-won wisdom. After living apart from God he returns and notes some of the things he has learned concerning wisdom itself.

Solomon is no longer exploring and writing about the various experiences and pursuits of worldly living, which have left him unfulfilled and depressed. He now turns his attention to leadership and the qualities that leaders need to possess.

In the first 6 chapters of the book we see the fruit of Solomon's rebellion. By chapter six he has exhausted his search, sees that his results are empty, and comments on this discovery using several parables.

This parable likens the mustard seed and plant to God's word and the church that grows from it.

In this lesson, Mike reviews the thinking and goals of the Politically Correct movement in America and how Christians can respond to and live in a nation that is heavily influenced by this cause.

In chapter five there is an abrupt change as Solomon comments on the attitude necessary for proper worship and then goes on to talk about the enemy of spirituality - materialism.

By using parables, Jesus was able to teach large crowds but keep the true meaning of His lessons only for those who believed in Him.

David, despite his difficult life filled with trials, was able to rejoice in some of the things that were certain in life, things that he (and we) could count on.

Measuring progress is an important factor in the success of any enterprise, whether it is physical growth, the development of a talent, the success of a business or organization, you need to be able to see and measure your progress!

In Solomon's experiment with wealth and power, he concludes that life at the "top" is filled with grief (oppression, envy, disillusionment).

Pride, the root of all sin, lures us with the desire to rise above others—even God—but true greatness and lasting rewards lie in humility, as exemplified by Jesus and taught throughout Scripture.

This devo discusses the desire to be a servant like Jesus, highlighting the challenges and rewards of servanthood, emphasizing the need for preparation, sensitivity to opportunities for service, and the ultimate reward of honor from God.

This lesson begins the final series of parables on the kingdom - the five parables that use agriculture as a base for their stories.

Admitting and accepting admonition from God leads to greater self-awareness, safety from repeating sinful activities, and ultimately brings greater joy by allowing more room for Jesus in one's life.

Mike presents a unique visual in explaining biblical baptism.

Solomon examines one final area of life (the pursuit of wealth and power) in order to find contentment apart from God.

Praying for enemies, whether believers or non-believers, is powerful as it can bring healing, forgiveness, and ultimately lead them to God's purpose, emphasizing the importance of fervent prayer for all individuals, especially those who may not have others interceding for them.

Parables are lessons that use physical things and situations in the material world to explain or mirror principles and situations that exist in the spiritual or unseen world. These three parables are excellent examples of this teaching method.

This devo emphasizes the importance of standing up against evil, drawing parallels between the failure of Jewish leaders in Ezekiel's time and the actions of Dietrich Bonhoeffer in opposing the Nazi regime, highlighting the principle that God not only punishes evil but also those who fail to resist it.

This lesson deals with the difficult issue concerning the possibility that a Christian could actually lose salvation.

In his journal, Solomon has described the various ways he has sought for satisfaction and joy apart from God. In the balance of this chapter he provides some final thoughts on the search for meaning in the events of one's life here on earth.

In this devo, Mike highlights the barriers Christians face in satisfying their holy hunger for God, emphasizing the confusion between knowing about God and truly knowing Him, as well as the false satisfaction derived from worldly pursuits, ultimately urging a shift towards seeking a personal relationship with God through faith, prayer, and obedience.

The parable of the Bridesmaids or Foolish Virgins and the one that follows it, the parable of the Talents are both looking forward to the time when the kingdom on earth will be examined and purged.

This devo discusses how some famine-stricken individuals in search of nourishment waited too long to seek help, leading to their bodies rejecting food, drawing a parallel between physical and spiritual hunger and emphasizing the importance of recognizing and satisfying the spiritual hunger within us.