Christian Questions Bible Podcast

“It is finished.” When Jesus said these three words, he signaled an ending. He proclaimed to those who were gazing upon his beaten and crucified body that he had completed a specific set of tasks successfully. He had done what he had set out to do. Looking back on this event, some may wonder, what did he really accomplish? If we are living God’s plan, it sure seems disjointed, broken and worthless...

The last week of Jesus’ earthly life was both eventful and tumultuous. His riding triumphantly into Jerusalem four days before his crucifixion was a dramatic and unmistakable display of hope and respect by the hundreds of thousands who honored him as he rode. The events that would take place after his kingly entrance into the city would also be dramatic, as the wheels of betrayal and murder would...

It is a given that life is stressful. We all know that the sheer quantity of input that we are each exposed to from the various parts of our lives is overwhelming. Now come the decisions. Do I watch, do I listen, do I click, do I respond, do I message, do I like? Now comes what is supposed to be the main part of our day, our work, or schooling or caregiving and attempting to do a good job. Next co...

It’s not too often that those who are young adults rise up to be the heroes of the day. Usually they are in the “figuring life out” stage, but occasionally there comes a young adult who is living far beyond that perplexity. David, who would become known as “a man after God’s own heart,” was such a young man. This designation would be made apparent when he visited the battle...

King Solomon ruled over a united kingdom of the 12 tribes of Israel. While the king celebrated the breathtaking splendor of Israel’s civil engineering feats and the exquisite opulence of his palaces and buildings, the people were being suffocated under unreasonably high taxes and forced labor. Tribal jealousies were prevalent between the northern and southern regions, especially between Ephraim in...

When God miraculously rescued His people from Egyptian slavery and established Israel as a nation, He put a system of rulership through judges in place that did not include having a king. We all know what happened. The people complained to the prophet Samuel because they wanted a king like everybody else. Even though they were warned of the dire consequences that a monarch would bring, they stood...

Human relationships are a key factor in human survival and well-being. We need them, and God has designed humanity in such a way as to thrive when healthy relationships are present. In Part I and Part II of this three-part series, we drilled down into marriage relationships, as well as family and close friend relationships. We found striking similarities in the “how to” of making these relationshi...

I n Part I, we opened the door to talking about strong and healthy relationships by focusing on marriage. We looked at what it is built upon, what makes it work, what hinders it and how to stay with it when challenges arise. We discovered a powerful scriptural pattern for success that can be traced to the simple descriptions of what selfless love is and is not in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7. Our next set...

This may sound odd, but for a moment think about your personal relationships like a car. You depend on your car though you generally don’t think much about it. When you get in it you are ready to go, and if it doesn’t start or it breaks down, it creates issues. A lack of attention and maintenance will inevitably bring trouble. Proper maintenance is key to keep it running smoothly and to keeping yo...

We all would agree that truth is important. Legally we know it is critical. When pressed to speak the truth under oath in the United States, you are asked, “Do you solemnly swear/affirm that you will tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God/under pains and penalties of perjury? As important as this sounds, we human beings are often lazy about truth and even afrai...

There are some questions that are just plain difficult. One of those questions that many believers in God may wrestle with has to do with God seemingly allowing Satan to run the show. Let’s face it, evil stinks and we just want it to go away. Yet, God has continued to let Satan’s influence dominate our world for thousands of years! Most Christians believe God is absolutely capable of destroy...

Everybody sins. We can’t help it because we are imperfect, and therefore we will inevitably fall. As Christians, we can and should claim the amazing advocacy of Jesus, ask forgiveness, make right what we did wrong and move on. But are there sins that go beyond what Jesus can help us with? Are there “unforgivable” sins? Are there sins that once committed doom us to eternal death? The Sc...

The Bible is full of examples of God’s love, justice, wisdom, power and plan. It is a fountain of mercy and foresight, and a treasure trove of prophecy. Understanding the magnitude of all these things helps us see God as the Sovereign Creator and Father that He really is. But wait, there’s more! Running through ALL of the descriptions we just mentioned is another facet of God’s character – H...

We all know people who are visionaries, you know, the kind of people who change the world around them. They see things others don’t. They imagine possibilities others can’t. This often results in them taking risks in ways others won’t. While we appreciate these trendsetters, most of us are not that kind of visionary. However, we can and should be visionaries for our own lives. So, where do we find...

The rapture is a controversial teaching with its basis on one short set of verses in 1st Thessalonians. It is a teaching that has a wide spectrum of interpretations and applications. This teaching tightly unites those who believe in it, but more and more it terrifies many who have some association with it. In Parts I and II of our 3-part series , we began systematically walking through the scriptu...

Christmas is such a great time of year! It gives people something to look forward to, something to be excited about. Decorations spring up and brighten our environment. We love giving gifts and we certainly love receiving them. Most of us get some extra time off to be with family or to just be able to do things. Sadly, the foundational reason behind this great time of year has become less and less...

God’s plan for humanity is powerful, positive and proactive and is built upon the ransom price Jesus paid for every man, woman and child who ever lived. This plan is one of great joy! All scriptural events and prophecies point to the unfolding of this plan. As we observed in Part I of this series, the widely held Christian teaching of the rapture, in all of its varied interpretations, does not see...

Christianity is divided into many denominations and groups. These divisions create a wide variety of teachings that elicit a wide variety of reactions. Take the rapture as an example. In its basic form, it interprets the Scriptures to say that Jesus returns with a shout and a trumpet. He raises the dead Christians to him first and then all those faithful who are still living will be dramatically a...

The fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5 are much more than a recounting of nice things to develop as Christians. They are fundamental building blocks upon which any productive Christian life must be built. Whenever we refer to any of these nine characteristics, let’s remember there are two ways we can view them. Take love, for example, the first fruit of the spirit. Many people can exhibit s...

When the Apostle Paul listed the “fruit of the spirit” in the 5th chapter of Galatians, he placed it right after a nasty list, recounting 15 “deeds of the flesh.” This fruit list was positioned as a remedy for any Christian who might struggle with any of those earthly issues. In Part I and II of this series , we examined the depths of sin in that “earthly deeds” list. In Pa...

In our last two episodes , we spent significant time reviewing and understanding the Apostle Paul’s list of the deeds of the flesh in Galatians 5. His reason for such a detailed and uncomfortable list was to give us all a clear push forward and away from such things, so we can walk towards living a new life. To walk in Jesus’ footsteps and do God’s will first and foremost should be the most import...

Adam was created in the image of God. His physical human nature was fashioned in a way that would glorify God by its very existence. Once he sinned, all that changed. What was once a pure reflection of the heart and mind of God, at best became a muddied and defective reflection. Fast forward thousands of years and we find God’s plan in place to clean up this muddied mess. This cleanup comes throug...

It’s a simple equation with a guaranteed end result. Walk in the spirit and you will not carry out the desires of the flesh. As Christians living in an “anything goes” world, this straightforward statement can be easily overlooked and even ignored. Among the many challenges we face today, being like everyone else is among the most subtle temptations of our human nature. We experience s...

“Let go and let God.” This simple statement is focused on faith and trust, two fundamental challenges for Christians. We may think it’s easy to have faith, but when we are in times of difficulty, the depth of our true faith is revealed and sometimes revealed as seriously lacking . We may think that we have trust, but when pressed, when we feel like we need answers or changes or insight...

Candy, costumes parties and fun! The Halloween season with all of its excitement and trappings is upon us. On top of the fun and the sugar rush, this is a time of year particularly specializes in seeking to be horrified as another form of entertainment. The party-like atmosphere is generously sprinkled with murder, mayhem, zombies and apocalyptic events – all in the name of thrills. Because...