Contending for the Word Q&A

In this episode, Dave Jenkins explains why everyday faithfulness matters in the Christian life. Many believers feel discouraged because their lives seem ordinary or spiritually uneventful. But Scripture teaches that God values steady obedience in daily life. Drawing from Luke 16:10, Colossians 3:23–24, and Zechariah 4:10, this episode shows how God uses quiet faithfulness, ordinary obedience, and...

Why does spiritual growth often feel slow? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains why slow growth is not a sign of failure, but evidence of God's faithful work in the believer's life. Drawing from Mark 4:26–29, 2 Corinthians 3:18, and Philippians 1:6, this episode shows: • Growth is gradual by God's design • Transformation happens over time • God is the one producing...

Most of the Christian life is lived in ordinary days through steady obedience, daily dependence on Christ, and consistent spiritual habits shaped by God's grace. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how faithfulness to Christ is not mainly expressed through dramatic moments, but through daily obedience to God, Spirit-dependent living, prayer, repentance, worship, a...

Many today claim there is such a thing as "white magic" or benevolent witchcraft. They argue that certain spiritual practices are harmless, helpful, or even compatible with Christianity. But Scripture never makes a distinction between "good" and "bad" forms of witchcraft. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Doreen Virtue answers the question: Why is so-called white magic or benevolent...

Trials are part of the Christian life, but they are not meaningless. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how believers should respond to suffering according to Scripture. Drawing from James 1, 1 Peter 1, and Romans 5, this message shows how God uses hardship to strengthen faith, produce endurance, and grow His people in hope. Christians are called to trust God in...

Thankfulness in the Christian life is not meant to be occasional. It is meant to be continual. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how gratitude is a steady posture of the heart rooted in the grace of God. Drawing from Colossians 2:6–7 and Psalm 92, this episode shows why thankfulness is evidence of spiritual health, how it guards against entitlement, and how it a...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how Christians can learn true contentment in Christ in a restless and dissatisfied age. Contentment is not natural—it is learned through trust, hardship, and dependence on Christ. Drawing from Philippians 4:11–13, Hebrews 13:5, and Psalm 73:25–26, this episode explains how contentment is rooted in Christ's sufficiency, frees bel...

What does Scripture clearly teach about magic, sorcery, divination, and occult practices? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Doreen Virtue answers a listener's question by examining key biblical passages including Deuteronomy 18, Acts 16, Acts 19, and Revelation 21–22. Scripture consistently warns against practices such as divination, necromancy, sorcery, charms, and seeking hidden sp...

Gratitude is not merely a feeling or personality trait. It is a defining mark of the Christian life. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains why Scripture commands thankfulness and how gratitude shapes the believer's perspective, strengthens faith in trials, and fuels obedience and worship. Drawing from 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, Colossians 3:15–17, and Psalm 103:1–5, t...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins addresses the important and deeply personal issue of anger. Scripture does not ignore anger—it speaks to it clearly. While the Bible acknowledges that there is such a thing as righteous anger, it also warns that most human anger does not produce the righteousness of God. Drawing from James 1:19–20, Ephesians 4:26–27, and Proverbs 15:1, t...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains the biblical meaning of self-control and how it grows in the Christian life. Drawing from Galatians 5:22–23, Titus 2:11–12, and 1 Corinthians 9:25–27, this episode shows that self-control is not self-generated effort, but the fruit of the Holy Spirit trained by the grace of God. Christians are called not to legalism, but to Spir...

Humility is a defining mark of the Christian life, yet it is often misunderstood. Some confuse humility with weakness, while others struggle to understand how it develops in everyday life. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how humility grows through a right view of God, a deep understanding of the gospel, and a life shaped by serving others and depending on the...

Christian growth is real, but it is often misunderstood. Many believers quietly assume that spiritual maturity comes through pressure, intensity, and constant effort. When growth feels slow, they push harder. When they stumble, they double their resolve. Over time, the Christian life can begin to feel more like spiritual grinding than grace-filled growth. In this episode of Contending for the Word...

Holiness is not opposed to grace. It is produced by grace. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains why holiness is directly connected to the gospel and why it matters for every Christian today. Drawing from 1 Peter 1:15–16, Titus 2:11–14, and Ephesians 2:8–10, this episode shows that the grace of God not only forgives sinners but also transforms lives. This message ad...

How can Christians pursue holiness without falling into legalism? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins addresses a common struggle in the Christian life: how to pursue obedience faithfully while avoiding performance-driven Christianity. Drawing from Galatians 3:1–3, Colossians 2:20–23, and Titus 2:11–14, this episode explains why legalism cannot produce true holiness and ho...

Spiritual growth often feels slow, uneven, and at times almost invisible. Many believers wonder whether real change is actually happening in their lives. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how the Holy Spirit produces real, lasting spiritual growth—not instantly, but faithfully over time. Scripture shows that growth is God's work from beginning to end, accomplish...

Many believers desire to grow in holiness but feel discouraged by repeated failure and spiritual exhaustion. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains why Scripture teaches that spiritual growth cannot be produced by willpower or self effort. Drawing from Zechariah 4:6, Romans 8:12–14, and Galatians 3:1–3, this episode highlights the central role of the Holy Spirit in s...

Wicca and witchcraft are increasingly normalized in modern culture, often presented as harmless, empowering, or therapeutic. But Scripture warns that these practices are not neutral. They are spiritually dangerous and rooted in deception. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Doreen Virtue explains how witchcraft and Wicca are being rebranded through media, marketing, and modern spiritua...

What does it mean to walk in the Spirit? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains that walking in the Spirit is not about emotional experiences or mystical impressions. It is about daily dependence on the Holy Spirit through God's Word. Drawing from Galatians 5:16–18, Romans 8:1–14, and John 6:63, this episode shows how believers grow in holiness, resist sin, and bear...

What does it mean to live a life that is truly rooted in Christ? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins reflects on Psalm 1 and Colossians 2:6–7 to show that the Christian life is not meant to be hurried, reactive, or driven by outward success, but steady, grounded, and nourished by God's Word. Scripture describes the blessed man as a tree planted by streams of water—firmly r...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins answers an important question for the Christian life: Why do spiritual habits matter for growth? Many believers wrestle with this topic. Some fear that spiritual habits lead to legalism. Others feel discouraged by inconsistency. Still others wonder whether habits really make a difference in their walk with Christ. But Scripture provides...

What does the Christian life look like in everyday practice? In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how the Christian life is lived not merely in dramatic moments, but in the steady rhythm of daily faith, repentance, and obedience rooted in Christ. Drawing from Galatians 2:20, Colossians 2:6–7, and Luke 9:23, this episode shows that the Christian life begins and cont...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins reflects on the life-shaping power of God's Word as Scripture Questions month concludes. Drawing from Psalm 1 and 2 Timothy 3:16–17, this episode shows that the difference between a life of stability and a life of emptiness is not circumstance, but what we delight in. The one who delights in the Word of God is rooted, nourished, and frui...

We live in a confused culture where truth is treated as subjective and Scripture is often reinterpreted to fit cultural expectations. In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Dave Jenkins explains how Christians can read the Bible faithfully by submitting to its authority, interpreting it carefully, and applying it with clarity and courage. This episode calls believers to stand firm on the...

In this episode of Contending for the Word Q&A, Doreen Virtue addresses claims that healing frequencies or sound-based healing are found in the Bible. Some teachers suggest that hidden codes or vibrational frequencies are embedded in Scripture and can be used for healing. These claims raise an important question: are these ideas biblical? Drawing from her past involvement in New Age practices, Dor...