Live the Bible with Wayne Stiles

The Bible is the best-selling book in history. Sounds like a good thing—and it is—but God’s goal isn’t for us to just have a stack of Bibles on the shelf. He wants us to, well, LIVE the Bible! In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re turning to the book of James to find out exactly what that means and how to do it. (And why we must.) It’s a simple process anyone can follow—and you can start today...

If God knows everything we do, how can we be sure our salvation is secure? And if our salvation IS secure no matter what we do, does it matter what we do? Sometimes it seems like the book of Hebrews says yes and no! In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re tackling those confusing passages head on. With a little context, we’ll see that Hebrews holds the answers, not the problems. Support the show

Who in your life has hurt you so badly that a part of you died? I’m talking about that person who spoke too much or showed up too little, neglected too much or lashed out too often—someone who took advantage of you, or betrayed you, or abused you. How do you forgive that person? In this episode of Live the Bible , we look in the book of Philemon to learn how to truly let go and move on when forgiv...

God’s grace is helpful not just for the hereafter but also for this afternoon. As Christians, we know God’s grace secures our eternity. The question is: How can we apply it now? In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re turning to the book of Titus for the key to making the most of God’s amazing gift right now . Support the show

How do you want to finish your life? That’s not an easy question to think about. When we’re young, we don’t think about it at all. And the older we get, the more distracted we get. Some folks would love to be distracted all the way to the grave. But God wants so much more for you than that. SO much more . . .   In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re opening God’s Word to 2 Timothy to uncover th...

2,350 verses. That’s the number of verses in the Bible about money . If that sounds like a lot, it’s because it is! Why would God dedicate so much of His Word to our finances? Because money competes with God as the master of our lives more than anything else. Our world is fully invested in convincing us that we’re lacking; we always need more. Can we ever really be content? In this episode of Live...

What’s greater than God’s grace? It’s pretty amazing. But God’s grace has its problems—or at least we have problems with it. In this episode of Live the Bible , we’ll find in the book of 2 Kings two of the biggest problems we have with grace—and discover how to overcome them. Let’s experience God’s grace as He intended. Support the show

Jesus had one driving focus throughout His entire life. This single thing—this one main goal, one primary hope—motivated everything He did. In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re turning to Psalm 68 to discover Jesus’ driving focus and learn how to make it ours too. Think you know what it is? You might be surprised! Support the show

We long for greatness. Deep down—or maybe not so deep down—we all do. And guess what? Jesus says greatness is a great goal! “Go for it!” He basically told His disciples.  But before we grab for greatness, we’ve got to be sure we know what greatness really is. Do we?  In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re turning to the book of John for the answer—and it might surprise you. Support the show

What will happen when you stand face-to-face with God?  In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re talking about that future day when everyone who believes in Jesus will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Can you think of a bigger sounding test? Me neither. But take a deep breath! Scripture assures us this will be a wonderful day. Are you ready to pass with flying colors? The test is in your...

Feeling out of control is the worst. Or is it? Let me put it another way: How often do you feel the need to BE in control? In this episode of Live the Bible, we’re learning why that urge to control everything is a bad idea and how to let go and truly rest in God. In that sense, feeling out of control is the best .  The key lies in a psalm that’s just three short, sweet verses. Support the show

What fear are you carrying with you today? Maybe it’s fear of the unknown—or of the known. Maybe it’s fear about your children’s or grandchildren’s future or your health or your finances or your country. Whatever it is, we’re facing it head on in this episode of the Live the Bible . Don’t let fear keep breathing down your neck. God’s Word offers a surprising solution for peace of mind. Support the...

Someone—or something—in your life is trying to elbow their way in front of God. Meet your idol. I’m not talking about an idol like a person you admire, but an idol like the kind we read about in the Old Testament. I know, I know: Who struggles idolatry today?  Well—I do. We all do. In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re talking about this serious problem we often don’t even realize we have—and...

Jesus is coming soon. But so what? If one thing is constant in this world, it’s that the news is bad. The simple fact is: the news is a business, and when tragedy strikes, business is good.  But do today’s terrible headlines mean the end is near? And if so, so what??  In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re looking at the truth about the end-times.  Don’t worry! Above the clamor of our world’s b...

Your life is a marathon. And it’s tough.  In today’s episode of Live the Bible , we get to gulp down some encouragement to keep going and growing in the hardest part of every marathon: the middle! What keeps you from giving up when you have so far to go? If you’re growing weary in the race, I’m here to cheer you on! Support the show

What defines you? In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re getting honest about how we see ourselves. Even though we know we shouldn’t, we tend to judge ourselves (and others) by the externals—our looks and our clothes, our jobs and our money, our cars and our kids, our houses and spouses.  But take all that away. What defines you? The Scriptures hold the key to understanding who you truly are. S...

Why does it take some people so long to change? Who came to your mind when you read that question? Maybe a parent or a child, a boss or a friend, a spouse or even a pastor. You’ve prayed SO long for this person to change. But no matter what you do, nothing changes.  WHY?  We’ve all been there, asking that question—even the Apostle Paul. In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re traveling with him...

What does God say about the best way to use your time? From self-help books to leadership courses to employee reviews, time management is a big deal! And most of us want to know how to do it better. But does the Bible have anything to say about how to make the most of your time?  This episode of Live the Bible may be one of the best uses of time for you this week.  Whether you’re a time management...

What are you planting this summer? In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re looking at the principle that we reap what we sow. Nature proves this is true. Just ask any gardener! What you plant is what you get, every time. But what does this basic gardening principle have to do with connecting the Bible to your life?  Galatians has the answer—and it’s a good one! Listen now and let’s get planting....

When was the last time life hit you like a ton of bricks? In today’s episode of Live the Bible , we’re getting honest about just how hard and fast life can hit us. Divorce, job loss, illness, death, disaster—everything can change in a moment. When it does, it’s easy to wonder if God’s really the good and merciful Lord He says He is. Have you been there? I sure have.  This message has hope for you...

Think of the most powerful messages you’ve heard. Were they long or short?  In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re looking at a chapter of Scripture that proves we don’t have to say a lot for our words to be powerful. I’m talking about 1 Corinthians chapter 13. In just thirteen short, inspired verses, Paul gets down to the essence of what it means to love.   But is the kind of love Paul describ...

What’s a question only you can answer? In this episode of Live the Bible , we’re opening our God’s Word to a book that’s like a candy store to me: Romans. Paul’s letter to the church in Rome is so chock-full of good stuff—it’s tough to choose what to dig into first! But today, I’ve got four questions from Romans for you, four questions only YOU can answer.  I can hardly wait for you to hear these...

What do you do when God directs you down a path that makes no sense? Honestly, I’ve lost count of the number of times the Lord has led me in a direction that, well, just seems so terribly inefficient! In this episode of Live the Bible , we’ll be in the book of Acts to look at times Peter and Paul must have felt the same way. So often, we know where we’re headed; we feel ready. But instead of takin...

What’s your biggest challenge in life? In today’s episode of Live the Bible , we’re turning to the book of John to address one of my personal, biggest challenges: waiting. Little in this life is as hard as waiting—especially waiting on God. If only God would answer our prayers more quickly, if only He would say YES instead of NO when we’re desperate for Him to, if only He would speak up and show u...

How do you view God? In this episode of Live the Bible , we’ll get honest about how we see God and our lives of faith. We tend to assume, “If I’m walking in God’s will, then life’s gonna look like THIS. This is how it should be!” We view our lives the same way we view social media or Christmas cards—the way we want it to be rather than the way it really is. But God is so much more than that, and H...