Pillars of Smoke

You ever looked at your church and thought "Why am I still here? I don't feel like I'm growing. What's the point of this?". That may be indicators of you being in an unhealthy church. Over the next few weeks we will be discussing the characteristics of what a healthy church looks like and what you can do to help your church. In this episode, we are starting with the most important characteristic,...

We start the last portion of the Hebrew scriptures by taking a deeper look at 5 of 13 poetry and wisdom books (Job, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon, and Lamentations). These books are almost entirely made up of poems, songs, and wise sayings that the ancient Jews (and the Christians who followed) used to make wise decisions and worship God.

There are too many, so we started with 4 (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, and Kings). These are known as the former Prophets and the beginning of the Nevi'im. The main theme of these four books is discipline, repentance, and the faithfulness of God. These books will give us wider view in the development of the meta narrative of Scripture. 

In this episode we give a concise overview of the first five books of the Bible (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy). We cover the main story arch, key themes, and key players of each book. 

Last episode we outlined the different resources and tools we use for Bible study and preparation. In this episode we delve into what our process looks like and how we use some of these tools. 

Join us in this episode as we discuss some of our favorite Bible Study resources, such as: Bibles, Commentaries, Lexicons, Softwares, and even Websites. 

The influences that we allow in our lives will either lead us closer to Christ or lead us further from Him. Many times the influences that lead us astray can be found in our own churches. Jude, writes this letter to bring us a sense of urgency to identify who those people are, how to deal with them, and how we can use our faith to protect ourselves from these kinds of people. 

To forgive is an easy concept, and practically simple on small errors and non-issues, but forgiveness is much more difficult when it hits too close to home. Paul, appeals to Philemon's Christians character in order to remind him, that even when forgiving seems impossible, it's something we must practice. 

In this episode we will take a close look at the prophecies of a sovereign God, spoken by Obadiah against the people of Edom. These are not only prophecies for the people of Edom, but they are also promises of the Lord to encourage His people that they have not been forgotten, their suffering is not in vein, and they will one day be restored to the Lord!

All roads may lead to Rome, but not all religions lead to God. Pluralism would have you believe that no matter your faith all religions ultimately end up at the same place. In this episode we have a conversation to talk about the gaps and issues with this philosophical heresy. 

Do your experience on Sunday matter to you more than the message the pastor preached? Do you adhere to what you think scripture is saying, versus what it's actually teaching? Have you ever allowed culture to dictate how you live, versus letting the Bible dictate how you live? If so, you may have fallen into the trap of Theological Liberalism! In this episode we breakdown the heresy of Theological...

Was there a time where He (Jesus) was not? Arius of Libya seemed to believe so... Jump in with us as we scratch the surface of what Arianism really is. 

If you're into manifestation this is the one for you! In this episode we break down the heresy of Modalism and its dangers against the Trinity. 

The war to end all wars! 

We continue our conversation about the relationship between sin and war. In this episode we look at how the sins of a father passed onto his son caused a kingdom to be split, and civil war to breakout. We also see how jealousy and greed will lead even the most promising leaders to deeper into spiritual distraction. 

The origin of every war is always rooted in sin. However, there is still is necessity for wars to be fought, firstly, to bring about the will of God, and secondly, to protect the innocent from evil. In this episode we look at certain wars throughout the Old Testament. 

Maybe were just trying too hard, when really it's closer than it is too far. Up above in our heads, instead of going under...

What would you say if after decades of work the glory was not yours to claim? What would you say if all the work you did was called trash? Haggai concludes by calling the Israelites to consider that everything they do is defiled if God is not in it and the glory isn't His! What would you say? 

Are you comfortable being comfortable? Has complacency become your priority? Haggai called the people of Israel to consider their ways when they prioritized these same things over what God wanted them to do. This episode revolves around looking into how that applies into our lives today. What are you prioritizing over what God wants you to do?   

Dwelling on falsehoods will make you lose sleep; however, living in truth helps you rest peacefully. Join our conversation as we discuss the importance of living in the true gospel, and how we can find rest through it. 

We conclude the book of Habakkuk with a change of perspective. Habakkuk calls those who have faith in God to remember all of the Lord's work in the past to strengthen their faith and hope in God for the future.  

Which side are you on? Scripture shows us plainly that we are either, living by our faith in God, or attempting to live on our own strength. In chapter 2, the Lord shows Habakkuk that the righteous must live by faith, and those who don't will have no hope. 

Do your circumstances always feel too heavy and you feel like God isn't coming to your aide? Does justice seem to prevail only for the wicked? Who the heck is Habakkuk? Join our conversation as we talk through what Habakkuk and Israel were facing, and what we can learn from them and apply it to our circumstances today. 

What are your plans for the coming year? Do you have any new resolutions or goals you want to accomplish? Have you sat down with God to go over these plans with Him? The conversation today revolves around how we as Christians should go about making plans and ensuring that God is always at the center of them. 

What does the phrase 'God is love' mean to you? Is it a general tern you use to describe God or is it more intimate? Join our conversation as we explore what the Love of God truly mean during advent.