The Nonmicrowaved Truth With C.L. Whiteside

What we take pride in can make or break us. Misplaced pride or too much of pride lead to destruction. Properly-placed pride leads to blessings. There are mixed messages when it comes to this word. Let's take a look at where our pride should be placed and why.    John 5:1-42  Mark 2:13-17  Matthew 8:18-22 John 21:25    Acts 5:1-11      2 Kings 5:1-15 You can now also WATCH C.L.! That's right: C.L....

The worst kind of friend is one who is really an undercover enemy. A person may be a friend in one aspect and an enemy in another, but how do you distinguish the difference? We have to beware of our greatest frenemy. Likewise, we have to be thankful for our greatest Friend, who has undoubtedly proven his dedication to us. Titus 3:10 Genesis 3:1-7 Matthew 16:21-25 Romans 3:25,26 Matthew 5:16 2 Cori...

Is it OK to build a relationship on lies? Well, I guess it depends, because people are now being pressured to call a man a woman and vice versa if that's what a person wants. Culture wants to dictate our feelings and attitudes and will go to great lengths to do this. There are some movements that are geared toward making us allies with the wrong groups and distancing us from our most valuable and...

LGBTQ+ Pride Month is here. This group has done an effective job of gaining more rights, standing proud for what they believe in, and pushing their agenda. This has gone so far that many people do not want to be called homophobic. At the same time, more and more groups and agendas are trying to get rid of Christ and the gospel. Believe it or not, there's something people should fear more than bein...

The most famous people in our world today don't compare to the most famous person of all time. Who is the most famous person of all time and why? He's not just someone Christians think of. Even other big-time influencers can't deny his impact and influence. See what the most famous person ever offers that can't be matched by anyone else.      John 14:6          Matthew 7:13,14          1 John 4:1-...

In today's world, should we be quiet about our allegiance to Christ? Is it easy for others to see that we are followers of Jesus? Some of us are quiet about being Christian—we're "in-the-closet Christians" because we don't want to "offend" anyone or be canceled, even though we may say or think we've been hiding in the closet for legit reasons. Let's take a real look at if you've been an in-the-clo...

Philippians 4:13 is a popular passage: "I can do all things through him who strengthens me." But it's also an often misunderstood passage and ends up being misused, leading many to rely on themselves. To understand, we need to focus on who is meant by "him" in the passage. And you might be surprised to learn where the biblical author was when he wrote this sentence and why he was so content.     ...

How do you know if something is a description or a prescription? This can be confusing to decipher in the Bible. But believe it or not, most people determine if it's prescription or description based off a lack of understanding or a hope to do something that actually goes against God's Word. The Bible tells us what is good and what is bad, but we have to actually look at what it says to confirm th...

CAUTION: Beware of what comes from your heart. When it comes to who or what we're passionate about, what we desire, or our purpose, following our hearts can only be reliable if our hearts are linked to a specific source. Find out what following your heart does and doesn't mean in the life of a Christian.          Judges 16    Jeremiah 17:9,10    Kings 1, 2        Romans 1:22-27          Luke 24:13...

A phrase used by late rapper Tupac Shakur has had a unique meaning in our culture: "only God can judge me." Uppity, judgmental people rub so many the wrong way, but as Christians are we supposed to judge? God is the ulitmate Judge, and there are many passages in the Bible that discuss judging, rebuking, and correcting others. Evaluate how true or false that phrase should be in a Christian's life. ...

Not understanding the ways of God has caused some to reject him. As Christians, there are some applicable things we can do to feed our faith. It's OK not to understand everything or be able to explain every detail of a perfect God because it doesn't take away from facts or truth. Luke 2:41-52  ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭17‬:‭20‬ ‭    John 13    John 16:16-33    Proverbs 3:5,6      John‬ ‭8‬:‭31‬,‭32    ‭‭ Philip...

"You have to believe in yourself" is a motto we hear a lot, making us think the solutions come from us. Our experiences, our challenges, our successes and failures, and our strengths and weaknesses affect the beliefs we have in ourselves. What should you base your self-belief in? This episode explores the idea of believing in self and how that can and should look. 1 Samuel 17      Exodus 3      Ex...

When we listen, it ultimately comes down to two reasons. Pinpointing WHY we listen is crucial to understanding ourselves and others. We can all become better listeners by examining how Jesus listened and modeling his approach. In this episode, find out which type of listener you are! Genesis 3    Matthew 7:3-5    Titus 3:9    Ephesians 4:32    Proverbs 15:1      2 Timothy 4:2    Proverbs 18:2    J...

There are always people in our lives trying to influence us outside of God's will. Women's History Month helps remind us to have our focus in the correct place. There are two low profile women in the Bible who teach us some valuable lessons we must apply. Whether you are a man or a woman, an allegiance to God surpasses any other option.    Proverbs 18:22    Proverbs 12:4    Acts 21:10    Proverbs...

Episode 100 is here! ‭‭C.L. shares a couple of things that he and what he believes other Christians find highly annoying. More important, he shares something we should remember and allow to be our greatest source of comfort in life. Ephesians‬ ‭6‬:‭5,6        Matthew 20:26-28    Job 21    John 13:7    Philippians 4:7    Isaiah 40:28    John 1:16,17 You can now also WATCH C.L.! That's right: C.L. i...

When life flat-out sucks, what should you do? When you feel like God is nowhere to be found and no one is listening, how should you respond? Whether this applies to you or someone you interact with, there are some things you want to make sure you are doing. And there are some truths you want to hold close to your heart. Romans 5:3,4      Romans 8:6,7      Proverbs 3:5,6    Romans 3:23,24    Romans...

How do you make someone pay attention to what you're telling or showing them? You do something to create an interest. The desire to create content and having the tools to do that is at an all-time high. There is so much stuff out there. And especially for those trying to make a name for themselves and capture people's attention, it's hard to navigate through a gate that is small.      Matthew 7:13...

Which details or key facts a person decides to tell in a story matter a great deal. The way America decided to tell the story of how the country was built and discovered would be deemed as being "whitewashed." The final episode in this four-part series for Black History Month examines how the recording of American history compares to God's Word and its history—there are glaring differences.  1 Tim...

One of the beefs with Christianity is that some feel as though ONLY European fingerprints are all over today's version of Christianity and that only white reformers and theologians have a say. Should Martin Luther, who happened to be of European descent, receive as much credit as he does? This episode explores and challenges the idea that Europe is the only influence for Christianity. Spoiler aler...

Take a guess on which of Jesus' disciples acted two-faced. We're not that different from this two-faced disciple, because there are pressures we are confronted with from our culture, our community, and our pride. This episode in the four-part series looks at the stresses a person faces as well as the ways to combat becoming two-faced, prejudice, or racist.              Matthew 13:55      Luke 4:14...

This is the first in a four-part series in honor of Black History Month. Let's not shy away from this but use God's Word to reflect, challenge, convict, and liberate us when needed. No matter our race or ethnicity, there are some major lessons to learn from America's history. Be leery: we do not repeat history by commission or omission. We should not only look at American history but also at the B...

Social media has made it even more apparent that we are fascinated with highlights. We can't just blame it on this era though, because it's something that has always intrigued our human nature. It's time to check ourselves to make sure we are not coveting or envying; this would make us undercover haters. The highlights aren't going anywhere, but we can get a better grasp of how to handle them by l...

Family over everything is a motto many of us are taught to follow, but what if our family members are wrong? Do we have to side with them? To add to this, picking a side isn't always easy—especially when it goes against the culture or against the majority. The Bible has some examples of both—of those who picked incorrectly and correctly. The idea that a person has to pick Christ is examined, and w...

Usually bigger is better in our society. A bigger TV, a bigger meal, a bigger car, and a bigger salary are a few things that come to mind. What about a bigger and greater faith though? This episode explores what faith can do for you when placed in the right place—in our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Matthew 28:19      1 Corinthians 8:4     1 Corinthians 12:3     Ephesians 2:8      Matthew 17:14-20      M...

Too often those who are deemed as strong get overlooked and don't have many places to turn to when they are dealing with a lot. Who counsels the counselor? If you are often leaned on, you have to know how to recharge. If you want to be stronger, take a look at how the strongest person ever, Jesus, continuously and intentionally became stronger.      Luke 5:15,16       Mark 1:35-27       Mark 6:30-...