The Yellow Balloons Podcast

In this episode, we discuss Paul’s approach to righteousness. Paul’s main thesis is that righteousness is not achieved by man’s ability to uphold the law, but by Jesus’ fulfillment of the law through his life, death, and resurrection. The law is not adequate for salvation. Neither is our ability to follow the rules of the law. What makes righteousness possible is Jesus. And our part is to put our...

The Book of Romans centers around the question of whether faith is enough on its own? A key element to Paul’s discussion is the issue of salvation. In this episode, we examine, both in Romans and other books, the many different kinds of salvation the Bible suggests. Perhaps the major flaw in Paul’s detractors is a misunderstanding of salvation. In the second half of The Book of Romans, Paul pivots...

Throughout The Book of Romans, Paul argues that trying to do right all the time is an exercise in futility. Not that we should give up on good behavior, but we should not consider it necessary for acceptance into the Kingdom of God. When our own action is the central hero of our lives, we will find ourselves in cycles of incapacity, shame and sin - a path that leads to spiritual death. The only wa...

In this episode, we dive into the weeds of the central question of Romans - are works required or is faith enough on its own? The problem with works as a standard is that it creates a false sense of control. We become dependent and proud of our own capabilities. And it leaves room to judge others. But Paul’s opponents point out that faith alone makes the law meaningless and promotes bad behavior....

The Book of Romans is designed with all the elements of a great narrative. In episode one, we talked about the tension of the plot. In this episode, we look at the heroes and the villains of the story. Paul and his friends are on one side and the Jewish leaders on another. The Jewish leaders are making accusations against Paul, which he addresses head on. In the middle of the two sides are the Gen...

Paul writes The Book of Romans to the believers in the most prominent and influential city of the age - Rome. These believers, like many Christians, are struggling with a specific theological tension. Is belief enough? Or are certain works required as well? There are Jewish believers on both sides of the argument and the Gentile believers in Rome are not sure what to think. In this episode, we tal...

In this episode, we try to answer the question: “what is contentment?” Putting our trust in people, circumstances, and things will never satisfy us. To be satisfied, we must put our trust in the things that man cannot touch. Peace, joy, and purpose come through eternal things. They are not achievable through superficial ways. We will look at the secrets of contentment and the vital role striving p...

In this episode, we continue our series on success in the Kingdom of God. We are not talking about how to get rich, but how to be rich. The wealth of God’s Kingdom is not an external marker of achievement but an internal consistency of character. To help us see this, we will unpack 1 Timothy 6:6 and discuss what kind of gains this verse is talking about. We also discuss the means by which these wi...

In this episode, we discuss a fourth way to listen to God: through godly people. Like the three from the previous episode, this is also rooted in Proverbs. Solomon’s teaching on the wise and the foolish serves as a sort of blueprint to show us the way to meaningful success in our lives. What would life be like if we lived according to Proverbs, aligning with the path of wisdom? It would be charact...

In this episode, we continue to explore the key to being rich: listening to God. There is nothing more important than a willingness to listen to God. It is the only thing that leads to a prosperous life and the true riches of The Kingdom of Heaven. Diving deeper into three ways to listen presented in previous episodes, we discover more about this fundamental practice. Proverbs is a major source fo...

In this episode, we continue discussing how to listen to God as a method to experience the riches of the Kingdom of God. There are myriad ways to listen to God. Today we focus on hearing God in nature, listening to godly people as image-bearers of Christ, and listening to the Holy Spirit in ourselves. A book by Brother Lawrence, “Practicing the Presence of God,” is a rich example of listening to t...

In this episode, our series on how to be rich continues with a discussion about the opportunity we have to listen to God. Scripture promises we can buy all the gold we want by listening to God. Not physical gold, but spiritual riches. Reading scripture invites us to hear the voice of God, bear witness to the historical and eternal working of the divine, and discern what that means for our daily li...

In this episode, we continue to discuss ways to hear from God. We focus on two powerful ways to observe who God is and what He is doing. The first is by noticing Him in nature and throughout all of our circumstances. The second is by listening to the Holy Spirit within. Listening to the spirit is not always easy, even though He’s always speaking. In both internal and external whisperings, our disc...

In this episode, we continue our series on how to be rich. Our society is preoccupied with control and taking charge. The great sin of humanity is when we think we are god rather than vessels to serve God. To become truly rich requires listening to the Lord. There are two ways to improve our experience in hearing what God has to say: read the bible and listen to godly people. Doing this builds a f...

In this episode, we explore two more New Testament parables about money: the unjust steward and the rich man and Lazarus. Much of these parables deal with the issue of time, immediate gratification versus delayed gratification. Giving without expectation does not pay now, but it will pay later. There are four ways to bless others using money: creating jobs, experiences, partnerships, and hospitali...

In this episode, we take a look at the way Scripture talks about money. We start by discussing the spiritual truth that money cannot buy happiness. Three parables about money help us see the way God thinks about money is distinct from the world’s view. The parables of the lost sheep, the lost money, and the prodigal son invite us into Jesus’ view of what it means to be rich in the Kingdom of God.

In this episode, we continue our discussion on American history and how it affects Western psychology and modern institutions. Then we turn to the origins and value of self-governance, in particular, how Israel qualified as a self-governing nation. That is, until they found it too challenging and asked for a King. We close with an exhortation to embrace self-stewardship, to focus on the few things...

In this episode, we begin our series on what it means to be rich. Our starting point is a distinction between getting rich and being rich. As a case study, we look at the wealth of America - how did this British outpost become the richest country in the world? At the founding of America as we know it, the Declaration of Independence was a necessary communication to Europe. It let them know we were...

In this episode, we discuss the imminent return of Christ, the antichrist, the final battle, the millennial kingdom, the beast and his number, and the events that surround the end of the old earth. The history of prophecy is meant to help us see where we are and where we are going. Ultimately it all boils down to this: God is in control and our response is to trust and endure, that we might share...

In this episode, we explore one of the most talked about prophecies in Scripture: the “seventy weeks” described in the ninth chapter of Daniel. Examining this important prophecy, we seek  to answer three questions: When will the seventy weeks begin and end? What are the signs this prophecy is coming true? And what will be the end of the age when this prophecy is fulfilled? Using Matthew 24 as a he...

We continue exploring human history through the Biblical depiction of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in the book of Daniel 2. Prophecy, in its many forms, has impacted human history at every turn. We start with the Holy Roman empire and explore how it grew and changed through the centuries. Then we turn to the 7 weeks prophecy in Daniel 9 and unpack how it relates to the tribulation and the end times.

In this episode, we begin to journey through the course of human history, from the Old Testament origins of our faith to our modern world. Using the story of King Nebuchadnezzar's dream as a backdrop and a sort of metaphor, we explore how our perception shapes not just individual human behavior but collective belief and understanding. Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, as presented in Daniel, reaches into t...

In this episode, we continue to discuss the new heavens and the new earth. What does prophecy suggest they will look like? What does this mean for us now? We begin with the bride of Christ as she is presented in the book of Revelation. Then we turn to the glory of the city which comes from the kings of the nations and discuss who is and who is not allowed in this city. We close by exploring the im...

In this episode, we begin to explore what The Bible says about the coming of the New Jerusalem. What does it mean for heaven and earth to pass away  and what will come in its place? As we answer this question, we will unpack how the New Jerusalem relates to the bride of Christ. We will examine, to the best of our ability, the physical realities of the new heaven and the new earth. Finally, we wrap...

In this episode, we continue to explore future events as revealed through the pages of Scripture, focusing on what we can be sure about. We discuss the rejuvenation of Jerusalem, the keeping of God’s promises to the Jewish people, and the millennial kingdom. If we read, hear, and do we shall overcome whatever trials, temptations, and uncertainties might otherwise plague us. Prophecy is a great gif...