Bible In-depth

Going through the book of Exodus, we will be diving into the first 20 chapters to see what God's Word has to tell us! The book of Exodus consists mainly of two genres, Narrative History and Laws. It was written by Moses about 1450-1410 B.C. The key personalities include Moses, Miriam, Pharaoh, Pharaoh's daughter, Aaron, and Joshua. It was written to record the events of Israel's deliverance from slavery in Egypt. It describes the events to the reader in chronological order and also lists the Laws that God has given to the Israelites, in order to guide them in their relationship with Him. Source: BibleHub

Let's talk about modesty… Whether it's a subject you do or don't enjoy talking about, it's one that needs to be discussed. I've had many conversations over the years about Christian modesty and what it's supposed to look like. One of the biggest misunderstandings most of us as Christians succumb to is assuming the Biblical standard of modesty parallels the worldly standard of modesty. Dressing modestly as a Christian isn't just about “covering up”, it‘s about being a child of a holy God and having a deep reverence for that. In this video we'll give Biblical modesty a foundational definition, talk about Bible passages that discuss and elaborate on modesty, and highlight areas we as Christians are really struggling in this battle.

Diving back into the book of Genesis, we take a detailed look into the last 25 chapters of the book and the genealogy of Issac to Joseph.

Let's talk about alcohol... This seems to be a subject people are split over in the Christian community and definitely carries a quiet stigma around its waist. Is it a sin to drink? What regulations does the Bible put on drinking? Is it a sin to underage drink? These are all questions we will be addressing in this video to clear up any common misconceptions about how the Bible speaks on these matters. Whether a Christian chooses to drink or not is completely up to them, all that matters is that we continue to seek scripture and insure we have the right understanding regarding this topic.

Ever wanted to hear a summary of the books of the Bible, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER? Well look no further because starting in Genesis, we are going to be doing exactly that. The Book of Genesis: The genre of Genesis is a Narrative History, and Genealogies. It was written by Moses about 1450-1410 B.C. Key personalities include Adam, Eve, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Rebekah, Jacob, and Joseph. This book was written to record God’s creation of the world and to demonstrate His love for all that He created. Genesis is the first book of the Law and also the first book of the entire Bible. The name Genesis literally means “In the Beginning”. It explains the actual events of one of the most debated subjects of our current day...the origin of life. Genesis describes the Lord God, who is infinite and all-powerful, creating everything that exists, by the power of His spoken Word, out of nothing. He essentially creates material matter out of nonmaterial nothing. Source: BibleHub

If you were to give your prayer life a rating out of 100, what would you give yourself? A large majority of Christians get by with “checking in with God” here and there whenever it’s convenient to them. But even more than that, a large majority of Christians shy away from praying dangerous prayers because let’s be honest... they’re scary. Approaching God in prayer and asking Him to break you of your pride, comfort, security, selfishness, impatience, judgement, etc, is absolutely terrifying. But there comes a point in every Christians relationship with God where He is calling them to something more. He pushes and nudges you to take the occasional leap of fully giving something over to him for your own growth. Most of the time we brush off these nudges and politely decline, only to later pray for a deeper relationship with God and being confused why it feels like He’s not answering our prayers. The simple truth is God is going to let you grow as deep in your relationship with Him as you strive for, the problem is that’s going to require YOU giving up control and doing things YOU don’t want to do. So you get to make the choice. Would you rather see, understand and experience God in a way you’ve never felt before... or would you rather have your comforts? I’m not trying to pressure you to one side or the other, I’m just saying don’t get upset when you feel your prayer life and relationship with God seems lack luster because you’re the only person holding you back from praying a dangerous prayer. (LINKS) https://www.google.com/amp/s/redeeminggod.com/dangerous-christian-prayers/amp/

Whether you want to admit it or not, we all know reading the Bible is essential for a healthy relationship with God. I often hear Christians bring up how they don’t need to read the scriptures to have a relationship with God. To that I answer how there might be a real possibility their relationship with God is being severely hindered by the fact they haven’t absorbed themselves in the very book that is designed to serve as their rock of foundational truth. God has provided us with the means of truly having a flourishing relationship with Him by getting to see who He is and how He works, we just never pick up the book! At the end of the day, here’s the question you really need to be asking yourself. Is God the number one priority in your life? Do you seek Him? Do you want to get to know Him better? Do you want to go deeper in your relationship with Him? Have you gotten spiritually lazy or even worse, do you really even have a desire to pursue God? Addressing questions like this are the first steps to realizing if you’re ready to take God seriously or not. You have to make the decision of “Is God my top priority?” or “Is God somewhere in my top 10 priorities?”. Once you have decided and committed to make God the number one priority, there’s no better way to start your journey than by opening the very book He gave you to help you get to know Him.

In this week’s QNA, we will be hitting on the subject of biblical repentance. I’m going to be honest with you guys, this video is more tailored to the “Cultural Christian” than anyone else. (A person who claims devotion to Christianity, yet lives as if the Bible doesn’t provide us with commands for godly living) Too often I’ve found myself in conversation with “Christian friends”, just to find out they subscribe to little of what the Bible actually teaches. Repentance is the act of confessing your old sinful nature and separating yourself from anything and everything God indicates as sinful practice. The problem isn’t the confessing part, the problem is forcefully separating from your sin at all cost. I’ll be the first to tell you that repentance isn’t a “one and done” kind of thing. We are all constantly working through our salvation with fear and trembling (Philippians 2:12). None of us are perfect, and the process of repentance is a lifelong pursuit for the Christian. Keeping this in mind, you must also accept the fact that this is no excuse to get comfortable with your sin. When you repent, your entire demeanor regarding sin and it’s effects on you changes. For the people still seeking answers, I’m going to post links to three videos and I want you to watch all three in order. They will discuss “How to repent” (Video 1), “Why ongoing sin happens” (Video 2), and “How repentance can be messy business as well as taking time” (Video 3). (Video #1) https://youtu.be/K5FMdJWE0JU (Video #2) https://youtu.be/HynerviUiTc (Video #3) https://youtu.be/UzMId-VgdAM

Are you a Christian? This is a fairly regular question asked in America today. According to Pew research center, 65% of Americans would consider themselves “Christen”, but... does our society reflect that statistic? Walking around in school, universities, the workplace, and just out in public, do you believe 65% of America is Christian? It seems we’ve gotten into a bad habit of claiming the title of “Christians”, yet providing no fruit in our lives to back that statement up. The Bible, considered out of date and touch with society. God, looked at as someone to talk with only when things get hard for us. God’s commandments, pushed off as extreme and unnecessary. Ladies and gentlemen the problem we are currently facing not just in America but worldwide, is one of commitment. We clutch onto the title of “Being a Christian” and “Being faithful to God”, then proceed to have an adulterous relationship with the world. In our selfish justification, we recreate God as someone entirely different than who He is. Someone who is lenient about His rules and lets things slide because He loves us. Surly God can’t get mad at me for indulging in a couple bad habits right? I still go to church. I still pray once in awhile. I even share the gospel sometimes! Surely that’s enough to get me into heaven? God doesn’t want your occasional kindness, He wants your unconditional love and a byproduct of unconditional love, is unconditional commitment.

Ladies and gentlemen we need to slow down, take a breath, and pause for a moment. We are currently at the climax of political tension and it’s safe to say people from both sides are getting a little rowdy. I don’t care about believer’s political opinions, what I do care about is how Christians are handling the situation. To be completely honest with you, I can’t tell you what to do with your life. If you wanna get angry, vulgar, and toxic about the whole situation, all I can do is mention you’re not setting a good example for what a Christian should look like. I am speaking to no one in specific here, both sides are equally as guilty as the other and it’s showing. Am I trying to be some Jesus hippie in the middle of all this chaos? Certainly not. But I am going to relate to the fact that it’s so easy to get tangled in the poisonous web of politics. Read a post, get angry, say some stuff you probably shouldn’t have said... We’ve all been there. It’s human to get heated over certain stuff, we have something called emotions... Just remember there’s a responsibility that comes with being a believer. God draws a line in the sand and tells us not to cross it. Don’t cross it.

In today’s QNA we aren’t covering an easy topic for 21st century America. So often we hold biblical opinions on this topic, yet are afraid to declare them to the world. Why are we afraid? Because the world is contrary to Christianity in almost everything it does. We fear backlash, we fear ridicule, we have no desire to stir up trouble or drama with others. This all might be true but if you believe in what Christianity teaches, what are the stakes? What are the consequences? We can’t adjust to everything the world throws at us because then, are we even real Christians? How much more will we water-down our faith in the name of “tolerance” when lives are at stake? I’m not asking you to go preach hellfire or force Christianity down anyone’s throat. I’m asking you to do what you can for those who need it the most, even when society might tell them otherwise.

As we conclude our series regarding hell, the question of “Why is hell necessary?” was one that had to be asked. Though I don’t believe I have all the answers, hell is clearly a place we were never designed to go to in the first place. Many questions can sprout from the topic of hell and I’ll be the first to tell you there are many answers out there for those who struggle with that. The goal of this episode wasn’t to answer every question but to describe the reality of what absence from God looks like. We often forget we still live under God’s ultimate authority and protection on earth. Hell is complete separation from God in all ways. There is no good left to cling onto because you’ve separated yourself from the creator of all things good. This God wants nothing more than for you to embrace his goodness and find refuge under his care. All you have to do is understand He is the only reason you are getting into heaven through Jesus Christ. There is nothing you can do on this world that comes remotely close to deserving enteral life, God understood this. That is why He sacrificed himself through Jesus to make the impossible now possible.

As much as I’d like to be witty and create an entertaining caption for this video, that’s not the case. I encourage you to watch the video and reflect back on your current circumstances. What habits, desires, activities, and actions have been occurring in your life that is tearing you apart from God? Need some help? I’ll start with a few, Premarital sexual actions, underage drinking, drunkenness, drugs, foul language, and sinful thoughts. Woah, I pretty much just called out ALL of college culture right? Sure, because a little over a year ago I was not only apart of the crowd but in the vanguard of it. It eats away at you when you see friends/peers who claim to be Christian yet act on the polar opposite of their “beliefs”. The word “believe” is a verb, it’s not just an acknowledgement of something. To believe in God is to take action on His commands because you know it’s truth, not just some old tales that could provide some insight. Too many Christians walk the wide road, trying to bake their cake and eat it to. Want to follow Jesus and clinch onto his unbelievable gift of eternal life? Please, I beg you follow Him with love, loyalty, and trust. He will help you through whatever you’re struggling with. On the contrary, if you have no want or desire to believe because you enjoy the delights of the world, that’s your decision. But don’t even think about trying to hold hands with God and with the world at the same time, reaping the benefits of both because at the end of the day, you’re actions will destroy you. Christianity isn’t a faith of picking and choosing, it’s a faith of obedience and obedience will always be rewarded so much more than your ability to decide for yourself. Hell is a terrible place and no one should have to suffer this fate. It’s just terrifying to think ones who believe they are already saved, one day might come to find as a result of THEIR actions a much more horrific reality.

This is a question that has been debated for centuries among skeptics, atheist, and scholars alike. This video serves as an EXTREMELY short introduction of some basic evidence based pointers. I wanted to make it simple to promote curiosity, for these topics all go significantly deeper and expand in many more directions. SOURCES https://christiananswers.net/q-abr/abr-a007.html (S&G) https://www.hopechannel.com/au/read/the-hittites-a-civilisation-lost-and-found (Hittites) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=882fmumdm9A (Flood) https://www.trismegistos.org/ldab/index.php (LDAB) https://www.zachariastrust.org/why-trust-the-bible (Additional arguments of credibility) https://jewsforjesus.org/answers/top-40-most-helpful-messianic-prophecies(Prophecies) https://digitalcommons.liberty.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1095&context=pretrib_arch(Additional resources about Biblical prophecies) https://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/whatever-happened-to-the-twelve-apostles-11629558.html (Apostle’s deaths) http://www.jrtalks.com/2Corinth/2cor6v3to13.html (Paul’s hardships) https://www.xenos.org/essays/case-christs-resurrection (Arguments for Jesus’s resurrection) http://www.veritas.org/evidence-easter-scientists-list/ (Argument for resurrection pt.2) https://youtu.be/ay_Db4RwZ_M(Arguments for resurrection pt. 3) List of books (“Mere Christianity” by C.S Lewis, “I don’t have enough faith to be an atheist” by Frank Turek, “The case for Christ” by Lee Strobel.) Even this is just scratching the surface. An entire world of apologetics exist out there. GO, LEARN.

Ah, the topic that strikes fear into most young people’s hearts. Music has proved again and again to be a fiery subject when brought up for debate. It’s very clear music and what types of music a society consumes reflects on what they prioritize and glorify in their culture. I believe most people would agree music has gotten a little intense in recent years but where does that leave Christianity? Often overlooked due to its easily justifiable reasons, Christians (especially in the youth) seem to find refuge hidden in the grey areas of the matter. The question arises, is it okay to just sweep this under the rug or is it an ever growing problem that needs to be addressed personally by every Christian. This week, we dive into the topic to find out how much power music holds over us, as well as highlighting on what types of content the Bible declares we should be consuming. My goal with this video wasn’t to try and shove scripture down people’s throats to disprove their musics legitimacy. My goal was to shed light on a topic I believe every Christian knows the answer to deep down in their hearts. It’s time to address the fact that music has very real power and this power can have very real effects on our relationship with God.

Get ready to answer some hard questions this week because that’s exactly what we’re going to do in this episode. A trend I’ve noticed when I say those words is people are quick to scurry away before hard truths hit their ears. They don’t want to hear them. It’s easy to hide away and pretend that we can live in our own universes and make our own rules. The only problem is, when confronted with truth we cringe at the fact our illusion of what’s right and wrong gets shattered. In this weeks episode, we highlight on how justification is the number one cause for believers and unbelievers alike to live in this imaginary world where they get to make the rules and not feel bad about it. For anyone living with this mindset all I can say is I used to be just like you. I wished that fake universe was real for the longest time till I came to the conclusion it’s not, and the only universe that exist is God’s. God’s universe, God’s rules, no questions asked.

Most of us have heard the saying "Christians have to pick up their cross on a daily basis" but have we ever really stopped to analyze what that means? Sure, it's easy to interpret that as a quick reminder to hold to our faith when things get tough but what if it's meant to go deeper than that? When Jesus explained to the masses in Mark 8:34-38, he did so with the intention of informing people the realities of what it means to be a Christian. He didn't tell them to pick up the keys to their new sports car right down the road or to pick up free complementary cruise tickets to Hawaii he would be providing. He told them to pick up their very own cross and follow him. No car, no cruise-ship, no Hawaii. The pitch Jesus was trying to sell didn't sound very much like a bargain but he did promise something no one else can provide but him, eternal life. At the end of the day, Jesus leaves the decision up to us. He can provides hundreds of warnings in the Bible that it is in our best interest to listen to him but only we can decide whether or not we're going to pick up that cross on a daily basis. It the decision harder some days than others? Of course but we can find comfort in knowing the ultimate reward will pay its dividends a hundred times over.

Let’s be honest, at one point or another you’ve probably thought of Christianity as a chore. We are all guilty of feeling like we are following a list of rules just because we “have to”. This was not only a problem for me but for many believers all around the world. We get frustrated when we’re left behind, watching our friends do fun stuff without us. This is where “Never forgetting your why” becomes important. Christians don’t just suffer for the sake of suffering, we do so because we’ve concluded the eternal reward outweighs the present luxury. That’s not an easy decision to make. Christians often time forget why they are walking this path and what used to be living in a Godly way has turned in a list of rules they must submit to. To never forget your why means to never forget the reason you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ve been given the choice to walk two very different paths in this world. One puts yourself first and the other puts God first. One could argue both having pros and cons. One is immediate and one is delayed. But it is only for you to decide which path you’re going to take.

In life, we’re going to be faced with a lot of decisions on how to invest our money, time, and energy. In a world surrounded by comforts and luxuries we get to make the decision where we’re allocating these resources. Though we often lean toward the side of comfort and luxury, Jesus often preached of another way to use our resources, for the glory of God. Mentioned over and over again in the Bible, heavenly, rather than earthy treasure, is in much higher regards. Whether we decide to take invest in heavenly treasure is completely up to us but Jesus assures us, it is a decision we certainly will not regret.

John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” It’s a wonderful verse right? We all enjoy reading and spending time in our bibles learning about all the awesome promises God has made with us. But... what about all the promises he made that aren’t so awesome? Can we just brush those aside and hope God, the judge of the universe, can just let some of those slide? This week, we discuss the bad habit we’ve fallen into of tunnel visioning ourselves onto the sweet part of Christianity all while watering down the rest. Is this something we can do without fearing repercussion? The answer is no and in the episode we look into a very similar story with the Israelites which ultimately reveals God’s thoughts on people who act in this kind of a manor.

Evangelism. It’s a scary word that makes the majority of people who hear it, very uncomfortable. The question that’s being presented this week is why is that? Why is the one mission Jesus set all of us out on as his final command before he left Earth, so easily avoided and brushed away. Is evangelism just for pastors? Is it just for volunteers in the church? No, it is a task ALL believers must take part in. Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” This fear of sounding “politically incorrect” or not wanting to make anyone uncomfortable with talk of religion is outrageous. It is a tactic employed perfectly by the forces of evil and we play perfectly into their hand by hushing up and justifying our silence with watered-down social excuses. It’s time to step up and realized if you call yourself a believer, talking about your faith isn’t an option. It’s a command.

What types of people do you surround yourself with? Last week, we discussed the very serious problem rising in the church known as lukewarm Christianity. This week, we look into one of the biggest factors that effects that, Christine unity, Do to the hurry in peoples schedules now days, is church anything more than a check off the list before lunch on Sunday. Have we as Christians become so concerned with us and us alone that we have forgotten about all the other Christians going through the same circumstances? But most importantly, have we forgotten we are not alone in this fight? We have believers in this fight that need our help just as much as we need there's so we can continue to further the development of God's greater purpose.

Lukewarm Christianity is arguably the biggest problem the church faces in the 21st century. Many people classify themselves as believers but are they living to the requirements Jesus called us to? This week, we dive into how lukewarm Christianity can impact young people in school and how that can carry over to your personal and religious life.

This week, we jump into what sacrifice means for the younger generation of Christians. We often look at sacrifice as giving up something for God but what if we looked at it as giving up something that REALLY hurt for God. We are all so quick to give sometimes, but is it ever at our own expense? I've come to find the rule that if the sacrifice didn't hurt, you're probably still holding back, clinging onto worldly comforts.

This week, we dive into what rising college freshmen or simply any college student in general should look out for when moving into or through college. It is not terribly uncommon for new college students to struggle maintaining their relationship with God. The goal of this series is to aid in some of the problems that might quickly arise in being a young Christian.

I would like to say this wasn't the easiest podcast for me to record as the topic has been on my mind years before I ever decided to change the way I was going with it. I hope you guys can absorb the information with an open mind and try to rationalize the points I make, to see if going into the future this is a decision you would want to make as well. As a freshmen college student, I frequently saw peers of mine brushing this topic off until they decided "It would be easier to deal with". Just live it up in college and settle down with someone later then decide to be religious right? I got frustrated when I saw so many people coming to this conclusion because its nothing more than a cop out. It's nothing more than saying "I don't wanna follow the rules when the rules are hard to follow, but ill follow them when its more convenient to me and they're easier to follow" going into the future everyone gets to make decisions for themselves and whatever they decide to do I wish them the best. But for the young christians out there I really do hope you can make the decision to start enduring trials when they're at their hardest, not when they're at their easiest. LINKS FOR ALL MY SOURCES https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/living-single/201902/divorce-rates-around-the-world-love-story%3famp https://www.intechopen.com/books/an-analysis-of-contemporary-social-welfare-issues/teenage-pregnancies-a-worldwide-social-and-medical-problem https://www.apa.org/monitor/2013/02/ce-corner https://oxbowacademy.net/educationalarticles/comp_mast/ https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/compulsive-sexual-behavior/symptoms-causes/syc-20360434

We all know it easy to point the finger at others when they are in the wrong, but how does that effect us as individuals? This week, we dive into the negatives of judgment and the dangers that lie in the action.

Praying. Its something we are all familiar with, but how often do we actually sit down to have a conversation with God? This week, we look into the importance of prayer and how it develops a very real relationship with God.

This week, we look into the structure of the family and the role it plays into todays society. Whats the purpose of the family? Why is the family so important? What does God say about the family? All of these questions and more will be answered today!

Being a Christian may or may not be something you classify yourself as. Today we look at what is the societal definition of a "Cultural Christian" rather than just a Christian.