Drippings from the Honeycomb: The sweetness of God’s Word one verse at a time.

Enjoying the Show? Drop us a line!Is it possible to be perfect? What would it take to be perfect? James gives us the answer to both in two simple sentences. In James 3:2, he makes two clear points. First, that all people “stumble,” i.e., sin. Second, if anyone does not stumble with their mouth, they can control their whole body and are therefore perfect. James' point is clear: all people are sinful; Jesus was perfect.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!By what are we saved? Is it faith or works? For centuries, this debate has echoed through the halls of the church, with many followers of Jesus Christ landing all across the spectrum. Is the reality of this question too deep for simple believers to understand? Can something that has split denominations, torn apart congregations, and separated believers for thousands of years not be resolved? Could Scripture not provide a clear and concise answer to this question for the millions of believers who seek to worship God every day?The answer is assuredly, YES! The Scriptures are incredibly clear on this issue, and the context surrounding this apparent contradiction shows the answer to be readily available. The fact is, both Paul and James, whose writings unwittingly put these two saints at the center of this controversy, based their theology on the same account of faith. Both understood that faith and good works play an integral part in the salvation and sanctification of the believer on this side of heaven, and both left clear evidence in their writings that they were in full agreement. The result is a beautiful and robust view of the salvation and sanctification process that God brings His children through.With faith as the active movement of the heart and works as the evidence of the seal of the Holy Spirit, it is clearly seen from the Scriptures that no contradiction existed between these two men. Follow along with us as we dive into the context surrounding this supposed disagreement to gain a more complete understanding of the intense complexity of God's salvation and sanctification plan for His children.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!Is it possible to believe in God, even acknowledge Jesus Christ, and not be saved? If faith in God is what is required for salvation, then shouldn't everyone who professes belief in God and Jesus be saved?This position is the prevalent belief of much of the modern church; however, the Scriptures do not agree with this simplified version of what much of the modern church dubs as “saving faith.” Jesus even said these words during his ministry: “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” (Matthew 7:21-23)So, it should be no surprise that James offers a similar take on faith, pointing out that there are two kinds of faith: godly faith, which leads to eternal life, and demonic faith, which leads to eternal death. The implications of such teachings, which are found throughout the Scriptures, are stark and demand attention from all. Their teaching is clear: intellectual knowledge, admission of existence, and cerebral assent do not comprise saving faith. Only heart-centered belief from a broken and contrite spirit, mixed with repentance of sin, resulting in a life-altering commitment to the service and obedience of God, can bring salvation to the lost soul.Introspection and self-evaluation in light of these difficult passages of Scripture are essential for every person who claims to be a Christ-follower. Where is the locus of your faith? In the heart, or in the mind? “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!” (James 2:19)Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!The law of God has been the subject of much debate since the very beginning of the church. In fact, the discussion, disagreement, and even battles fought by Christ-followers over the place of the Old Testament law within Christianity caused multiple New Testament writers to address the issue.James does not shy away from the debate in the least! Rather, he offers one of the most beautiful explanations of how God's Old Testament law fits into Christianity. His writing, far from contradicting his contemporary, the Apostle Paul, speaks in harmony with the rest of the Scriptures in affirming the existence of two laws: the law of God and the law of Jesus Christ.Together, the writers of the New Testament confirm the truth that Jesus came to fulfill God's law, freeing humanity from the condemnation and death it brought. However, this did not void the law; rather, it fulfilled it. In its place, James teaches his readers that Jesus gave a new law, one James called “the law of liberty.” This law binds Christ-followers to obedience through the work of Jesus Christ on their behalf, teaching them that they have been made alive and free to live lives that bring glory and honor to God and Jesus Christ through genuine obedience to God, by the power of the Holy Spirit.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!What is the measure of the condition of a man's heart before God? James argues that it is the condition of a man's mouth!While this might seem like an odd take by James, his teaching is solidly grounded in the Scriptures. One does not need to look further than the great proclamation by the prophet Isaiah in the Old Testament when he cried out, "And I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!'"Interestingly enough, it is the defilement of his lips that concerned Isaiah. He understood that, of everything, his mouth was the hardest part to control and bore a great responsibility for the sin in his life.James would echo this sentiment hundreds of years later when he penned his letter to the churches.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” This simple message was the call of Jesus as He preached during His ministry. The evidence of this is clearly seen in the New Testament writings of His disciples. James echoes this message clearly in this verse, calling on believers to repent, which literally means to turn around, change your ways, and go in the opposite direction.James' instruction to believers to “put away” sin shows that repentance is a continual action for the believer. Despite being Christ-followers and being indwelt with the Holy Spirit, residence in this fallen world necessitates repentance. Believers must continually repent of the “sin which so easily besets us” and purposefully follow Christ in obedience.James knew there was only one way to be obedient. Believers must receive the implanted Word. It is the Word that reveals God, the Word that guides believers, the Word that shows humanity the will of God for their lives. Without the indwelling of the Word, there can be no conviction of sin, no dispensing of godly wisdom, and no hope of salvation.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!“God is not merely good, but goodness; goodness is not merely divine, but God.” - C.S. LewisJames wanted his readers to understand that everything good in their lives came from God. It could not have come from anywhere else because nothing and no one else is good. God is more than just the author of that which is good, He is its essence because He is goodness itself. The believer's circumstances do not affect, dictate, or impact the goodness of God. He is good, and all the good things in the believer's life come from Him even in the midst of the darkest trial. As the Psalmist said, “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.”Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!↓ Support our Podcast! ↓Steadfast:1a: firmly fixed in place : immovableb: not subject to change2: firm in belief, determination, or adherence Despite the fact that his audience is undergoing trial and persecution, James does not send an empathetic letter of commiseration. Quite the contrary, James exhorts his audience to be steadfast in the face of persecution! Was he unfeeling or uncaring about the very real plight of his audience? Not at all! Rather, he understood what was at stake. When compared together, James fully understood that the eternal good of his brothers and sisters in Christ was infinitely more important than their comfort or ease in this life. It is because of this understanding that he challenged them to stand firm, be strong, and endure to the end. His approach flies in the face of human conventions. Closer inspection of his words, however, shows that he chose love over empathy, the eternal over the temporary, and ultimate good over temporary comfort.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!↓ Support our Podcast! ↓You remember it like it happened yesterday: the whirlwind ministry of your half-brother, Jesus. His crucifixion, burial, resurrection, and ascension. Then the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, and you witnessed the birth and growth of the fledgling church. That wasn't very long ago. Your journey has been no less incredible; from doubter to believer, you were called to lead the Jerusalem Church.Then the persecution came. Your church family was arrested, imprisoned, killed, or driven out of their homes. How can you encourage them? What can you say to them? How can you keep them focused on living for their Lord and Savior?It is impossible to know every thought that coursed through the mind of James as he penned his letter to his brothers and sisters in the Christian faith undergoing persecution and hardship. However, his incredible letter to the church has given encouragement and guidance to hundreds of millions of Christians throughout the years.Through this Holy Spirit-inspired letter, we catch a glimpse of James' heart for persecuted believers. The letter has also given believers a roadmap to righteous living for the past 20 centuries. The words of James are brief, strong, and sometimes downright sharp, but the love driving this incredible pastor is plainly evident through his deep concern for the eternal state of his audience.For the next few months, we are going to take a journey through this amazing letter. We invite you to join us and be blessed by the words of this incredible pastor of the early church, a man who was brutally martyred for his faith in Jesus: none other than the Lord's half-brother, James.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!A central theme of the first few chapters of Genesis is the complex relationship between God, the Creator, and man, His uniquely created creature. Humans were created according to God's pleasure. They are God's image bearers, a feature of their nature that is completely unique from every other created being.God designed man to be in a relationship with Himself, and as such, worshiping God is the central purpose of humanity. However, when sin entered the world and humanity fell, the separation from God became impassable by any ability that humans possess.The introduction to Genesis stands as a microcosm of the entire Scripture: the story of the one true God pursuing His disobedient creation, driven by love to stop at nothing in accomplishing their salvation.Through these chapters, the love of God is on full display as He continually pursues a relationship with humanity. His holiness, justice, love, mercy, and sacrifice are evident as He works His will to accomplish His ultimate purpose: to save and purify a people for Himself as a priestly inheritance.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!Has it ever occurred to you that God never forgets? Of course, He does more than that, He remembers. You might say, “That's the same thing!” but is it? It is one thing to never forget anything, but it is quite another to keep something continually in the forefront of your mind. When the Scriptures say that “God remembered” what it means is that His mind is active in keeping the plight of those who call upon Him in the center of His attention all the time. This is intentional language! God doesn't just have His people somewhere in His memory. We are the object of his thought. Those who are called by His name and sealed by His salvation have His FULL and UNDIVIDED attention at ALL times. What a demonstration of God's goodness and mercy to His people. God never forgets, and more than that, He intentionally and continuously remembers His people. His love is fixed upon them, and they can rest in the peace of that reality.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Enjoying the Show? Drop us line!What would it be like as a Christ-follower to have God say of you that you “did everything He commanded you?” It would definitely be the greatest and most humbling thing that had ever been said about you. In our mondern day, so many proclaiming Christians have discounted this story, even going so far as to call it myth. However Jesus cited the story of Noah as fact, and even used it as an example of the impending  judgement that would accompany His second coming. If our Lord and Savior looked to the account of Noah as a real, historical example of God's wrath and judgement for those who reject salvation, than those of us wo proclaim to be Christ-followers should not dismiss what the Bible has to say. After all, the Scripture says that “God commanded” Noah to do the things he did. The words of Genesis were written by Moses who received the account directly from God Himself! If none of this happened, the God is lying about his commands to Noah and all of Christianity is void. Genesis is true. Noah's story is true, and as Christ-followers, we ought to learn about this incredible man who “did all that God commanded him.”Support the Show.Visit our Merch Store to support the show!

From time to time, as we study the Scriptures, we encounter passages that force us to pause and consider a deep and profound call to action or belief. For many people, both Christ-followers and unbelievers, these passages are so uncomfortable that the easiest approach is to skip over them and ignore them. However, Scripture makes it very clear throughout its pages that this is not an option for anyone who claims to have a saving relationship with God. The Scriptures are one complete work, spoken in one cohesive voice, God's voice. The Word, as it is referred to in the New Testament, is both the written Word of God, which He has handed down to His people through divinely inspired human authors, and also Jesus Christ, the living Word, who affirmed the written Word of God as "God-breathed."Those who would be true Christ-followers are not permitted to pick and choose what they will obey from God's Word. They are called to live holy and obedient lives, fully submitted to the authority of God, which includes the authority of His Word. In Genesis 6:5, we encounter a passage such as this. It forces us to look into our hearts and answer the question, “How evil is the heart of man?” This is an uncomfortable question, to be sure; however, the answer is of the utmost importance. Understanding the truth will lead to understanding God's Word and work for mankind. Embracing Satan's lie will lead the heart to reject God and face ultimate destruction.Support the Show.Visit our Merch Store to support the show!

God is passionate about His family!#another12ministries #podcast #biblestudy #biblestudypodcast #biblepodcast #bibleverse #bibleverses #bookofgenesis#Godswordistrue #Godsword#scripture#disciple#disciplemaker #discipleship#discipleofjesusSupport the Show.Visit our Merch Store to support the show!

How should fallen humans approach the Holy God to worship Him? Of course, humans should worship God; that is obvious, but how? How can sinful beings come before the perfect, holy, and all-powerful God without being immediately consumed? This was one of the many problems that impacted humanity as a result of the sin of Adam and Eve in the garden. Their once open and intimate relationship with God was now limited by the sinfulness of their fallen nature. They could no longer commune face-to-face with God. Their access to His presence had been cut off. However, God had a plan, a plan that would still allow Him and His people to fellowship together. At first, this plan was temporary and heavily symbolic. The sacrificial system was instituted to point the heart and thoughts of humanity towards the coming of the redeemer who would make the final sacrifice for all humanity. Yet, despite its symbolism, the sacrificial system was required by God because the nature of His Divinity required it. Today, those who follow Jesus and are members of the family of God no longer need to sacrifice animals because Jesus' sacrifice was final. However, God still calls his people to sacrifice themself to Him and to His will. He requires repentance and obedience from those who would follow Him. To follow Jesus is to give every aspect of one's self over to God in totality. This is true in every area of our lives, especially in our worship.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

What is the ultimate consequence of sin? Is it a guilty conscience? Is it public embarrassment? Is it broken relationships, hurting others, or perhaps even loss? It could be all or part of these but are any of these really the ultimate consequence for sin? The reality is that there is only one ultimate consequence for sin, and that is separation from God. When we sin, we remove ourselves from the presence of God because He is holy and cannot be in the presence of sin. When we choose to sin, we walk away from our relationship with God, and we choose to glorify ourselves. Thankfully, God is merciful and just, and He extends His grace to us, with forgiveness, because He loves us and because of Jesus' sacrifice. God calls His children to be in relationship with Him, and sin is the opposite of that relationship.  Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Everyone knows the story of the fall. A creepy snake tempts Eve into eating some fruit from some tree in some garden that God had made, and just like that, sin, death, and destruction become part of the world we know and live in today. But is that really all there is to the story, or does the sin that caused the fall go deeper than Eve's actions?The reality is that it wasn't just Eve; Adam took an active part in the sin that caused the fall. It also wasn't just about a single action, like a child taking a cookie that spoils their dinner. At its core, The Fall was about rebellion and idolatry. The desire of man to vaunt himself into the position of God. The sin of Adam and Eve and the sin of Satan were the same sin. The Scripture is clear about it; they desired to be LIKE GOD, the creature coveting equality with the Creator. The Scriptures would later point out that the attitude of Jesus was completely different. Jesus, God Himself, would remain humble in His heart attitude. Paul described it this way, “...Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped…” (Philippians 2). Being God Himself, Jesus had every right to claim equality with God. However, so that He could fulfill the role of the sin sacrifice as a perfect HUMAN, He humbled Himself in His humanity and became obedient to the Father. That is why Adam brought the world to ruin, and Jesus Christ accomplished redemption.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

“Let us make man in our own image.” How can we even begin to understand all that those simple words contain? We, as humans, are made in the image of God! What are the implications of such a reality? If we are made in God's image, what does that say about us? What does that say about Him? What does it say about our uniqueness? What does it say about our purpose?God did not utter those words about anything else that He created. Mankind alone is exclusively made in His image. We know from the Scriptures that even the heavenly beings, like angels, are not made in God's image. This truth is so incredible, so unfathomable, and so monumental that it demands further investigation. We MUST look into this to understand the depths of its meaning for us. We must strive to learn all that we can about why the One True God chose to create us uniquely in His image. The more we contemplate this, the deeper we will understand why Jesus Christ died on the cross exclusively for our redemption. Humanity is precious to God for many reasons, not the least of which is that we are uniquely created in His own image.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

The creation account. It's more than just the first sentence of the Bible. In truth, Genesis 1:1 is a worldview packed into ten words. At its core, it is the declaration to all creation of who God is. It tells humanity that God is all-powerful, sovereign, unrivaled, and the one true God. In order to create all that is, God must be a being that is “uncreated,” immortal, and without beginning. It speaks to who God is and confirms that He created all the universe for His own pleasure to fulfill a purpose and a plan entirely of His own devising. It tells us that God is no mere craftsman but that He is able to will into existence that which He desires from nothing, meaning He is perfectly self-sufficient. Genesis 1:1 is a verse that is so easy to read over, to bypass because we are so familiar with it. However, the reality is that if we pause for just a moment, we will find that this verse is packed with truth and meaning. We will see that it gives us a window into the heart of God, of who He is, and why He alone is worthy of our worship.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Are you ready to jump into the book of Genesis and see the truths God has revealed to His people within its pages? Before we begin this incredible journey, we pause to take a look at the foundations of this incredible book: the truths from which it derives its overwhelming authority. We pause to consider the man that God selected to write these words, a man who spoke with God face to face "as a man speaks with his friend," and we pause to prepare our hearts to understand the passionate love of God for His creation and the depths to which His plan has driven Him to go in pursuit of a way of salvation for humanity.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Welcome to Season 4 of "Drippings from the Honeycomb." Join us as we go back to the beginning and examine the first eleven chapters of Genesis to help us gain an understanding of the foundation of God's plan for salvation. Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Throughout the Old and New Testaments, there is a recurring theme that consistently appears whenever humans encounter the Divine: they fell at His feet. This posture of humility showed their humility and worship of God. It showed the incredible disparity between the position of man and the position of God. However, there is a distinct difference between falling at the feet of God in fear of His overwhelming power, majesty, holiness, and splendor and being invited to cast one's self at God's feet like a child who falls at the feet of his loving parent in a plea for their tender care. Peter wanted his churches to understand two things: first, that falling at the feet of God in humility is always the appropriate response of a human before God, and second, that the children of God's adoption, believers, Kingdom-followers are invited to humbly cast themselves down at the feet of Jesus to find love, comfort, solace, and care. Throughout Scripture, the theme of God's loving care for His children remains the same; He wants us to take our cares and sorrows to Him because it is His delight to care for them. The truth for the believer is that GOD LOVES YOU! He is personally concerned with your needs and trials, and He WILL take care of you. Peter wanted his churches to lay their burdens at the feet of Jesus and rest in peace and confidence that He would care for all their needs.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Let's be honest: humans love to be comfortable. We strive for comfort by building comfortable homes, comfortable vehicles, and comfortable furniture. We love to come home at the end of the day and trade in our work clothes in favor of comfortable clothes. We like to be comfortable in our jobs, relationships, and community. In fact, we do just about everything we can to avoid being uncomfortable. However, what if being uncomfortable is exactly what we need? What if God sometimes calls us into uncomfortable situations because He knows that is what will be best for us? How should we respond to being uncomfortable? What should we do when we see other brothers and sisters in Christ who have been called into an uncomfortable position by God? In this episode, we will consider an uncomfortable promise from God's Word that will impact all of our lives. We can be sure of it! Peter knew that this reality would affect his churches, and so he wrote to them to encourage them to embrace the uncomfortable times that would come upon them.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Nothing calms the anxiety and fear of the human heart more than knowing the end of the story. Some of us, and you know who you are, read the end of every book before reading the book from start to finish! However, joking aside, it makes sense that we, as humans, want to know the end of every story. We want to know how it will all turn out. Will it be a happy ending or a sad ending? Will the suffering and trials experienced by the protagonist be worth it or will the story just end in hopelessness and despair? God, in His infinite mercy, grace, and wisdom, understood that we as humans need to have a concept of where we are going. He understood that we needed to know something, and He gave us the end of the story. Through the Scriptures, He showed humanity that He will be victorious in the end, and He will give a part in that victory to everyone who loves Him, serves Him, and is faithful to Him. Humanity has been shown that our story has a good ending for those who follow Jesus. To take a line from the old hymn, “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus.”Peter understood that believers, both at the time he wrote to his church and in the future, would often forget this reality. He knew that just as he looked down at the waves instead of at Jesus' face when He stepped out of the boat and walked on water, believers through all time would forget to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and would look at this world and sink under the waves of anxiety and fear about the future. Peter wanted Christ-followers to have their gaze fixed on Jesus Christ so that no matter what was going on around them, they would remain effective at being a witness for the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Do you have hope? Hope is a powerful force. It can give us strength to push through trials, endure suffering, and overcome hardships. Hope can ground us even in the darkest of days. When nothing seems to be as it should be, where is your hope? What is it that you look forward to that keeps you going even when everything seems hopeless? The Christians Peter wrote to in his letters were going through such a dark time. They were being persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. In the midst of that persecution, Peter wanted to remind them that they had an overwhelming hope, the hope of eternal life on the new earth in perfect fellowship with Jesus Christ. To the world, suffering with joy makes no sense because the world does not possess a hope that is focused outside of the boundaries of this sinful world. Peter knew that when believers cling to their hope, they exude a joy through their suffering that baffles even their persecutors, and, as a result, opportunities are opened to share the good news of salvation with the lost. Peter wanted these Christians, and all those who would follow Christ in the future, to know that they were responsible for being prepared with a defense for their hope to the world. Peter wanted them to be able to articulate the reason for their hope because he understood that only the truth of the Gospel could bring joy in suffering, hope in hardship, and confidence in a future reward that transcends even the darkest night on this fallen earth.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

What is the evidence of ultimate love?Is it affection?Is it romance?Is it loyalty?Is it commitment? Something else?The answer can be found in one person. He was the only person to exemplify ultimate love in all of its beauty and radiance. His name is Jesus Christ, and with His life, or perhaps more accurately, His death, He demonstrated the evidence of ultimate love with His SACRIFICE on the cross. God calls husbands to look to the image of Jesus Christ in loving their wives. He expects husbands to love their wives sacrificially. He calls them to go against the tide of sin, which causes husbands and wives to each see their own positions as more important than the other. He calls them to put aside their desires and serve their wives, honoring them as treasures entrusted to their keeping by a good and loving God. Peter wanted the marriages in his churches to thrive, and he challenged husbands to follow the example of Christ in their marriages, something he knew they could only do through the power of the Holy Spirit. Join us as we consider a husband's responsibility from God's perspective through the writing of Peter and gain an understanding of the immense importance that God places on the role of "husband."Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Obedience to God is not easy, specifically because it requires self-sacrifice. However, obedience to God is always worth it. God is good. Please do not misunderstand that statement. God does not just do good things or act in good ways; God is good. We know what good is because of God. Without God, there is no good and nothing good. Since this is true, we know we can trust God to reward those who obey Him! Why? Because He IS good! God has laid out specific instructions for husbands and wives to live obediently in their marriage relationship roles. His call is not always easy to follow; in fact, when it comes to marriage, it is often difficult to follow because we are so sinful. However, when we obey God's will for our marriages, He blesses our marriage relationships far beyond anything we could ever imagine. Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

The truth of the matter is that no one enjoys suffering. Suffering is uncomfortable, inconvenient, painful, and discouraging. In fact, humans take incredible measures to avoid suffering. Humanity will exert effort, spend money, and invoke creativity, going to nearly any length to remove potential suffering from life. However, Jesus and His disciples talked a great deal about suffering in the New Testament. The reason for this is that suffering is part of the Christian life. It is that way because suffering is one of the major tools that God uses to effect the sanctification of His children. Peter wanted his churches to understand that there was a proper way for Christ-followers to suffer. He wanted them to glory in their sufferings for Jesus Christ, rather than being discouraged or defeated. Suffering for Christ is something that is a “gracious thing” in the eyes of God because it strips away worldliness and brings believers into a closer relationship with Him.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Is it possible to be free AND a servant? Is it possible to gain more freedom through deeper service? In humankind's darkened thinking, the answer seems to be, "No!" However, God's ways are not man's ways, and His thoughts are higher than man's thoughts. The Apostle Peter understood the "freedom paradox," and he wanted his churches and all the generations of believers that would follow to understand that true freedom is only found when humans give themselves wholly to the service of God. Paul would take it a step further. He would refer to himself as a "slave" to God. He understood true freedom was not total self-serving living but selfless service to God. For Paul, the greatest manifestation of freedom he could ever attain was to be a slave, bound by divine love to Jesus Christ. This flies in the face of all human thinking. Like everything else about Jesus' Kingdom, it is upside down to this broken and sinful world. It has to be because the Kingdom of God is perfect, and this world is broken. Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

When God raises someone who was dead in their sins to life, He gifts them with a new heart, a living heart! At that moment, the affiliation of the believer's soul is forever changed. As the redeemed sinner begins to walk with God and learn about who God is, this living heart causes the believer to understand that the earth they have always known as their home is no longer home for them. They begin to long for a new place, a place where they truly do belong. God has recreated them from a dead person to one who is alive; therefore, a dead earth cannot be their home. They have been given eternal life and require an  eternal home to live in. Humans are indeed made for the earth, and the earth for humans; however, since the fall, spiritually dead people have been residing on a dying and decaying earth, awaiting the end of their lives or the end of the earth. Jesus understood that the people He was going to call to Himself could not live forever on a dying earth. That is why He said He was going to prepare a new place for His people. Those who die cannot inhabit the lands which are deathless, nor can those who are deathless inhabit the lands that die. Christ's church would require a new earth to live out their new lives in fellowship with their Savior. This is the idea that Peter was driving at when he called the believers “sojourners and exiles.” Believers cannot go back to paradise lost, but through the work of Jesus Christ in the resurrection of their souls and, eventually, bodies to eternal life, believers will go forward into the new paradise. One designed for the never-ending pursuit of life and the worship of God.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

The Apostle Peter, like all great pastors and teachers of the Word, took every opportunity to remind his audience what was truly important. Peter understood that the cares of this world often overwhelm and distract believers, causing them to focus on things that are not of eternal value. Peter wanted believers to grow in their faith, to be strong, steadfast, and faithful through the trials of this life. He knew that with the spiritual food of God's Word, the believer would grow, but without this spiritual food, the believer would be spiritually starved and remain immature and unable to withstand the day of testing.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

We live in a crumbling world. Everywhere around us, we are reminded of the decay that started when man first rebelled against God. People and animals age and die, buildings crumble, nations fall, and empires are destroyed. This cursed world is in a constant cycle of ruin, destruction, and decay. Throughout history, humans have tried to create something that will last forever, but no one has ever accomplished it. The simple reason for this is that nothing can be eternal unless it has an eternal foundation. The problem is that even the earth is not eternal; therefore, nothing built on the earth can be eternal. We know from the Scripture that God will destroy this earth and remake it. The Apostle Peter quoted the persecuted church by showing them that God's Word is eternal. He rested on the words of the prophet Isaiah to show the believers that, even though the world was persecuting them, the church would stand forever - because God's Word stands forever. Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

When someone becomes a Kingdom follower, the power of God raises them from eternal death to eternal life. This supernatural change also carries with it a God-given command for the Kingdom follower to pursue holiness. The apostle Paul would put it like this, “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20)Peter wanted the churches to know that God expected this of them. They had been saved, called out, set apart, and given the hope of a glorious future! They had been called to be witnesses of God's Kingdom in thought, word, and deed.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Christianity is not a new religion. In fact, it's not 2,000 years old. The truth is that Christianity is as old as the world itself. It has been the only true faith since the creation of the world. It has had different names, but Christianity's core principles have never changed since its inception, recorded in Genesis 3. Faith in God to provide a Messiah who would bring about salvation for sinners in a lost and fallen world. The apostle Peter understood this reality and wrote about it to the church in his letters. The prophets had faith in the Messiah, though He was not yet revealed. Their faith drove them to seek the Scriptures diligently, even their own prophetic writings so that they would have a firm understanding of who the Messiah would be and when He would appear. Peter was showing the new believers under his care, and us today, that faith in the Messiah is the basis for salvation. The Old Testament saints looked back at the promises with faith and forward to the Messiah with hope - just as we look back at the cross of Jesus with faith and forward to His return with hope!Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Peter wrote to churches that were enduring the scourge of persecution. He wasted no time in pointing them back to what was important; the hope that Christ-followers have in the finished work of Jesus Christ, especially His resurrection. Peter wanted the Church to understand that it makes no difference what trials, tribulations, persecutions, or hardships are happening to believers on this earth because they have an eternal hope that can never be taken away. Why can it never be taken away?  Because it is secured by the finished work of Jesus alone, and He will see it through to its completion. From the first words of his letters to the Church, Peter was reminding them that their faith was worth it, that following Jesus was worth it because of the great hope of salvation they had been given. He was preparing them to persevere in obedience until God's work for their lives was finished. He was refocusing them on the only thing that matters; Jesus.Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

Who was the man believers know as the Apostle Peter? Before we dive into his letters of teaching, reproof, and exhortation to the church, we wanted to pause and learn more about this man who Jesus Christ chose to be the earthly foundation of the Church.  Peter would go on to become the Church's first pastor, a fierce defender of the gospel, a fearless missionary, and a martyr. Join us as we look into the life of this incredible man and the letters that he wrote to the Church he loved so much!Support the showVisit our Merch Store to support the show!

The book of Ruth details the sovereign work of God in the life of Ruth that brought her from a destitute Gentile widow to the wife of a godly man who would provide for her, love her, and give her a position of honor in the nation of Israel. Through the redemption of Boaz, God also gave Ruth a hope for the future. Like Ruth, Jesus Christ, our Kinsman Redeemer, has given us a hope for the future. However, our hope is so much greater than Ruth's hope because Jesus has given us a hope that is perfect and eternal. Join us as we look at the end of Ruth's story and discover a picture of the hope that all who are saved by the work of Jesus possess because of the redemption made possible by our Redeemer. Support the show

Boaz, through his wise plan, revealed in an indisputable way that he was the only true redeemer that could redeem Ruth. He didn't act carelessly or casually in regard to Ruth's request. Instead, he took her seriously, committing all of his resources to the task of securing her redemption. Jesus showed by His incarnation, life, death, resurrection, and ascension that He was the only redeemer capable of redeeming humankind. He showed Himself to be unique in every way; fully God and fully man. The uniqueness of His person, His work, His plan, His love, and His sacrifice is indisputable, and this picture is beautifully captured and foreshadowed in the story of Ruth and Boaz. Support the show

Ruth was helpless, yet from her position of helplessness, she humbled herself to cry out for help. She did not cry out randomly; instead, she directed her cry towards the only one who could help her situation, Boaz. Boaz, as a kinsman redeemer to Ruth, was in the position to hear her cry and answer her needs. He had already begun to assume the position of her redeemer, and her cry to him for help would not fall on deaf ears. Join us as we continue to look at the story of Jesus through the Book of Ruth and see how the story of Boaz and Ruth paints a beautiful foreshadowing of the love of Jesus for His Church.Support the show

Boaz showed Ruth, a widowed gentile, extravagant kindness. Ruth would have been an outcast in early Jewish society, shunned because of her ethnicity, despised for her marriage to a Jewish man, and rejected as an unsuitable marriage partner for any man in Israel. Yet, in spite of all this, Boaz showed her love, compassion, and kindness. Boaz is a picture of the true Kinsman Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Jesus did not despise humanity. He had compassion for the lost, showed love for the lost, and served the lost with kindness and provision. The actions of Boaz point forward to the Messiah, and through God's sovereignty, he would be included in the line of the Messiah in a beautiful display of God's love for humanity.Support the show

One of the most amazing parts about the Bible is that, while it was written over hundreds of years by multiple authors, it has one main theme which is Jesus Christ! Every part of Scripture points to the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of Kings, the Savior of the world! As the calendar approaches the time of year where Christ Followers celebrate His birth, it is appropriate to look back into the Old Testament to see the prophetic foreshadowing of the Messiah. Throughout history, God revealed His plan of salvation to the human race over and over again. One of the most beautiful of these foreshadowings is found in the Book of Ruth, where readers are introduced to the idea of the “Kinsman Redeemer.” This redeemer is one who, through familial relationship, possesses the standing to alter the hopeless state of a destitute relative. The incredible relationship of Ruth and Boaz serves as a remarkable picture for all humanity of God's love for His people. Join us as we take a deeper look at the Christmas story through the biblical account of Ruth and Boaz and strive to gain a better understanding of just how much God loves us.Support the show

Were humans made to worship? It seems that throughout history, humankind has displayed a deep need to worship something. In fact, it could be argued that there is a void within the hearts of humans that can only be filled by the act of worship. However, what is the best object of man's worship? Observing history shows us that, while the right kind of worship brings fulfillment, the wrong kind of worship only deepens the need for fulfillment within the human heart. Join us as we examine what the Scriptures have to say about worship; both who we should worship, and how we should worship. Support the show

The agony of the cross that Jesus suffered during His crucifixion is so much more than just the physical pain of death. In fact, while the physical pain was intense, there is evidence to suggest that this was not the primary source of Jesus's suffering. In the Scriptures, we do not have any record of Jesus crying out in pain, however, there is a record of Jesus crying out. Matthew 27:46 records His heart-rending cry in the words, “My God, My God why have You forsaken me?” The agony of separation from His Father is clearly evidenced by this desperate cry from Jesus to the Father, and it bids us take a closer look at why this particular agony was so intense that Jesus called out in the midst of His suffering. Join us as we take a closer look at the three distinct agonies that Jesus suffered on the cross and what they mean for humanity.Support the show

One of the most convicting truths of the sacrifice of Jesus comes with the realization that, throughout the entire crucifixion event, Jesus had a means of escape. At any moment, the power to walk away was within His grasp. So what kept Him from walking away from the pain and suffering of the cross? The answer to that is found in Jesus's own words which are recorded in Matthew 26. Join us as we look at the life-changing truth of the “willingness” of Jesus to suffer and die.Support the show

When Jesus Christ returns as King at the end of the age, He will judge the nations. What will that look like exactly? In Matthew 25:32, Jesus sets the scene for His disciples. He depicts this event in the context of a great royal court, where every person who has ever lived will be summoned to appear before Him to stand in judgment. Join us as we look at what the Scriptures have to say about the final judgment, and how humans should respond to the knowledge of this future event.Support the show

Can the pursuit of good things become an idol that causes humans to fail to worship God? Jesus showed that this was precisely why the people who died in the flood ignored Noah and his warnings. They were caught up in the "daily schedule" of personal gratification. The truth is that the same issue exists in today's world as well. Like before the flood, the idol of self will cause many people to ignore the warnings of God's Word and incur judgment when Jesus Christ returns.Support the show

Is the Church today more enlightened than the Church of yesterday? Were those who came before just backward thinking, foolish, and sheltered? Would today's generation have fared better in their place? Jesus had some surprising things to say on this subject, and the words that He spoke to the Jewish leaders some 2,000 years ago carry a sharp warning for the modern-day Church. Join us as we take a deeper look at the difference between "enlightenment" and "humility" and their impact on holiness.Support the show

Darkness will always flee from light. Truth will always overpower lies. Divine wisdom will always silence earthly wisdom. The Pharisees asked Jesus many questions during His ministry. They did this specifically to attempt to trick Him into saying something foolish, blaspheming, or discrediting Himself in front of the crowds, but Jesus always had an answer. However, when Jesus finally challenged His critics, those who were supposed to know more about the Scriptures than anyone else in Israel, they were utterly silenced. Join us as we take a look at Jesus' final question and the truth behind it which closed the mouths of worldly wisdom.Support the show

Why did Jesus perform so many healing miracles? Was it just because He had compassion for people? Was it because He wanted to display His power? Was it more than that? Join us as we take a deeper look at the purpose behind the healing ministry of Jesus Christ and what we as modern-day believers can learn from these healing miracles. Support the show

Why would a crowd try to silence people in need? Could it have anything to do with the sinfulness of the self-centered human heart? The truth about humans is that all too often, we treat those who have the greatest needs with the highest level of scorn. This kind of behavior isn't unique to today's culture. It has been happening ever since sin entered the world. Join us as we look at a passage of Scripture that shows the stark contrast between hearts that seek their own desires, and those which seek to be transformed by Jesus.Support the show

Jesus taught that the wealthy would only enter the Kingdom of Heaven with difficulty. Why did He teach this? Could it be that a persons wealth could prohibit them from entering heaven, or was Jesus talking about something more? Join us as we explore the truth behind Jesus' teaching about wealth and the heart attitudes His followers must have towards the resources they have been blessed with. Support the show