The Bible for the Ordinary Life

We can learn a lot about Abraham's nephew Lot when we look at the progression of how he moved from the center of God's calling to the gatekeeper of Sodom.  It can be hard for us to leave the things we love, even if they are the very things that will destroy us. The Bible is for everyone.

In the second half of Genesis 18, we are privy to a conversation between Abraham and the Lord. The conversation can teach us so much about our themes of "God's character" and "the character of humans.  These verse also set the stage for what's about to happen to Sodom and Gomorrah. Let's stay true to the text and examine what it can teach us about God and ourselves.The Bible is for everyone.

Sarah has been depending on Abraham's encounters with God for the promise of her long desired son. In Genesis 18, Sarah finally hears it from the mouth of God herself. But she's way past childbirth so this promise seems impossible. In this episode we'll explore the themes of the promised seed, the character of God, and the tendencies of humans as we peel back the details on a Abraham and Sarah's encounter with three mysterious visitors.

In this chapter God shows up and delivers more detail on his covenant plan for Abram than ever before. Abram and Sarai get new names, and the promised son is also given a name. Abram learns that he has something big to do to physically mark himself and his descendants as belonging to God. His obedience is immediate. 

 Sarai can't wait on God's plan for a son, so she devises a plan for Abram to have a son through her servant/slave, Hagar. The plan works perfectly, except Sarai isn't happy because now Hagar is treating her badly. The situation unravels further and Hagar runs away. But God has bigger plans. He meets her in the wilderness and delivers a strong message. In this episode we examine this chapter through the lens of three themes: the promised seed, the character of God, and the patterns of humans.

This chapter is the detailed covenant between God and Abram. Abram had received a promise from God. But years have passed, some mistakes have been made, some victories won. God reassures Abram of the promise, but Abram's got some questions. Because he believes God, he questions him about how these things can come true when his circumstances seems impossible.  So God makes a covenant with Abram. What's unique about God's covenants is that God is the only one who makes the promises. Humans just receive them. There is much to learn about God's character as well as patterns of humans from this chapter. With God, the impossible becomes possible.

Chapter 14 of Genesis details an epic battle between an alliance of four kings and a group of 5 kings. Among the losing kings are the kings of Sodom and Gomorrah. Abram's nephew Lot is captured so Abram goes after Lot and rescues him. As he returns home he is blessed by a person named Melchizedek. Melchizedek turns out to be a bit of a mystery and the verses about him leave us with more questions than answers.  But despite the unknowns we can be certain that Abram's God is the same God we serve today.

The Old Testament teaches us a lot about the character of God, but also about patterns in humanity. Through the story of Abram we can see how humans often rely on our own solutions, pursue wealth and comfort, but can have remarkable faith. The two narratives in this episode will teach us about what not to do when our faith is tested and how to believe God even when our circumstances seem impossible.

In this episode we'll cover what we learn about God's character through studying the Old Testament, in particular, His faithfulness to His promises. God appears to Abram at a tree and shows him the land He will give to Abram's descendants. This scene is packed with imagery and meaning.  There are plenty of take-aways from this narrative story. 

We are making a transition from the story of Adam's line through Noah to the second major story in Genesis - Abram. In these verses Abrams family is described and his movement from his hometown to the land God calls him to is initiated. There are a few interesting tidbits tucked into these genealogies and descriptions as well as a really important lesson about what can sometimes hold us back from following God completely.

It's easy to skip chapters in the Bible dedicated to genealogies. Chapter 10 of Genesis is no exception. But, within this chapter are a few important nuggets that are worth discussion and help lead us into chapter 10, the story of the Tower of Babel. I picked up some really cool things from my study of this chapter, including some fun Hebrew word play, which I explain in this episode. I hope you tune in and enjoy!

Noah is a picture of so much GOOD, and yet, he is flawed. He is not the promised seed, nor are his sons. In this episode, we wrap up the life of Noah with a story of his failure despite his life of obedience.  This story has implications for us as well. Though we do much that is good, we are all flawed. The story of the Bible points us to the only One who is not flawed and who can free us from the curse of sin.

The story of Noah's flood might be familiar to you, but there are some hidden gems when you study the ancient literary techniques used by biblical authors.  One example is found in the story of the flood through a chiastic structure. In this episode we peel back the layers of this chiasma and discuss why Noah makes such a great foreshadowing of the promised seed from Genesis 3:15. The flood story wraps up here, but stay tuned, Noah's story isn't over, just like yours.

The story of Noah and the ark is familiar to many.  But if you read it looking at Noah as a potential promised seed, what emerges is a picture of tremendous obedience in the midst of a wicked world. This episode will peel back the layers of a familiar story and hopefully encourage you to walk the walk as Noah did.

It's the open scene for the story of Noah. Remember the classic Bible story of the ark and the animals?  Well, there's an interesting scene description that this story has before it gets started.  There are multiple points in these first few verses of chapter 6 that scholars debate about.  But one thing is clear - the answer to the question "are humans fundamentally good or fundamentally bad".  And how you answer this is critical to understanding the story of the Bible - the story of the promised Seed.

Genesis has a few genealogies and in this episode we encounter two of them.  Genealogies can be easy to skip because there doesn't seem to much we can learn from them.  However, the purpose is to trace the lineage of the promised Seed - the one who God promised he would send to crush the head of the serpent.  In this episode we explore Cain's line and Seth's line, both sons of Adam, both with potential for producing the heir.

The story of Cain and Abel is a familiar one.  it should come as no surprise that murder has consequences.  But have you ever stopped to consider God's character in this story?  What about Cain's? In this episode we'll spend some time really looking closely at the characteristics of both Cain and of God to learn what we can from both and hopefully encourage us to be more like God himself.

Genesis 3 is a critical chapter to understand the entire Biblical narrative. It's here in these verses where we discover what Adam and Eve did wrong and how God responded.  We learn a lot about who God is as he seeks out the hiding couple and as he questions them and deals with their disobedience.  I hope you'll find that what we learn about God in this scenario is a relief given how he could have responded.

Adam and Eve had it all.  A perfect life.  Yet somehow they fell into temptation.  What was it about the conversation with the serpent that led to their disobedience? How could they have been so tempted when they had the perfect life?  We will examine these question as we unpack one of the most critical passages in Genesis that explains why the story of humanity and the story of humanity's salvation unfold the way it does.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

When God saw that Adam was lonely he said it was "not good".  So Adam set out to find the perfect companion, but none could be found. Instead, God created a woman out of Adam's side which included his bones and his flesh.  It was an ideal circumstance: a lush orchard garden, a source of water, the freedom to eat from any tree (except one), and the perfect companion for man, a woman.  Eden is God's ideal for us and as we look at these verses we learn a lot about who God is and what He desires for us.https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

In Genesis 2 the author begins a new narrative.  There's a bit of a retelling of the creation story from Genesis 1, but told with a new purpose.   In this episode we'll talk about how Genesis 2 frames the Garden of Eden.  The Garden of Eden was God's original vision for humanity and although it's not where we live today, it will be restored.  There are important things we can learn about God through the creation of Eden.  Get ready to "think like an ancient Hebrew" as we continue through the book of Genesis.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Genesis 1 can inspire us to spend a lot of time studying, thinking, talking and debating about the how of creation. We know a lot of science and its tempting to spend our energy fitting the puzzle pieces of our origins as told by Genesis together with our understanding of science.  But what if this narrative isn't supposed to be read as a how-to-create-a-universe manual?  What if it's really about the "WHO" of creation and not so much the "HOW"?There's a lot we can learn about our Creator from our creation story. https:///www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

For many, the creation story feels familiar, but when is that last time you really studied the language of those verses?   Join me in looking at the first few verses of the Bible with fresh eyes.   There are  many ways people try to interpret the Genesis creation story.  My goal is to do a lot of reading and research and then present, in  an understandable way, what I think the text says.  Many make a significant effort trying to pair the words in Genesis with the observations of science and to extrapolate meanings that harmonize both.  But I'm going to focus on what I think the purpose of the text is, and I don't think it's a science manual.   I hope from this you are inspired to focus on the who of Genesis 1, not the how.

In the final few sentences of his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul encourages his congregation to take the Sword of the Spirit and use it.  But what does this mean in practical terms?  This episode focuses on how to use the Bible as it's intended - to fight our spiritual battles.  It's the perfect way to end season 2 of this podcast - equipped and ready for what lies ahead!www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Paul begins to wrap up his letter to the church in Ephesians with some instructions about battle - but not physical battle against the Romans who unoccupied them - spiritual battle.  The instructions to these believers still apply to us today.  The analogy of the armor we need to engage in the spiritual battles that wage around us still works.  In this episode we will discuss each piece of armor and the actions that Paul is emphasizing for us: to put on, take up, and clothe ourselves with these items.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Paul is nearing the end of his written correspondence to the churches in and around Ephesus.  In an effort to provide clear, practical directions on how to live out their new faith he has provided encouragement to "live wisely" and within that he outlines how to treat others. He does this in the context of marriage (episode 16) and now parents/children and masters/slaves.  To understand his message, we must put ourselves in the context of the Greco-Roman family life.  Our cultural experience is an important factor when we approach the Bible and specifically a piece of mail written to believers living 2,000 years ago.  Despite time and cultural changes, there is still much here for us.  After all, the main message is all about treating others how God has treated us  - that is the encouragement and the challenge!

In a culture that celebrated drunkenness and sexual immorality, Paul address his young church with specific instructions on how to live wisely.  After contrasting the expectations of how Jesus followers are to live compared to the world, Paul then gives specific directions for husbands and wives and how they are to relate to each other.  This type of teaching can sound very distasteful for Americans who are used to independence, self-reliance, and freedom. But there is a reason Paul lays out the roles of wives and husbands.It's important to consider the culture of the original audience, the culture we are affected by, and most importantly the central truth of the gospel. I hope this episode encourages you and keeps your focus on Christ's love for you.

In yet another iteration of Paul's instructions on how to live (and how not to live) very specific directions are given for Jesus followers.  It can seem like a long list of what "not to dos" but in reality it boils down to "be imitators of God".  Paul is proving these instructions not as a way to earn God's love, but as a way to respond to it.https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

New file uploaded 5/13/21At this point in Ephesians we are getting deep into the what TO DO and what NOT TO DO portions of the letter.   Church, and Christians, and God can sometimes feel like a lot of judgment and rules, but that's not the whole story.  Yes, there are some instructions in the Bible of things we should do and things we should not do, but there is a reason for these instructions.  Following these instructions does not result in favor, or in salvation. We can never "do" or "not do" enough to earn God's love.  We have God's love first, and from that we are to live as he's called us.  This episode will unpack the "to dos", the "not to dos"  and the whys in these verses, but more importantly make a case for what the church was meant to be compared to our experience. http://biblefortheordinarylife.com

Paul continues in his very practical instructions to the Ephesians. In his second set of instructions on "how to walk" Paul urges his readers to walk NOT as unbelievers, but in purity.  Their culture was one of hopelessness and futility of thinking but Paul reminds them they are different.  We too are to "walk in purity" and how do we do that?  Put off the old and put on the new - like a wardrobe makeover.  This episode unpacks a few verses with plenty of practical application.The Bible is for everyonehttp://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Back in the Old Testament and even in the first few centuries after Jesus walked the earth, it was not uncommon for kings to attack, or wage war against a neighboring country or town and take over. Typically the captives that survived would give their new king gifts.  But, Jesus does things differently. His followers receive gifts from him, not the other way around.   So, why would we get gifts from God?  What are these gifts and what should we be doing with these gifts?In this episode we will answer these questions and of course discuss some "composition clues" to help us better understand how a letter written to a church over two thousand years ago, can be applied to our ordinary lives.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Chapter 4 of Ephesians is a shift in how Paul has been writing. He moves from theology and doctrine to practical instructions for his audience.  Paul focuses on walking worthily - which characterizes the walking - an important distinction from characterizing the person.  More on that in this episode.  He also emphasizes the importance of unity. In a series of seven "ones" Paul encourages his readers to live this way because of their unity in Christ.  What lessons for this first New Testament church still apply to us today? Tune in to discover why so much of what the Bible has to say is still relevant today.www.biblefortheordindarylife.com

How often do you pray for strength?  Far more often I find myself praying for relief, rather than strength.  In this episode we will study a prayer Paul prayed for his church in Ephesians.  His goal for them isn't necessarily relief, but rather strength.  The prayer involved actions by God the Father, God the Holy Spirit, and God the Son.  It ends with a beautiful doxology - words of glory. This episode might challenge your prayer habits and inspire you to try something new in your prayer life.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

There is a secret that has been let out and it's in Ephesians chapter 3.  Paul, interrupts himself just as he's about to write out a prayer for his audience, to talk about this secret. He calls it a mystery and for his original audience it's a really big deal.  This revealed mystery was a complete shift for the original audience.  But what does this news mean for us?  In this episode we will unravel the "interruption" Paul makes in the first 13 verses of chapter 3 in his letter to the Ephesians.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Whether you've always felt at home in the church or have felt like an outsider never able to access the "in-crowd", these verses are for you!  Jesus came to tear down dividing walls, both literal and figurative in the church. Let's take a close look on the teaching around unity in the church. We also take the time to imagine the impact of this on both sides - for the non-Jew, as well as the Jew.But what does this have to do with our lives?  The division of Jews and Gentiles isn't relevant.  No, but what divisions are evident in todays church?  That is the take-away question for us to consider.  The church is being built.   It's a work in progress, but the goal is unity.https://biblefortheordinarylife.com

Many, many people believe that you can earn your way to heaven, that one day God will determine if they were a "good enough person" and open the gates of heaven or reroute them elsewhere.  But the Bible teaches something else.  Salvation is a free gift that cannot be earned and is not given based on merit. The Bible does teach us that we should do good works.  So how are the two related?In this episode we will explore the relationship between the gift of salvation and the teachings to do good works.  We'll also use some Composition Clues to better help us understand the verses.https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com The Bible is for everyone.

In this episode we will use the composition clue of compare and contrast to look carefully at the contrast Paul makes between who we were and who we are after becoming followers of Jesus.  The two words "but God" are critical to understanding this contrast.We were dead. We are aliveWe used to follow the chief deceiver.  We now sit in heaven with Christ.We were children of the wrath.  We are now saved by grace.I hope you'll join in and examine these contrasts and the reason why we see the "but God" in these verses and in doing so you will be encouraged in your relationship with God.

These verses contain a prayer that Paul specifically prays for the recipients of this letter. In this episode we'll examine what he prays for (and what he doesn't).  We'll also use a few "composition clues" to help us unpack this prayer and apply it to our own lives.If you've never considered using scripture as words to actually pray, this episode will encourage you to do just that! And if you regularly use Scripture in your prayers, you may find some new ideas as you listen. Either way, I hope this episode encourages you in your habits of prayer.

The Bible contains the story of salvation. Believers in Jesus often refer to being "saved". But is it possible to lose that salvation? Or is our salvation secure no matter what?  Scholars and theologians are divided on the answer to this question. What does the Scripture say that leads people to different conclusions on this matter?In this episode we'll continue our study of Ephesians and explore the two viewpoints of the doctrine of eternal security. At the end we'll make sure to cover a practical application. Learning more about God is only profitable if it draws us closer to Him and transforms us to be more like Him.The Bible is for everyone.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

This episode continues the study of Ephesians chapter 1 focusing on the verbs in each verse. Identifying these verbs draws our attention to what God is doing and has done for us.  One of those action verbs is "redeem". What exactly does redeem mean and what should be our response to being redeemed?  Find out the root meaning of this word and how it describes exactly what God has done for us.This episode reviews the "composition clues" repeated words and action verbs and adds one more strategy for you to use when reading the Bible.  This episode will leave you encouraged by all that God has done and challenge you with a way to apply this specifically to your life in the coming days.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Paul starts his letter to the Ephesians off with a statement that leads us right into the doctrine of election. Doctrine can be heavy stuff, but the rewards are worth the investment.  Join me as we grapple with some important questions that will hopefully lead us to a greater love and appreciation for all that God has done for us. Also, this episode will cover two tools I call "composition clues" that help you read the Bible, a brief overview of three ways to explain the doctrine of election, and a personalization of these verses that I hope will make these Scriptures seem like they are written directly to you....after all, they are.https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

It's season 2 and we're kicking off a study in Ephesians. In this introductory episode we will talk about verse 1 but also some important background information and contextual influences.  Verse 1 seems simple but there are important lessons packed into these few words. http://www.biblefortheordinarlife.com

Jesus and a small group of his disciples are on the beach having breakfast and Jesus has a conversation with Peter. He asks him a question - three different times. Peter answers the same way each time and is distressed by the third time. What is the purpose of these three questions? Is there any significance of the word choices John records? We'll answer these questions and wrap up the final few verses of John's gospel in this episode.http://biblefortheordinarylife.com

It's the third time Jesus appeared to His disciples following His resurrection. The disciples have fished all night and haven't caught a thing. Jesus, who they don't recognize, shows up on the shoreline and tells them to cast their nets on the right side of their boat.I'm not so sure I would have been so quick to obey.But the disciples do just that and reap a huge reward. John realizes it's Peter, Peter pulls "a Peter", and the disciples join Jesus for a breakfast of fresh fish and bread.What lessons can we learn about obedience and recognizing Jesus' voice? Tune in to find out as we dig into the first half of chapter 21 in John's gospel. 

Despite the testimony of his 10 closest friends, Thomas refuses to believe Jesus is alive unless he has first hand proof. Jesus, in his grace, provides him just that. Thomas responds appropriately - in worship!  But what about those of us who don't have the opportunity for first hand proof? What does Jesus say about those who believe without seeing? https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

It's Sunday morning. Jesus died on Friday afternoon. Mary and several devoted women arrive at the tomb only to find the stone rolled away. Mary runs to get Peter and John and they arrive only to assume the worst - Jesus' body is gone! It must be stolen.  But in a beautiful scene of tenderness Jesus reveals himself to one specific person and gives that individual the job of telling the others - He's not missing. He's just as He intended to be - resurrected from the dead!https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

It's the crucifixion scene. John provides several interesting details unique to his gospel. In this episode we'll do some "page-flipping" as we connect Old Testament passages to Jesus' experience in crucifixion. We will also take some time to fill in details of this gruesome scene using the other gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  We will cover Messianic psalms, the first instance of Passover back in Exodus compared to the last Passover in the gospels and paint a full picture of who took care of Jesus' dead body.https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Pilate faces a dilemma. He knew Jesus was innocent and the claims of His accusers were false. But he was forced to choose between condemning an innocent man and maintaining his good political standing with Caesar. It's a difficult section of scripture to study because of the brutality that Jesus suffers. In this episode we will go verse by verse through the first half of John chapter 19 and consider all the decisions Pilate needs to make. In the end we are left wondering, what decisions do we make when confronted with the choice - favor with God or favor with humans?https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

Hypocrisy. Lies. False accusations. Mob mentality. And a close friend's repeated denial.In the second half of John 18 Jesus will endure all of this and more. His "trial" has begun and it's a total farce. There are no legitimate charges and only two witnesses that lie. In this episode we'll follow John as he shifts back and forth from the scene with Peter and the scene with Jesus, finally ending with Pilate trying to release Jesus and the crowd wanting Barabbas instead. Along the way we'll fill in some gaps from other gospel writers.Nestled in these verses is a fascinating conversation between Jesus and Pilate.  It boils down to the question of who Jesus is. Pilate, who flippantly  asks, "what is truth" does not recognize Jesus for who He truly is.  It's a similar question and response posed by the culture we live in. All of us will answer the question "who is Jesus".  We talk about the four possible answers to this question and consider our personal answer.https://biblefortheordinarylife.com/

The Garden of Gethsemane might be a familiar story but have you ever compared all four gospel writers accounts of this scene? It a crazy plot twist his disciples surely were not expecting, Jesus is confronted by a crowd coming with swords and clubs. In this episode will unpack how Jesus skillfully handles what He already knows is going to happen and grapple with the question of why God sometimes chooses not to intervene.  https://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com

In this episode we will review all the instances of the phrase "so that" or "that" in John 17.   It's a really important phrase considering it marks a cause/effect scenario.  Jesus is praying for himself, His disciples, and all other believers for all time (THAT MEANS US!). In His prayer He says "so that" or that many times and during the last 6 verses He very clearly prays for believers to be unified SO THAT the world will know Him.  So what does this mean for us?  Tune in and walk with me through this prayer of Jesus, considering how His words still have meaning for our lives.http://www.biblefortheordinarylife.com