Podcasts about bible god

Anna and Matt kick off a special VBS mini-series all about the Bible—God's true word! They're joined by Lindsey the Historian Librarian, who helps explain how the Bible isn't just one book—it's 66 books that all tell one big story: God's rescue plan for the world. Together, they talk about how the Bible is organized, what it's for, and how every part points us to Jesus. What You'll Learn:

The Bible makes it clear that the Holy Spirit is still active in the life of Christ's church. But what does this mean, and how does this look? For some, the Holy Spirit speaks directly in a miraculous way; for others the Holy Spirit guides by opening doors. How do we know that what we're hearing or being led to do is coming from the Holy Spirit? By judging the message or compulsion on the basis of God's Word. So it's not just the big events that are the Holy Spirit speaking; even the small messages–like being moved to read God's Word, to pray, to love someone else at personal expense–are clearly coming from outside fallen human nature. It's important to remember that the Bible–God's Word–is primary. What God says in holy scripture is binding on all people everywhere for all time. This is different from a personal prompting of the Holy Spirit, which is not universally applicable to all people at all times. So, as Paul says, the spirits must be tested to see if they are in line with God's Word. Hosts: Aaron Mueller and Chuck Rathert Subscribe to the show at https://cacg.saintjamesglencarbon.org. To comment on this episode, visit https://saintjamesglencarbon.org/cacg-ep119.

With the message “What is Faith?”, Pastor Jack Graham delves into one of the most famous chapters in the Bible – “God's Hall of Faith.” Listen as Pastor Graham shows how Chapter 11 of Hebrews provides a description and demonstration of faith. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/395/29

Joined by John Lenhart (modelinggod.com) to discuss his testimony from chemical engineer to discovery. We dive into his journey through ridicule, mob mentality, and bullying into a purpose-driven path of helping others. He breaks down the four hurdles to understanding God and the four ways people "read" the Bible. Follow John on IG and X @modelinggod www.modelinggod.com www.flowcess.com   #Bible #God #understanding #purpose #will #mob #bullied #rightandjust

Stand Firm in the Storm | Rooted in Christ, Led by the Spirit

You know that you have the Holy Spirit in you if you have the Love of Jesus in you.

2 Timothy 3:16-17 - Speaker: Briley Hughes - It's really not enough to just understand that the Bible is historically trustworthy. When Christians say that we trust the Bible, we don't mean that we have a strong historical confidence in it (even though we do). We mean that we believe it is the Word of God, and that it is absolutely true in everything it says. That goes way beyond confidence in historical accuracy! Is the Bible God's word – is it truly inspired by God? That's what we want to discuss today.

May 11th, 2025 | Is There Anyone God's Grace Can't Save? | Jonah 3Is there anyone too far gone for God to save? In this powerful message from Jonah 3, Pastor Matt Darby invites us to wrestle with one of the most scandalous truths of the Bible: God's grace reaches the worst of us.The story of Jonah isn't about a fish—it's a mirror that reflects our hearts and a spotlight that reveals God's relentless, restoring grace. Whether it's Jonah—the rebellious prophet—or Nineveh—the brutal, violent city, God doesn't give up. He gives second chances, calls the unqualified, and extends mercy where judgment is deserved.✨ Main Takeaways:God's grace gives second chances even after failureGrace works through reluctant obedienceNo one—not even the worst offender—is beyond redemptionRevival can break out in the darkest placesWhat was a question mark for Nineveh is an exclamation point for us in ChristYou'll be challenged to examine your own heart:Are you believing the lie that you've gone too far?Are you withholding grace from someone else?Do you struggle to believe that God's mercy is really for everyone?God's grace is greater than your sin, deeper than your shame, and more powerful than your past. If it can reach Nineveh, it can reach anyone—including you.Do you know JESUS? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nbgilmer.org/do-you-know-jesus⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Need PRAYER? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nbgilmer.org/pray⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support through GIVING: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.nbbctx.org/giving⁠

In today's episode, we keep exploring Solomon's prayer at the dedication of the Temple in 1 Kings 8:37-40. Solomon's Temple marks a major development in the story of the Bible: God anchors Himself even more deeply into the life of Israel, placing His Name at the Temple in Jerusalem.In his prayer, Solomon lays out seven scenarios where he pleads for God to hear and answer the prayers of His people—five of which revolve around forgiveness of sin. If we read these scenarios as a chiastic structure, the fourth scenario becomes the center of attention: a prayer offered in the midst of famine, pestilence, sickness, and other covenantal curses tied directly to Israel's unfaithfulness, as outlined in Deuteronomy.We take a close look at this center point, seeing how Solomon's prayer highlights the heart as the true battleground—because God knows the hearts of all people. Solomon recognizes that what God truly desires is a people who love Him with all their heart, soul, and strength.From there, we trace these same themes into the New Testament, where in Mark 2:1-11, Jesus forgives the sins of a paralytic before healing him, again revealing a deep connection between sin, sickness, the heart, and God's healing forgiveness.We also discuss the obvious, yet delicate tension: while not all sickness is caused by personal sin, some physical or emotional suffering can indeed be tied to specific sins in our lives—sometimes even ones unique to our personal journey, such as ignoring God's guidance in our lives.We close with a challenge: take time to prayerfully reflect—Is there any area of sin that might be weighing down your heart or even your body? Come to God, who knows your heart and longs to bring both spiritual and physical healing.Key Passages:1 Kings 8:37-40 Mark 2:1-12Explainer⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Video⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ on how to use ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.biblehub.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.blueletterbible.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Leave us a question or comment at our ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website podcast page⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music

Today, the Unchanging Word Bible study begins in the book of Jude.Jude was the brother of James who were both half brothers to Jesus in the days of His flesh.This book of Jude addresses the need in these last days for each believing Christian to contend for the faith. This faith has been once for all delivered to the saints for it's defense and confirmation. In contending for the faith, Dr. Mitchell exhorts us to do so in love especially to those who may not be in the same denominational or ecclesiastical tradition as we find ourselves. We are to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace as those who hold to the Bible God's Divine Revelation, the Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ and His finished work of salvation. So, let's join Dr. Mitchell our teacher, with your Bible open to the book of Jude verses 1-4.

Why do I believe in Jesus? In this episode, I share four compelling reasons that have transformed my life and faith. If you're not a Christian, I invite you to investigate these reasons with an open heart—you might just discover the hope, truth, and purpose you've been seeking. This is your chance to explore the person of Jesus, His love, and the profound impact He can have on your life.If you're inspired to take the next step, I encourage you to connect with a local church where you can find community, support, and guidance on your spiritual journey. Start by opening a Bible—God's living word—and letting its truth speak into your heart. Spend time in prayer, sharing your thoughts and seeking God's presence; He listens and cares deeply for you.For those of you who are Christians, I invite you to share this episode with someone who might be searching for answers or longing for hope. Together, let's share the good news and make Christ's love known to the world.Tune in now on your favorite podcast app—this could be the start of something truly life-changing.Closing song: "My Jesus" by Anne Wilsoncharlesrgrimes.comwcmenn.org

How to Read and Interpret Biblical Prophecy 2 Timothy 3:16-17 Imagine a traveler lost in a dense forest. Night is falling, and every path seems uncertain. Suddenly, he finds a map and a lantern—they don't take him out of the forest instantly, but they guide him step by step. This is what biblical prophecy is for us. It's not meant to confuse or frighten but to illuminate the journey, showing that God has a plan, and He is in control. Prophecy can feel mysterious, symbolic, and even intimidating. Some people become obsessed with trying to decode every detail, while others avoid it entirely. But prophecy is an essential part of Scripture that God has given us for a reason.  Why This Matters Biblical prophecy makes up about 27% of the Bible—God clearly wants us to pay attention to it! Many false teachings and cults arise from misinterpreting prophecy (Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, date-setters like Harold Camping). Jesus and the apostles emphasized that prophecy should strengthen our faith and draw us closer to God (Matthew 24:42; 2 Peter 1:19). The Purpose Of Prophecy Is To Increase Our Faith, Not Weaken It. 

Is the Bible God's Word or Human Words?  How to the two interact?  If we don't get this right, we quickly fall into heresy.  

“Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever.” (2 Samuel 7:16 NLT) This verse from 2 Samuel 7 is part of a promise God delivered to King David through the prophet Nathan. David was troubled by the fact that, as king, he lived in a beautiful cedar palace while the ark of the covenant, where God’s Spirit dwelled among His people, was kept in a tent. David’s ambition was to build a beautiful temple for the Lord. But God (through Nathan) said no. David wasn’t the person for that job. That task would fall to David’s son Solomon. After declining David’s offer, God makes a stunning promise. It’s known as the Davidic covenant, and it deserves to be read in full. “Now go and say to my servant David, ‘This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies has declared: I took you from tending sheep in the pasture and selected you to be the leader of my people Israel. I have been with you wherever you have gone, and I have destroyed all your enemies before your eyes. Now I will make your name as famous as anyone who has ever lived on the earth! And I will provide a homeland for my people Israel, planting them in a secure place where they will never be disturbed. Evil nations won’t oppress them as they’ve done in the past, starting from the time I appointed judges to rule my people Israel. And I will give you rest from all your enemies. “‘Furthermore, the Lord declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever’” (2 Samuel 7:8–16 NLT). God reaffirmed the promise He made to Abraham about a land for his descendants. He promised that David’s son would succeed him as king of Israel. And He promised that David’s kingdom would last forever. This is a reference to the Messiah, Jesus Christ, who was called “the son of David” (see Matthew 21:9 nlt). Not only would Jesus be a descendant of David, He also would be closely identified with the beloved king. What kind of person receives such an honor from the Lord? That’s the question we’re going to explore over the next several days. David was a shepherd, a musician, a poet, an outcast, a warrior, and a king. In fact, he was the greatest king Israel ever had. He was part of the most exclusive genealogy of all: the ancestors of Jesus. And aside from Jesus, there are more verses written about David than about any other Bible character. He’s also the only person in the Bible God calls “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22 NLT). God dealt with him the way He dealt with many people He was preparing for greater ministry assignments. David was anointed king of Israel as a young teenager, but he didn’t ascend to the throne until he was thirty. God used that interval to prepare David for what was ahead. Some of that preparation involved hardship. When you have gone through the desert of hardship, God uses you to more effectively minister to others. Do you find yourself in a “desert experience”? Maybe God has some training in mind for you. Remember, you can never be too small for God, only too big. Reflection question: What does it mean to be a person after God’s own heart? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Christ For YouThe Adult Instruction Class | AICIf you were edified by this sermon, please share it with others, leave a review and a comment on ApplePodcasts, Spotify, or any podcasting platform to help others find the faithful preaching of Holy Scripture. ___________________Subscribe & Share: • Apple Podcasts: Christ For You • Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0q7o8mzLFcEBBVnrYBKYWx?si=UjpbczgJTtWPMG-_MgTSnQ • Website: https://www.zionwg.org/podcastStay Connected: • Email: PastorRojas@ZionWG.org • Website: ZionWG.org

In this podcast, Cindy shares the audio version of her first publication:Your Fresh Start.

We've been talking about sexual experience for many years now, and we figured it was time to discuss why sex even matters in marriage? What's the point? Sponsor It's Choose Your Promo month at Share the Soap! Pick either: Celebration box, a quarterly subscription box filled with uniquely curated items only available for that box as well as proven customer favorites. Get $10 off your first box with code FCWCELBOX1! The subscription is open now through February 21 and ships on February 28. It's the perfect way to prepare for date night while treating yourself. Sensual Set, which sets the mood for date night or any night. Perfect for Valentine's Day! Take $10 off with our code, FCWCOUPLE, through February 28. From the Bible God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Genesis 1:28 Adam made love to [yada] his wife Eve, and she became pregnant and gave birth to Cain. She said, “With the help of the Lord I have brought forth a man.” Genesis 4:1 May your fountain be blessed,     and may you rejoice in the wife of your youth. A loving doe, a graceful deer—     may her breasts satisfy you always,     may you ever be intoxicated with her love. Proverbs 5:18-19 [He] I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride;     I have gathered my myrrh with my spice. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey;     I have drunk my wine and my milk. [Friends] Eat, friends, and drink;     drink your fill of love. Song of Songs 5:1 That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh. Genesis 2:24 ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.' So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.” Mark 10:7-9 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame. Genesis 2:25 For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth. Isaiah 54:5 As a young man marries a young woman, so will your Builder marry you; as a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. Ephesians 5:31-32 Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Revelation 19:7 Resources Episode 171: What's So Great About Sex? What Are the Real Purposes of Sex? | Hot, Holy & Humorous Touchstone: Sex Is Fun, Part 1 | The Forgiven Wife Boom-Boom Playtime: Sex Is Fun, Part 2 | The Forgiven Wife Supernatural Sex: Spiritual Dimension of Libido for Low-Drive Wives | OysterBed7 Episode 147: God, Sex, and Your Marriage, with Dr. Juli Slattery Episode 114: Pursuing Playfulness in Sexual Intimacy Sex Is Like Rose-Colored Glasses | Hot, Holy & Humorous Episode 50: Happily, with Kevin A. Thompson Friends, Partners, and Lovers: What It Takes to Make Your Marriage Work by Kevin A. Thompson 8 Ways to Stay Intimate Even When Life Gets in the Way of Sex | The Forgiven Wife Episode 125: Is Sex a Need? "Sexual Morality," Mere Christianity by C.S. Lewis Hope for Wives Podcast (with Bonny Burns) Our Webinars (6 available, each $10 or less!) Thanks for joining us at the virtual kitchen table for another great chat! If you could, we'd appreciate you leaving a rating and/or review so that others can find the show. Please be sure to check out our website and webinars at forchristianwives.com. And visit our individual ministry pages for more resources as well: Strong Wives - Bonny Burns Honeycomb & Spice - Chris Taylor Hot, Holy & Humorous - J. Parker  

Episode 3: The Doctrine of God. This week, we talk about God's existence, attributes, sovereignty, and the Trinity. This is a midweek Bible study based on the book, 30 Days to Understanding the Bible by Max Anders. It is an overview of the whole of scripture and key doctrines. Visual aids are frequently used and can be accessed here if you would like to follow along: ⁠⁠Study Slides

Years ago, I heard a ruckus in the basement of our home – my young daughters were at it again!  "It's not fair!"  One said, "Yet, it is fair," said the other.  This went on for some time.  I eventually went downstairs and tried to calm them down, but I must admit, I failed!  I tried my best to make sense of the situation and perhaps inject some peace and justice into the situation – but I could not!  It was one of those situations where one had been given a privilege by virtue of being two years older than the other; when the younger one found out, her first response was predictable and somewhat accurate: "It's not fair!"  We discussed this at length, with the end coming when my youngest daughter ran off to her room, crying loudly, and me hearing the familiar "slam!" of her door.             Life's not fair, is it?  Even under the best of circumstances, there may always be a situation or event that has an inherent injustice or unfairness:  One's parents make more money and can buy their child nice things, and their friends have less; Or, one is inherently more intelligent than another, and gets more recognition or awards than others.  Sometimes, what is unjust or unfair results from another's actions or decisions.  Regardless, we all have been on the side of the one who felt slighted – and we have all cried out, just as my daughter, "It's not fair!"             In the Old Testament, a preacher named Ecclesiastes wrote about the unfairness of life and the need for justice to overcome this harsh reality of life on this earth.  He commented on the nature of this life when he said, "In the place of justice there is wickedness, and in the place of righteousness there is wickedness." 3:16     He was speaking of the unfairness and injustices he had observed in the halls of the justice system, and government actions.  Even the 'good people' were unjust!   The preacher went so far as to say that he could discern no difference between the animals and mankind when it came to their actions towards each other: "I said to myself, 'God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man, for a time for every matter and every deed is there.  I said to myself concerning the sons of men, God has surely tested them for them to see that they are but beasts.'" Vv.17-18             We are, obviously, a people with a great need for justice and fairness in our affairs.  But we cannot do it alone!  Here are the instructions from the old preacher;  "The conclusion, when all has been heard, is:  fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person.  God  will bring every act to judgement, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil." 12:13-14        Simply put, the only way we will experience a life of fairness, justice, and peace is when people of faith apply their faith to their lives, relationships, and dealings with others.  We cannot, and will not, do it on our own, and we will all face God for our unjust ways!!             Other than the clear call to a life of faith, there are a couple of other instructions given to us in God's Word that can guide us in our efforts to bring peace and justice to this life:             God wants us to love others.  Not just with shallow emotionalism and easy 'feel good' moments; no, God wants us to practice a godly love towards all, living and acting in a way that demonstrates sincere concern towards the well-being of others.  Ministries to the sick, hurting, and hungry, as do those who are poor and lonely, come to mind.             God wants us to work for justice and peace.  This leads us to actions that will protect others from the predatory people of this earth, as well as those in power who tend to use others for their personal gain.  The work for justice and peace is to take place both on a personal level and on a larger level, which may challenge us in our political actions and perspectives.             Here is a final thought on peace, and justice, as given to us by the prophet Micah:  "He has told you, O man, what is good; And what does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God."  Micah 6:8    Your support is invaluable in spreading the message of our ministry. By sharing our podcasts with your friends and family, you play a significant role in building a community of believers who find strength in our shared faith. We sincerely appreciate your contributions and urge you to inspire others to join us in this mission. Your involvement is significant and integral to our ministry's success, helping to keep our community connected and thriving.   Your financial contributions are the backbone of our ministry. They enable us to run outreach programs, maintain our facilities, and provide resources for our community. Your generosity is a testament to your commitment to our mission, and we deeply value your role in making this ministry a reality. Your contributions are used with transparency and accountability, making a real difference in the lives of those we serve. You can contribute here https://firstbaptistofindependence.aware3.net/give/   To stay updated on all things FBC, download our App here: https://a3a.me/firstbaptistofindependence or like our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/1stBaptist/. These platforms are not just for information but also for engagement. They are a great way to connect with our community, support our mission, and be part of our journey.   Thank you for your continued support and involvement. We look forward to continuing this journey with you as an integral part of our ministry. See you next week!

Pastor Chad opens this sermon with an update on our Save A Seat project, and then takes us into part 2 in our "Nail It Down" series, taking us through several passages in Scripture that show that the Bible truly is God's Word for His people.

Pastor Bob Wren teaches from the Bible God's love for us and how we are to love one another through the help of God the Spirit.bfc4u.org, facebook.com/bfc4u

If you long for God to speak to you, make time in His Word a habit.

In this episode, we explore the theme of "What God Promises to Provide for the New Year" by examining the various ways God communicates His plans and provisions, particularly through the Nativity story. Learn how God uses angels, the Holy Spirit, dreams, and confirmation to guide us. We'll unpack what these forms of divine communication mean for our lives today and how we can trust in His promises as we enter the new year. Join the Conversation: We’d love to hear your thoughts on how you anticipate God's provision in your life as you approach the new year. What promises from Scripture give you hope and encouragement? Share your insights with us on social media @LifeaudioNetwork or via email. How do you plan to lean into God’s promises in the coming year? SUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:Your Daily Prayer: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-prayer/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/ Full Transcript Below: What God Promises to Provide for the New Year (Matthew 6:26-34) By Sarah Frazer Bible Reading: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” Matthew 6:33, ESV My children lay their cups on the counter and I always fill them. If they are thirsty, I am happy to replenish their cups with a drink. Every time I do I think of my Heavenly Father who always provides for me as well. If we are in need, He will provide. You might be tempted to be think back to the pat year and wonder why God didn’t provide for you. Maybe there was no healing, or extra money, or closure. Maybe there are things in your l life that you think you need and they are not there. It is tempting to think that God’s provision is lacking. Matthew 6:26-34 is a great reminder from Jesus that God will always provide. In this passage Jesus says that God provides for even the sparrows, which were the most insignificant birds. Why would God not provide for His children, whom He loves? Jesus makes the case that if we need it, God will provide it! He says, “For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” Many times we need things from other people but they do not follow through or they fail to do the things we need them to do. God is not like that. He knows what we need. Not only that, He provides for it. What kinds of things does God provide for us? The Bible is filled with promises of God’s provision. Isaiah 41:10 - God provides help and strength. When we fear the future it is hard to believe that we will be able to endure it. God promises that He will help us, no matter what. John 16:33 & Isaiah 26:3 - God provides peace. When our minds are fixed and steady, thinking about God, God provides peace. We will have trouble, but Jesus has overcome the worst enemy: death, so we can have peace no matter what we face. Psalm 32:8 - God provides instruction. God will teach us! As we study and read the Bible God promises to provide us with the guidance we need to live and obey Him. Deuteronomy 31:8 & Hebrews 13:5 - God provides His presence. Over and over again, in the Old and New Testament God promises to be with us. He will never leave us. Matthew 7:11 - God provides answers to prayers. In the very next chapter of Matthew Jesus is still talking about provision but this time it is how God answers prayers. God is giving us good gifts and prayer is one way to see those from God. Philippians 4:19 - God provides contentment when we give. The context of this verse Paul telling the Philippines that God has always given him what he needed but God would do the same for them. Why? Because they were givers! In Philippians 4:10-18 Paul says that because of their gifts to him and the churches God would give them what they needed. 1 Corinthians 10:13 - God provides escape from temptation. When we are tempted to sin, we can trust that God will always provide a way out of the temptation. We are no longer slaves to sin. 2 Corinthians 9:8 - God provides grace. No matter what struggle or trial we face God provides the grace to help us. Whether we need forgiveness for sins, or comfort from pain, God provides the grace for us. 2 Peter 3:13 - God will provide a heavenly home. God has promised to take us to heaven and give us a place in His kingdom. We are promised that one day we will live with Him and worship Him forever. James 5:15 - God provides forgiveness. God promises to provide forgiveness. No past sin is too big or too bad for God not to forgive. Jesus’ death on the cross is sufficient and we can trust God will forgive us. John 14:26 - God provides the Holy Spirit. As Jesus was leaving this earth and getting ready to die on the cross, He promised that the “helper” would come. This is the Holy Spirit. We have this 3rd Person of the Trinity to guide us, teach us, and comfort us. Matthew 11:29-30 - God provides rest. We might be weary and limping into this new year, but God says that when we come to Him He will give us rest. In Matthew Jesus gives us something to do while we wait on God to fulfill His promises. He says, “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) All the things we need will be provided for us, all we need to do is seek God! Put God first in our lives because it is then we have contentment and are able to see God’s provision. Read more of God’s promises here. https://sarahefrazer.com/2020/05/10-of-gods-promises-for-you/ Intersecting Faith & Life: Which of the above promises speaks to your heart today? Write it on an index card and memorize that verse. As we think about God’s promises we can take heart that they will indeed come true. How? Because of Jesus! For thousands of years Jesus was promised to come as the Messiah. Then He did. Because of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection, we know that God keeps His promises. How does knowing this help encourage you as you think about what God has promised to provide for you? Further Reading: Psalm 36:5 Psalm 119:116 Psalm 145:13 1 Corinthians 1:9 Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

Bible Study Don't just take our word for it . . . take His! We would encourage you to spend time examining the following Scriptures that shaped this sermon: . Sermon Outline What story do we belong to? What does this story claim about us? What does this story require of us? Sermon Questions In your small group or on your own, rehearse the story of everything. What are its major movements, the "acts" in the biblical drama? Sam said that there is a pattern and a point to the biblical story. What were they? How do we see the appetite for power — expressed both among religious and irreligious people, especially amongst ourselves, corporately and individually — today? Are you a mountain or a valley? What challenge did you take away from encountering John the Baptist? Resources Consulted Alasdair Macintyre, "The Virtues, the Unity of a Human Life and the Concept of a Tradition," in After Virtue (Bloomsbury Academic, 2007), 237–61 C. Kavin Rowe, Christianity's Surprise: A Sure and Certain Hope (Abingdon, 2020) Lesslie Newbigin, "The Bible: God's Story and Ours," Reform (Jan. 7, 1990) Christopher J.H. Wright, Great Story, Great Commission: Participating in the Biblical Drama of Mission (Baker Academic, 2024) "Refugee," by Malcom Guite Questions? Do you have a question about today's sermon? Email Sam Fornecker ( ).

In the Bible God is telling us the real true story of history. And God advances His story in quite surprising and unexpected, even shocking ways! And it matters that we understand not only what God has done and is doing, but how God does things in this fallen world.

Have you ever wondered if there's a way out of the paycheck to paycheck cycle?  Well, today that's what we're going to talk about.  I find that the best source of information for things like this is the oldest book on the planet that talks about financial principles, and that is the Bible. In the Bible God gives us two major points on wealth creation.  In this episode I'm going to be diving into those two points, as well as sharing the best book on financial leverage ever written, in my opinion. We'll also cover why duplication and delegation is the key to running a successful business, and how to get your money making money for you. --- Click here to book a complimentary strategy session. MORE CONTENT:  Trading For Beginners  Unlock Your Entrepreneurial Spirit These 3 Money Habits Keep You Stuck  Does the Bible Teach Money Secrets?  Download the free guide “10 Steps to Choosing Your First Stock to Trade”: https://www.tradeway.com/guide Get started on your stock trading journey with one of our upcoming workshops or classes:  www.tradeway.com/events.

Five hundred and forty-four times in the Bible God is referred to as “Holy.” The holiness of God is His primary attribute. Around God's throne all manner of creatures repeat a chorus of the holiness of God without end. But what does it mean when we say that God is holy? Is it just some sort of “churchy” word that we use, or does it have some deeper significance? The holiness of God is not something that we are supposed to just gloss over. The truth that God is holy has significant impact on our lives. So what does it look like to live a life that reflects the holy nature of our never-changing God? Join Pastors Jim, Chad, and Matt for a conversation on the holiness of God, what we mean when we say that God is holy, and the implications of God's unchanging holiness on our everyday lives.

A @Christadelphians Video: Description: The Bible testifies to the existence of God when we look at creation around us; which includes the man Adam upon it and the wife Eve whom God created out of Adam. The Promise of God's Son, the Lord Jesus Christ will bring eternal moral and physical glory to this present corrupt world. Finally, it will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord.

All throughout the Bible God would constantly ask the Israelites to remember. Because sometimes looking back at the things that God got you through can give you the courage and confidence to believe that He's going to get you through the now. But there are times that the Lord says, “I need you to forget the former things and perceive the new.” If we are looking back we will never be able to move forward into what He's wanting to do through us. When we start living in a way that fills our house with light, we can be entrusted to change the neighborhood and then the world! The church has buildings but little boldness The church haha numbers but little nerve  The church has comfort but little courage  The church has status but little spirit  The church has prestige but little power  The church has knowledge but little wisdom The church has influence but little integrity  The church has resources but little resolve  The church has activity but little anointing  The church has sermons  but little sincerity  The church has knowledge but little kindness  The church has rituals but little relationship The church has tradition but little transformation  The church has programs but little purpose God wants a new church come that will not just light a lamp during the day but will burn brightly at night. The talents that God gives us are merely lampstands to show off and reflect His glory so let's wake up oh sleeper and allow Him to use us as vessels to promote His glory!

We see it over and over again in the Bible: God brings good things out of bad things for the sake of His people and for His glory. But truth be told, when we personally experience suffering, we have a difficult time actually believing it. Amanda Jenkins shares from her Bible study, “God's Goodness for the Chosen: An Interactive Bible Study Season 4.”  Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: click here 

Basic Bible Study | Ezekiel 40-48 & Daniel 5-9 (Part 2) This is part 2 of 7 In today's podcast, join Amy and Robyn as they continue their discussion in Ezekiel 40-48 & Daniel 5-9. Here is a breakdown of what was discussed: - God's holiness is a central theme throughout the Bible - God's glory returns to the Temple - God stands ready to forgive those who come to Him in faith “If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Romans 10:9) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ABOUT Opening a Bible for the first time can be intimidating. Join Amy & Robyn in an easy-to-follow discussion. This Basic Bible Study is perfect for beginners & those who have never read the Bible. Look for new podcasts every Tuesday & Friday! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BIBLE RESOURCES https://biblehub.com/ https://www.bible.com/ http://betterdaysarecoming.com/bible/pronunciation.html https://biblespeak.org/ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ FACEBOOK https://www.facebook.com/mybasicbiblestudy WEBSITE http://www.mybasicbiblestudy.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ You can contact us through e-mail or regular old snail-mail: Basic Bible Study 7797 N. 1st St. #34 Fresno, CA 93720 basicbiblestudy19@gmail.com ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If you do not study your Bible (God's Word) on a regular schedule you will die spiritually. You may not believe this but it's 100% truth! Not studying the Bible means you're not connected to your Savior as he designed you to be connected to him. If you don't study the Bible you will experience apathy, pride, wrong priorities, and will be refusing to eat spiritually. Join our Evangelism On Fire Community: https://evangelismonfirecommunity.com/Give financially to our mission of spreading the Gospel message: https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/5727676Subscribe to our podcast today! You can find it on Apple podcast or wherever you get yours.Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@EvangelismOnFireClick the link to join our Evangelism On Fire Facebook community today: www.facebook.com/groups/evangelismonfireCheck out our website: www.evangelismonfire.com  

Judges 6 - 7—Stranger Things In The Bible God, Grace, And Gideon by Lettered Streets Covenant

Are you struggling to understand how God's plans are revealed in your life? Do you find it difficult to pray boldly, knowing that the battle is ultimately the Lord's?This week we we explore how Joshua's story can equip you with the courage to trust in God's plans and how his story exemplifies God's unchanging power and His ultimate plan for redemption. Join Pastor Ron as we continue in our series Redemption Story as he unpacks how we serve a big God, why we should pray bold prayers, and how God always fights our battles.**Key Takeaways:**1. **Big God:**    - We serve a God who is much bigger than our understanding. Joshua 10:13 recounts one of the most miraculous events in the Bible - God made the sun stand still. This should remind us of God's limitless power.   - C.S. Lewis once noted that a non-miraculous Christianity reduces our faith to mere religion. We need to keep our minds open to God's incredible abilities.2. **Bold Prayers:**   - Joshua's prayer in Joshua 10:12-13 for the sun to stand still was a bold prayer that highlights his complete faith in God's power. This convicts us to evaluate how boldly we pray.   - Key Scriptures about prayer:     - **James 4:2-3** - “You desire but do not have... You do not have because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives...”     - **1 John 5:14-15** - “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.”     - **Ephesians 3:20-21** - “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus...”3. **The Battle is the Lord's:**   - The story of Joshua reminds us that it is ultimately God who fights our battles. Joshua 10:14 confirms, "Surely the Lord was fighting for Israel."   - Reflecting on this should humble us, understanding that our victories are granted by God's intervention and power. Join Pastor Ron as he walks you through the powerful story of Joshua. Learn how to acknowledge a big God, pray bold prayers, and trust that the battle is truly the Lord's. At 2Rivers, our mission is to help you become a passionate follower of Christ so you can experience the life He intended for you and encourage others to do the same. Don't forget to hit that SUBSCRIBE button to stay updated with our content ⏩.LIKE ✔️, SHARE

Series: How We Got the BibleService: Bible Study - SundayType: Special SeriesSpeaker: Mike Wilson

The sermon from the Sunday, September 15, 2024, worship service of Atlanta First United Methodist Church by Lead Pastor Rev. Jasmine R. Smothers. “That's Not in the Bible!?: God Said It, I Believe It, That Settles It” in the worship series “That's Not in the Bible!?,” and scripture lesson: 1 John 5:13-15 (The Message).Support the show

The sermon from the Sunday, September 8, 2024, worship service of Atlanta First United Methodist Church by Lead Pastor Rev. Jasmine R. Smothers. “That's Not in the Bible!?: God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle” in the worship series “That's Not in the Bible!?,” and scripture lessons: 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 and Psalm 46 (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition).Support the show

The sermon from the Sunday, September 1, 2024, worship service of Atlanta First United Methodist Church by Associate Pastor Rev. Chris Rapko. “That's Not in the Bible!?: God Helps Those Who Help Themselves” in the worship series “That's Not in the Bible!?,” and scripture lessons: Ephesians 2:4-10 and Leviticus 23:22 (New Revised Standard Version, Updated Edition).Support the Show.

Making Scripture PersonalHabakkuk 3:17-19, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  Have you ever personalized scripture before?  Have you ever replaced the word Israelites for your name?  Have you ever just inserted your name into scripture to make it more personal to you?  What do you think about this idea?  If you haven't done it before, why haven't you?  Is it because you never thought of it before?  Is it because you think it is wrong to add your name to the holy scriptures?  Is it because you can't see how the Bible and the scriptures apply to you in your life? Take a moment and really think about this idea of personalizing scripture.  I will be honest with you, I haven't done it a lot.  I have heard of this idea before and I though it sounded like an awesome idea, and then I just never really did anything with it.When I was reading a book titled Built Through Courage by Dave Hollis, the author talked about something I think can really help us not to worry so much.  Dave talked about  his mentors and how they had tragedy hit and he said they relied on a specific scripture verse to get them through it.  He said they took a scripture verse and personalized it to their specific circumstances.  That scripture verse is Habakkuk 3:17-19, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  There is a lot going wrong for the people in this verse.  The things mentioned here are not small things.  It might not seem like a big deal to us, as how many of us eat figs anyway?  However, it was a bid deal at the time.  The people who wrote this depended on those crops not just for food, but also for their lively hood.  If they did not have figs, grapes or olives, what would they sell at the market to get the other things they needed.  The verse says the fields produced no food.  What could they eat, if they had not fruits or vegetables?  Normally I would say at least they have animals to eat.  However, the verse also says, no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls.  I can't even imagine what I would do if I were in their circumstances.  This verse is basically saying they had nothing.  They had no food, they had no animals, and if they didn't have any of that, then they didn't have anything to trade with to get the other things they needed.  I know we often think our situation can't really get any worse, however, for these guys I would say that it really couldn't get much worse.  How did they react to these dire circumstances?  Did they yell and scream at God?  Did they question Him and ask Him how dare He take it all away?  Did they turn away from God? No, they didn't do any of those things.  In that very same sentence, they said “yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”Wow, that is incredible.  Don't you wish you had their strength?  Don't you wish you felt the same way on your worst days?  I will rejoice in the Lord.  Not, I will trust the Lord, not I will be ok with the Lord, I will rejoice in the Lord.  What did they have to rejoice about?  Then it goes on to say I will be joyful in God my Savior.  I was about to ask you what they had to be joyful about, and then the words “in God my Savior” rattled around in my head.  They weren't joyful because of their circumstances, they were joyful because of God their Savior.  They knew God was going to save them.  They didn't know when and they didn't know how, but they relied on the fact that God was their savior and if He saved them before, He would do it again.  Why is it so hard for us to remember this?  What came to mind was, maybe we haven't seen Him save us before.  What if we have never needed saving before and so we don't know He will save us this time.  If this is what you are thinking, rest assured whatever God has done for those who have come before us, He will do for us.  If He has saved His people in the Bible, then He will save us.  Those are our people.  Remember Hebrews 13:8 says, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”  Because Jesus saved His people in the Bible over and over again, we know He will save us.  We also know that because of His promise in Jeremiah 29:11 which says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  God will use all things for our good.  The problem is, we don't want to wait for it.  We want things to happen when we are ready, or when we think we are ready.  When are we going to come around to the fact God's timing is perfect?  If things are going wrong for us, God's got a plan.  He might not have planned for you to get yourself into this trouble, but as soon as He saw you headed there He came up with a plan to fix it. That is what He does.  We mess up and He fixes it.  I truly hope He doesn't get tired of doing that.  We would be lost without Him.  Let's say we are able to come to grips with our situation.  We acknowledge God is doing His thing and although we don't know how it will work out, we know it will work out. Then what do we do?  We still need to figure out a way to lesson our pain so we can live to make it through to the other side.  The people in this verse decided although these terrible things were happening they were going to rejoice in the Lord.  Do you think you could persevere in this difficult time?  Do you think you could not only keep hope in the Lord, but to rejoice in the Lord?What is it you are going through?  Whatever it is, would it help you to write your own version of this verse?  Would it help you to read that verse daily to remind yourself that God is your Savior?  Let's not forget that important part of the verse.  I will be joyful in God my savior.  Reading this every day can give you a reminder that you are not alone and that you are not in charge of fixing everything yourself.  God is your savior.  Here is an example of how I rewrote this verse to fit my particular circumstances at one point in my life:Habakkuk 3:17-19, “Though my marriage is falling apart and there doesn't seem to be a way we can stay together, though the children are really struggling at school and at home, though our home is filled with anger and violence, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.”  Personalizing scripture can not only help you get through a difficult time, it can help you grow in your faith.  The Bible is not just a collection of words or a collection of stories that are nice to read.  The Bible is one of God's ways of communicating with us. Using the Bible God is teaching us how to act, how to interact with each other, what to do, and what not to do.  He is also teaching us about Him and His ways.  He is teaching us about His love and His forgiveness.  He is communicating with us and if we can make that communication more personal then we will connect to it more.  When you were in school did you pay more attention when the teacher was talking to the whole class, or when she was talking to you individually?  What about at a work meeting?  Would you pay more attention if your boss said your name before he started talking, or if he was addressing the whole audience?  I think we can all agree that we would pay more attention if someone was talking to us directly.  It is the same with the Bible.  If you put your name into the Bible verse you will pay more attention because it will feel as though that verse was written directly for you.There are many ways you can personalize scripture.  Rick Warren, author of A Purpose Driven Life, suggests that we can replace any pronouns or nouns in scripture with our name.  For example, if he were personalizing John 3:16, He'd write something like this: 'For God so loved Rick, he gave his one and only Son so that Rick would not perish but have everlasting life.”  Or, "Or, for Philippians 1:6: 'He who began a good work in Rick Warren will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.'"  Warren went on to note that if one uses the "personalize-it method," the results will "strengthen your faith and encourage yourself. Do this, and many passages of Scripture will literally bring tears to your eyes. You'll start to read the Bible as God's love letter to you," continued Warren.There are articles out there that can give you more examples of how to do this.  I just wanted to introduce you to the idea today.  If you think it sounds like something you would like to try I say you just go for it.  There is no right or wrong way to do it.  Take a scripture verse and see how it can apply to your exact circumstances.  Instead of reading the Bible as if it is a collection of stories completely unrelated to your life, start reading it as if God is talking to you, right where you are, in the circumstances that you are in.  I bet the Bible will come to life in a whole new way.  Give it a try, if you don't like it, no worries.  However, what if you do try it and it is life-changing?  Don't let this opportunity pass you by.  Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless everyone listening to this episode today. Lord, you are amazing and we are so grateful for all you do for us. Lord, I ask you to increase our desire to read the Word of God. Help us to read Your Word and see ourselves and our situations in what we read. Don't just let it be words to us, help it take root in our hearts. We ask this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I pray you will take some time the next time you read your Bible and try adding your name in, or personalizing the scripture in some way. I look forward to meeting you here again tomorrow with another witness. Wednesday. Remember Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day and may the favor and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be upon you!Today's Word from the Lord was received in March 2024 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “Every single time you come to me in prayer. I kindle that fire. I feed it with new fuel. I make it burn bigger and brighter. That fire is my Holy Spirit, which I share with you.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE FOR RETREAT INFO CLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

8-25-24 – Sunday Morning Service. Why do we teach the Bible, and why does it matter?

Discover the Bible as more than just a book—it's God-breathed, inspired by Him to guide and transform us. Dive into Scripture and experience God's living voice speaking truth and life into your journey.

8-18-24 – Sunday Morning Service. Why do we teach the Bible, and why does it matter?

8-11-24 – Sunday Morning Service. Why do we teach the Bible, and why does it matter?

The Bible is not just a book among books. It is the very mind of God.

1.      The claim is non-biblical, philosophical speculation.  This claim is not something argued or presented in the Bible. 2.      The Bible says exactly the opposite. The Bible says that Jesus had to be a man, a human being, not just a human nature, to bring about God's plan of redemption for humanity. God was at work in and through the man Jesus of Nazareth. Who the man Jesus was and is, and what he did, was necessary, sufficient and acceptable to God. Problems: The claim that Jesus had to be God to atone for sins is not only non-biblical, but it also leads to other, non-biblical, philosophical dead ends. What deity of Christ folks are claiming is a penal substitution theory of atonement: somebody, or something else, a substitute, had to bear the penalty for my sin.   And that penalty is death. The claim is that instead of me, somebody else had to die for my sin. My sin is worthy of death, so, unless someone pays the death penalty, I will die. If someone else pays the penalty, then I don't have to die. My sin is worthy of death, so that's why a death is required for justice. Someone had to pay the death penalty – so instead of me, Jesus, who had to be God, paid that death penalty.   Now again, this is not a biblical claim. It is man's philosophical speculation. And, I think that we can see that the Bible says something quite the opposite.   But even from a human or philosophical aspect, I think most people, if we think about it a little bit, can see the serious, non-biblical, theological, philosophical dead ends and inconsistencies with the claim.   Let's say I murder someone. The biblical penalty for murder is death. I deserve death. I've been convicted in a court of law by jurors and a judge and sentenced to death. But my friend, Mike, right as the judge is about to strike the gavel down and send me off to execution, Mike stands up in the courtroom and shouts “Wait! Stop!”.  I'll pay the penalty for Bill. Kill me instead!”   So, the judge says, “OK, the penalty for this crime is death. If you are willing to pay the penalty, come on over here. Executioners, take the handcuffs off Bill and put them on Mike. Mike, off to the electric chair. Bill, you are free to go!”  And everyone in the courtroom nods their head in agreement. That's fair. The penalty was paid. The judge kept the ancient laws of justice.    Nope. People realize such a tactic is perversion of justice, not a maintenance of justice.   For the “Jesus must be God to pay for sin” folks there is another step in their philosophical, non-biblical speculation. They start thinking: well, maybe one person could give his life to pay the penalty for another (even though they know that biblically – “the person who sins, he shall die” Eze. 18:20, even a father can't be penalized for the iniquity of his son). But our situation is not just one person for one person. The deity of Christ philosopher thinks, “Whoa, to pay the penalty for all sinners, for millions and billions of sinners, Jesus would have to be eternal God to be enough to do that”.   God died (again, in direct contradiction to the Scriptures). In the Bible God is immortal and does not die. Well, not all of God died. Only one person of God died. So God did but God did not die.   “And death is only the separation of the soul from the body. One person of God, or the soul/spirit of that one person, had taken on a human nature. So the spirit didn't die, just the human nature.”   Some comments: 1.      A person-less human nature (whatever that is) was enough to redeem all the multitude, millions, billion from their sin?   Resources: Jesus had to be a “Mere” Man https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtQXFuOXBaA   "Jesus had to be God to atone for our sins." Really? Got a Scripture for that? https://landandbible.blogspot.com/2019/01/jesus-had-to-be-god-to-atone-for-our.html   Book: Atonement and Reconciliation: https://www.amazon.com/Atonement-Reconciliation-contrasted-Substitutionary-Atonement/dp/B0CHDKFWCC --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/onegodreport-podcast/support

This week's card got Preacher Man in his "talking fast" personality - but that's only cause there's SO MUCH to know and share about why we can trust the Bible today is the Bible that was originally written. So, sit down and get ready to learn or be reminded of a handful of ways we can confirm that the Bible God has bestowed on us is the same word that He shared with those folks all those years ago. Not changed, manipulated, or edited in any way - the same words and truth that were delivered "once for all the saints." Got a question you want answered or a topic you'd like to hear Townsend and Preacher Man muse on? Let them know at mtpm.podcast@gmail.com !Intro music: "Royalty Free Music from Bensound" 

In this profound episode, Jonathan is joined by esteemed theologian and author Michael Horton to discuss his latest book, "Recovering Our Sanity: How the Fear of God Conquers the Fears that Divide Us." In a world teetering on the brink of chaos—from unsettling politics to the lingering effects of the global pandemic—Horton's book offers not a typical self-help guide but a deep theological exploration of how a proper fear of God can liberate us from our myriad earthly fears.Dr. Horton, Professor of Theology and Apologetics at Westminster Seminary, explains what it truly means to fear God—both biblically and theologically—and how this reverential fear can effectively drive out fears of the future, others, and even death itself.Throughout the episode, Dr. Horton discusses the different types of fears that plague our society—from cultural anxieties to personal struggles—and how these stem from a lack of genuine fear of God. He emphasizes confronting our earthly fears with the hope found in Christ, rooted in the Gospel, and the shift from self-preservation to a Christ-focused life.This episode is a humbling, thought-provoking, and hope-igniting journey that challenges listeners to replace false securities with the profound joy of knowing Christ, who commands us, "Do not be afraid." Join us as we explore how cultivating a healthy fear of God can recover our sanity in these turbulent times.To ask Jonathan a question or connect with the Candid community, visit https://LTW.org/CandidFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/candidpodInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/candidpodTwitter: https://twitter.com/thecandidpodTRANSCRIPT:This transcript recounts Candid Conversations with Jonathan Youssef Episode 249: Recovering Our Sanity: How the Fear of God Conquers the Fears That Divide Us: Michael Horton.  [00:01] Jonathan: My very special guest is Mike Horton. He is a professor of systematic theology and apologetics at Westminster Seminary in California, and he is the author of many books, including The Christian Faith Ordinary and Core Christianity. He also hosts the White Horse Inn radio program. He lives with his wife, Lisa, and their four children in Escondido, California, and it looks like he's on his back patio,  having a conversation with me and being very gracious with his time. Mike Horton, thank you so much for taking the time to be on Candid Conversations.[00:45] Michael: Thank you, Jonathan.[00:50] Jonathan: I do thank you for your time. Now Mike, I've read your books, I have subscribed and I do recommend all of our listeners subscribe to the White Horse Inn. If you could just give us a quick, whirlwind tour of your story, we can talk a little bit about the podcast and some of your books as we progress through the interview.[01:19] Michael: Well, thank you, Jonathan. Yeah, I was raised in a Christian home and came to understand the doctrines of grace partly through my older brother. Kind of had my own little, not little, my own Romans revolution and then started digging deeper into Church history and theology and biblical studies, and eventually went to Biola University, Westminster California, then to Oxford for doctoral studies and then post-doc at Yale and came back to teach at my alma mater and have been here for 25 years. Blessed to be able to have a hand, with my colleagues, in training pastors; pastors training pastors.[02:17] Jonathan: I've been a recipient of many of the students of Westminster Seminary who taught me at Reformed Theological Seminary in Atlanta, and I've been really blessed by your work. You've got a very jovial, friendly, California vibe to you, but when you speak, you're like a double-edged sword. It's so penetrating. And I think there could be a theological issue that I've been struggling with for months and you'll say it so concisely in a few sentences, and I'll think, Where was that when I needed that?[03:09] Michael: You're too kind. Thank you.[03:11] Jonathan: Tell us a little bit about the White Horse Inn. It has been on for something like thirty years.[03:17] Michael: Yeah, thirty-plus, almost thirty-five years now. It has been such a fun thing. I've learned so much from my colleagues on the program. I still learn from the new team. We produce a magazine, too, Modern Reformation Magazine, which is really—I encourage people to subscribe to that. It's a good digest of topical theology related to culture. The umbrella organization is called Sola Media, and one of the things that we do that I'm so excited about being a part of is called Theo Global, where we host theological conversations (like we do on the White Horse Inn) between Baptist, Lutheran, Reformed, Anglican traditions and bring people together from a particular region. So we've been doing it for eleven years in India and also almost that long in Nigeria or in Kenya, in Nairobi. And then also Cairo for the Middle East. We just did one in Thailand that Pakistanis and Indians were able to come to, because they're not able usually to see each other. And then we are, Lord willing, starting another one in Southeast Asia, probably Singapore.So these have been so rich. Out of them are coming, a series of theology books from the global church to the global church. And so instead of having just regional theologies or theologies that pretend that they're not culturally contextual, we want to hear the voices of people from different locations testifying to the same Gospel, and that's just really been lots of fun.[05:42] Jonathan: Well, having ministered near that area of the world in Australia, you're right, there can be a disconnect between the cultures. We read each other's books and that sort of thing, and those are Western cultures, but I think we miss out on hearing about what is happening in Southeast Asia, Because they do face similar obstacles but also some quite different. As one of the points of your book is, there is still the one true God and the one Gospel that reaches across those cultures and reaches across so many of those things that we would consider barriers. And I think that's wonderful. I pray the Lord would bless that.[06:30] Michael: Thank you. One of the things I find, Jonathan, is there is a sweet unity around the Gospel that binds us when I go to these other places. Wherever I am in the world, I don't feel like I'm a stranger because I'm with my brothers and sisters. I wish I felt the same way in America. It's very different here.[06:51] Jonathan: Yeah, I was going to say it's interesting that what you're doing is you're unifying and uniting across denominations, across cultural things, and yet that's working almost in the opposite direction of where we see things here, which is there's division within denominations; there's division within small regions. You're undoing what is happening on a bigger scale in some of the Western parts. It's exciting to hear that's not happening everywhere, that there's actually some unification taking place and that's encouraging. And I know that's going to be an aspect of what we talk about in our conversation about one of your new books.Now, I know that you had some health issues with your heart a couple of years ago. Maybe for some of our audience who didn't know or having heard any updates, are you healthy?[07:54] Michael: Thanks for asking. Yes, what it was was a valve that just exploded in my heart, so it was an emergency open-heart surgery. But they said—they know my arteries and my heart better than anybody, they said, you'll die of something, but it won't be of heart disease. You have a good heart; you have good arteries; this was just a fluke.[08:24] Jonathan: Unbelievable.[08:25] Michael: So—yeah. I'm fully recovered. They said I could go bungee jumping again if I want to.[08:32] Jonathan: Again. I'm glad that you were already doing that—I picked up your book a while ago and I've been wanting to have you on the podcast ever since reading it. And the book is called Recovering Our Sanity: How the Fear of God Conquers the Fears that Divide Us. And my goodness, what a perfect title for everything we see. Give us a little bit of the reason for writing and the timing of the book.[09:18] Michael: Well, it had been percolating for years now, actually. I wrote a book many years ago called Beyond Culture Wars: Is America a Mission Field or a Battlefield? And this is in a similar vein, but really in light of the fears that really divide us today. And the center used to be the Bible, the Gospel, getting the Gospel right and getting the Gospel out. We have our doctrinal differences across the evangelical mainstream, but basically we had different political views and those political views didn't divide between brothers and sisters and churches.And what I've seen lately has just been like a food fight in a cafeteria, and political issues and social issues raised to the level of the Trinity. And it's like, okay, well, we can argue about that over coffee, but we don't bring it into the church. That used to be kind of how people thought about things. These things are important, but they're not as important as our unity in Christ. But I hear people attacking pastors, pastors attacking their flock, back and forth over these issues. And I think people don't get this heated over the doctrine of election or justification or the Trinity. Does it suggest that these issues are deeper in our hearts than the truth of Christianity, so what really binds us?And I looked at it and I said what really binds us is salvation, what we think we're saved from. If we think we're saved from the people over there who are threatening our values, or the people over there who are different from us ethnically, or the people over there who have a different view of economics and social justice? What are we really afraid of? What are our ultimate fears? And I argue that we have all these secondary fears. The real fear deep down, the mother of all fears, is the fear of death. And none of the solutions that can be offered by FOX or CNN, there is no solution to that. But we have it. Why isn't that on our dashboard as central, getting it right and getting it out?[13:01] Jonathan: In the book you cast a broad net in kind of what you've just said up here, picking out a few of the issues that you're seeing so much division over. But then you lay out some of the theological framework to reorientate your reader to where fear should rightly be placed. And it's away from the fear of one another and having a right fear of God.And you use the word sublime in the book, which I found really helpful as an aspect of God. I wonder if you could give us a little bit of explanation and walk that out for us.[13:52] Michael: Sure. I love that word. Sublime is really, I think, what we're talking about when we talk about the fear of God. Some people will say, “Well, it's not really fear. It's reverence, awe.” Fear is a big part of it, but it's a kind of fear that attracts. Think of what happens if you've ever stood at the mouth of a volcano, looking over it, watching the lava flow. Or I live in Southern California, so we have fires, and there's a kind of weird attraction to going to the fire and seeing it. Or you're out on the ocean and you're terrified. A squall comes up you're afraid, but you're also kind of your heart is racing not just because you're afraid, but also because you're kind of in awe of what's happening. In awe of the waves.God, you know whenever an angel shows up in the Bible, an emissary of God, what's the first thing? You know the number-one commandment throughout Scripture? The number-one command is “Be not afraid.” Because when even the mailman of God shows up, people are terrified.[15:31] Jonathan: Yeah, or Moses's face is a little too bright.[15:36] Michael: Yeah. Hey, put a napkin over that or something… That's what, really, is the basis for all sublime events, encounters that we have is really the fear of God. And so it's … A Jewish writer, John Levinson, puts it well. He says, “In the Hebrew Scriptures God beckons with one hand and repels with the other.”So there's a kind of don't get too close. Even Jesus in His Resurrection, “Don't touch me. I'm different.” God is different from us. And that sense of awe, of majesty, of even terror. Think of the disciples in the boat with Jesus. They were afraid of the storm, and then Jesus calmed the storm and they were afraid of Jesus. Who is this who has control over the winds and the waves? They were terrified. And that's the kind of Who is this? What am I dealing with here? The kind of shock and awe, the surprise is something that is missing, I think, from a lot of our experience as Christians today.[17:11] Jonathan: Well, and I know in the book we've seen a lot of the statistical evidence that comes in support of what you've just said, which shows that evangelical Christians really don't know what they believe. They have a complete misunderstanding of God, of the nature of Christ, of their roles.[17:51] Michael: If the fear of God is not the beginning of our wisdom, then something else will be. We'll fear something else. We will fear other people who are different from us and we'll fear cancer, we'll fear losing our job, we'll fear environmental collapse and catastrophe, we'll fear these other people taking over. It's not that those … that there aren't legitimate concerns of a political and social and cultural nature. But we have a disordered fear. And if we have disordered fears, we have disordered loves.God is not only the source of our greatest fear, legitimate fear; He's also the only one who conquers our fears and says, “Welcome home, prodigal. Welcome home, here's the feast.”[19:22] Jonathan: And deals with our, as you refer to it, the mother of all fears.[19:27] Michael: Death. We're dying. In California, people aren't allowed to die; they pass away; and we put these cemeteries out, far away from view, or we turn them into parks and things. And it used to be every time you walked into a church there would be headstones, and it reminded you as you walked in why you're going in there. The Gospel is for dying people, and we're all on that road. And so the question is, How do we face death? … How is that ultimate anxiety relieved? We mourn, but not as those who have no hope. So what does that mean for my daily life now? I could be twelve years old and I'm dying. I could be eighty and I'm dying. So what … Let's talk about that. Let's talk about the dying and the resurrection of the dead and being attached to Jesus so that what He is in His humanity right now, glorified, we will be. Let's talk about that. That's a lot better than anything on CNN or FOX.[21:00] Jonathan: I love it. I think in the book you tell the story of when you went to a debate with, I might be messing this up, but I think it was with an atheist and you sort of said, “Yep. Great. Can I talk about Jesus now” and kind of put him off, and he sort of like, “I wasn't prepared to debate that.”[21:22] Michael: Yeah. This was years ago. Bill Nye the Science Nye.[21:24] Jonathan: Bill Nigh, that's right.[21:25] Michael: He was talking about how religion is based on false fears and so they develop myths and so forth.[21:37] Jonathan: And you were like, “Well, that's true.”[21:39] Michael: Yeah. I don't disagree; that's a pretty fair analysis of religions. I guess you'd have to take one by one and analyze it, but as a generalization, now can I talk about Jesus and His Resurrection? Let's keep getting back to the main business here.[21:59] Jonathan: The main issue. Yeah. In the book you draw this distinction between naturalistic and hyper supernatural, but then you sort of carve out this third option of ordinary. Can we talk a little bit about that and how we see that playing out in our world today, particularly in the Church?[22:23] Michael: Sure. Often what you see today is a naturalism underwriting the progressive agenda and John Lennon's “Imagine.” On the right, you tend to have a hyper supernaturalism wedded to a conservative agenda. And so what do I mean by that? Well, a naturalistic worldview says, of course, God isn't involved. If God exists, then He's not involved in this world. He didn't create it, it's self-evolving and so forth.A hyper-supernatural worldview says that God works miraculous. You know, to say that God did it means it's a miracle.[23:34] Jonathan: Yeah.[23:35] Michael: Whereas in the Bible God does all sorts of things. Mostly, He doesn't perform miracles. What about all the times when we cut our finger and it heals after a week? What about that? What about a child [who] has a brain bleed in NICU and it resolves in 24 hours. How about those? Those aren't miracles. People say, “the miracle of childbirth.” There's no miracle of childbirth; it's just a spectacular example of God's providence. That's part of our problem is we're looking for God only in the spectacular, only in the extraordinary, only in places where we can point to and say, “Oh, God did that.”So we can't explain how somebody recovered from cancer; we say, “Well, God did it, not the doctors.”[24:46] Jonathan: Right.[24:47] Michael: Well, how about God did it and the doctors did it. God did it through the doctors.[24:52] Jonathan: How much control does God have here?[24:55] Michael: Right. He has control of everything. It's not just supernatural events; it's not just miracles. God's in control of every second, every breath. Every breath that you and I take is under His dominion.[25:11] Jonathan: That's right. He holds all things together. You know, I hear that phrase a lot, “That was a God thing. That was a God thing,” and I always have to stop and say to them, “Everything is a God thing.” I mean, conversations. The fact that your brain works. The ability to read. The ability to understand and reason. It's like I hate when you get that narrow scope, as you're saying. We've lost the sublime. We've lost an understanding of how much—you know, it's almost a deistic view that, you know, God sort of—[25:42] Michael: Yes![25:43] Jonathan: He's put some things in place and then He occasionally steps in and—[25:47] Michael: That's why I argue that actually naturalism and hyper supernaturalism unintentionally conspire with each other against Christianity—[25:57] Jonathan: Right.[25:58] Michael: —you know because, you know, we get to the place where we don't see God in our ordinary, everyday existence, but only in these punctuated events, and we've got to raise things. I think we do a lot of pretending. We pretend that things that have an ordinary explanation are miracles because we have to have God in our life. These large swaths of our lives where there are no miracles are upheld by God's marvelous providence.[26:40] Jonathan: Right. Amen to that. In the book, one of the fears you mentioned is fear of losing your job. And I think in the book you helpfully distinguish between calling and vocation or job and helping us understand and distinguish the two things. I wonder if we can talk a little bit of bringing clarity to that, because we're longing for something to put our identity in. Is it a football club? Is it a university? We're currently, I don't know when this will air, but we're in the middle of March Madness. Who did you pick? What's your university? What's your background?And vocation is very much one of those things we can put our identity in, and yet I think you talk about the ultimate and the penultimate between calling and vocation. I wonder if you could bring some clarity to that, and then we'll turn to some of the practical outworkings of the division we see after that.[27:53] Michael: Yeah. Well, one of the things I try to maintain throughout the book is, look, the things I'm talking about are not unimportant. They are legitimate fears. There is a legitimate anxiety. The question is, where do we go with that? But yes, let's affirm it. It's real, it's a deal, but penultimate not ultimate.For example, if I am in a circle of people I've never met before, we're having breakfast, and I ask them, “Tell me about yourself,” very ordinarily they'll say, “Well, I'm a dentist. I'm a …”Now okay, there's an example. That is part of our identity. Vocation is a gift of God; it's a calling. So to say, you know, we shouldn't place our identity in our vocations, well, not ultimately. That's the problem. It's a part of our identity, just like being a father is part of my identity. That's a calling. And we have to realize, as Luther said, we have many callings, many vocations during our life. We're parents, we're spouses, we're children, we are extended family members, we're dentists, and cleaning movie theaters. We have all kinds of callings/vocations. Sometimes we have a vocation to suffer, to carry a cross. Sometimes we have a vocation to be a friend. We have lots of vocations, and keeping them in balance is very important.Keeping them penultimate, not ultimate, is my point. My ultimate identity is chosen, redeemed, justified, being sanctified, will be glorified, in union with Christ. That's my identity and that's really who I am. Paul talks about himself as if he's almost collapsed into Jesus. His identity is so bound up with Christ that he can even say his suffering is something he glories in because it shares in Christ's suffering. That's my identity; that's where I really find who I am. The other stuff is not just stuff I do, that turns it back into a job. It is part of my identity, but it's penultimate, not ultimate.[30:57] Jonathan: Well, as we said at the beginning, we see division in so many different places. We're, of course, as you know, we're in another election year, and that—fear is going to be used as a … it's going to be weaponized this year, particularly this year, in America. And we have an international audience, so I want to be sensitive, but I know that internationally also they see a lot of American news as well. I think you talk about how, in the book, two sides to the fear coin. You mention both in the book. One side, fear is easily exploited as a motivator. On the other, fear is a weak motivator in the long term. Why is that? Let's kind of unpack that a little bit.[32:07] Michael: Yeah. I use the analogy of deer who are … there is this fight or flight that God gave us and the animals as well. It's purely instinctual, instinctive. You don't … Whether you're a deer or a human being, you don't really think about, you don't contemplate, you don't calculate, you don't explore what … You have a car coming towards you, you flee. You get out of its way if you can. But what happens is—That's adrenaline. That adrenaline rush is just a marvelous gift of God's providence. The problem is what would happen is deer had this disease of constantly being afraid, every crack of brush of another deer drove them wild running in fear? That's what I see us doing now, and what happens is it works in the short term. If you're going to cynically use fear to get a herd of people to do what you want them to do, that might work in the short term, but long term, people can't live like that. Long term, people actually become cynical. They won't participate at all. They'll just turn it off because “I've had this scare a thousand times and I'm not going to have it anymore. I'm tired of it.” It just runs out.And that's what I think a lot of people are feeling right now with American politics. So I'm not an analyst of American politics by any stretch of the imagination; I'm simply looking at it on the pastoral side. What is driving us to be like the deer in the headlights every five minutes? And it's exhausting us.[34:33] Jonathan: Yeah.[34:34] Michael: Each side whipping up the other side against each other. If I don't win this election, dot, dot, dot. If the other person wins the election, dot, dot, dot. It's apocalypse not. I especially find offensive any use of God or the Bible or Christ for that fear. Anyone who does that, particularly cynical leaders who don't even go to church, aren't professing Christians really, but they use the lingo to gain the nomination of particular groups. When Christians participate in that, they carry crosses to the U.S. Capitol to storm it and talk about hanging the vice president, and they're carrying crosses with Bible verses, this is the sort of thing that must just aggravate our Lord and Savior whose name is taken in vain.And yeah, is that a critique especially of evangelical political conservatives? Yes, it is. Because they are my brothers and sisters closest to me. The secularists aren't really invoking the name of Jesus and Bible verses and carrying crosses. I'm more worried about evangelicals distorting the gospel than I am about who wins this next election.[36:54] Jonathan: What is that doing to your testimony to those people who don't know the Lord? What message is it giving them?[37:10] Michael: That Christianity is about power.[37:11] Jonathan: Right, exactly.[37:12] Michael: It's not about a cross with God who has all power becoming flesh being spat upon and then being crucified upon a cross, bleeding for our sins. It's about basically choosing Caesar over Jesus, making Pilate our hero rather than Jesus.[37:45] Jonathan: I found that chapter, I can't remember if it's the Christian nationalism chapter or the one before, but it was really helpful the way that you walked out American history in a way that probably a lot of the readers might say, “I don't know if I understood that.” Or “I don't know if I fully understood Thomas Jefferson and his letter to the Danbury Baptist Church in Connecticut.” Understanding separation of church and state, understanding like how we got to where we are and the creating of even thinking between the British … French revolution and those different paths that were laid out before us. And even just understanding our own history and how we got to where we are, I think a lot of it is just cast as Christian nation. And I found it helpful the way you distinguish that.Because I hear this a lot in the church in terms of America being the new Israel, are there blessings that have come with certain things? Sure, fine. Our Constitution is well put together. I love the history of Witherspoon, the Scottish Presbyterian, and you can see some of that in the language that comes out through the Constitution. Again, I think it's helpful to have your historical understanding rather than this reinterpretation that we have now that it's, as you said, it's this feeling like someone's come in and taken this from us. And now, to use the title of your other book, now we're at war, right? It's not a mission field, it's a battlefield. We're fighting for the honor of our country. And all that's done is create us and them division and a lack of clarity and a lack of what we're called to in a mission sense as Christians. Where was I going with that? Who knows? Anyway, I found it helpful.[40:10] Michael: You said it better. Preach it, brother.[40:16] Jonathan: Just random thoughts. Just reading your books and regurgitating it to the people. So later on in the book you sort of walk us through the areas where division has come in. So we have Christian nationalism has certainly seeped into churches. Then you have some really helpful, short chapters with issues with LGBTQ+ community, cancel culture, racism. Let's just kind of walk through some of these and help Christians who are listening to this who are saying, I thought this was the right way to handle that situation but you're saying something else. Let's kind of walk through maybe even just one or two of those. Again, you had a really great illustration under your LGBTQ+ chapter of the young man whose family had sent him to you and you were pastoring him and what happened with all that. If you could tell us a little bit about that, just to help kind of encapsulate what we're talking about here.[41:35] Michael: Sure, this brother struggling with homosexuality, his dad was on the board of a prominent evangelical organization, and his pastor had told him that we basically don't want your influence in the church, so he was considering leaving the faith. But then he read Putting Amazing Back Into Grace, a book I wrote a long time ago, and came out to work at our organization as just a pretext for just hanging out and shepherding this guy. He became a part of our church and a lot of people looked after him and we got a lot back from him.He went back home, and his pastor said that all this reformed teaching he was getting was heresy and so forth, and no, you've lost your salvation. Romans says that He gave them over to a depraved mind. So he committed suicide and …So what is it? Why do you do stuff like that? Well, you do it out of bad theology, to be sure, but also out of fear. There are a lot of churches that just don't want to deal with it. They don't want to have this problem. They don't want to say that they have people in their congregation who are really, really suffering. If you're a secularist, you don't suffer from homosexuality. You don't suffer with gender dysphoria. Only Christians do. And only Christians suffer with greed and envy and malice and other sins that are listed in these same sin lists in the New Testament. You don't lose your salvation over those.The key is repentance, right? We're called to a life of repentance. Whatever our tendencies are towards particular sins, we're all corrupt in heart. We're sinners and we're sinned against and we are in a sin-cursed world. And so where do we go with that fear? And then once that fear is solved objectively in Christ, having been justified through faith, we have peace with God. That's an objective fact. With that now as an objective fact, how do I respond to this brother or sister who's justified just as I am, and who is being sanctified just as I am, but has propensity toward a particular sin that I think is particularly serious, particularly great? How do I love this person? How do I respond to this person?John Calvin said a pastor needs to learn how to have two voices: one for the sheep and one for the wolves. And what I've seen in some very close cases to my own experience, what I've seen sometimes is pastors confusing the sheep for wolves and treating them as apostates or as people who, you know, if you really were a Christian, you wouldn't be suffering with that. Well, they're not saying, “I have a right to this sin.” They're not saying that it's okay. That's why they're struggling with it—and they're struggling with it in your church.So one of the surveys, actually a couple of the surveys concluded that about 80 percent of people in the LGBTQ+ community were raised in conservative Roman Catholic or Protestant churches.[46:39] Jonathan: Give that statistic again because I think we need to hear it again.[46:42] Michael: I don't know exact, it's in the 80s, 80 percent.[46:46] Jonathan: Over 80 percent.[46:49] Michael: Right. And what's even more striking is the same percentage said that they would come back to church, even if they didn't change their rules, but listened to them and cared for them. That's what I found amazing. I was glad that they asked … they added in that survey even if they didn't change their beliefs but they were kind and they listened and they cared for me.So if I'm fearful, here again the adrenaline, the deer in the headlights, that's a gift God gave us for fleeing something that is imminently threatening. This is not imminently threatening. If I come to understand that, then I'm not a deer in the headlights; instead, my brother or sister, my friend, parent, I'm someone who is looking out for the best of this person and now I can actually get ahold of myself and think and make judgments and articulate things. And ask questions and get information. That's a big part of it. It's not all spiritual. People are suffering from mental health disorders, and that's physical, that's brain chemistry. All kinds of things.People are suffering from sins that have been committed against them in the past. A lot of this is very complicated, and it's not all that person's direct fault. Again, we're all sinners, sinned against, and live in a sin-cursed world. And all those factors play into what we have to consider when we're not the deer in the headlights but can sit down with people over a long time, be willing to walk with them over a long time, be willing to read up on things, ask them questions, we're that interested in them and understanding what they're going through, understanding their pain. It's like if they have cancer we'd be at their house with casseroles, but if they have these things, you know … So let's … fear of the Lord drives out the fears of everyone and everything else. This is the beginning of wisdom.[48:52] Jonathan: Exactly. Well, I think we could probably have this conversation for probably another four more hours, which we might do just because we're having so many technical difficulties. You know, I can't recommend this book enough. Mike Horton, Recovering Our Sanity: How the Fear of God Conquers the Fears that Divide Us. I told my team I want to re-air this as we get closer to November so that we can all be reminded once again of what we're called to. Mike, what are you working on at the moment?[50:35] Michael: I've been kind of obsessive compulsive about a project, three volumes with Eerdmans. First volume is coming out in May, titled Shaman and Sage. This is a very different project. It's the history of spiritual not religious. Where does this come from? You have this divine self within trying to break out of all constraints. And so I trace it all the way back to ancient Greece and to the Renaissance. And then the second volume, Renaissance to the scientific revolution. And then the third volume is covering Romanticism to the present.[51:31] Jonathan: Oprah.[51:32] Michael: Exactly.[51:35] Jonathan: That's going to be a massive help for believers, because that's the one we see a lot in those statistics. Yeah, I hear that from quite a few people, spiritual but not religious, or whatever the phrase is. But well, Mike Horton, it's been such a privilege. I'm so grateful for your time and coming on to Candid Conversations and sharing with us.[52:10] Michael: Jonathan, thank you so much. It's been a pleasure.[52:14] Jonathan: Thank you, brother.