Beyond Sermons: Recent Episodes

Beyond Sermons

Seeking Christ beyond the pulpit

Website: www.drheathereburton.com

Facebook: Heather E Burton

Instagram: DrHeb

Twitter: DrHeb

What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ.

Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and African-American Studies with a minor in Theater, a Masters of Social Work, University of Akron, a Masters of Public Administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs both from Cleveland State University.

Dr. Burton is Senior Director for Faculty and Institutional Diversity with Case Western Reserve University, specializing in gender and racial equity and serves as a facilitator to implement diversity and inclusion and encourage individual and systemic change.

She is faculty in African and African American Studies and Social work. Dr. Burton has received numerous awards for her work: Feminist Mentor Award, Staff Diversity Award, Qgrad Outstanding Faculty and Staff Mentor Award, Mather Spotlight & Women of Achievement Award, YWCA Women of Achievement, RH Boyd Award for Excellence and Who’s Who of Black Cleveland.

She Co-Chaired, Ellipsis Institute for Women of Color in the Academy, CWRU (2018, 2019, 2020). She is founder and CEO of Crimson Heights, Ministries, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) geared towards the holistic development of women. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. She is the author of Crimson Heightsand I’m Single, So What?

Website: www.drheathereburton.com

Facebook: Heather E Burton

Instagram: DrHeb

Twitter: DrHeb

What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ.

Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and African-American Studies with a minor in Theater, a Masters of Social Work, University of Akron, a Masters of Public Administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs both from Cleveland State University.

Dr. Burton is Senior Director for Faculty and Institutional Diversity with Case Western Reserve University, specializing in gender and racial equity and serves as a facilitator to implement diversity and inclusion and encourage individual and systemic change.

She is faculty in African and African American Studies and Social work. Dr. Burton has received numerous awards for her work: Feminist Mentor Award, Staff Diversity Award, Qgrad Outstanding Faculty and Staff Mentor Award, Mather Spotlight & Women of Achievement Award, YWCA Women of Achievement, RH Boyd Award for Excellence and Who’s Who of Black Cleveland.

She Co-Chaired, Ellipsis Institute for Women of Color in the Academy, CWRU (2018, 2019, 2020). She is founder and CEO of Crimson Heights, Ministries, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) geared towards the holistic development of women. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. She is the author of Crimson Heightsand I’m Single, So What?

Website: www.drheathereburton.com

Facebook: Heather E Burton

Instagram: DrHeb

Twitter: DrHeb

What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ.

Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of The Ohio State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and African-American Studies with a minor in Theater, a Masters of Social Work, University of Akron, a Masters of Public Administration and a Doctor of Philosophy in Urban Studies and Public Affairs both from Cleveland State University.

Dr. Burton is Senior Director for Faculty and Institutional Diversity with Case Western Reserve University, specializing in gender and racial equity and serves as a facilitator to implement diversity and inclusion and encourage individual and systemic change.

She is faculty in African and African American Studies and Social work. Dr. Burton has received numerous awards for her work: Feminist Mentor Award, Staff Diversity Award, Qgrad Outstanding Faculty and Staff Mentor Award, Mather Spotlight & Women of Achievement Award, YWCA Women of Achievement, RH Boyd Award for Excellence and Who’s Who of Black Cleveland.

She Co-Chaired, Ellipsis Institute for Women of Color in the Academy, CWRU (2018, 2019, 2020). She is founder and CEO of Crimson Heights, Ministries, Inc. a 501 (c)(3) geared towards the holistic development of women. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Greater Cleveland Alumnae Chapter. She is the author of Crimson Heightsand I’m Single, So What?

Website: www.drheathereburton.comFacebook: Heather E BurtonInstagram: DrHebTwitter: DrHeb What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ. Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of ... Read More

Website: www.drheathereburton.comFacebook: Heather E BurtonInstagram: DrHebTwitter: DrHeb What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ. Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of ... Read More

Website: www.drheathereburton.comFacebook: Heather E BurtonInstagram: DrHebTwitter: DrHeb What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ. Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of ... Read More

Website: www.drheathereburton.comFacebook: Heather E BurtonInstagram: DrHebTwitter: DrHeb What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ. Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of ... Read More

Website: www.drheathereburton.comFacebook: Heather E BurtonInstagram: DrHebTwitter: DrHeb What is it like being a Christian, black, woman in the United States? It is a complex perspective. In this series, Dr. Heather E. Burton will share her experience balancing her role as an advocate for black people and women while growing her faith in Christ. Heather E. Burton, Ph.D., a graduate of ... Read More

I was particularly drawn to verse 10 where Scriptures say that the mysterious plan of the Lord to demonstrate His wisdom through the church for heavenly authorities, good and evil. This highlights the continued existence of spiritual warfare underlying our principles and everyday decisions.

Summary Psalm 119 is the longest poem in the Book of Psalms. It has 22 stanzas of 8 lines each giving a total of 176 verses. It has 22 stanzas because there are 22 letters in the Hebrew alphabet. Many English versions will put the name of the Hebrew letter above each stanza (e.g., Aleph, Beth, Gimel). That means each ... Read More

What is Critical Theory? It is somewhat difficult to give critical theory a clear, concise definition. It was developed by a group of scholars at the Institute for Social Research at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany during the 1920’s and 30’s. They broke down critical theory into four principles. The first principle splits society into two social groups of the ... Read More

Let’s take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let’s take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Let's take a look at eternal security but from a Calvinistic perspective. Joining the podcast is Jeff Laird from https://gotquestions.org and https://bibleref.com.

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. This episode will explore Scriptures that depict the super nature of Salvation and also more pertinent questions. I also share some more of my insights on eternal security.

Matthew 24:21-24

Ecclesiastes 12:13b

Call to Salvation

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. This episode will explore Scriptures that depict the super nature of Salvation and also more pertinent questions.

Romans 9:14-24

Questions:

Is the question of eternal security a fruitful discussion?
Is the Molinist view relevant?

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. This episode will explore Scriptures that depict the super nature of Salvation.

Romans 8:9

Romans 8:30

John 14:15-16

Ephesians 4:30

2 Peter 3:9

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. This episode will explore Scriptures that depict the super nature of Salvation.

Ephesians 4:30

John 6:39

2 Timothy 2:19

2 Corinthians 5:5

1 John 3:9

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. This episode will explore Scriptures that depict the super nature of Salvation.

Hebrew 6:4-6

Ephesians 1:13-14

2 Corinthians 5:17

1 Peter 1:5

Hebrews 7:25

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. To kick things off, I invited Richard Miller, a man of many ministries to join the conversation.This episode will share some of Rich's ministry background along with these highlighted questions:

How much does culture impact the Christian lifestyle?
How do I address a heartfelt desire for God and sin?
How do you witness/counsel someone who abuses OSAS to commit sin?

Eternal security, also known as "Once Saved Always Saved" (OSAS) is a centuries old discussion on the nature of salvation. The understanding of salvation remains unresolved and have divided denominations into doctrinal camps. In this series, join me on a journey that will explore the temporal and eternal perspective on salvation. To kick things off, I invited Richard Miller, a man of many ministries to join the conversation.

This episode will share some of Rich's ministry background along with these highlighted questions:

Can a Christian lose their salvation?
What is a Christian?
What is OSAS?
How can a person do bad work to lose salvation?
Should a Christian be paranoid about sin?
What is the difference between sin and iniquity?
Did King David or Solomon lose their salvation?

Jonah

Prophet who initially rejected a call from God
Swallowed up by a big fish
Completed his preaching to Nineveh (who repented)
Heartfelt discuss under a plant

Micah

Predicts the birthplace of Jesus
Predicts the capture of Israel and Judah

Nahum

Graphic account of the eventual destruction of Nineveh by the Babylonians

Habakkuk

A prophet questioning God's motive (I've been there before)

Zephaniah

Great grandson of Hezekiah
Predictions about the Millenium
Prophecy of Israel's cleansing and restoration

Haggai

Prophet who led the rebuilding of a Temple
Description of the Millenial Temple
Zerubabbel was a leader for Jews exiled from Babylon

Zechariah

Prophecy of the Messiah
Reinstating religious laws and practice for Jews returning from Babylon
Apocalyptic declaration

Malachi

Prophecy of John the Baptist (the forerunner)
A warning to priest

Psalms

Various songs written by mostly King David, a masterful musician and warrior

Proverbs

Book of wise sayings
Words of Agur son of Jakeh
Proverbs 31 woman

Ecclesiastes

Book of wisdom and perspective by Solomon
1. Vanity of Life - How we prioritize earthly ambitions over God.
2. Grief of Wisdom - The wiser we get the more we understand how broken we truly are
3. Vanity of Pleasure - When we try to live life to the fullest without God.
4. The End of the Fool and the Wise - The predicted end for those who know God and those that don't
5. Everything has its time - Expect diverse seasons and respond with Godly wisdom
6. The God-given task - Enjoy the fruit of our labor but don't forget to honor God
7. Injustice seems to prevail - Frustration with persistent wickedness
8. Vanity of Selfish Toil - The pitfalls of keeping up with the Joneses
9. Popularity passes away - Fame can only last so long
10. Vanity of Gain and Honor - Chasing earthly possessions and even honor from authority will not save your soul
11. Wealth is not the goal of life - The mind entrapment due to wealth
12. The Value of Practical Wisdom - Knowing and practicing wisdom
13. Obey Authorities for God's sake - It's Godly wisdom to obey authorities as a testimony of God's goodness.
14. Death comes to all - Don't worship life ... worship God instead
15. Nature of Wisdom and Folly - The effects and fruits of wisdom and folly
16. Value of Diligence - The little things we do consistently matters
17. Seek God in Early Life - Build a strong relationship with God early in life before responsibilities and priorities creep in.

Songs of Solomon

The episodes of love between Solomon and the Shulamite Girl
1. Courtship
2. Wedding Day
3. Reluctance and Romance
4. Permanence and Purity

1 Chronicles

Written family genealogies
Death of King Saul
King David moves the Ark of God (Covenant)
David versus more giants
Controversial Census
Solomon succeeds David
David counsels Solomon

2 Chronicles

Solomon asks for wisdom
Solomon builds God's temple
Solomon displays great wisdom
Rehoboam succeeds Solomon
Royal Family War
Reign of Asa
1. Didn't seek God but only physicians
2. Reign of Jehosophat
3. Death of Ahab
4. Reign of Jehoram
5. Reign of Ahaziah
6. Reign and death of Queen Athaliah
7. Joash succeeds Ahaziah
8. Amaziah succeeds Joash
9. Reign and death of Amaziah
10. Reign and death of Uzziah
11. Reign of Jotham
12. Reign of Ahaz
13. Reign of Hezekiah
14. Reign of Manasseh
15. Reign of Josiah
16. Short reign of Jehoahaz
17. Reign of Jehoiakam
18. Reign of Jehoiachin
19. Reign of Zedekiah

Ezra

Exiles return to Jerusalem
Conflicts over rebuilding the altar
Great divorce of pagan marriages

Nehemiah

Rebuilding and rededicating Jerusalem

Esther

Esther the adopted daughter of Mordecai becomes Queen
Jews vs Haman
Haman and his sons are impaled to death
Mordecai becomes prime minister

Job (probably the earliest written book of the Bible)

God blessed Job with family, riches and honor
Satan makes a deal with God to tempt Job
Job loses his children, riches, honor and struck with sickness
Job remains devoted to God despite deep conversations with his wise friends
God restores Job fourfold and Job prays for his friends

Ruth

Commitment to a mother-in-law
Love story of Ruth and Boaz
Lineage of David and Jesus

1 Samuel

Samuel the prophet and judge
King Saul
David and Goliath

2 Samuel

King David
Bathsheba
Amnon and Tamar
Absalom
Solomon
Prophet Nathan

1 Kings

The reign of King Solomon and his death
Elijah vs Ahab and Jezebel
Jeroboam and Rehoboam become kings of a split Israel
Mention of other kings over deteriorating Israel and Judah

2 Kings

Elijah hands the ministry to Elisha
Joram defeats Moab
Jezebel dies
Prophets of Baal slained
Hezekiah
Nebuchadnezzar
Shunammite woman
Naaman

Genesis

The story of creation
Adam, Eve, Cain and Abel
Noah and the Great Flood
Tower of Babel - assembly of all people on Earth
1. One common language
2. Attempted to build a tower that reached the sky
3. God scattered the people all over the earth
4. Abraham, Sarah and Hagar
5. Isaac and Ishmael (Christianity and Islam)
6. Melchizedek - Mysterious priest with an everlasting legacy
7. Sodom and Gomorrah
8. Lot's unmarried daughters got their father drunk and raped him and gave birth to the Moabites and Ammonites
9. Jacob and Esau
10. The twin's feud began in the womb
11. Jacob stole Esau's birthright which is typically given to the oldest son
12. Jacob renamed Israel
13. Joseph
14. Jacob's favorite son
15. Dreamer
16. Sold off as a slave by his brothers
17. Eventually became the second most powerful man of Egypt
18. Judah - Joseph's older half-brother
19. Had three sons named Er, Onan and Shelah
20. Er died and Onan was supposed to get his wife, Tamar, pregnant but he spilled his seed on the ground instead
21. Ultimately Tamar pretended to be a prostitute and was impregnated by her father-in-law, Judah.

Exodus

Moses, Egypt and the Israelites
The Ten Commandments
Slavery or Indentured Servanthood
Ark of the Covenant
Priesthood - Lineage of Aaron

Leviticus

Sacrifices and Offerings
Tribe of Levi established
Clean and unclean instances
Day of Atonement
Law and Order
Religious Festivals
Sabbath Year and Year of Jubilee

Numbers

The Twelve Tribes
Preparing for the Promise Land
Balaam's Prophecies and Downfall

Deuteronomy

Laws, Commandments and Order Reminders
Moses hands power to Joshua
Moses dies

Joshua

Scouting the Promise Land
Rahab the Prostitute
1. Was she the great-great grandmother of King David?
2. They defeated 31 kingdoms
3. Walls of Jericho
4. Conquering AI
5. Delegation of Land
6. Joshua dies

Judges

Judges (instead of Kings)
Gideon and the 300
Abimilek - killing brothers to become king
Deborah the Judge and Prophetess
Samson and Delilah
Levite and the Concubine

In this episode, we explore the OT and NT on the practice of tithing and general giving. I also share a few testimonies that raised my awareness on giving. God can teach us His goodness when encountering a negative experience.

Old Testament * Leviticus 27:30 - “One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the Lord and must be set apart to him as holy. * Proverbs 3:9-10 - 9 Honor the Lord with your wealth and with the best part of everything you produce. 10 Then he will fill your barns with grain, and your vats will overflow with good wine. * Proverbs 11:24 - Give freely and become more wealthy; be stingy and lose everything. * Psalms 4:5 - Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the Lord. * Malachi 3:8-12 - 8 “Should people cheat God? Yet you have cheated me! “But you ask, ‘What do you mean? When did we ever cheat you?’ “You have cheated me of the tithes and offerings due to me. 9 You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me. 10 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, “I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won’t have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test! 11 Your crops will be abundant, for I will guard them from insects and disease. Your grapes will not fall from the vine before they are ripe,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. 12 “Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight,” says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.

New Testament * Matthew 6:1-4 - 1 “Watch out! Don’t do your good deeds publicly, to be admired by others, for you will lose the reward from your Father in heaven 2 When you give to someone in need, don’t do as the hypocrites do—blowing trumpets in the synagogues and streets to call attention to their acts of charity! I tell you the truth, they have received all the reward they will ever get. 3 But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing. 4 Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you. * Matthew 6:21 - Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. * Mark 12:41-44 - Jesus sat down near the collection box in the Temple and watched as the crowds dropped in their money. Many rich people put in large amounts. 42 Then a poor widow came and dropped in two small coins. 43 Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I tell you the truth, this poor widow has given more than all the others who are making contributions. 44 For they gave a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she had to live on.” * Luke 6:38 - Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back. * Luke 16:10 - “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities. * Acts 20:35 - 35 And I have been a constant example of how you can help those in need by working hard. You should remember the words of the Lord Jesus: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” * 2 Corinthians 9:6-7 - Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop. 7 You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”

Ultimately, God accounts the heart and not the currency.

Faith and science has crossover appeal but with a delicate balance. For this episode, Dr. Tom Kotowski continues to share his experience as a career physicist and also a child of God. Tom worked on many scientific endeavors including getting the first man on the moon. This will be a multipart series, where we discuss God, Truth and Physics.

Faith and science has crossover appeal but with a delicate balance. For this episode, Dr. Tom Kotowski continues to share his experience as a career physicist and also a child of God. Tom worked on many scientific endeavors including getting the first man on the moon. This will be a multipart series, where we discuss God, Truth and Physics.

Faith and science has crossover appeal but with a delicate balance. For this episode, Dr. Tom Kotowski continues to share his experience as a career physicist and also a child of God. Tom worked on many scientific endeavors including getting the first man on the moon. This will be a multipart series, where we discuss God, Truth and Physics.

Faith and science has crossover appeal but with a delicate balance. For this episode, Dr. Tom Kotowski continues to share his experience as a career physicist and also a child of God. Tom worked on many scientific endeavors including getting the first man on the moon. This will be a multipart series, where we discuss God, Truth and Physics.

The Chosen is not just another movie about Jesus Christ. It's a video series that chronicles the life of Jesus Christ through the eyes of His followers and critics. The first season has 8 episodes and introduces a bunch of main characters. When it comes to Christian movies ... I need to repent ... I'm guilty of not completely watching some Christian movies due to cheesy acting. But, "The Chosen" is different, the acting is very convincing ... it's well-written and it enticed me to re-read the Gospel of John. The Chosen follows Jesus' ministry through eyes of many people.

Website: https://studios.vidangel.com/the-chosen/

Donate: https://studios.vidangel.com/the-chosen/pay-it-forward

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBXOFnNTULFaAnj24PAeblg

Twitter: @thechosentv

Instagram: @thechosentvseries

Episode Information with Bible References

I Have Called You By Name

Luke 8:2 2. Shabbat 3. Jesus Loves the Little Children 4. The Rock On Which It Is Built

Matthew 4:18–22

Mark 1:16–20

Luke 5:1–11

John 1:35–42 5. The Wedding Gift

Luke 2:41–52

John 2:1–12 6. Indescribable Compassion

Matthew 8:1–4

Matthew 9:1–8

Mark 1:40–2:12

Luke 5:12–26 7. Invitations

Numbers 21:4–9

Matthew 9:9

Mark 2:14

Luke 5:27–28

John 3:1–21 8. I Am He

Genesis 33:18–20

Matthew 8:14–15

Matthew 9:10–13

Mark 1:29–31

Mark 2:15–17

Luke 4:38–39

Luke 5:29–32

John 4:4–38

Faith and science has crossover appeal but with a delicate balance. For this episode, Dr. Tom Kotowski joins us to share his experience as a career physicist and also a child of God. Tom worked on many scientific endeavors including getting the first man on the moon. This will be a multipart series, where we discuss God, Truth and Physics.

My thoughts and encouragement on the Ravi Zacharias saga.

Does the condone slavery? This podcast episode seeks to answer this question by taking a journey with layovers at the Old Testament, New Testament, short visits to American Slave Era and final stop at the Modern Era of slavery and deliverance.

Reference

Deuteronomy 15:12-15

Ephesians 6:9

Colossians 4:1

Genesis 1:27

Exodus 21

1 Timothy 1:8-10

Philemon 1

Welcome to another episode of Beyond Sermons, where we seek Jesus Christ beyond the pulpit. I recently had a discussion about who is the GOAT for football and basketball.

For football, I am a Patriots fan. When we are not winning Super Bowl, we are still making deep runs into the playoffs. Tom Brady is the greatest football player of all time. End of story for me. Basketball is a more debatable topic. At the time of this recording, Michael Jordan is the all-time great while Lebron James is making a huge push for that title. I also want to give my respect to Kobe Bryant.

Is Jesus a GOAT? No, he's a Shepherd and a Teacher. Jesus teaches about goats too in a parable in Matthew 25:31-46. The parable compares goats with sheep. When goats are among sheep, the goats are domineering and stateful animals according to the (Proverbs 30:29-31). Sheep are aimless, vulnerable and in need of a shepherd to maximize their quality of life.

Nathanael was one of the disciples called by Jesus (John 1:43). Nathanael was from Cana in Galilee (John 21:2) and was brought to Jesus by his friend, Philip, who also became one of Jesus’ disciples. Nathanael was one of the first to express belief in Jesus Christ as the Son of God (John 1:49). His name means “God has given” in Hebrew. Interestingly, the name Nathanael is only mentioned in the Gospel of John; the other three gospels identify him as “Bartholomew.”

Christ knew and confirmed the private thoughts and motivation of Nathanael. This revelation was enough to convince Nathanael that Jesus was the Messiah. That's not everyone's testimony or burden. As much as we can play mind games and manipulate people, we can not trick God. I'm not a chess master but I understand the game enough to know that it is a game of warfare where aggression, defense and planning is the key to victory. There's no mercy ... no grace in chess. God is the perfect chess algorithm when we test Him with our tactics. God is familiar with all the strategies from ancient to modern times. There's nothing new under the sun. God understands the Jezebel Spirit (aka Narcissist), the lukewarm-hearted, as well as all unspoken evil. Our thoughts matter. Let us not withhold evidence from the perfect judgment of God. Let us not pray like the Pharisees. God knows our hearts. He already knows what we know and can guide us as we search our hearts. This can be scary as we may journey through the valleys and the shadows of death of our present and past but we will not fear evil because God will be with you. Perhaps that's what Nathanael was contemplating under the fig tree.

Welcome to another Spotlight edition of Beyond Sermons where we seek Jesus Christ beyond the pulpit. Street preaching is an effective means to evangelize the Gospel. Jesus was a street preacher along with his disciples. It takes bold faith to proclaim the salvation of Jesus Christ. Today we spotlight a street minister of the Gospel and his name is Dorre Love.

Dorre hails from Vancouver Canada, and preaches in a variety of locations. I found his ministry to be quite compelling and brave. You can find his content on youtube when you search for "Dorre Love". For this podcast, we will highlight some of his preaching to Muslims, to the LGBTQ community, to climate change protesters, as well as Comicon. Some honorable mentions for Dorre not covered in today's presentation are his preaching at Black Lives Matter events as well as drag queen story time.

Website: Ministy of the WORD

https://idratherbepreaching.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAWDr2F2EW8che-jv7k6jsA

Instagram: @lovedorre

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dorre.love

The clips in this podcast were extracted from the publicly available videos as of Jan 2021.

Dorre Converse with Muslim

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qawd3MXlTNs

Dorre Love at Gay Pride Parade

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOJslxiEYPw

Dorre Love confronts Climate Change

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xJcxbCi-GA

Dorre attends Anime Conference

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rtLzYxgl6I

Dorre chats with a pro-choicer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsNorwbzEkM

Oholah and Oholibah were two sisters with the same mother. They were rebels and pursued a life of prostitution at a very young. This gripping and seemingly random story was an intimate parable God shared with the prophet Ezekiel. Oholah and Oholibah (or Aholah and Aholibah) are symbolic names for the kingdom of Israel (the ten tribes in the north) and the kingdom of Judah (the two tribes in the south). Oholah and Oholibah appear in the 23rd chapter of Ezekiel.

Peter was originally named Simon from birth. Simon was originally from Bethsaida (John 1:44) and lived in Capernaum (Mark 1:29). He was married (1 Corinthians 9:5), and ran a successful fishing business with James and John. Simon has a biological brother named Andrew. Andrew became a follower of Jesus through the ministry of John the Baptist (John 1:35-36). Subsequently, Andrew immediately went to find his brother to bring him to Jesus.

The episode of the Levite's concubine is a biblical narrative in Judges 19–21. It concerns a Levite from Ephraim and his concubine, who travel through the Benjaminite city of Gibeah and are assailed by a mob, who wish to sodomize the Levite. He turns his concubine over to the crowd, and they rape her until she dies. The Levite dismembers her corpse and presents the remains to the other tribes of Israel. Outraged by the incident, they swear that none shall give his daughter to the Benjaminities for marriage, and launch a war which nearly wipes out the clan, leaving only 600 surviving men. However, the punitive expedition is overcome by remorse, fearing that it will cause the extinction of an entire tribe. They circumvent the oath by pillaging and massacring the city of Jabesh-Gilead, none of whose residents partook in the war or in the vow, and capturing its 400 maidens for the Benjaminites. The 200 men still lacking women are subtly allowed to abduct the maidens dancing at Shiloh.

Today we are reviewing the movie called “In His Image”. It’s a documentary that takes a closer look at the LGBTQ+ movement with a biblical lens. It addresses some of the tough questions such as: Can you be gay and be a Christian? What if someone genuinely feels trapped in the wrong body? Did God make me this way? Is change even possible? The movie is free to watch at https://inhisimage.movie/. This movie was not rated on rotten tomatoes so I decided to do a movie review. I’ve seen the documentary twice and I found it to be compassionate yet very real. The movies contain interviews, cultural icons, medical implications and biblical warnings.

According to the U.S Department of Justice, the estimated prison population is a little over 1.4 million inmates as of 2019. That number is high enough that it is very likely that each of us may know someone in the prison system. Joining us today is Dion and Deana Elizondo, they have a son who is currently serving at the time of this recording. Today we will listen to their experience with the justice system.

Needless to say that 2020 was the dramatic year of the pandemic. COVID-19 had the unraveling effect on many stable societies and communities. It disrupted the education system and businesses. It even forced many churches to use online platforms to hold services. There are plenty of statistics depicts the global impact of the virus. Today we will fine tune our GPS on a personal story of how this virus took one person's life and broke the heart of another.

Giving Tuesday - A day dedicated to giving to your favorite charities. Now that you have completed most of your Christmas list now it’s time for philanthropy. Giving Tuesday is a significant day for many non-profit. It’s reasonable to assume that some organization can fundraise their annual budget in less than 24 hours. Helping an organization help others can give us the warm and fuzzies but not all non-profit organizations are created equal. Good stewardship and accountability is essential to operating an outstanding organization. This is not always discernible from a pamphlet or digital ad.

For me, giving joyfully and giving responsibly is not mutually exclusive. Once upon time I would give because I wanted a blessing. Later in my charity, I gave because a church expected me to give due to membership. Joy was not consistent and the Bible commands us to be a cheerful giver. According to 2 Corinthian 9:7, God loves when we give without reluctance or under compulsion. This includes tithes and offerings but on a broader scope that include gifts to any “good cause”. But beware of the loopholes.

Last episode we learned about LOOP, which stands for Loved Ones of Prisoners. It’s a non-profit organization that help families cope with a loved one in prison. Jenny Eversole is one of the directors for LOOP and will be joining us again to discuss faith and the prison system.

Every legal trial is a unique issue that challenges our court system. Sometimes they get it right and other times they get it wrong, depending on who you ask. Please visit lovedonesofprisoners.com for helpful resources. Who can know the heart better than God? Who can execute judgment better than God? Most of us may be innocent in the eyes of the law but are we innocent under God’s scrutiny? The Bible says that “For the wages of sin is death and the gift of God is eternal life.” That gift is Jesus Christ. He’s the perfect defense counselor that none of us can afford.

Prison is a designated residence for people who were deemed not fit for society. That’s a harsh reality for many people. Did you know that Jesus along with many of his disciples experienced imprisonment? Paul even wrote some of the New Testament from prison.

Have you ever been arrested or incarcerated? Perhaps you know someone who is serving a prison sentence? Prison is obviously difficult for the incarcerated but how does it impacts their friends and families? I want to share with a you a non-profit organization called LOOP, it stands for Loved Ones of Prisoners (https://lovedonesofprisoners.com).

My faith is firmly rooted on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But as the host of this podcast, this series has been an eye-opening experience on the book of Genesis. Today we discuss how outer space can fit into a creation narrative. Perhaps each day is symbolic for a geological age. Well, this is still unacceptable to a Young Earther. Join us as we attempt to fill in the gaps with biblical understanding.

Many traditions including the Bible records a catastrophic flood that covered the earth. Does modern science account for a flood? We've also learned from fossil discoveries that dinosaurs once roamed the Earth. How does the Bible account for such findings?

Modern science uses many dating methods to determine the age of the earth and fossils. Such methods use element decay for carbon, uranium and others to estimate how long ago a fossil was alive. Can a young earth survive such scientific evidence?

In our first episode, we discussed the age of the Earth according to the Bible. It was estimated that the Earth was created by God a little over 7200 years ago. That’s a much lower estimate than the billions of years professed in the scientific community. Today we’re going to take a look at the theory of evolution and contrast it with a biblical worldview. Dave Thompson, a Young Earth creationist will be joining us for a spirited discussion about Darwin and the Theory of Evolution.

Scientists profess that the Earth is many billion years of age. They use various methodologies to support this claim. Is the Bible a viable source for determining the age of the Earth?