Love Your Bible Podcast: Recent Episodes
with Pastor Kory
I want to help you change "I should read the Bible" to "I WANT to read the Bible!" To make this switch, I'll drop short talks every Thursday to make you love your Bible more. Because when you love your Bible, you will love God, serve people, and live a life that matters.
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A new school year means new routines and new rhythms. You probably have a plan for school drop-off and sports practice—but do you have a plan for connecting your kids to Jesus?
Join me, along with Abbey Kelley (Preschool Director), Shelley Crowell (Children’s Director), and Chase Bright (Youth Pastor), as we talk about establishing faith rhythms to help you start the school year well!
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
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Katie Cunningham (my beautiful wife) teaches Latin and Spanish at New Covenant Christian Academy. In this episode, we have a fascinating conversation about God and language. We go all over the Bible, connecting language to creation, the fall, redemption, and God Himself. I hope that after this episode, you love your Bible (and language) even more!
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
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In this episode, Chase and I use Kevin Deyoung's book, What Does the Bible Really Teach About Homosexuality, to guide us through the main passages of Scripture that deal with homosexuality.
Often, people fall into one of two ditches when it comes to homosexuality. In the left ditch, homosexuality is NOT a sin. In the right ditch, homosexuality is THE sin. In this conversation, we seek to walk the middle road and teach homosexuality is a sin, like other sins, that must be repented of by God's grace.
Some of the texts we discuss include:
Genesis 1-2, Matthew 19, Ephesians 5, Romans 1, Genesis 19, Jude 7, Leviticus 18 and 20.
Next week, Chase and I will continue our discussion and look at 1 Timothy 1 and 1 Corinthians 6.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
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As you probably know (because your iPhone calendar told you), June 1 marked the first day of Pride month. During this month I want help you, the listener, understand how we got to here, what the Bible says, and how we should respond as Christians. Lord willing, I plan to release these four episodes each Tuesday throughout June.
- LGBTQ+ Pride Month | How did we get here? (w/ cohost Jackson Greer)
- What does the Bible say about homosexuality? (w/ cohost Chase Bright)
- How should the church respond to the LGBTQ+ revolution? (w/ cohost Chris Lawrence)
- Why the "T" might eat the revolution. (w/ cohost Jackson Greer)
In this first episode, my cohost Jackson Greer and I walk through Carl Trueman's book, Strange New World to help you understand how we got here. Below you can purchase the book.
Buy Now | Strange New World: How Thinkers and Activists Redefined Identity and Sparked the Sexual | Carl Trueman
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
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Ryan Fontenot is one of my favorite people on the planet (you will be able tell as you listen)! In this interview, we discuss his new book, Live Sent and all God is doing at R.A.G.E ministries. It's all gold (I promise)! Go listen now and then buy the book.
Links
Book -- www.ilivesent.com
www.rageministries.com
www.wearerage.com
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
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For most, Revelation is the book at the end of the Bible we avoid because it seems so strange and even scary. In this episode, Chase Bright seeks to teach us the whole book in less than an hour (spoiler... he goes a bit over). He also makes the case for why we should read it and love it.
Listen now as Chase gives three keys and seven pictures to understanding the book.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Peter Gentry's video -- Who are the Nephilim? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKtHwc3mMY8
Bro. Ricky's sermon on 2 Peter 2:1-3 -- https://vehardin.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Beware-of-Spiritual-Cons.pdf
Pastor Kory's sermon on Genesis 6 -- https://hardinbaptist.org/all-sermons/?enmse=1&enmse_am=1&enmse_mid=1131
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
In today's episode, I interview Dr. Joshua Hutchens about the Book of Enoch. I learned so much and I know you will too! We explore the following questions and more...
-- What is the book of Enoch?
-- Did Enoch write it?
-- Why isn’t it in my Bible?
-- What’s up with Jude quoting it?
-- Why is it still popular today?
-- Should Christians read it or not?
Show notes:
Gospel Life.
https://gospellife.org/
Persecution and Cosmic Conflict | Joshua Hutchens https://www.joshuacalebhutchens.com/p/publications
Scribes and Scripture | Meade & Gurry
https://www.crossway.org/books/scribes-and-scripture-tpb/?gad_source=1
The Putative Citation of Enoch in Jude | Peter Gentry,
https://youtu.be/_2J0j3RcBMQ?si=QpXVduLsIChO_le7
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Listen to this fascinating conversation with Jackson Greer about creation through the lens of church history. Over the last 2,000 years, what did Christians believe about creation, the age of the earth, and the material world? What cultural beliefs about creation and the body set Christians at odds with the world? How can knowing their stories help us understand our story in church history?
Jackson argues we need the church fathers for such a moment as this, and I think you will agree. Enjoy!
Websites:
https://henrycenter.tiu.edu/2017/05/creation-time-in-basils-hexaemeron/
https://ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf208/npnf208.viii.ii.html
Books:
Retrieving Agustine's Doctrine of Creation by Gavin Ortlund
Controversy of the Ages by Theodore J. Cabal and Peter J. Rasor II
Historical Theology by Gregg Allison
How to Read the Church Fathers by Gerald Bray
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Despite Google's claim that the world is 4.54 billion years OLD, Jeffery Young makes the case for why he believes the world is 6,000(ish) years YOUNG.
In this episode, Young makes the case for the Christian position know as "young earth," claiming Genesis 1 teaches God made the world in six 24 hour days. Jeffery uses geology, astronomy, and Jesus to refute google and back up his claim that the earth is young. Enjoy.
For further investigation on young earth visit https://answersingenesis.org/ and https://creationmoments.com/
And in case you missed it, click here to hear why Jimmy Slack believes the earth is billions of years old.
Join me next week for my conversation with Jackson Greer on what church leaders throughout church history believed about creation.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Jimmy Slack will be the first to say both Young Earth and Old Earth Christians agree about the WHO, WHAT, and WHY of creation—which are the most important! However, Christians often disagree about the exact HOW and WHEN of creation. The main distinction stems from the question: Does the word “day” (Yom in Hebrew) in Genesis 1 refer to 24 hours or a long period?
In this podcast episode, Slack makes the case for why he believes “day” in the text refers to a long period of time. Slack, once an atheist, has studied creation and science for the past 30+ years. He deeply loves Jesus, the Bible, and his glorious Creator.
So whether you believe in young Earth or old Earth or not sure, you will find this interview fascinating (I know I did). And yes, I ask Jimmy about dinosaurs. Enjoy!
For further study check out:
Website (Hugh Ross) -- https://reasons.org/
Books:
Creator and the Cosmos -- Hugh Ross
A Matter of Days -- Hugh Ross
Evolution: A Theory in Crisis -- Michael Denton
Darwin on Trial -- Phillip Johnson
Icons of Evolution -- Jonathan Wells
Defeating Darwinism -- Phillip Johnson
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- How did we get here?
- What's wrong with the world?
- How do we fix it?
- Where are we headed?
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Katie and I got to travel to Nicaragua and spend some time with Nick and Bethany. In this conversation, we ask them about the three best and worst things about living in Nicaragua, and Nick explains his plan for church planting in Nicaragua.
Watch Batahola community walk through! https://vimeo.com/871102114
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
25.165 ἀνδρίζομαι: (a figurative extension of meaning of ἀνδρίζομαι ‘to be manly’ or ‘to become a man,’ not occurring in the NT) to exhibit courage in the face of danger—‘to be brave, to be courageous.’ στήκετε ἐν τῇ πίστει, ἀνδρίζεσθε, κραταιοῦσθε ‘stand firm in the faith; be brave; be strong’ 1 Cor 16:13.
NT New Testament
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996) 306.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Have you ever noticed this line after Mark 16:8 [Some of the earliest manuscripts do not include 16:9–20.]?Hmmm... That's interesting!
Today, I want you to see that the uncertainty of Mark's ending, makes us more certain about the rest of Scripture! Listen now for a fun discussion about Bible transmission and textual criticism.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Life is a valley filled with darkness and demons. The key to ministering in the messy valley is to look up and behold the the glorious one on top the mountain.
Rachael's Painting https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Transfiguration_Raphael.jpg
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
I'd like to share with you three things God showed me on my beach vacation last week concerning maps, sand, and sandcastles . Hope you enjoy.
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
What if you cultivated the rhythm of praying three times a day like Daniel?
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"8. THE PERFECTED KINGDOM One day Christ will return. There will be a great division. His enemies will be separated from his goodness in hell, but his people will join him in a perfect new creation. Then at last the gospel promises will be completely fulfilled. The book of revelation describes a fully restored kingdom: God’s people, Christians from all nations, in God’s place, the new creation (heaven), under God’s rule and therefore enjoying his blessing. And nothing can spoil this happy ending. It is no fairy story; they really will live happily ever after." -- Vaughan Roberts
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PROCLAIMED KINGDOM. By his death and resurrection Jesus did all that was necessary to put everything right again and completely restore God’s kingdom. But he did not finish the job when he was first on earth. He ascended into heaven and made it clear that there would be a delay before he returned. The delay is to enable more people to hear about the good news of Christ so they can put their trust in him and be ready for him when he comes. We live during this period, which the Bible calls “the last days”. It began on the Day of Pentecost when God sent the Spirit to equip his church to tell the whole world about Christ. -- Vaughn Roberts
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PRESENT KINGDOM 400 years passed after the completion of the Old Testament before Jesus began his public ministry with the words, ‘The time has come... The kingdom of God is near’ (Mk 1:15). The waiting was over; God’s king had come to establish God’s kingdom. His life, teaching and miracles all proved that he was who he said he was: God himself in human form. He had the power to put everything right again, and he chose a very surprising way of doing it: by dying in weakness on a cross. It was by his death that Jesus dealt with the problem of sin and made it possible for human beings to come back into relationship with his Father. The resurrection proved the success of Jesus’ rescue mission on the cross and announced that there is hope for our world. Those who trust in Christ can look forward to eternal life with him. (Vaughan Roberts)
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PROPHESIED KINGDOM After the death of King Solomon civil war broke out and the kingdom of Israel split into two parts: Israel in the north and Judah in the south. Neither was strong. After 200 years of separate existence, the northern kingdom of Israel was destroyed by the Assyrians. The southern kingdom struggled on for another century, but then it too was conquered and its inhabitants were taken into exile in Babylon. During this depressing period in their history God spoke to the people of Israel and Judah through some prophets. He explained that they were being punished for their sin but still offered hope for the future. The prophets pointed forward to a time when God would act decisively through his King, the Messiah, to fulfil all his promises. The people of Judah must have thoughts that that time had come when they were allowed to return from exile, but God made it clear that the great time of salvation was still in the future. That is where the Old Testament ends: waiting for God’s King to appear to introduce his kingdom. -- Vaughan Roberts
My Notes from Isaiah --
Who is the Messiah? (Jesus!)
- Isaiah 40:3-5 - He will be proceeded by a voice crying in the wilderness.
- Isaiah 7:14 - He is virgin born and named “God with us"
- Isaiah 9:6-7 - He is the forever King who bears the name Mighty God.
- Isaiah 11:1-3 - He shall be a righteous branch from the line of David.
- Isaiah 28:16 - He will be the cornerstone.
- Isaiah 40:11 - He will be a good shepherd who cares for the sheep.
- Isaiah 35:4-6 - He will cause the blind to see and deft hear.
- Isaiah 25:8-9 - He will shallow up death.
- Isaiah 42:1-3 - He will be the hope of the Gentiles.
- Isaiah 61:1-2a - He will be the Spirit filled Messiah who brings year of the Lord.
How will the Messiah save us? By dying in our place for our sins. - Isaiah 53
But he was pierced for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his wounds we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:5-6)
How should we response to the Messiah? Turn to the Lord! Isaiah 45:22-23
“Turn to me and be saved,
all the ends of the earth!
For I am God, and there is no other.
By myself I have sworn;
from my mouth has gone out in righteousness
a word that shall not return:
‘To me every knee shall bow,
every tongue shall swear allegiance.’
- Repent and believe the gospel! (Mark 1:15)
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
Matthew 1:23 | “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (which means “God with us”).
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PARTIAL KINGDOM (Part 1) God’s promises to Abraham are partially fulfilled in Israel’s history. Through the exodus from Egypt, God makes Abraham’s descendants his very own people. At Mount Sinai he gives them his law so that they might live under his rule and enjoy his blessing, as Adam and Eve had done before they sinned. The blessing is marked chiefly by God’s presence with his people in the tabernacle. -- Vaughan Roberts Buy Book
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PROMISED KINGDOM God calls Abram and makes some unconditional promises to him: through his descendants he will re‐establish his kingdom. They will be God’s people, living in God’s place [the land] under God’s rule and enjoying his blessing, and through them all peoples on earth will be blessed. That promise is the gospel. It is partially fulfilled in the history of Israel, but is only finally fulfilled through Jesus Christ. (Vaughan Roberts)
Ask me a question | kory.cunningham@gmail.com
- THE PERISHED KINGDOM Adam & Eve try to run life their own way without God. They are no longer God’s people because as they turn away from Him, He turns away from them. They are banished from God’s place, the garden. And they are no longer under God’s rule so they don’t enjoy his blessing. Instead they face God’s curse and judgment. BUT God, in his great love, is determined to restore his kingdom... (Vaughan Roberts).
Buy book here -- God's Big Picture: Tracing the Storyline of the Bible
Connect with me at kory.cunningham@gmail.com.
1) THE PATTERN OF THE KINGDOM
Vaughan Roberts says, "In the Garden of Eden we see the world as God designed it to be. God’s people, Adam and Eve, live in God’s place, the garden, under his rule as they submit to his word. And to be under God’s rule in the Bible is always to enjoy his blessing; it is the best way to live. God’s original creation shows us a model of his kingdom as it was meant to be."
Connect with me at kory.cunningham@gmail.com.
God's Big Picture, Vaughan Roberts (The best $8 book ya'll ever buy)
Grab the cheat sheet!
Connect with me at kory.cunningham@gmail.com.
What Does the Bible Really Teach about Everything? By Kevin DeYoung
Tale as old as Time (and Older Still)
The first person we meet in the Bible is God (Gen. 1:1). And the first thing we see about this God is that he is before all things (cf. Ps. 90:1-2). God is self-existent, independent, without beginning or end, without equal, the Creator God distinct from his creation, a holy and unrivaled God-eternal, infinite, and, in his essence, unlike anything or anyone that ever was, is, or will be. This is the God we first meet in the first verse of the first book of the Bible.
And this is the God who created all things (Neh. 9:6; Acts 14:15; 17:24), He created heaven and what is in it, the earth and what is in it, and the sea and what is in it (Rev. 10:6). What's more, he made men and women as the crown of his creation, making them in his image and after his likeness (Gen. 1:26). He created them to rule and to reproduce and to have a relationship with him (Gen. 1:26-28; cf. 3:8).
But the first man and the first woman disobeyed God's command. They listened to the Slithering One as he tempted them to doubt the clarity and goodness of God's word (Gen. 3:1-5). They took a bite from the forbidden fruit, and the fruit bit back. When sin entered the world, it was not just a fall; it was a curse. The man, the woman, the Serpent, the ground—all felt the sting of the curse so that "not the way things are supposed to be” became "the way things are." In just retribution for sin, God drove the man and the woman from the garden and placed an angel to guard the way to the tree of life (Gen. 3:24). Their heaven on earth was no more, at least not until God would bring heaven back to earth (Gen. 3:15). The central plotline of the story of Scripture was set in motion: a holy God making a way to dwell in the midst of an unholy people.
**Space does not permit a full retelling of this story, but one only has to look at the Promised Land or the temple to see the same narrative carrying forward. The Promised Land was a type of Eden, and Eden was a foreshadowing of the Promised Land. God describes the creation of Israel in the same way he describes the creation of the heavens and the earth (Jer. 4:23-26; 27:5). The boundaries of Eden and the boundaries of Canaan are similar (Gen. 2:10-14; 15:18). When Jacob comes back from the east to enter Canaan, he is met by an angel (Gen. 32:22-32)—an allusion to the angel placed at the entrance to Eden. Joshua likewise encounters a heavenly guardian when approaching the Promised Land by way of Jericho (osh. 5:13-15).
Keep reading HERE**
Connect with me at kory.cunningham@gmail.com.
We all have a favorite app we click on... well... all the time! So what if we changed our favorite app so our clicking is a virtue (not a vice)?
God created us to work, but also to rest. Here are 9 reasons you should enjoy the gift of a weekly Sabbath.
Learn how changing your mind about work, can change your heart towards work--and give your day job a whole new gospel meaning.
Does your work matter? Does God care about your work?
Answer: Yes, yes, and yes! Listen now.
Ephesian 6:5-9 -- Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.
Salvation is not a little thing we sign up, it's a supernatural thing God does to us! Therefore, when God saves you, He changes you! Listen and share.
Piper defines Christian Hedonism as the pursuit of pleasure in God. Are you a Christian Hedonist? I think you should be, and in this episode I'll share why.
Cunningham's RV Road trip! 15 States, 9 National Parks.
Watch here: https://youtu.be/0Rx_I5meMfI
“God is the highest good of the reasonable creature. The enjoyment of him is our proper; and is the only happiness with which our souls can be satisfied. To go to heaven, fully to enjoy God, is infinitely better than the most pleasant accommodations here. Better than fathers and mothers, husbands, wives, or children, or the company of any, or all earthly friends. These are but shadows; but the enjoyment of God is the substance. These are but scattered beams; but God is the sun. These are but streams; but God is the fountain. These are but drops, but God is the ocean.” –– Jonathan Edwards, The Works of Jonathan Edwards, Vol. 17: Sermons and Discourses, 1730-1733
Warning: This one may be awkward to listen to with your kids, so we advise you don't.
It's June, which means I'm traveling out west with the family in an RV. This month, I'm featuring a 4-week series on marriage that Katie and I created for This House Podcast.
I think it's marriage gold––enjoy!
It's June, which means I'm traveling out west with the family in an RV. This month, I'm featuring a 4-week series on marriage that Katie and I created for This House Podcast.
I think it's marriage gold––enjoy!
It's June, which means I'm traveling out west with the family in an RV. This month, I'm featuring a 4-week series on marriage that Katie and I created for This House Podcast.
I think it's marriage gold––enjoy!
It's June, which means I'm traveling out west with the family in an RV. This month, I'm featuring a 4-week series on marriage that Katie and I created for This House Podcast.
I think it's marriage gold––enjoy!
Nick and Bethany Calhoon just moved to Nicaragua to serve as full-time missionaries. I ask Nick about his faith, calling, and what the Bible says about missions in this interview. Listen now!
Blurb from Nick from their landing page at https://hardinbaptist.org/calhoon/
"We are the Calhoon family and we will be serving as missionaries to the beautiful country of Nicaragua in May of 2022. We are excited that you are interested in learning more about what we do, but more importantly about what God is doing in Nicaragua. Hardin Baptist Church has been serving in Nicaragua for nearly 15 years and in regularly going and leading short-term trips we felt the Lord call us to serve there full-time."
Sin is not wanting too much, it's settling for too little. You're thirsty––make sure you drink well.
Do you ever feel like your unbelieving neighbor has a better life than you? You do good only to receive bad things. He does bad only to receive good things. Asaph ponders this strange reality in Psalm 73 and gains clarity by discerning the present in light of eternity.
The cross of Christ is the only way God can forgive sinners and not implode the universe.
4-Week countdown to Holy Week
3/23 | New Righteousness (Romans 3:20-22)
3/31 | Old Problem (Romans 3:23)
4/7 | God's Salvation (Romans 3:24-25)
4/14 | God's Righteousness (Romans 3:25-26)
Marvel at God's glorious salvation for sinners in Christ, and then please share with friend who needs to hear this good news!
4-Week countdown to Holy Week
3/23 | New Righteousness (Romans 3:20-22)
3/31 | Old Problem (Romans 3:23)
4/7 | God's Salvation (Romans 3:24-25)
4/14 | God's Righteousness (Romans 3:25-26)
justification: An instantaneous legal act of God in which he (1) thinks of our sins as forgiven and Christ’s righteousness as belonging to us, and (2) declares us to be righteous in his sight. Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology.
grace: God’s goodness toward those who deserve only punishment. Wayne A. Grudem
redemption: Christ’s saving work viewed as an act of “buying back” sinners out of their bondage to sin and to Satan through the payment of a ransom. Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology.
propitiation: A sacrifice that bears God’s wrath to the end and in so doing changes God’s wrath toward us into favor. Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology.
faith: Trust or dependence on God based on the fact that we take him at his word and believe what he has said. Wayne A. Grudem, Systematic Theology.
Your sin is great, but your savior Jesus is greater!
4-Week countdown to Holy Week
3/23 | New Righteousness (Romans 3:20-22)
3/31 | Old Problem (Romans 3:23)
4/7 | God's Salvation (Romans 3:24-25)
4/14 | God's Righteousness (Romans 3:25-26)
I'm reading the @YouVersion plan 'M'Cheyne One Year Reading Plan'. Check it out here: https://www.bible.com/reading-plans/24-mcheyne-one-year-reading-plan
Works won't cut it. You need a new and better righteousness.
4-Week countdown to Holy Week
3/23 | New Righteousness (Romans 3:20-22)
3/31 | Old Problem (Romans 3:23)
4/7 | God's Salvation (Romans 3:24-25)
4/14 | God's Righteousness (Romans 3:25-26)
If you want to be a fool or stay a fool, then avoid doing these three things from Proverbs 1. On the other hand, if you want to be wise, then by all means, do all three!
Last week we looked at John 3:16 and this week we uncover the backstory of John 3:1-15. Listen as Jesus tells Nicodemus about spiritual birth and snake statues––and how we must trust God's solution to our problem.
What if sharing the gospel is easier than you think? In fact, what if you already have the perfect outline stored in your brain from all those years of VBS?
In this episode, I walk you through an easy way to share the gospel using one verse you probably already have memorized.
Sow & Tether new release | Great God Above Beheld Below
Meet the older son in Luke 15. He's the son who stayed home and always obeyed. He's the son who looks good on the outside, yet on the inside is no better than the rebellious son who ran away.
In Luke 15, Jesus shows the heart of God towards both sinners (the younger son) and self-righteous (the older son). It's a surprising story that exposes misunderstandings about God, sin, and the way into the kingdom.
In this episode, we walk in the shoes of the younger son who runs away––in the next episode, we walk in the shoes of the older son who stays home.
Prodigal God | Tim Keller
In this episode with Hunter Bobo, lead singer of Sow & Tether, I get to ask Hunter tons of questions about worship, song writing, and why it all matters. Click play and listen to our fascinating conversation!
Sow & Tether exists to enrich and excite souls with the grace and truth of Christ through song. We serve in and around Memphis, Tennessee. Check them out on Spotify -- https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UhS2UHJ67tRfYoLr29GY9?si=dWwUkHMuTWOW7spcEoNYSQ
What is God like? Is God a harsh judge ready to smite anyone who breaks His laws? Or is God a jolly man upstairs who simple wants you to be happy and do as you please? Thankfully for us, God doesn't leave us to guess but proclaims who He is to us. Listen now as we hike to the top of Mt. Sinai with Moses and experience God telling us firsthand who He is.
These are the three Bible loving apps I plan to use in 2022. Listen now and I'll tell how to use each app to stay connect to Jesus daily.
Daily Office -- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/my-daily-office/id1215675361
Five Psalms -- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/five-psalms/id1104746125
Dwell -- https://apps.apple.com/us/app/dwell-audio-bible/id1343917374
This ends season one of the Love Your Bible Podcast. If you're new, here are some episodes I recommend listening to.
- EP — 8-11 — Habits: Read, Pray, Memorize, and Study the Bible
- EP — 12-15 — How to Study the Bible: Observe, Interpret, Gospel, Apply
- EP — 18-19 — Why Preaching Matters
- EP — 21-26 — Is the Bible actually true
Show Notes:
Christmas List |
- ESV reader — $125 — https://www.amazon.com/Readers-Bible-Cloth-Permanent-Slipcase/dp/1433553473/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1IVZRZLB01CFI&keywords=esv+readers+bible&qid=1637682384&sprefix=esv+reader%2Caps%2C226&sr=8-4
- NIV reader $60 — https://www.amazon.com/NIV-Sola-Scriptura-Bible-Project/dp/0310448123/ref=sr_1_7?keywords=niv+reader+bible&qid=1637682515&sr=8-7
- ESV study Bible —$30 — https://www.amazon.com/ESV-Study-Bible-Bibles-Crossway/dp/1433502410/ref=sr_1_5?crid=SS23RJDLRNIO&keywords=esv+study+bible&qid=1637682423&sprefix=ESV+study+bib%2Caps%2C268&sr=8-5
Advent Readings |
- Come, Let Us Adore Him: A Daily Advent Devotional by Paul Tripp ($5.99 at Christianbook.com)
- Good News of Great Joy: 25 Devotional Readings for Advent by John Piper ($16.19 hardcover or Free download at Good News of Great Joy)
Resources |
- Gospel Coalition essays: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essays/
In this episode, I argue the King James Version of the Bible is a good translation, but not the only translation (and not the best translation).
James White -- King James Only Controversy
What's the best translation of the Bible?
Topics:
- Formal equivalence versus functional equivalence
- Pro's and con's of various translations
- How to use different translations for different reasons
Discussed Bible translations: NASB, KJV, ESV, NIV, CSB, NLT
Article: https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/the-bible-in-translation/
ESV Study Bible
40 Questions
Is the really full of errors? Can we trust the Greek manuscripts? How do we know the version of Romans in our modern Bible is the same letter Paul wrote to the Romans some 2,000 years ago?
The episode defines and argues for biblical inerrancy.
Additional reading: https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/neither-do-i-condemn-you--3/excerpts/isnt-the-bible-full-of-errors
Have you noticed your Catholic friends have more book in their Bibles?
What about the Apocrypha or the Gospel of Thomas?
This episode answers the question: How do we know we have the right books in our Bibles?
4-week series: Is the Bible actually true?
In part two of the series we ask the question, "How did God write the Bible?"
Part one of a four part series called, "Is the Bible actually true?"
Intro: The time my college professor scolded me for using the Bible in a research paper.
Content:
What is the Bible?
Does the Bible claim to be God's Word?
Did the OT and NT writers know they were writing Scripture?
What is verbal, plenary inspiration?
We often divide people into two groups; good people and bad people. We then view ourselves as good or bad and assume God does the same, loving good people and smiting bad people.
In this episode, you will discover how the Bible lapels people (hint: it's not in categories of good and bad) and why the word "in" makes all the difference.
What is expository preaching?
How does your preacher use the Bible?
Jim Shaddix describes good preaching (and bad preaching) with a swimming pool analogy. In this episode, you will learn not all preaching is the same, and how to know if you're hearing good sermons that are good for your soul.
John Stott says, "Preaching is indispensable to Christianity." I think he's right, and in this episode, I'll explain why hearing preaching regularly is vital to your soul.
Books --
John Stott, Between Two Worlds
Christopher Ash, The Priority of Preaching
Sin leads to guilt, shame, fear, coverup, hiding, and blame-shifting. Sin separates, and only the gospel brings us back to God.
You have an enemy who doesn't want you to love your Bible but doubt and deny it. Our first parents fell prey to Satan's lies and rebelled against a good and perfect God. By remembering Satan is a liar, you can resist his schemes and trust God's goodness.
Application moves you from being a hearer of the Word to a doer of the Word. In this episode you will learn how to apply a text to your head, heart, and hands by asking a few powerful questions.
In the third stage of Bible study you must discover how Jesus is the hero of your text, or else you will fill with pride or despair.
The second stage of Bible study involves interpretation. In this episode, you will learn to find what the text means by looking for the heart.
Good Bible study starts with observation. In this episode you will learn how to look at flesh (words) and discover bones (structure).
Exegesis verses eisegesis --
The term exegesis means “drawing meaning out of” as opposed to eisegesis, which means “reading meaning into.”
David Helm -- Expositional Preaching
John Stott -- Between two world
Ramesh Richards -- Preparing Expository Sermons
Quick Hit Bible StudyNeed: Bible, Paper (Phone notes), Pen.
Ezra 7:9-10 –– For on the first day of the first month he began to go up from Babylonia, and on the first day of the fifth month he came to Jerusalem, for the good hand of his God was on him. 10 For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the Lord, and to do it and to teach his statutes and rules in Israel.
Heading to Heading Bible Study:
Observe -- What does it say?
Interpret -- What does it mean?
Gospel -- How is Jesus the hero?
Apply -- What must I do?
Nothing gets the Bible in your bones like scripture memory. Use these two simple methods of scripture memory/meditation to store up God’s Word in your heart so you think, act, and respond like Jesus.
Dr. Andrew Davis -- Extended Scripture Memory booklet https://scripturememory.com/downloadables/andrewdavis.pdf
Dr. Timothy K. Beougher 40 verses on evangelism — https://thisbreadalways.com/40-key-verses-evangelism/
Ps 119:11 — I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
Pro 4:20 — My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart.
Col 3:16 — Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
John 15:7‐8 If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
Joshua 1:8 — This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
Rom 12:2 — Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Transform dull, repetitive, self-centered prayers into vibrant, fresh, God-centered prayers by learning to pray the Bible.
Show notes:
Praying the Bible (Donald Witney) -- https://www.amazon.com/Praying-Bible-Donald-S-Whitney/dp/1433547848/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=praying+the+bible&qid=1626277252&sr=8-1
The Psalm of the Day Chart (Donald Witney) -- https://www.satsumabaptist.org/hp_wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/Praying-the-Psalms-Guide.pdf
The Songs of Jesus (Timothy Keller) -- https://www.amazon.com/Songs-Jesus-Daily-Devotions-Psalms/dp/0525955143/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=the+songs+of+jesus&qid=1626277281&sr=8-1
Quotes:
"For me it is absolutely essential that my prayers be guided by, saturated, and sustained and controlled by the word of God." — John Piper.
"The Psalms are given to this end, that we may learn to pray them in the name of Jesus Christ." — Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
Habits both form us and keep us. Over the next four weeks, I will help you develop the Bible intake habits of reading, praying, studying, and memorizing your Bible. By the end of the month, I hope reading your Bible is as natural as brushing your teeth.
You brush your teeth daily because you formed a habit long ago (or at least I hope you do and did). Now it's time to use the superpower of habits to engage your Bible daily.
Daniel 6:10 -- "When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously."
After hiking 25+ miles with my family in the Rocky Mountain National Park, I saw these connections between hiking and Bible reading.
If you read the Bible looking for you, you will be disappointed. If you read the Bible looking for God, you will be amazed!
You don't need a time machine to know your father loves you. You just need to read your Bible!
Psalm 119 (Audio)
"A Week Away" (search Netflix)
Bruce Ashford –Every Square Inch
Letters to an American Christian
Abraham Kuyper quote —
“There is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!”
Goat Skin Bibles
The Bible is not a microscope making a small god seem big, but a telescope making a big God visible.
The created world preaches the glory of God.
The written word proclaims who that God is.
Matthew 13:44 | "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
In this episode, you will learn why we fail to finish the Bible plans we start and how to start reading your Bible like a pirate. Plus, I'll give you a tip to help you get back on track and finish your Bible plan.
True happiness comes from loving your Bible more than the world around you. Desire drives you, and your desires determine your destiny. In this episode, I'll help you forsake common desires to cultivate better ones.
And a huge thanks to Sow and Tether for letting me use their music on the podcast. Go check them out now! https://open.spotify.com/artist/2UhS2UHJ67tRfYoLr29GY9?si=SDZ_G6LdQ-mKfZvALtgtYw
I know two things about you.
- You know you should read the Bible.
- You know you don’t read the Bible as much as you should.
What's the problem? It's your heart.
In this Podcast, I want to change your should to a want.
Listen to this 5-minute trailer, and then hit subscribe to start loving your Bible more!
Because when you love your Bible; you love God, serve people, and live a life that matters.