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Welcome to Episode #217 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Eight mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount Part 2. In our last mini-series we addressed the first half of our passage, concerning the “Wise Man” who build his house on the Rock. On this mini-series we are going to examine the “Foolish Man” who built his house on the sand. This first episode of this mini-series will be an overview of the topic, which will be expanded upon for the remainder of the mini-series.

On our last two episodes of mini-series 27, our focus was on Who Chooses Whom? Does God choose us or do we choose God? While this question is often hidden from open conversation within Christendom, it is central to understanding our faith, the God who created us, and the Savior who redeemed us to become children of the living God. In the end you reach a conclusion that while the answer is conclusive certainty is always in question among believer as there is tension purposefully in the Bible.

On our Walk on the Beach episode, we saw the holographic picture of our faith more clearly. God sits outside of time and exists beyond anything he has ever created. Before creation itself, of anything seen or unseen, God was perfected in all aspects of his glorious existence. Nothing can be added to him, nor nothing taken away from him. The Bible begins with God creating the heavens and the earth.

The heavens are not to be confused with the cosmos of sun, moon, and stars, which were created on the fourth day of the six days of creation (Genesis 1:14-19). The heavens are where the angelic beings dwell. So in the beginning we have a supernatural spiritual realm inhabited by angelic creatures who rule the heavens for an undisclosed period. And we have the earth, a physical object suspended in infinite space in all directions.

While God created the heavens and the earth and sustains all that he creates within the confines of himself, he is not the creation which is outside of himself. It sounds like a conundrum within a paradox yet it is far beyond even that of which we can conceive. And this is not just mumbo jumbo, the ramblings of an idiot, but exactly the state of all things. Our contemplation of God is helpful to understand our existence. I’m talking about me who is writing this and you who are hearing the words I record and upload for this podcast episode.

A.W. Tozer’s, The Knowledge of the Holy, is a great starter book into some of the mind-blowing attributes of God that make your head hurt just trying to comprehend them. More detailed and substantially life altering writings are found among authentic particle physicists, biologists, geneticists, cosmologists, and other scientific inquiry fields that have no skin in the game as to where the evidence leads. Scientific endeavors typically dead end not explaining what and how, but rather the answer lies beyond our limitations in our own space-time understanding of reality.

Most simply, all things seen are the result of energy best explained as light that does not whose origin, original and sustaining power source are beyond our dimensionality. Some theorize we are simply a very complex holographic projection from another dimension.

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Welcome to Episode #216 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last episode, we heard Part 1 of 2 of a discussion on Who Choses Whom? On this walk on the beach epode we will present an overview of this mini-series and close it out with Part 2 of the Who Choses Whom discussion. We’re just going to jump right in, I think you’ll figure it out soon enough.

Good morning. It looks like we are it for our walk today. Or should I say rather “our run from our cars in the parking lot into the condo lobby.” I do want to say a special thank you to Jamey who knows the Hotel manager who was kind enough to rent us this nice conference room on short notice. We knew last night this front was going to coming through this morning, and that many of you were already here and others still on your way. So Jamey made a call, terms were agreed upon, and papers were signed.

Once we booked the room, we immediately sent out text alerts, and called many others who did not respond to our change of venue message. Hopefully, everyone who was hoping to be on this walk has made it. Those who didn’t make it will have to listen to the podcast as all the rest who hear these episodes. I’m going to start, even though the coffee and Danish have just arrived. Tommy has agreed to offer a blessing before we serve ourselves. After his prayer, please make your way to the tables at your leisure as you will not distract me… Thank you Tommy, the tables of coffee and Danish are now ready for your enjoyment. I will add, speaking with a wireless mic and having a lecturn to stand behind is much easier than walking backward on the beach or speaking loudly to heard above the surf…

Speaking of being heard let’s read our passage for Mini-Series 27. Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

This is the seminal concluding statement of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. It may be the most written about and beloved of his sermons that is crafted to satisfying drastically different theological positions of both conservative and liberal churches. My approach has been to let the plain thing be the main thing, simply read the text as written and follow the text where may lead.

In this mini-series we’ve been addressing the first half of this passage regarding the wise man (verses 24-25). We’ll cover the second half of this passage (Matthew 7:26-27) on our next mini-series concerning the foolish man who builds his house on the sand.

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Episode #215 — WHO CHOOSES WHO? | Matthew 7:24-27

One of the most profound questions in Christian theology is simple to ask but difficult to answer: Who chooses whom? Does mankind choose God, or does God first reveal Himself and draw people to salvation?

In Episode #215 of the Way of the Bible podcast, Dr. Philip Zimmerman continues the Response to the Sermon on the Mount mini-series by exploring this question through the words of Jesus and the larger story of Scripture.

Beginning with Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus describes the wise man as one who hears His words and puts them into practice, building his life upon the solid foundation of the Rock. From there, the episode expands beyond the immediate passage to examine God's eternal plan of redemption.

The discussion traces the biblical narrative from the rebellion of Lucifer before creation, humanity's fall in the Garden of Eden, and the entrance of sin and death into the world. Throughout the episode, listeners are reminded that the Bible is fundamentally God's story of redemption rather than mankind's story of self-discovery. God's purpose has always been to dwell eternally with His redeemed people in perfect fellowship.

The episode then focuses on the work of Jesus Christ as God's appointed Redeemer. Through His incarnation, sacrificial death, resurrection, and ultimate victory over sin and death, Jesus accomplishes what fallen humanity could never accomplish on its own. Salvation is presented not merely as forgiveness of sins, but as reconciliation with God and entrance into eternal life.

The heart of the episode examines several key passages where Jesus speaks directly about salvation. Matthew 11 reveals that the Father hides spiritual truth from the proud while revealing it to the humble. John 6 teaches that no one comes to Christ unless the Father draws them. John 17 further explains that eternal life consists of knowing the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent.

Rather than presenting these passages as isolated verses, the episode weaves them together into a unified biblical understanding of God's sovereign work in redemption. Listeners are encouraged to recognize both the necessity of God's initiative and the call for every person to hear the Gospel, repent, believe, and be born again through the Holy Spirit.

The episode concludes by returning to the hope found in John 3:16-18. God's purpose is not condemnation but salvation through His Son. Those who believe in Jesus receive eternal life and become part of God's eternal family.

Finally, Dr. Zimmerman leaves listeners with one more important question. If God chooses those who believe, then who are the "whoever believes" described throughout Scripture? That question becomes the focus of the next Walk on the Beach with DrZ episode, where the conversation continues.

Until then, remember:

Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus.

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Faith Comes from HEARING | Episode #214

In Episode #214 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue our study of Jesus' concluding illustration in the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on the opening words of Matthew 7:24: “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice...” The emphasis of this episode is on one crucial word: hears.

Jesus teaches that hearing His words is the beginning of a life built upon a solid foundation. Yet throughout Scripture, we see that people can hear the same message and respond very differently. Why is that?

The episode explores the distinction between physical hearing and spiritual hearing. Physical hearing involves receiving sounds through our ears, but spiritual hearing involves the heart. Jesus repeatedly emphasized that understanding and responding to God's Word is ultimately a matter of the heart's condition.

To illustrate this truth, we examine Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8. The seed is the Word of God, but the condition of the soil determines the outcome. Some hear and quickly lose the message. Others receive it temporarily but fall away under pressure. Some become distracted by life's worries and pleasures. Only the good soil receives, retains, and produces fruit.

This leads to a deeper question: what makes a heart capable of receiving God's Word? Scripture answers through the prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel. Jeremiah describes the human heart as deceitful and beyond cure, while Ezekiel records God's promise to remove hearts of stone and replace them with hearts of flesh. God promises to place His Spirit within His people, enabling them to follow His ways.

The episode then connects these promises to the ministry of Jesus and the work of the Holy Spirit. Through Christ, God provides cleansing, renewal, and the gift of His Spirit, making genuine faith possible.

Finally, we arrive at Romans 10:17: “Faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.” Faith is not merely intellectual agreement. It is the response of a transformed heart that hears the Gospel, believes that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, and responds in repentance and surrender.

The episode concludes with a challenge. Jesus is still speaking through His Word today. Some hear and obey. Others hear and remain unchanged. The difference lies not in the message but in the condition of the heart. The question each listener must answer is simple:

Do I have ears to hear?

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In Episode #213 of the Way of the Bible podcast, Dr. Philip Zimmerman continues the mini-series Response to the Sermon on the Mount by examining Jesus' teaching about the wise man who built his house upon the rock. The focus of this episode is what believers are called to do when the storms of life arrive: stand and stand firm.

The discussion begins with Peter's famous encounter with Jesus walking on the Sea of Galilee. After seeing Jesus on the water, Peter boldly asks to join Him. At Jesus' command, Peter steps out of the boat and walks across the waves. Yet after successfully reaching Jesus, Peter notices the wind, becomes afraid, and begins to sink.

This moment serves as a powerful picture of the Christian life. Many believers begin their journey with enthusiasm and faith. They experience God's power and guidance. Yet when challenges, opposition, doubts, or distractions arise, their focus shifts from Christ to circumstances.

The episode emphasizes that Peter's problem was not the wind or the waves. The issue was doubt. His attention moved from Jesus to the storm.

Drawing from numerous passages throughout Scripture, the episode demonstrates that God consistently calls His people to stand firm. Moses instructed Israel to stand firm before the Red Sea. King Jehoshaphat and the people of Judah were told to stand firm and watch God fight on their behalf. The Apostle Paul repeatedly urged believers to stand firm in faith, freedom, grace, and truth.

A major theme of the episode is spiritual warfare. Jesus prepared His disciples not merely for ministry success but for opposition. As believers mature in Christ and become more effective witnesses, they often encounter resistance from spiritual forces seeking to distract, discourage, and derail them.

The solution is not retreat. It is steadfastness.

The episode highlights Ephesians 6 and the armor of God, reminding listeners that they are engaged in a spiritual battle. Believers are called to put on truth, righteousness, faith, salvation, and the Word of God so they can withstand attacks and remain standing.

The message concludes by challenging listeners to consider where Jesus may be calling them to step out of the boat. Faith is not simply believing Jesus can do the impossible. Faith is continuing to trust Him after the first step has been taken.

The call of Christ is clear: hear His words, obey them, keep your eyes fixed on Him, and stand firm regardless of the storms that arise.

For those who build their lives upon the Rock, the rain may fall, the streams may rise, and the winds may beat against the house—but it will not fall, because it has been founded upon Jesus Christ.

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Welcome to Episode #212 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last episode, we discussed the Rain, Streams, and Wind, Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7:25; which beat against the house built on the Rock. We ended the episode, hanging, as we observed the consequences of Peter doubting. We’ll pick up where we left off and keep going deeper.

As a sidebar before we do that, let me encourage all believers to dig deep into any text in the Bible, and you will discover its inexhaustibility. We are admittedly picking at the surface here, but even at the surface, a myriad of encouragements pop up to give us confidence and renewed hope in the faith we hold in the return of Jesus Christ. What is that? Is the return of Jesus Christ not what you are hoping for? We’ve still got work to do, and this is just the place to do it.

Let’s hear the full text under consideration for this mini-series: Matthew 7:24-27 – “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. 26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.”

I made the case on our last episode that Jesus was possibly harkening back to the flood of Noah as the reference when contemplating the severity of rain, streams rising, and winds that would come against one’s house. I made the case two episodes ago that the house Jesus was referring to was not a physical man-made structure, but the house God created in our mother’s womb (our bodies), into which God put an individual spirit he’s known since before the creation of the world. Paul says that within us is a temple of God, and Peter calls it a spiritual house, where the Holy Spirit is the resident. What that temple or house is, soul, heart, etc. is a topic for another episode. Let’s just agree that the Holy Spirit is resident in us and is our source of eternal life given to us by our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

On our last episode, I presented God’s grievous state for making man. As a result of the wickedness of mankind, God sent a flood to destroy all living creatures on the face of the earth. Genesis 6:8-9 – But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God.

There was an earlier prophet, Enoch, who also walked with God, Gen. 5:24 – Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. God didn’t translate Noah, as he did Enoch, to be with him, as God had other plans.

It had never rained on the earth or flooded from the upwelling artesian waters that provided ample water for humans, animals, trees and crops alike. So what exactly happened? For that we go to the Scriptures.

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Welcome to Episode #211 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last episode, we discussed The Rock, Jesus mentioned in Matthew 7:24 upon which Jesus mentions in verse 25, the foundation had been laid. That Rock, being specifically Lord God Almighty of the Old Testament, and the foundation being Jesus Christ as identified by Paul in 1 Cor. 3:10-11. The house being built upon the foundation is according to Paul a temple of God and to Peter a spiritual house of God. Let’s remind ourselves of these passages.

Matthew 7:24-25 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

1 Corinthians 3:10-11, 16 – According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. …16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

1 Peter 2:4-5 – As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

On today’s episode, we’re going to look at the significance of what we discovered as it relates to the house not falling as the rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew, beating against the house we’re building.

Let’s first look to before the beginning of this current terrestrial existence we are now experiencing. I’m speaking of before the flood in Noah’s days. Genesis 6:5-7 – The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6 And the LORD regretted that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart. 7 So the LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, man and animals and creeping things and birds of the heavens, for I am sorry that I have made them.”

I think it would be reasonable to say that at that time, man was in full-out rebellion against God. Inflamed with the lusts and desires of the flesh, man was drunk with unsatiated madness, questing to fulfill his yearnings and passions. We know nothing of this type of life beyond what is written in the Bible, as the antediluvian world was totally destroyed by the flood. The surface of the earth dramatically changed, and the ancestry of all mankind is tied to Noah’s three sons and their descendants. We could spend a whole lot of time here, but we won’t beyond mentioning Genesis 6:8 - But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.

The critical item we want to pick up about Noah is plainly stated in two short verses. Genesis 6:9 – These are the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his generation. Noah walked with God. Genesis 7:1 – Then the LORD said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you are righteous before me in this generation.

The teaching of Righteousness is presented throughout the Scripture. It is not something petty or unimportant, but is critical for learning if one wishes to become mature in their faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and the knowledge of God. What we know of here at this point is that Noah was righteous before God in the generation in which he lived.

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Welcome to Episode #210 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last mini-series, we overviewed Matthew 7:24-27. In this overview, I pointed out how Jesus was saying something much greater than what appears on the surface.

Of course, I could say this about any passage in the Bible, any word in the Bible, any Letter and even any space between the letters. While men and women have attempted to plumb the depths of what is hidden in the Scriptures, I can say without hesitation that no one has yet even scratched the surface of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge it contains. I doubt even the most powerful AI we could ever conceive would melt down long before the contents were fully revealed.

All that to say, on this episode we also will only be scratching the surface as we look at the rock mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 7:24. Let’s read the entire massage for context.

Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

We got into this a little on our last episode when I read Paul speaking of the foundation of our faith in 1 Corinthians 3:9-17 – You are God’s field, God’s building. 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire. 16 Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? 17 If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Each of us are building a house, God’s temple, where the Holy Spirit indwells us. Once we are reborn by the Holy Spirit, he will never leave us. Our life now and into eternity will be by empowered by the Holy Spirit. We are now and forever experiencing eternal life. Although now still residing in a body of death, at God’s time and choosing, he will take us from our bodies and bring us to paradise until we receive our resurrection bodies at the return of Christ. When thinking about this, being with Jesus rather than remaining in the body, Paul noted in Philippians 1:23-24 – I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better. But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.

Paul notes our bodies being the temple of God also in 2 Corinthians 6:16 – For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

Peter also mentions Jesus as a living stone and we as living stones, each in spiritual houses of God. We’ll see this stone imagery later in this episode. 1 Peter 2:4-6 – As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For it stands in Scripture: “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.”

This is a good time to repeat Matthew 7:24-25 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.

Our foundation is Jesus Christ and him crucified for our sins/trespasses, raised from the dead for our justification, and ascended to the right hand of God in heaven. In 1 & 2 Corinthians, Paul says the house we’re building is the temple of God. Peter, in 1 Peter 2, says we are building a spiritual house and that we are a holy priesthood. John writes of Spirit Baptized believers in Revelation 1:5-6 – To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

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Welcome to Episode #209 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Seventh mini-series entitled Response to Sermon on the Mount. In our last mini-series, we took six episodes to cover all of Matthew 7, except the sermon’s closing passages, Matthew 7:24-27 and 7:28-29. We’ll cover these passages in this mini-series.

I encourage you to imagine yourself having just heard Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount that began with Matthew 5:3 – “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; and ended with Matthew 7:23 – And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’.

Imagine you just heard Jesus deliver this sermon; not a word slips past your mind or drops to the ground. Off the top of your head, what strikes you as most important? Or, did you sense Jesus was speaking to someone else?

As I’ve mentioned a couple of times in prior episodes, I have changed my views on the Sermon on the Mount several times, each time taking a more conservative approach to the text’s applicability to life in the kingdom of heaven now, and not yet. One of the keys to my changing views resides in the significant closing statement Jesus makes and the crowd’s response. Both of which, when taken together, are worthy of exploring over an entire mini-series. We’ll take them a verse at a time.

On today’s episode, we’re going to introduce Matthew 7:24-27. Let’s jump right in.

Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

What we will explore today is Jesus identifying the gateway into an intimate relationship with God our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus prayed to his Father the night he was betrayed, saying, John 17:3 – And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. Jesus had said earlier of eternal life in John 6:40 – For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. John says earlier in John 3:36 – Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Did you note a shift in that third passage? Let me read John 3:36 again, Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.

Let me restate this slightly to make clear. Those who believe in Jesus have eternal life. Those who do not OBEY Jesus shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on them. Why is that so significant?

Jesus has identified in Matthew 7:24-27 two builders who both “HEAR” the words of Jesus (a wise builder and a foolish builder). The wise builder hears Jesus’ words and puts the into practice. The foolish builder hears the words of Jesus and does not put them into practice. The wise man builds his house on the rock, while the foolish man builds his house on the sand. There are consequences to the choice of foundations, we will explore later.

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Welcome to Episode #208 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to the Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode, we’re going to take a break and catch up with where we’ve been in this mini-series during a Walk on the Beach with DrZ. This morning’s walk is like perfection. Water is crystal clear and glistening atop the swales, silently moving ashore. There’s a slight north wind that will keep this morning’s temperature in the mid-60’s till at least 1 PM. And finally, all the Spring breaks for area schools and colleges are over, so we have a tranquil, deserted beach all morning.

We did things a little differently this week: a large group of walkers arrived well before sunrise to share a quiet time of prayer and journaling as we sat at individual lap desks with lamps out on the beach. We saw a setting moon and a rising sun on opposite horizons while listening to the rush of waters along the surf line and hearing the word of God speak into our hearts. We’ve gone in and had a cup of coffee, mingled with the new arrivals, and are back on the beach ready for a walk. So glad you’ve joined us, we’ve got a lot to cover.

All right, looks like everyone’s here and alert. We’ll head west with the sun at our back. You can look toward the sunrise now, and appreciate the wonder of a morning on the beach, it never gets old, and be glad not to be walking into that constant low sun angle glare. We’ll turn when the Navy arrives. More on that later.

We’ve just completed seven episodes on Jesus’ closing instructions to his disciples for his Sermon on the Mount. These instructions are found in Matthew 7, following the meat of his message found in Chapters 5 and 6, which we covered in mini-series 19, 20, and 21. I’ve spent the last three months meditating on Matthew 7:1-23, preparing the episodes for this mini-series. There is one small section of Matthew 7 left that we’ll cover in mini-series 27.

This particular chapter of Matthew may be the most important Chapter for a Christian who desires to live out the life in the Spirit, Jesus promised and provided for those who would believe in him. This is not about a religion, a denomination, or da body of individuals gathered in a building or auditorium for what is called church. Jesus provided very specific instructions, encouragement, and warnings in this chapter, found in both the Old and New Testament passages. If we aren’t careful, we may continue to do as I’ve done most of my believing life thinking, there’s not much here for me. I admit and confess right now, I could not have been more wrong.

Which reminds me to note to all you listening, to confirm everything I say by the scripture. Just because I say something does not supercede the authority of the scriptures. Be good stewards of your faith as were the Bereans in Acts 17:11 – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true.

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In Episode #207 of the Way of the Bible podcast, we continue our examination of the closing words of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount, focusing on one of the most sobering and revealing passages in all of Scripture: Matthew 7:21–23. In this teaching, Jesus draws a sharp and eternal distinction between those who merely claim to follow Him and those who truly belong to Him.

Jesus declares that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of the Father. This statement immediately challenges assumptions about what it means to be a disciple. Many equate discipleship with outward expressions—words, works, or even spiritual activity. Yet Jesus dismantles this notion by describing individuals who prophesy, perform miracles, and cast out demons in His name, but are ultimately rejected with the words, “I never knew you.”

This episode explores the deeper meaning behind doing the will of the Father. Drawing from John 6, the will of God is revealed not as a list of external actions, but as a call to believe in the One He has sent—Jesus Christ. This belief is not merely intellectual agreement, but a genuine, Spirit-enabled faith that transforms the heart. It is a faith that entrusts one’s entire being to Christ and results in true righteousness.

The discussion connects this teaching to the broader biblical narrative, particularly the concept of righteousness by faith. Beginning with Abraham, who believed God and was credited with righteousness, and continuing through the writings of Paul in Romans, the episode highlights that salvation has always been rooted in faith rather than works. While works may accompany true faith, they are not the foundation of it.

A key emphasis in this episode is the role of the Holy Spirit. True belief is not self-generated but is enabled by the Father and brought to life through the Spirit. This explains why some who hear the message respond in faith while others do not. It also underscores the necessity of a transformed heart, rather than mere outward conformity.

The episode also addresses the reality that false disciples exist within the broader community of believers. In a world with thousands of denominations and countless interpretations, the presence of those who claim Christ but do not truly know Him should not be surprising. This reality reinforces the importance of personal discernment and a genuine relationship with Christ.

Ultimately, this teaching leads to a deeply personal question: Is one’s faith rooted in authentic belief and relationship with Jesus, or merely in outward expression? The difference is eternal.

As Jesus’ words make clear, the issue is not whether we know about Him—but whether He knows us.

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Welcome to Episode #206 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to the Sermon on the Mount. We’ve been marching along instruction after instruction of this closing Chapter of Jesus’ sermon until last episode when we expanded upon the word “Enter” to make significant the otherwise impossible entrance into the throne room of God’s Grace.

Jesus, in these closing snippets of instruction, gave his disciples boardroom-type insights into the kingdom of heaven. In particular, keys to knowing God the Father through the Holy Spirit by knowing increasing in the knowledge of the Son of Man, Son of God, Jesus Christ our Lord. I have been trying for the past several days to find the words that would sufficiently describe the deep things God our Father delivers to us regarding Jesus through his Holy Spirit, but have not yet found them. So, let us just continue where we left off in the Sermon on the mount.

Matthew 7:15-20 – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

SIDEBAR: Jesus just dropped another huge block to discipleship and hearing from God. Who are you listening to? I pray you, as a listener, are like the Bereans in Acts 17:11 – Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. No matter what another person or I may say, always affirm your faith and what you hear by the Scriptures and affirmation by the Holy Spirit! False prophets are real and in our midst today, and God allows them to do exactly what he intends through them.

Let’s examine this sidebar. Prophets and their prophecies have been integral to the Biblical narrative since the very beginning of mankind on the earth. Prophets followed two specific paths, which sometimes merged in certain individuals. Some prophets revealed and explained the word of God already spoken and/or recorded to earlier generations to the people in their own day. Other prophets heard the Lord's word and instructions firsthand and either repeated them to the people through an oral tradition or recorded them in writing.

Peter tells us the work of the prophets who recorded what they heard from God in 2 Peter 1:20-21 – Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things. 21 For prophecy never had its origin in the human will, but prophets, though human, spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

This being carried along by the Holy Spirit was evident both in hearing the word of the Lord first-hand, in repeating the word of the Lord, and in giving the instructions of the Lord. The words and instructions from God entrusted to the prophets were both contemporary with the prophets and concerned people and events in the future that had not yet occurred. Isaiah provides one of the most telling of God’s prophetic statements in Isaiah 46:10 – I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.'

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Welcome to Episode #205 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to the Sermon on the Mount. On our four episodes so far on this mini-series, we’ve been speaking of the veracity of Jesus’ preaching to the crowds regarding the kingdom of heaven and the importance of having ears to hear. This week will be no different, as we take a deeper dive into the first part of last week’s passage and look at what it means to “Enter!”

Let’s begin by reading the passage for our last episode to give us some context for today.

Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

Last episode, we hammered home the reality Jesus was pointing out to the crowd as he was winding down his talk focused on the kingdom of heaven. Specifically, there are only two places a person can go after their departure from this life. To destruction through the wide gate and easy way that many are upon. In fact, all humanity is born such that this road to destruction is the way all take unless something changes the course of a life.

I believe that if an infant or child, from conception, dies before reaching the age of innocence (the age at which God chooses to judge an individual based upon what they’ve consciously done), then that child, by the mercy and grace of God, enters into the kingdom of heaven. Once a child passes that age, they are of their own making, born into sin and death, already walking on the wide and easy way leading to destruction.

Of their own making refers to our individual responsibility to our conscience regarding right and wrong, and our consciousness of God in regard to who we are ultimately answerable to. The end of the age of innocence of a child is fluid and is greatly influenced by the actions of others. This is a universal reality, not respective of culture or nationality. It is a sad part of the human experience, and part of what Jesus came to make right.

A keyword Jesus used in this passage to point a hearer to the possibility of escaping the road to destruction and finding the gate to the hard way that leads to life was the word Enter. In Greek, that word is eiserchomai - ice-er'-khom-ahee. This word means both a physical entry into a space as well as a spiritual and or metaphysical entry into a physical and or metaphysical space. For example, a spirit entering our bodies, and/or our spirit leaving our bodies to enter a new space for occupation. See 1 Corinthians 15 for more details.

When we die a physical death, our spirit that God gave us returns to him for judgment of what we’ve done in the body, whether good or evil. For the believer, that judgment will be at the judgment seat of Christ and concerns our rewards given for divinely ordained and orchestrated works done through Christ that advance the kingdom. 2 Corinthians 5:10 – For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

For the unbeliever, that judgment will occur at the Great White Throne judgment in Revelation 20:11-15 – Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the

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Welcome to Episode #204 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to the Sermon on the Mount. On our first three episodes of this mini-series, we’ve been reintroduced to the veracity of Jesus’ preaching to the crowds regarding the kingdom of heaven and the importance of having ears to hear. This week will be no different, as Jesus again identifies a reality that few choose to accept as true.

Let’s just jump right into the mix and see what comes out by the end of this episode.

Matthew 7:13-14 – “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

If you are a believer, you’ve likely heard this passage and also memorized it at some point, hoping to figure out exactly what Jesus was referring to in regard to the two gates. One narrow and the other wide. One that is hard and found by few, and one that is easy and many are upon it. One leads to life and the other leads to destruction.

Like many of Jesus’ teachings, there are only two options. There is no third gate, or a fence to sit on, or a rest stop for weary travelers. Two gates, everyone is on one or the other. From an odds perspective we all would be far more likely to be found to have taken the wide gate, on the easy way, that leads to destruction. And in fact, we all entered the world by the wide gate and were on the easy road heading for destruction at one time.

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Welcome to Episode #203 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to the Sermon on the Mount. On our last episode, we addressed Jesus telling us, even today, to ask, seek, and knock. I’ve been doing that earnestly in the area of what is holy, which we encountered in our first episode of this mini-series regarding judging others. Matthew 7:6 – Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

This is something I learned from experience and not from my own will power, a morning quiet time, and journaling. I read the Bible cover to cover for 34 plus years and never considered journaling; it wasn’t who I was. Doing the St. Ignatius Spiritual exercises a couple of years ago taught me the practice. Now one hundred and twenty-eight weeks later, I’ve yet to give up an hour, more or less, every morning, mining the scriptures and speaking with God about what he shows me. Over the past two weeks, I’ve been going through the master class notes on the topic of holy found in the scriptures. Yesterday, in my quiet time, I was offered to take a deep dive with Jesus himself into this deep well of precious treasures and stones of vibrant colors. Which I will do and hopefully share on a future mini-series. But first, today’s passage.

Matthew 7:12 – So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

This verse is commonly referred to as the Golden Rule. If taken out of context, you can make it mean a lot of things it was not intended to mean. The last part of the verse gives us the standard to which we should compare our effort in this regard; that standard being the entirety of the Law and the Prophets found in the Old Testament.

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Welcome to Episode #202 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to Sermon on the Mount. We are in the final Chapter of Jesus’ sermon on the mount. In our last episode, we addressed not judging others. I hope you discerned from that episode that Jesus was not merely speaking to his disciples and others gathered below him, but addressing us, believers, throughout the span of church history.

Today, we take a step up, if that were even possible from where we were on our last episode, to a high peak in scriptural instruction that impacts everything. Given our short format, I can only lead you to this upwelling spring of living water. It will be up to you after this episode to drink fully of this water of life and experience transformation as mountains begin to move at your request, hidden treasures are revealed along the path, and ancient doors into secret chambers are unlocked and swung open at your touch.

Let’s start with the passage.

Matthew 7:7-11– “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

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Welcome to Episode #201 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Sixth mini-series entitled Return to Sermon on the Mount. We veered off the path of the Sermon on the Mount after completing Matthew Chapter 6 on Episode #169. In the interim episodes between then and now, #170 to #200, We dedicated four mini-series to the Return of Jesus Christ. Today, we jump back on the path listening to Jesus’ instructions to his disciples and a gathered crowd.

Let’s start with the passage.

Matthew 7:1-6 – “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. 6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.

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Welcome to Episode #200 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. Wait a minute, did I just say 200th episode, WaHoo!!

On today’s episode, we’re taking a Walk on the Beach with DrZ. We’ll be joining a manageable group gathered in the beachside yoga pavilion at Seaside along Highway 30A, to hear from me, DrZ, and enjoy a mid-morning brunch catered by Bud and Ally’s. We arrived just moments ago, and are enjoying sparkling Shirley Temples and mimosa’s after a brisk walk from the public parking area and beach entrance just east of the Water Color Resort. The brunch buffet will be served when I finish this presentation. Let’s jump in.

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Welcome to Episode #199 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we are going to continue to tie together all we’ve covered up to this point over the last 30 episodes. I am going to do this by presenting an overview of the first book in what I hope to be a novel series surrounding a character named John Striker. The launch book title is DESTIN | A JOHN STRIKER NOVEL. I’ll begin this episode by explaining how this book fits into our theme of Jesus’ return.

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Welcome to Episode #198 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. Today’s episode will be in keeping with the theme of tying together all we’ve covered up to this point over the last 29 episodes. While winding down this topic we’ll open a can of clarity on the topic of the blessed hope found in Titus 2:11-14 – For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, 12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, 13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works.

There are a lot of cross-references and theology in this passage, we are going to skip getting to the nugget of our blessed hope found in Titus 2:13 – “waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.”

Before we get there, I recently heard a pastor who validated and upheld much of what I’ve encountered on my walk with Jesus and in the Holy Spirit's sanctification. All is not as it seems in a realm of covered in darkness where light pours forth from heaven through vessels of clay. Paul noted of his experience of God’s light is shining in his heart in 2 Cor. 4:8-10 – We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

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Welcome to Episode #197 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will continue tying together all we’ve covered up to this point over the last 28 episodes. Today, we will begin winding down this topic by addressing the Four Views of the End Times predominant within the Christian church. The four views include Amillennialism; Postmillennialism, Historical Premillennialism, and Dispensational Premillennialism.

I have emphasized throughout these episodes and mini-series that I am convinced the Dispensational Premillennial view is the most historically and scripturally supported. However, this view, as I’ve just introduced, is only one of four, and the smallest accepted within the church. While some denominations define their eschatological positions regarding the return of Christ, many simply acknowledge that Jesus is returning and offer resources for those interested in researching further.

This question of how and when Christ will return has been debated by Christians, clergy, and scholars alike since the earliest days of the church. The central passage around which the debates swirl is found in Revelation 20:1-6, where a thousand years is mentioned four times. Two times a thousand year is used in reference to the duration of Satan being locked up with no influence in the world, followed by two more times for a thousand year reign of Jesus on the earth. Let’s read it for completion:

Revelation 20:1-6 And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. 2 He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. 3 He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time. 4 I saw thrones on which were seated those who had been given authority to judge. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God. They had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years. 5 (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended.) This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.

The four major views differ primarily on:

• The timing of Christ's return relative to the millennium

• Whether the thousand years is literal or symbolic

• The relationship between Israel and the Church

• The timing of the rapture relative to the tribulation

I will be providing the scriptural, historical, and theological foundations of each view. While also reminding you, the position I support is Dispensational Premillennialism.

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Welcome to Episode #196 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will continue tying together all we’ve covered up to this point over the last 27 episodes. Today, we address the rewards for faithful obedience more fully.

On our last episode, we covered Jesus’ last words to the church found at the end of the Bible in Revelation 22:12-21. On today’s episode we’re going to unpack for greater clarity what Jesus was speaking of in Revelation 22:12 – My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done.

What is Jesus speaking of as a reward, and what does the reward have to do with things a person has done? This is where we will be camping out today.

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Welcome to Episode #195 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will begin to tie together all we’ve covered up to this point over the last 26 episodes. And yet it is a topic you hear very little about, except when forces within the body stir up strife, bringing division.

I hope you can see why by now. I also hope that, while it may seem like a lot of time has been spent on this podcast about a relatively obscure topic, you have come to recognize that the return of Jesus is the central theme of both the Old and New Testaments. Now imagine this four-part mini-series as a 50+-part mini-series, and you would likely have enough episodes to do justice to a complete overview of the book of Revelation.

If you have been given the idea that the Bible is too complex and disjointed to make any sense, you have been deceived. The Bible is the most tightly packed and integrated message system filled end to end with Spiritual words that are spiritually discerned, whose author is God. Words are not enough to describe that by which all other things seen and unseen are defined, described, manifested, and have their being, [the Word of God].

Keys to the Bible’s validation are the prophetic texts in both the Old and New Testaments. From the first word to the last word of the Scriptures, they are inerrant in their original communication. Libraries are filled with books by scholars and laymen alike who have tried but never plumbed the depths of the riches of wisdom and knowledge hidden between the covers of the Bible. It is beyond any one person’s comprehension and only reveals what God, through Jesus, superintends by the Spirit for a person to understand.

I am convinced, as have innumerable others who have studied the text, that our personal interactions with the Bible and Holy Spirit are fully reliable. And in that vein of overwhelming belief and trust in the words and Spirit of God, I present the I AM Coming Soon crescendo of the Bible found in Revelation 22:12-21.

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Welcome to Episode #194 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will continue exploring the reason for a Christian’s anticipation of the second coming of Jesus. That reason is tied up in the prophetic fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8 as referenced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54 – Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Isaiah 25:7-8 – On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.

This is a profound topic, Death, so we’ve taken it in two parts. On our last episode, we addressed the origin of death and why it is so hideous and has eternal consequences. In today’s episode, we’ll explore how Jesus conquered death and offers eternal life to all who believe. We’ll also take a forward peek to the end of time, and see that Death itself will be cast into the eternal lake of fire, where it will remain forever and ever.

What we learned on our last episode was that, since time immemorial, mankind has sensed we are not where we once were. We seem to claw and yearn for a land far away. James Hilton, in his 1933 novel “Lost Horizon,” pictured this place as Shangri-La, a mythical, earthly hidden paradise in an idyllic valley of eternal youth and peace. We ignore what we know to be true. God exists, as evidenced in creation, and only he can tell us the Way to return home. In our self-absorbed ignorance, we follow the deceitful lies of the devil who took us captive from birth to do his will because of our fear of death.

Yet, with every step we take to fulfill the devil’s will, we constantly hear the ground seemingly crying cry out, awaiting our demise and return to dust. In our modern world, we’ve reduced our contact with the horror of it all by sticking our old and infirm into long-term care facilities, which leaves them locked up and away from view. We are like the wandering children of the streets in the story of Pinocchio. We are attracted by the trinkets (money and power), games (he with the most toys in the end wins), and candy (sex, drugs, and rock and roll) provided by the devil’s groomers who lead us onto the slavery ship from which there is no natural means of escape – destination death, the grave, condemnation by God and eternal punishment. This, by the way, is the end of everyone born after the age of innocence, as a result of the sin of Adam. We are all infected; no one is immune to the bloodline sin and condemnation of Adam. ABSOLUTELY NO ONE.

But what about Jesus? AHAH!! You had to ask, didn’t you? Here is where the first deception is implanted. In the words of the devil in the garden, appearing to Eve as a serpent, “Did God really say” (Gen 3:1), and “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman (Gen 3:4). To hide his deception, the devil used a double entendre in his overall assessment of the situation. Listen to this sly devil. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” (Gen 3:5). On the one hand, Eve could think God was holding out on her, not wanting her to be like God. And why shouldn’t she be? She was of Adam, who was made in the image and likeness of God. She’s only one bite away from being like God.

On the other hand, Eve could think God wants her to eat the fruit and be like him. Why else would God have created her? It may have been evident to Eve that Adam was holding out on her. It was Adam who told her not to eat or touch the fruit. God’s desire would naturally be that Eve would be like God, knowing good and evil. So, either way, Eve, looking at the situation, had one choice: eat the fruit. Which she did and nothing happened.

Eve then gave the fruit to her husband, Adam, who was with her. God had commanded A

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Welcome to Episode #193 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fifth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [4]. On today’s episode, we will begin to explore the reason for a Christian’s anticipation of the second coming of Jesus. That reason is tied up in the prophetic fulfillment of Isaiah 25:8 as referenced by Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54 – Death has been swallowed up in victory.

Isaiah 25:7-8 – On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever.

This is a profound topic, Death, so we’re going to take it in two parts. On this episode, we’ll address the origin of death and why it is so hideous and has eternal consequences. In our next episode, we’ll explore how Jesus conquered death and offers eternal life to all who believe.

With that, let’s jump into the deep end. The devil is a liar and has been deceiving mankind from the beginning. Jesus speaks of this in John 8:44 – You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's desires. He [devil] was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him [devil]. When he [devil] lies, he [devil] speaks his [devil] native language, for he [devil] is a liar and the father of lies. Did you hear all that? Jesus is affirming the devil is not only a real being; he is actively acting as a deceiving and disruptive force in the world and in our lives daily.

This is where, sadly, for most in the visible church and many believers, a disconnect happens in their faith that directly impacts their walk of faith. When referreing to the devil in this John 8 passage, Jesus is referring to the creation narrative presented in Genesis Chapter 3. In that passage, the devil [called the serpent in Genesis 3] deceives Eve to eat the forbidden fruit, which she gives to Adam who was with her, and when Adam ate the fruit, both Adam and Eve died spiritually. The devil murdered them both and has continued murdering humanity up to this very day with his lies and deceptions.

For completeness, the devil has several names in the Bible, which are identified in Revelation 20:2 – He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years.

What I am speaking of is the devil’s agents in the world and in the church who have convinced most in the visible church that the creation narrative, and to be honest, most if not all of the five books of Moses and Old Testament prophetic texts are myths made up by ancient writers. The devil deceives those holding such positions that they are above the Scriptures, above God himself, as Jesus, who is God, mentioned to those opposing him. They thought they were so superior to Jesus that they had him crucified.

Let me hit this a little harder before I continue, as the basis of my presentation proceeds from the creation narrative. In the John 8 passage just quoted above, Jesus told the Jews he was speaking with that they were children of the devil. How can that be? Isn’t everyone a child of God? The simple answer is NO! Everyone is not a child of God. Everyone was created individually by God after the image of Adam who was created in the Image and likeness of God. Eve herself was of Adam, taken from his rib.

Let me demonstrate this once again using the words of Jesus, who would know the truth. Jesus told a parable about seeds sown on four different types of ground and how those seeds responded to the word of God. For the seed sown on the first type of ground Jesus explains in Luke 8:12 – Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved.

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Welcome to Episode #192 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth episode in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s post Thanksgiving Week 2025 episode, we will be taking A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and summarize the content of this mini-series and areas we can focus on for future investigation into this topic the great snatching away, the Harpazo, the Rapture of the church. Let’s just jump right into the middle of the mix at a beach house along 30A.

So glad to have such a big group with us this morning. I realize this is an important topic, especially given the signs of the times. But I also recognize a special draw to just walk on the beach this gorgeous Thanksgiving week morning here along 30A. It’s one of those mornings, after the water was totally flat yesterday, to have a light surf of clear emerald waves with white foam caps that take your breath away. The calming sounds of rushing waters will beckon us to enter into the conversation.

I’ll meet you all behind the beach house in ten minutes. That should give me enough time to go around and greet everyone personally. We’ll have plenty of time for follow-up conversations and perhaps a surprise or two after our walk this morning.

Looks like everyone is here. As we make our way out to the beach on the boardwalk, we’ll pause at the large landing across the top of the dune and take in the view before descending to God’s stadium floor. The floor where two worlds collide and intersect, but where no creatures are shared. With that, let’s get walking.

Alright, everyone, stop and take a look up and down the beach. What a glorious sight God has provided for us today. You can plainly see in the morning light the shimmering waters of deep blue, blue, and emerald-green with splotches of light tan where the sandbars lie just below the surface. Along the water line and inland, wide and deep snow white sugar sand as far as the eyes can see in both directions.

Alright, let’s head down to the stadium floor… Check out these crystal clear waters up close. The white foaming surf and cool, but not cold, feel of the clear water that quickly turns emerald ten feet off shore. We’ll head toward the mid-morning sunrise and turn back to the West in a little over a mile.

What is interesting but rarely considered is that there is another entire ecosystem with creatures that match and or surpass even the greatest or most unusual land creatures on earth. Water covers approximately 71% of our planet, with 91.5% of that water in the oceans. Yet we know little about the vast ocean spaces and the creatures that live there, and their habitats. We share the same oxygen but in totally different environments. There is a tiny crustacean called the hadal amphipod that lives in the deepest parts of the Mariana Trench up to 34,500 feet or 6.5 miles deep. The pressure at that depth is 15,350 pounds per square inch, which is 1000 times greater than the pressure at sea level. And yet there they...

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Welcome to Episode #191 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will begin with background on the state of Eschatological thinking today, and then compare the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Jesus on the Day of the Lord. We will then begin an exploration into what’s happening in heaven after the church is taken off the earth and before the tribulations on earth begin.

I’ve been saying since the beginning of these mini-series on the return of Jesus, that the signs of the times are lining up such that if something as paradigm-shifting as the Rapture were to occur, it would not be outrageous and unexplainable. And yet, so few, and I mean very few, in the visible church today are even aware of such a thing called the Rapture. Let me start there and work toward the materials for today.

It wasn’t always this way. I’d presented on Episode #189 a boatload of New Testament rapture passages validating that the snatching away/Rapture of the church was the eschatological position of Jesus, his apostles, and the early church fathers through the second century. The eschatology of the church was radically, or better yet, hard-wired to drop this view and pick up another when the church married the world under Emperor Theodosius I. The marriage idiom for the church is critical when thinking of the Bible. This marriage happened when Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire in 380 AD.

Prior to that, during the church's engagement period to the world, Emperor Constantine legalized Christianity with the Edict of Milan in 313 AD. This ended the state-sponsored persecution of Christians and began a period of religious tolerance of Christianity throughout the Roman Empire. Constantine built churches, declared Sunday a public holiday, and granted the church legal and financial advantages. You could say the visible church, in which the bride of Christ is hidden, exchanged remaining pure for the anticipated return of Jesus for enmeshment and acceptance in the world, and to reengage opportunities to indulge in the idolatries of the world from which had been forsaken by the teachings of the epistles for almost 300 years. Why would it do that?

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Welcome to Episode #190 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will explore the second coming of Jesus in contrast to the greatest news for the church —the Great Snatching Away, or Rapture of the church.

On our last episode (#189), we addressed a plethora of New Testament passages that speak of the return of Jesus Christ for his bride, the Church. Jesus is coming back aerially, the same way he went up in Acts 1:9-11. Jesus is returning to snatch believers off the earth before the tribulation that is to follow, which will come upon every person remaining on the earth. That tribulation ends on the Day of the Lord, when Jesus returns bodily to judge the world and establish his kingdom that will have no end.

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Welcome to Episode #189 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will continue expanding on the greatest news for the church —the Great Snatching Away, or Rapture of the church (Harpazo in Greek).

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Welcome to Episode #188 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will continue expanding upon the greatest news for the church, the Great Snatching Away, harpazo/rapture, the resurrection/translation of the bride of Christ.

We’ll start with a quick context reminder and then hit our lesson for today, which will be the second half of 1 Corinthians 15. But before then, why the harpazo/rapio, the great snatching away? The reason for the great snatching away in the Bible is to remove the church from the world before God judges the world with great tribulations and wrath. We will address that near the end of this mini-series.

What I am teaching is not new. It is the Biblical view of the gospel, epistle, and letter writers of the New Testament as directed to be written by the Holy Spirit of God. It was not revealed in the Old Testament but was given by revelation to the Apostles who taught it to their disciples in the early church. Jesus was expected to return at any time with no prerequisite signs of his return to gather the church to himself. Jesus taught this to his disciples in the Upper Room the night he was betrayed.

John 14:1-3 – Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

Jesus tells of the immediacy of his return to Peter after he restored Peter over a fish breakfast with several other disciples. After restoring Peter, Jesus took him for a walk and told him what kind of death he [Peter] was going to die. John was trailing behind them and when Peter took notice of him he asked Jesus about John.

John 22:21-23 – When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” 22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

What we need to know for today’s episode from these two passages is that Jesus taught his disciples he was coming back to take them where he was going; and that his coming back could be as early as within John’s lifetime. There was nothing that had to happen prophetically to keep Jesus from coming back at any moment. That includes today, while I am sitting on my back porch writing this episode. Maranatha, Come Lord Jesus even Now! Why is this important?

Three hundred years went by and Jesus didn’t return. In 313 AD, Constantine the Great, the first Roman emperor to convert to Christianity, issued the Edict of Milan, which granted legal tolerance to Christians. Over time, Christianity was made the official religion of Rome resulting in the Roman Empire became Christianized. It was soon after that the Biblical teaching in the book of Revelation that Jesus was going to judge the world with wrath, return on the Day of the Lord, and establish his own kingdom on earth was taught to be allegory and metaphor and not to be taken literally. There was only one king/ruler of the earth and that person in the Roman empire was the emperor. This mystical understanding of the book of Revelation has continued to be taught even today in many if not most Christian denominations.

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Welcome to Episode #187 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will continue expanding upon the greatest news for the church, the Great Snatching Away, harpazo/rapture, the resurrection/translation of the bride of Christ.

We’ll start with a quick context reminder and then hit our lesson for today, which will be the first half of 1 Corinthians 15. But before then, why the harpazo/rapio, the great snatching away? The reason for the great snatching away in the Bible is to remove the church from the world before God judges the world with great tribulations and wrath. We will address that near the end of this mini-series.

The New Testament writers, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, clearly wanted the body of Christ to know that Jesus was coming back and to anticipate his return at any moment. The normal Christian life, as described in the epistles, is not sitting on one’s hands in regard to one's faith life while playing with trinkets in the world, passing away the time to break the boredom of communing with God. The normal Christian life is to live your new life in the kingdom, a holy and righteous life of love for God and neighbor as we wait for our Savior, the bridegroom, to appear in the sky above to take us, his bride, home.

John the Baptist spoke of the church and Jesus in John 3:29 – The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.

In the New Testament, Jesus is the bridegroom, the church is the bride, and the Old Testament saints, including John the Baptist, are friends of the bridegroom. It says of the bride of Christ in Revelation 19:6-8 – Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 7 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. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.” (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

Jesus spoke to his disciples in the Upper Room discourse about his wedding preparations to bring home his bride. John 14:1-3 – “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

We know that Jesus, our bridegroom, went away physically on the day of his ascension into heaven. Acts 1:10- They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

As Jesus went up in the ascension, so shall he return in like manner. We see that in 1 Thessalonians 4:16 – For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.

That catches us up on what we need to know for today’s episode. We’ll do some tying up of loose ends after our next episode, where we finish an overview of 1 Corinthians 15. And before we get to the first portion of 1 Corinthians 15 for today, let’s put what Paul is about to address in context.

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Welcome to Episode #186 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, we will continue expanding upon the greatest news for the church, the Great Snatching Away, of the church before tribulation, the great tribulation and wrath, and the Day of the Lord.

Before we get started today, I want to add some additional context to our discussion to avoid confusion. There are several views on the events and timing of the events mentioned in scripture about Jesus’ return. The far majority of these views believe Jesus is going to bodily return. There is a view that his return will be merely spiritual; which we will not deal with here. But the other views regarding his bodily return, I must at least mention.

The view of eschatology (view of the end times) I am presenting here is called the premillennial pretribulation rapture view. It is the view taught by Jesus in the gospels and the book of Revelation and by the apostles in their letters and epistles. It teaches that believers are "harpazo’d or raptured" to heaven before Israel signs an agreement with its neighbors that begins a seven-year period of intense persecution of the Jews and an outpouring of the wrath of God called the tribulation. This tribulation ends in great tribulation on the Day of the Lord, when Jesus will return bodily to the earth with all the church saints to judge all mankind on the earth and to establish a literal 1,000-year (millennial) reign. This view has as its foundation the method of biblical interpretation that views prophecies as still unfulfilled and to occur in the future.

Our last episode we had an overview of the first phase of his return, which is aerial, for the purpose of snatching away the bride of Christ before the coming judgment of God. The judgment and wrath of God will be in tribulations, the great tribulation, and finally the Day of the Lord, when Jesus bodily returns in the second phase to save a remnant of Israel and judge the world in righteousness.

We spoke of how this first phase snatching away is not uncommon in the Scriptures, with two examples in the Old and five examples in the New Testament (Enoch, Elijah, Jesus, Philip, Paul, the body of Christ, and John). Paul says the Harpazo [Greek], the Rapio [Latin, from which we get Rapture] is a mystery. Are you unaware of this significant upcoming event in the church?

We noted on our last episode the basis for the harpazo/rapture was established in John 3. In this chapter, Jesus noted a significant difference between those who believe and gain eternal life and those who do not believe and remain condemned already. In John 14, Jesus provides some important details of the harpozo and ties them in prophetically (via pattern fulfillment) with the Jewish wedding ceremony. Jesus is the bridegroom, the church is the bride, and John the Baptist and all Old Testament saints are friends of the bridegroom. (John 3:27-36, John 14:1-14)

I mentioned last episode, and will continue emphasizing during this mini-series, that we have to understand with our heart, mind, and soul that heaven is a real place. A supernatural place beyond dimensionality where God dwells. We and all of creation and the cosmos with us, experience existence in a four-dimensional space-time reality. We observe and have been taught that our observations are fact: you live, you suffer, you die, and that’s it. Entropy, time, and chance rule: everything is subject to corruption and decay.

This teaching denies God, who is: Spirit, an unquenchable fire, who dwells in unapproachable light. Jesus, who is God in the person of the Son, came to earth to make a way for mankind to escape our enslavement to the devil in this four-dimensional prison of darkness, sin, and death. This escape is both for those who have died, now asleep in Christ and for us who believe.

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Welcome to Episode #185 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Fourth mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [3]. On today’s episode, I will introduce the Great Snatching Away of the Church, the Harpazo [Greek], or Rapio [Latin]; aka the Rapture. A snatching away before tribulation, the great tribulation and wrath, and the Day of the Lord.

The first mini-series of this trilogy primarily addressed Jesus’ return to judge the world and establish his millennial kingdom. The second mini-series primarily addressed the role of Israel in the world today prophetically, in specific regard to the return of Jesus to end the trampling of Jerusalem by the Gentiles. This third and final mini-series addresses primarily the first of two phases of the Return of Jesus Christ.

The first phase will be an aerial return of Jesus to snatch away his bride, the church, from before the coming judgment of God, which involves global tribulations and wrath. The second phase of Jesus’ return will be physical on the Day of the Lord when he vanquishes his enemies with just a word from his mouth. We are going to focus on the first of these two phases: the aerial return for the taking away of the Bride of Christ.

A snatching away is not unfamiliar in the scriptures. It was recorded twice in the Old Testament (Enoch and Elijah), and five times in the New (Jesus, Philip, Paul, the body of Christ, and John). This is perhaps the most exciting yet most misunderstood or most forgotten teaching in the Bible. And when you think of who is blinding the minds of unbelievers, it is not a mystery why this critical message of the Bible is ignored in the church even today.

We have to understand with our heart and soul that heaven is a real place. A supernatural place beyond dimensionality where God dwells. We and all of creation of the cosmos with us, experience existence in a four-dimensional space-time reality. Where we observe, you live, you die, and that’s it. We live in a world where entropy rules; where everything is subject to corruption and decay.

Yet, recent scientific discoveries and theoretical calculations suggest that what we are experiencing is actually a projection from another dimension beyond the four we exist in. What the Bible is teaching is God has made a way from the beginning to get us from our captivity within these four-dimensional walls to the heaven of heavens, beyond dimensionality, where God himself resides. That’s what we’re going to talk about on this mini-series.

The key-word for this concept in the Greek New Testament is Harpazo. In the Latin translation this Greek key word is translated Rapio from which we get the common term Rapture. This word is used many times in the New Testament. The two main uses are found in 1 Thessalonians 4 and 1 Corinthians 15, both of which we’ll introduce on our next episode. Today, we’re going to focus on some of the background for this coming event.

The word harpazo in Greek is defined as: to seize, carry off by force, to snatch out or away. What we are going to be discussing during this mini-series is Jesus coming back aerially in the sky to snatch out of this world his bride, the church, before the wrath of God is unleashed on the earth in tribulations which eventually culminate in the great tribulation and the Day of the Lord

As I’ve described in the past, the position I am presenting is commonly called the premillennial pretribulation return of Jesus Christ. It is the oldest view in the church. I encourage you to do your own research on this topic as we’ll discover, knowing his return could be imminent makes a huge difference in how we view our lives today. And with that big word dropped, let’s get started.

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Welcome to Episode #184 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled, The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’ll be taking a walk on the beach with DrZ to overview our past seven episodes and comment on what we’ve learned on this second of a trilogy of mini-series to address this topic.

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Welcome to Episode #183 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. Today’s episode, our seventh in this second mini-series on the Day of the Lord, will address the Regathering of Jews in Unbelief in Israel. A prelude to the tribulation, the great tribulation, and the Day of the Lord.

There are four common views, theologically, regarding Israel’s role in the world today, the return of Jesus, and the end of time. These views would be of no consequence if it were not for the fact that Israel was reestablished in 1948 as a sovereign nation-state in the global community. Israel has not been a sovereign nation-state since Babylon conquered the southern kingdom of Israel (Judah) and deported a remnant into captivity between 605 and 587 BC. The reconstitution of Israel over two millennia after it was obliterated is so unique that it should make us pause to wonder.

I’ll mention the four common views of the role of Israel in the world briefly and then discuss a less common fifth option that I adhere to. The first view is called replacement theology, in particular amillennialism, which does not see the nation of Israel to be of any consequence prophetically. In this view, Israel rejected their messiah and forfeited any rights and all privileges associated with former promises and covenants with God. In this view, Israel is just another of the rebellious nations in the world. The church has replaced Israel in prophetic history in regard to the promises and covenants. The nation of Israel today is just a random historical event.

The second view believes the prophetic texts which say Israel will once again be a restored nation to God, but the current Israel is not it. The reason being, the far majority of Jews living in Israel are agnostic or secular in their beliefs of Judaism, with few who have faith in Jesus. This view believes there is a time coming when, prophetically, Israel will come to a final restoration with God in the land of promise through faith in Jesus.

The third view believes Israel today is going to fulfill the prophetic texts of a final restoration with God in the land of promise. In this view, prophetic texts that speak of a divine tribulation and the wrath of God were fulfilled in the Holocaust of WWII. What we are seeing today in Israel are just the first stages of this final restoration.

The fourth view believes there will be a series of tribulations and wrath of God against Israel, including the holocaust, that will prepare Israel for final restoration with God. The nation of Israel today, while a unique incident, may not be the final nation of Israel that God raises up for restoration of a remnant of Jews to God.

The fifth view, which again is the one I hold, believes the current nation of Israel established in 1948, will experience tribulation and the wrath of God along with the rest of the world. What will end the great tribulation will be a remnant of Israel calling out to Jesus for redemption. This redemption will coincide with the judgment of the world and the restoration of the nation of Israel with God. King David, as the prince of Israel will rule over the Jews in the land, and the people of the surrounding nations. Jesus himself will rule the entire world from a temple on the world’s highest mountain, just north of Jerusalem.

The prophetic scriptures are clear and plain. First, there is going to be a regathering of Israel in unbelief back to the land in preparation to go through the great tribulation that is coming upon the whole earth. This will be a judgment of unbelief in Israel, along with the unbelief in the rest of the world. Again, this unbelief is in Jesus.

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Welcome to Episode #182 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. Today’s episode, our sixth in this second mini-series on the Day of the Lord, will address what Paul may have meant when he said in Romans 11:26, “All Israel Will Be Saved.”

The salvation of “ALL” that is Israel is central to the return of Jesus Christ on the Day of the Lord. Let’s look at the context of the statement by Paul from Romans 11:25-32 – I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, 26 and in this way all Israel will be saved. As it is written: “The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. 27 And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.” 28 As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, 29 for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. 30 Just as you who were at one time disobedient to God have now received mercy as a result of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now become disobedient in order that they too may now receive mercy as a result of God’s mercy to you. 32 For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

In Romans 11, Paul is closing a can of worms of the doctrinal issue that has severely divided the Church since the Reformation. Paul began Chapter 9 expressing anguish over his own people, the Jews, who were rejecting the gospel of Jesus. He then went on from Chapter 9 through 11 to point out the reason for their rejection. In these three chapters, the Holy Spirit had Paul lay a clear doctrinal landmine that has been picked up by theologians of every generation who have used it in an attempt to blow up unity within the body of Christ. We are not going to look at that today.

Paul made it clear at the opening of his letter to the Romans where the Jews stood in terms of the Gospel. Romans 1:16-17 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.

Here’s the key before we go any further. All mankind is born into sin and death. All people, nations, tribes, languages, etc., Jew and Gentile alike stand condemned before God unless redeemed by the Lamb.

The reason Jews and Gentiles alike are repulsed from each other is the dividing wall of hostility between us, which is the Law with its ordinances and regulations (See Eph 2:14-16). Let me see if I can summarize it such that I can continue without getting bogged down. This topic, by the way, is critical in understanding who we are in Christ and our relationship to the Father. But I digress. After the flood, when the nations rebelled at Babel, God chose one man from among the nations, Abram, and covenanted with him to give him a people, a land, and a seed who would bless all nations. The people were the descendants of Jacob, his grandson, whose name God changed to Israel.

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Welcome to Episode #181 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. On today’s episode, we’re going to tie some Old Testament passages from Daniel in with the book of Revelation in regard to the Times of the Gentiles. When the fullness of the Gentiles comes into the kingdom, global events will occur, preparing the way for the return of Jesus Christ to judge the world in righteousness on the Day of the Lord [5].

A few short comments before we jump right into the topic for today. This particular topic, The Day of the Lord, now in our second mini-series episodes, is overwhelming in content as it is the focus of the entire Bible. The Bible starts with Genesis 1:1-2 – In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. The Bible ends with Revelation 21:1, 5a – Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,” for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. …5a He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” And finally, Revelation 22:12-13 – “Look, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to each person according to what they have done. 13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

The point being, where we find ourselves now is not the end of the story. We exist at some point between the beginning and the end of this creation of the heavens and the earth. The cosmos in which we were born into has been subjected to corruption and decay by the one who subjected it until the sons of God are revealed. Meaning disease, loss of mental acuity, injuries, etc., and finally death of the body await us all. This has been the common experience of all mankind globally since Adam and Eve were returned to the earth following Adam’s expulsion from the garden of Eden. In addition, the world is under the control of the evil one until the Day of the Lord. Meaning all mankind is enslaved to the devil to do his will because of our fear of death. Our only means of being set free from the devil’s grasp is through faith in Jesus Christ, who purchased us with his own blood.

God has already prepared and sees the end of this creation, it’s passing away, and his dwelling into eternity with humanity redeemed by the lamb of God, in a new heaven and new earth created just for that purpose. Where there will only be knowledge of good and where righteousness will dwell. The knowledge of evil will not be part of this new creation. It will be eternally bound in the mind of the Father and the consequential witnesses of evil from this first creation, kept in torment in the eternal lake of fire.

I know that’s a lot to start with. But it get’s even deeper. I want you to think for a moment of what the reality we exist in right now consists of; Space-time materialism. This is where your brain can quickly become fried and so we won’t stay here long. In space-time materialism, God has recorded through the prophets of the Old and New Testaments his relationship, interactions, and purposeful interventions in the activities of mankind. God is the one who did all the creating and maintaining of his creation. God is the one who endowed mankind with wisdom and the ability to communicate verbally and in writing. God is the one who purposed languages and even determined in advance the language letters to be used in each nation that put in writing both words and numbers to prophetically communicate to humanity what has been, what is, and what is to come.

The Bible is not merely a collection of old writings. It is the very words of God from Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21. These are not static flat letters on a page, but living words of power, revelation, insight, and filled with

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Welcome to Episode #180 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. On today’s episode, we’ll return to the Old Testament passages and look at the period of time most written about in the Bible, the return of Jesus Christ to judge the world in righteousness on the Day of the Lord [4].

As I introduced last episode, and really, throughout the history of this podcast, what we are chasing through the Scriptures is directly related to a matter-of-fact statement God made to the serpent when pronouncing a curse on him in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:15 – And I [God] will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The prophetic Scriptures tell of a day yet to come when Jesus, the offspring of the woman, will do away with the serpent who enslaves mankind to do his will because of their fear of death. Because Adam ate the forbidden fruit in defiance of God’s command, sin entered the world and death through sin. In consequence, corruption to decay also came upon the entire created cosmos.

Jesus Christ was sent by God the Father to bring salvation to all mankind, to be the judge of all mankind, and to reconcile all things in heaven and on earth back to himself (back to God). The most important passage to remember also contains the likely most recognizable verse. Listen carefully to John 3:16-18 – For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Jesus did not bring universal salvation (everyone is saved and goes to heaven – universalism). He brought salvation to all who would believe. As verse 18 plainly states, “whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” Jesus is returning to judge the world in righteousness (judge those who do not believe) and establish his kingdom of heaven on earth. We’ll cover on a future episode soon the Harpazo’, the snatching away of belivers, as we will not be here when the wrath of God is unleashed on the earth.

A little bit more background before we get into today’s readings and lesson. Why in 2025 do we give a rip about what is happening in Israel or about the Jews? Why not just let the region work it out? If it includes driving out and/or exterminating the Jews from the River to the Sea should we let it be so? Oh my friends, let us never consider such a thought, or support those who do. Pray, and I mean pray for Jerusalem and the people of God who live there and be blessed. Psalm 122:6-9 – Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May those who love you be secure. 7 May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels.” 8 For the sake of my family and friends, I will say, “Peace be within you.” 9 For the sake of the house of the LORD our God, I will seek your prosperity.

In order to know what is happening today, we need to know our context to the whole. We are not merely living in a linear timeline, but is a space-time continuum that God sees from the end to the beginning. All things in creation are unfolding without error as described in his holy word. So let’s get up to speed where we are, and why we need to focus on what is happening in Israel today!

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Welcome to Episode #179 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [2]. On today’s episode, we’ll look at New Testament passages that speak of the most written about time in the Bible, the return of Jesus Christ to judge the world in righteousness on the Day of the Lord [3].

What we are chasing through the Scriptures is directly related to a matter-of-fact statement God made to the serpent when pronouncing a curse on him in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 3:15 – And I [God] will put enmity between you [the serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

The prophetic Scriptures tell of a day yet to come when Jesus, the offspring of the woman, will do away with the serpent who enslaves mankind to do his will because of their fear of death. Because Adam ate the forbidden fruit in defiance of God’s command, sin entered the world and death through sin. In consequence, corruption to decay also came upon the entire created cosmos.

Paul, in speaking to his understudy – Timothy, describes the condition of those opposed to the gospel in 2 Timothy 2:26 – Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. This is where I get “being taken captive to do the devil’s will.”

The writer of Hebrews speaks of mankinds enslavement to the devil in Hebrews 2:14-15 – Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

A coming global leader who will be the offspring of the devil will arise in the days ahead. He will charm and deceive the world and become it’s leader. In jealousy and wrath he will order the peoples and nations of the world to conduct genocide on both Jews and Christians in the world at that time. He and an army he will be leading to attack Jerusalem will be destroyed in a moment by a word from Jesus’ mouth on the Day of the Lord. The Day Jesus returns to judge the world in righteousness and redeem a remnant of Israel still in the land.

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Welcome to Episode #178 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ [Part 2]. On today’s episode, we’ll continue our look at Old Testament passages that speak of the most written about time in the Bible, the return of Jesus Christ to judge the world in righteousness on the Day of the Lord.

Before we get there, let’s remember a couple of things. First, I am not here to convince anyone to believe the eschatological position I adhere to (view of the end times or the end of time). Based upon my own studies, I hold to a pretribulation and premillennial view, which ascribes to the aerial return of Jesus for the snatching away of His bride before the wrath of God is unleashed. I’ll cover this in detail on later episodes.

There are at least four and as many as six, alternative eschatological positions out there. Each having their own scriptural basis’, historical applications, and theological understandings. Of all the positions, the one I hold is the oldest and now least held within Christendom today. You can think of my view as the remnant of eschatological entropy.

I encourage you not to believe just because I say so, but to do your own research and see where the Scriptures lead. Hopefully, I’ll give you an inkling of the many places to look for the answers, as there are answers. But there is also tension in the Bible, purposefully placed there by the Holy Spirit for His reasons yet disclosed.

Here’s the maxim to remember. Your epistemology (how you know what you know; your theory of learning), determines your hermeneutics (how you approach the Bible, Liberally-The Bible is interpreted metaphorically and allegorically; Or Conservatively-The Bible says what it means and is interpreted to mean what it says). Your hermeneutics determines your Eschatology (What happens at the end of all time – The end of the story). Your Eschatology determines your Ecclesiology (Role of the Church – the Body of Christ – in the world until the END).

And it is within that maximal web that the dispersion of end-time views originates. And the beginning of the dispersion occurs immediately in the first three chapters of the Bible. The Creation account. Is this metaphorical, allegorical, a myth, or did it happen as the Scriptures insinuate? (Adam, the first man, is included in the genealogy of Jesus in Luke 3:38; Jesus quoted verses from Genesis 1 and 2, saying in Matthew 9:4-6 – “Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female,’ 5 and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’? 6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.”).

All this to say that as I proceed, I am presenting text, believing God meant for the text to be understood to mean what it says; unless otherwise noted. God used man and the language of the day at the time the texts were written to communicate to us in 2025 what he wants us to know. God sees all things at the same time from the end to the beginning. Thus, He was able to give prophetic utterances by the Holy Spirit to the writers who were guided by the same Spirit to write what was given to them to write. My studies have convinced me that even the letters and spaces between the letters were all preordained by God and contain unphantonable treasures of wisdom and knowledge for those willing to look.

With that, let’s jump into a few passages on the Day of the LORD. The first one is from Isaiah. I included it in an earlier episode, but it is one worth repeating. Listen as the extent of the destruction on this day. The scale is not just local but is global in scale. God is coming to judge the world and the sinners in it. The earth itself will wobble on its axis of rotation…

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Welcome to Episode #177 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Third mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’ll begin our look at Old Testament passages that speak of the most written about time in the Bible, the return of Jesus Christ to judge the world in righteousness on the Day of the Lord.

Central to our last miniseries, this miniseries, and at least one more mini-series on the topic of the Return of Jesus Christ, is the Harpazo, or snatching away, of the Church before the great tribulation that is coming upon the entire world. Not one nation, people group, or person will be untouched by the wrath of God to be unleashed upon the earth.

Rest assured believers, we will not be there when the wrath of God is unleased, as the Bible clearly says in multiple places. And we’ll go into that in detail in the weeks ahead, but not yet in this miniseries.

We are still building the foundation, the bulk of which is found in the Old Testament. So let’s get started.

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Welcome to Episode #176 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled, The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode we’ll be taking a walk on the beach with DrZ to overview our past seven episodes and comment on what we’ve learned on this first of several mini-series to address this topic.

Today’s walk is going to be a little different to those in that past, but not completely out of the ordinary. We will not be walking the beach this morning as the heat and anticipated crowds over the Fourth of July weekend opened the opportunity to consider different options.

A friend of the podcast has a concierge service that caters to the rich and famous and not so famous yet equally well endowed. One of those clients is a Way of the Bible podcast listener. During the summer, he parks his Gulf Craft Majesty 140’ yacht at the San Destin Warf and Marina. He’s out of the country with his family for the next few weeks and asked if we’d like to use it for this week’s walk. As so here we are…

All this to say, in a moment we’ll be joining thirty-plus people already gathered in the main deck salon and dining area. Everyone is ready to start and just awaiting our arrival, so here we go.

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Welcome to Episode #175 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’ll continue to scratch the surface of Old Testament prophetic texts in the book of Daniel that speak of the return of Jesus. We are likely living in a period the Bible refers to more than any other. The judgment of the world and the return of Jesus Christ on the Day of the Lord.

I asked at the beginning of our last episode, “Are you ready for this?” The return of Jesus Christ. I ask it again. Are you ready? There are so many prophetic plates spinning wildly that all point to a world conflagration. We now have two escalating conflicts in the world and two others about to emerge. Israel and Iran are trading missile launches and fighter bomber sorties over the production of weapon-grade plutonium. The USA stepped into the conflict with a bombing raid of our own on three high-value nuclear targets in Iran.

Russia and Ukraine are still killing one another in large numbers on battlefields as well as indiscriminately bombing cities of both nations. The United States and the European Union both have their fingers in this conflict as they try to isolate Russia and weaken its power on the global scene.

With northern Europe and the Middle East in states of high tension, China has an excellent opportunity to expand its global power footprint by reclaiming the island of Taiwan. At the same time, North Korea has returned to firing missiles into the ocean to once again make its neighbors aware of their nuclear capabilities.

Why is any of this important? Hasn’t the world always been in conflict? The answer to this last question is a definitive, NO. The world hasn’t always been in conflict. Up until WWI, all wars on the planet were local or regional. Neighbors fighting neighbors for territorial dominance. WWI changed all that when suddenly there was a global disturbance between nations centered in Europe. Many historians do not believe the war ended at the signing of the Armistice of November 11, 1918 but was continued in WWII.

During WWII, the German regime murdered over fifteen million people, including six million Jews, which was a third of their entire population globally. The holocaust was not a one-off but a continual threat the Jews have faced since their dispersion into the world following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. Just look up their history, and you’ll see they are an often-hated, persecuted, and hunted people, no matter where they settle in the world. Yet through millennia, they have proudly retained their genealogical and national heritage.

In the early 19th Century, a Zionist movement began to actively resettle Jews from around the world in a new Israel in the promised land. This Zionist movement was successful in having a British declaration made to that effect in the early 20th Century (Re: Balfour Declaration of November 2, 1917).

The land of Palestine, which encompassed Israel, was partitioned to the British after WWI as their spoil of war. Following WWII, and the dissolution of British control over the region, the delegates of the United Nations set aside a small portion of the British partition along the Mediterranean Sea for the nation of Israel. Amid local objections and inflamed emotions, the nation of Israel declared its independence on May 14, 1948. Through subsequent short conflicts with other nations, Israel acquired control over additional disputed lands, including the city of Jerusalem.

Since its formation in 1948, Israel has become a powerful nation in the neighborhood and possesses nuclear weapons. It is a continual state of expansion as Jews from around the world migrate to this tiny country. Latest estimates indicate over nine million Jews are currently in Israel. This number constitutes almost one-third of all Jews in the worl

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Welcome to Episode #174 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’ll scratch the surface of Old Testament prophetic texts that speak of the return of Jesus. We are likely living in a period the Bible refers to more than any other. The judgment of the world and the return of Jesus Christ on the Day of the Lord. Are you ready for this?

We can’t go back until we start at the end. What do I mean? God revealed to Israel through the prophet Isaiah a key to all God given prophecy. Isaiah 46:10 – I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’

When God provides a prophetic word to the prophet to speak, God is not guessing what will happen. Nor will he artificially orchestrate something to happen to meet the prophetic vision apart from his will. Nor can anyone change the prophetic vision of God.

Before we get to the Old Testament, let’s take a look at the Bible as a whole. I know it seems like one step forward and two steps back each episode, but hopefully, this summary will give clarity as we continue to explore why Jesus is coming back.

The Bible starts with the creation narrative in Genesis 1-3. I encourage you to accept the narrative as written, including the creation of man from the dust of the earth and woman from the rib of man. If you consider it, otherwise you diverge widely from the context and meaning of life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. In this narrative, we see creation, inference of a fall in the spiritual realm, the fall of mankind, and the identification of the fix to rebellion in heaven and on earth – seed of the woman.

Next, we blast through mankind’s first two thousand years of history from Genesis 4 to 11. We see in this historical narrative mankind’s wickedness, angelic interference, the flooding of the earth to cleanse both human and animal kingdom genome, the continued wickedness of man, the dividing of mankind into seventy nations by language distortion.

From Genesis 12 to the end of the Old Testament period is another two thousand years. God establishes an irrevocable covenant with Abraham to make of him a nation of people, with a land, and a descendant through whom all nations would be blessed – the seed of Abraham. The covenant is affirmed with Issac and Jacob. God makes a conditional covenant with the descendants of the twelve sons of Jacob to give them the promised land if they obey God’s covenantal laws. God establishes a covenant with David for a descendant who will sit on his throne and a kingdom that will have no end – seed of David.

The New Testament reveals that the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, and the seed of David are all fulfilled in the person Jesus Christ, the Son of God/Son of Man. Jesus’ life of ministry demonstrated he was the spotless lamb of God through whom all the sins of the world were paid for on the cross of Calvary. The apostles affirm the sacrificial work of Jesus and that salvation and eternal life are now available to both Jews and Gentiles who believe the gospel. The hanging chad is the covenantal promise to Abraham and the Patriarchs of a people and a land and the covenantal promise to David of an earthly kingdom.

What was not revealed since the creation of the world, but was revealed to the apostles of Christ was the Mystery of God. The mystery of God was that Jews and Gentiles alike who believe in Jesus are adopted by God as his children, are reborn by the Holy Spirit, together collectively are the bride of Christ, and are the manifestation of the body of Christ in this world.

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Welcome to Episode #173 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’re going to take a closer look at the end of all things or the end of time in relation to the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. We’re talking judgment, the wrath of God!

This will be our fifth bite of the Return of Jesus Christ apple and I’m beginning to see we’re eating something a lot bigger, like an elephant. While it’s much larger than I imagined, it still has to be swallowed one bite and chewing at a time. From here on I’m going to try and stick within the confines of the Scriptures, which are our guides with the aid of the Holy Spirit, and out of the realms of philosophy, sciences, and hyperspaces.

But I will have to add this before we continue. The Bible is not just a book. It is an interdimensional message hidden in a matrix of integrated books, languages, words, letters, and yes even spaces between the letters. The books that encompass the Bible were seen in their entirety along with all creation until eternity future before Genesis 1:1. Each space, letter, word, language, and book were intentionally synthesized in space-time history through human agents as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. This messaging system from God has been translated and preserved for millennia.

The person without the Holy Spirit reads only flat words on flat pages. Much like a hologram when illumined by the laser with which it was created, the text of the Bible when illumined by the Holy Spirit reveals full color wisdom, imagery, beauty, and mathematical precision beyond our space-time dimensionality.

The Scriptures in their origin were and remain perfect, although copies have experienced minor deteriorations that keep scholars publishing papers. These deteriorations have little or no impact on the message the Bible is communicating.

I give all that as an introduction to our topic today, because our topic today stretches from the first to last line in the Bible. From, Genesis 1:1 – “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” To, Revelation 22:21 – The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God’s people. Amen. It would take at least one book, if not two, to just scratch the surface of the message revealed by just these two verses, Genesis 1:1 and Revelation 22:21. Let me see if I can do it in one short episode.

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Welcome to Episode #172 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is the fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’re going to take a look at what Jesus said about his coming back in the New Testament.

Jesus was clear that he came the first time as the suffering savior of the world and would be returning a second time in righteousness to judge the world. This was well understood by the Apostles, early disciples, and the early church. Over time, as Jesus’ return was delayed, from a human perspective, individuals in and out of the church began to spiritualize Jesus’ comments and imagined an ending quite different than what the New Testament writers understood.

I’ve spent two episodes trying to provide some background for the difficulty we as humans have in comprehending who Jesus is and why he came the first time. We have to overcome that difficulty first before tackling Jesus’ coming back.

I’ve used the expression, make your head hurt, several times in prior episodes to emphasize a point. In the modern and now post-modern worlds, the spiritual realm is not readily accepted. And because of that, over the centuries and millennia, the significance of the word of God, like entropy we covered on our last episode, always increases toward disorder and/or chaos. Each generation has to learn on its own the significance of the word of God to guide them on their spiritual walk with Christ. In that regard, let’s speak about where every generation has to begin.

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Welcome to Episode #171 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is the third of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’re going to take a second high level flyover of the Bible to continue the case for why Jesus is coming back.

What we’ll discover today is that there is more to the story than we’ve been told. Once we see this, the question becomes, “Has the withholding of this information been intentional or a misalignment that over time, took us far away from the intended target?”

When you’re starting with infinity and forever, the hardest thing to do is to know with certainty where to start. Which reminds me, one of the reasons modern science knows that the cosmos is not eternal is based on what science shows.

In the realm of science, there is a field called thermodynamics that concerns itself with the fluidity of relationships between heat, work, temperature, and energy. Certain maxims of thermodynamics are considered so undeniable, they are considered to be unchangeable laws found in nature.

The second law of thermodynamics concerns a concept called entropy. Entropy in simplest form is work accomplished by ordered molecular motion. Think of the Budweiser Clydesdale horses hooked up to the beer wagon versus the same team of horses running loose in a ten-acre paddock. Which of the two teams of horses at the same moment in time just described (hooked to a wagon or running loose) is capable of performing more work than the other?

We observe, the more organized the energy, the more work that can be done. The more organized, the more work, the Lower the entropy. Disorganization or randomness of the energy results in a higher entropy, meaning less work can be done. Once you get this, “knowing what entropy is,” everything you encounter in life will suddenly begin to make sense.

The second law of thermodynamics assumes a closed system. We established this on our last episode that modern science considers the cosmos a closed system. According to modern science, our four-dimensional space-time is a sealed box. Nothing can either enter or exit the box. However, for about the past two decades science has been having a branding crisis as there is now evidence the box may be leaking. But the mainstream public will never hear about that if science can help it.

In this closed system, the 2nd Law of thermodynamics states that entropy (a measure of disorder or randomness) will always tend to increase. Or put another way, no matter how many times you clean your house, it will always move toward a state of greater disorder and randomness.

According to this Law, given enough time, all energy within the cosmos will reach equilibrium, bringing the temperature of the cosmos to a level where there is no gradient in temperature. In this environment where energy is equally distributed, no work can be done. But that’s not what we are experiencing.

The postulation goes that if the cosmos was eternal, it would already have had enough time to suffer this heat death and should not exist at all as we now experience it. Therefore, the cosmos by inference, must have had a beginning. It is not eternal.

DrZ, that was a lot of I’ve never thought about and don’t see the tie-in to the topic. Great observation and glad you think that, because that’s just the crack in the floor that reveals a huge rabbit hole below. I urge you to let your head hurt a little as you consider what is really going on around you. All is not as it seems. We’ll take a quick peek under the pavement and then dig into some healthy content.

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Welcome to Episode #170 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is the second of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’re going to do a high-level overview of the Bible to present the case for why Jesus is coming back. What we’ll discover is something that will blow your mind. I’m talking about literally make your head hurt, turn your stomach, and hopefully make you want to run around for winning the Mega Cosmic Lottery.

There is a low view today in the Western world of Christianity. It seems to be much like it was in the first Century when Rome considered Christianity a cult and worthy of persecution. Even the mega-churches that were birthed in the 1990s through around 2010, are experiencing the vacuous gale blowing through their emptying arenas where once thousands to ten thousand and more were packed in for each of up to six services each Sunday. Many of these have already joined the ranks of the small neighborhood congregations they emptied with the promise of freedom from sin and condemnation, no matter what the newcomers had done or continue doing.

Surprisingly, you may discover for the first time that “everything in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.” [1 Jn. 2:16]. This includes the church, which long ago adopted the practices of the world. [See Jesus’ seven letters to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3]

The glitz, the glamour, the charisma of the pastor or priest, the rock and roll praise and worship music shrouded in darkness, strobe lights, dance, song, with incense laden fog all mean nothing. Icons of religious figures, pictures, images, colors, etc. to produce a dramatic effect or to evoke an emotional response do not come from God.

While these, and I could name numerous other things as well, do not come from God, does not mean God did not allow their existence and sustains them for his purposes. This is not meant for church shaming but rather for us all to have a gut check of what we are doing in our worship services.

Now to getting our heads hurting with a little bending of our minds.

Let’s start with concept of nothing. Are you there? Now, assume out of that nothing comes something. Recall that you intuitively understand that nothing comes from nothing. For there to be something, something beyond the nothing had to create the something. Not only that, but, the materials for creating something in the nothing must also have come from beyond nothing. BUT if there was nothing, how can there be something beyond the nothing?

Now your head must bother you enough to hit the 15-second backup to listen again as you got lost at “Let’s start with nothing.” You may find yourself still listening but stuck on nothing. And knowing that nothing comes from nothing is the secret to knowing the truth about everything.

One more time. Nothing comes from nothing. There is no something beyond nothing. Nothing is nothing. Draw a circle on a whiteboard. Identify what is inside the circle as nothing (that’s not it). Now erase the circle (that’s still not it). Incinerate the whiteboard to ashes (that’s still not it). Incinerate the earth to ashes (that’s still not it). Incinerate the entire cosmos to ashes (that’s still not it). Nothing is not something inside of anything. Nothing is no thing at all. It is a mental concept and likely unprovable, much like infinity. Yet we believe nothing can exist since our entire modern science foundation postulation is that there was nothing. Then out of nowhere, in the nothing, there was something smaller than a nickel in size. This nickel-sized mass in nothing exploded, creating everything in the entire cosmos.

Don’t laugh, but that is in most simple form the explanation modern science has for the existence of the cosmos. Even more fictitious than this, and even more

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Welcome to Episode #169 of the Way of the Bible podcast. This is the first of eight episodes in our Twenty-Second mini-series entitled The Return of Jesus Christ. On today’s episode, we’re going to pause our overview of the Sermon on the Mount with the completion of Matthew Chapter 6. The reason for this departure is multi-faceted.

Over the past nine months, I have been enmeshed in the affairs of the world after becoming the President of a company whose leadership team I was coaching. In order to take what I knew to be a temporary position, I put my coaching practice on hold, and the recording of podcast episodes and my spiritual journey on severe time rations. For the next nine months I I successfully navigated and completed the purpose for which I was hired. About a month ago, I stepped back into my coaching practice and other pursuits including this podcast and my spiritual journey.

While I was able to piecemeal together several episodes of this podcast, during my time away, the world changed. Now that I’m back and ready to begin regular episode releases I sense a conviction to address an important topic for our times as they are now.

I’m a student of the word of God, a lifelong learner, and I pay attention to the signs of the times. And I’m sufficiently convinced that the world as we know it is about to enter into the times that the bible talks about more than any other. The judgment of the world, final testing and redemption of Israel, and the initiation of the millennial kingdom.

What! I’m not ready for that. Not a problem, nor is anyone else. Or should I rather say, most others as well are as equally ill prepared for what could be coming on the near-term horizon. I think sooner than later and certainly in my lifetime, even at 67, Lord willing. This of course was the apostle Paul’s perspective, so I guess I’m in good company.

Titus 2:11-15 – For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. 15 These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority. Do not let anyone despise you.

I hope you heard Paul saying he was waiting for Jesus to return. That hope was, is, and should always be at the forefront of the mind of all believers as Jesus may return at any moment. But it’s been 2000 years now, come on DrZ..!

The Holy Spirit anticipated that comment and had Peter address it in 2 Peter 3:8-11 – But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. 9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. 10 But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare. 11 Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives 12 as you look forward to the day of God and speed its coming. That day will bring about the destruction of the heavens by fire, and the elements will melt in the heat. 13 But in keeping with his promise we are looking forward to a new heaven and a new earth, where righteousness dwells.

Jesus is coming back to judge the world. Of that, the bible leaves no doubt.

With that brief introduction, let’s get started. A little background to catch us up and then jog and sprint to the fin

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Welcome to Episode #168 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’ll be taking a walk on the beach with DrZ to overview and comment on what we’ve learned on this mini-series.

Welcome everyone to this early morning walk on the beach. I can see everyone is bundled up, and for good reason. I saw a moment ago from the front deck the sun has just had finally fully peaked over the horizon. The thermostat indicated 53 degrees and the flag was flapping, so its’ breezy. This is going to be an awesome walk.

By the time we’re done in a little over an hour, you’ll have that top layer off and soaking in the warming beach sands as the temp makes a quick rise on its way up to a high today of 73. We’ve got plenty of hot coffee and cocoa at the bar and assorted danish and hot donuts from the Donut Hole up on Hwy 98. Thanks Irwin for grabbing those for us. I’ll meet you all out at the bottom of the porch steps in ten minutes.

I see a few more arrived since I spoke to the group inside. Glad everyone could make it this morning. We’re going to head to the beach and take a left walking into the sunrise. I’ll make sure to stand to the side that best protects your eyes from direct rays of the rising sun. That’s an interesting topic I’ll have to save for our time around the coffee bar when we return. I’ve got my mind one of those huge apple fritters still on the platter. No more time to waste, let’s head to the surf.

WOW, look at that. The breeze has almost completely stopped, the water is so flat the Gulf of America looks more like a large lake as the sun rays glisten on the emerald waters. This never, ever, gets old. It brings to mind what the translucent floor of God’s throne room must be like. One day we will see that translucent and be reminded of our time this morning on this beach and how confirm how much greater is the reality of what we hope for than what we can see from this side of glory.

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Welcome to Episode #167 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’re going to take a look at short multifaceted passage concerning life and the Kingdom.

A quick review before we get started. I routinely do these reviews at the beginning of each mini-series episode to inform listeners who may be joining the podcast in real time of episode release without knowledge of the previous sequence of episodes. While each episode stands alone, eight episode mini-series comprise a bigger message, and the podcast library as a whole is an attempt to reveal a simple truth. What is in the Bible is not difficult or hard to understand if you have two keys.

That understanding includes the entire book of Revelation, which is perhaps the most important book in the Bible. You can tell that by what is written at the very beginning and very end of the book of Revelation. Revelation 1:3 – Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near. It Is the only book in the Bible that says you are blessed if you read and/or hear the book read. Now certainly, God is not supposing the readers and/or hearers would not understand what was written. Yet that is what the far majority of people both in and out of the church say when encountering it. So what does that tell you? God is not playing hide the ball. It means that for a longtime, perhaps two millennia, the church has been Biblically illiterate, not seeing in plain sight what is in this book.

The last verse in the book of Revelation 22:21– I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this scroll: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to that person the plagues described in this scroll. 19 And if anyone takes words away from this scroll of prophecy, God will take away from that person any share in the tree of life and in the Holy City, which are described in this scroll. What does this mean? It means exactly what it says, you may not understand it, but don’t dare change anything about it. It is saying something critically important to the entire Bible.

So you’re blessed if you read it, and it’s meant to say exactly what it says. Periord, literally, the end of the story God wants us to know. And how does the story end? In a new heavens and on a new earth where God himself will have his throne and dwell with humanity into eternity.

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Welcome to Episode #166 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’re going to take a look at Fasting in the Kingdom.

On our last episode we looked at Why Jesus came to earth. On that episode I noted Jesus’ coming was revealed by Paul in Ephesians 3:10-11 – His (God’s) intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, 11 according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Before starting today, I wanted to add another passage from Ephesians 1 that makes it even more clear why Jesus came. Ephesians 1:7-10 – In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ 10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Paul explains this most compactly to the Colossians in Colossians 1:19-20 – For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

The point being, it is not now, nor ever was all about you or us… You and I are not the center of the universe around which everything swirls as God stirs thoughts in his mind. We are but a puff of smoke, a vapor in time soon to be swept away.

What! You say. “I don’t like thinking about such things”

If that is you, I encourage you to hear the words of Joshua and David, both on the precipice of crossing through the veil of dimensionality and into eternal life. First from Joshua 23:14 – “And now I am about to go the way of all the earth, and you know in your hearts and souls, all of you, that not one word has failed of all the good things that the LORD your God promised concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one of them has failed.”

Joshua was not wringing his hands about what was coming next in his life. Rather, he used this opportunity to witness to whoever would “hear” that the promises God made to Israel were fulfilled, none were lacking. The understanding is, to believe God, do what he says, and receive the blessings of God as a result of obedience.

Similarly, David repeated this same thought to his son Solomon in 1 Kings 2:1-4 – When David’s time to die drew near, he commanded Solomon his son, saying, 2 “I am about to go the way of all the earth. Be strong, and show yourself a man, 3 and keep the charge of the LORD your God, walking in his ways and keeping his statutes, his commandments, his rules, and his testimonies, as it is written in the Law of Moses, that you may prosper in all that you do and wherever you turn, 4 that the LORD may establish his word that he spoke concerning me, saying, ‘If your sons pay close attention to their way, to walk before me in faithfulness with all their heart and with all their soul, you shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’

The point of life being but a puff of smoke is to get us to see, truly, what life as a puff of smoke is about. Life is meaningless without Jesus. Only two groups of people recognize the significance of this statement. The first group would be those who try to disprove it scientifically or philosophically. Remaining on this deep downward path eventually leads to the inescapable utter darkness of atheistic nihilism.

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Welcome to Episode #165 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’re going to take a slight detour and address why Jesus came when he did.

On our last episode we l=ooked at the Lord’s Prayer, in which Jesus said in Matthew 6:10 – Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. For numerous past episodes I’ve been talking about this kingdom, the kingdom of heaven, the kingdom of God, the kingdom of his Son whom he loves, etc.

We looked ever so briefly at if this was a literal or figurative kingdom. Jesus told Pilate in John 18:36 – “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.”

“When” this kingdom was coming was addressed by Jesus in Luke 17:20-21 – Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; 21 nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” [NKJV]

Why the kingdom is coming is an entirely different matter and is literally the subject of the entire Bible. Most people won’t go and look at the “why” answer, even believers. It can literally make your head hurt. Those who can best understand it are particle physicists because they know mathematically and experimentally nothing is really here except concentrations of light energy. I know, that’s a lot to handle.

Let’s start with something easy. Jesus said in John 4:24 – God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” That actually loses most people to a simple thought that God is only in your mind. When in reality, God is all there is. We are all in a very real sense existing in the mind of God even now.

Stop, Stop, my head is hurting already. OK, we’ll stop there and keep going down another path. Simply look at how the Bible starts and ends. Specifically, Genesis Chapters 1 to 3 and Revelation Chapters 20 to 22. In Genesis Chapters 1 and 2 we are introduced to the creation narrative. I believe these to be reflective of what God wants us to know about what really happened at the beginning.

The reason why this is important is how the Bible ends; which we’ll get to momentarily. If you can’t believe how the Bible begins, you certainly won’t believe how it ends. And without the beginning and end being true, the rest of the Bible doesn’t make sense.

I don’t mean you can’t read it like an interesting novel, or a book written by a spiritualists or philosopher. With all thoughts starting with man and ending with man and no God or gods there shall be. Yet it talks all about God and gods. Thus, the Bible doesn’t make sense without Genesis and Revelation both being true.

I hate to burst your bubble, but you may be believing in vain. Not realizing that Paul was telling his readers what is really true in Colossians 1:12-14 – giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. What the heck does it mean to be transferred from the domain of darkness to the kingdom of his beloved Son? Is that transfer some intellectual switch in your mind? Or an actual spiritual phenomena that you experienced.

For time, I’ve got to stop her. Back to the topic at hand. In Genesis 3, we are introduced to a serpent who deceives Eve to eat the forbidden fruit who then gives it to her husband who was with her and he at it. Immediately, sin, condemnation, and death entered not just

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Welcome to Episode #164 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teaching his disciples how to pray. Now this is a big topic. Prayer.

I have to admit, growing up as a Catholic I really didn’t think I had a problem with prayer. Since my first communion and later Catechism classes I had a plethora of memorized prayers. Some for use in when in mass and other for use after confession.

The in-mass prayers typically included a Hail Mary and an Our Father. The confessional prayers typically included an Act of Contrition an Apostles Creed and multiple Hail Mary’s and Our Father’s depending on the accuracy of my confession.

I have to admit, I held back quite a lot. Eventually knowing I’d forgotten more than I remembered of my sinful past which hadn’t been confessed, I realized I was too far gone for grace and accepted hell as my destiny. And that turned out to reemerge in my struggle to receive Christ at my spiritual rebirth by the Holy Spirt. I’ve shared this account before and will reshare this account on another episode but not right now.

The skinny was I wrong about that. But in total honesty, that’s how I felt at the soul level. I was unworthy of Jesus, so I had to find another way to God other than my Catholicism. Fortunately for me I married a Baptist and I discovered an entirely different kind of works based salvation than my former faith practices. “We don’t drink, we don’t smoke, we don’t dance, we don’t chew, and we don’t go with girls that do.”

For me I felt right at home knowing I was breaking all these as well, but they didn’t make me confess it so I didn’t think about hell. I grew comfortable saying I believed in Jesus and if by chance after I died, I’d came to see him and/or Peter at the gate of heaven, I’d just deny ever remembering my sin. Believe me, I had gotten very good at forgetting sin as soon as I sinned it. No guilt or shame, that was my saving grace so I thought.

It was in this new religion I discovered ad hoc prayers. Whatever rolled off my tongue in the moment. Little forethought. Uncomfortable of making a mistake at first, I soon mastered the craft of just talking at God in a measured tone.

After a radical salvation by the Holy Spirit my prayer life changed to a more scripture-based content from passages I’d been memorizing. This lasted a good long time before I was awakened out of my prayer slumber. Up to this awakening I became a Methodist, then a none, then a charismatic, before finally settling in a non-denominational evangelical church where I got radically saved in the second service I attended.

Once born again, I had questions about talking with God. Then I heard a pastor from the pulpit say his greatest struggle in ministry was his prayer life. That rocked me, how was that possible. I started to do some research and discovered prayer was one of the most written about topics out there. No one seemed to have a handle on it. Everyone had their own take, I guessed to sell more books. I certainly was struggling but I wasn’t fully committed like a pastor. I went to seminary and got an MDIV and found no adequate answer there. I had several seminary professors confess struggling with prayer. This seemed to be shear madness.

I limped along for over 25 years until last year when I discovered the secret of prayer in the Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius. Others have four the same discovery in an area called Lectio Devina. In short, they both emphasize spiritual meditation and contemplation. Learning by doing that special emphasis has been a game changer.

And why do I share all that before getting to today’s lesson? Because, had I known then what I know now, I would have known the value of Jesus’ teaching on prayer he gave to his disciples. Jesus in a very compact less

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Welcome to Episode #163 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach another foundational and hidden principle of life in the Kingdom of Heaven. Giving to the Needy.

You will see this principle of giving to the needy exhibited throughout the scriptures, intimated in the name of God, embedded in the LAW, a major element of the Servant characterized in Isaiah, and of course the hallmark of Jesus’ ministry.

Let’s start with that last one and then get into the passage where Jesus addresses our Giving to the Needy. Jesus said of himself in Matthew 20:26-28 – But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, 27 and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, 28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

We were all once dead in our trespass and sin, and even now we are all needy. Jesus came to serve us both then and now. How you ask? It starts with then…

Romans 5:6-8 – For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

It is our belief in the sufficiency of Christ’s service unto death for our sins and his resurrection bringing us new life that we are saved.

An example of Jesus serving us now is found in Romans 8:34 – Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Why is this intercession important? Revelation 12:10 – “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. Every accusation against you made by the devil, Jesus smothers out in intercession with the Father.

Acts 3:1-10 – Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

With that as a brief introduction, let’s jump into Matthew 6:1-4 – “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven. 2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

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Welcome to Episode #162 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach the second of two very difficult principles he reveals for Kingdom of Heaven living at the end of Matthew 5.

The first difficulty was the prohibition against retaliating against the actions of an evil person. If struck on the cheek you were to turn the other, if you get sued and lose your tunic you are to give him your cloak as well, if asked to go one mile – go two miles, give to those who beg and finally do not refuse one who would borrow from you. These are in the moment actions in response to be confronted face to face. These are not meant for enslavement or sadistic behavior with an evil person.

You will see confirmation of this notation when Jesus sent out his twelve Apostles to the lost sheep of Israel and instructed them in Matthew 10:14 and 23 – 14 And if anyone will not receive you or listen to your words, shake off the dust from your feet when you leave that house or town. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.

He did not command his Apostles to remain in the towns so as to be persecuted, but to leave and go to another place. What to do about persecution is in our passage for today. More on that in a moment.

To be brief, in the case of an “in your face trial of the moment,” we are to, as did Jesus, submit ourselves to the mercy and grace of God, manifest God’s name to our oppressor, and pray for rescue from the trial or the grace to endure.

Now to today’s passage. I’ve entitled this episode, Love Your Enemies and Pray for Persecutors. You may, even now, think that seems strange to hear. But let’s give it a few minutes and I think what Jesus is saying will begin to sink in.

Matthew 5:43-48 – “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

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Welcome to Episode #161 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twenty-First mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount Part 2. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach the first of two very difficult principles he reveals for Kingdom of Heaven living at the end of Matthew 5.

Many listening may be thinking, “If that’s the imagery, DrZ, experiencing torrents in the flesh does not sound very restful.” And of course, that is exactly why many ignore these last two principles in Chapter 5 or say they are for someone else at a future time. For many years that’s where I lived, thinking these principles were not for today. But then I learned more fully about the kingdom of heaven and there is indeed rest in the torrent of the flesh.

Paul spoke of this experience himself in relationship to his thorn in the flesh from the devil. I thought about sharing portions but am now certain I should share the entire account, as it has direct bearing on what we are going to hear Jesus say as I read today.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10 – I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows. 3 And I know that this man was caught up into paradise—whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows— 4 and he heard things that cannot be told, which man may not utter. 5 On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except of my weaknesses— 6 though if I should wish to boast, I would not be a fool, for I would be speaking the truth; but I refrain from it, so that no one may think more of me than he sees in me or hears from me. 7 So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Did you get that? If not, go back and read it again; 2 Cor 12:1-10. I’ll reread verse 10 before reading the first of two hard principles of the kingdom of heaven, spoken by Jesus at the end of Matthew Chapter 5. 2 Cor 12:10 – For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Matthew 5:38-42- “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. ’ But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well. And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.

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Welcome to Episode #160 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be taking a walk on the beach with DrZ, hey that’s me, sorry, couldn’t help that it was just there. As I was saying, we’ll be taking a walk on the beach to overview and comment on what we’ve learned on this mini-series.

So glad so many of you were able to join us today given the reality of two hurricanes impacting the Gulf shores of Florida. First was Hurricane Helene which roared onshore n the Big Bend area of FL last week as a Cat 4 hurricane before quickly crossing into Georgia, South Carolina, Western North Carolina and Eastern Tennessee leaving in its wake catastrophic devastation. And a week later, Milton making landfall as a Cat 3 hurricane on Siesta Key near Sarasota, Fl before slicing a path across Florida and heading out over the Atlantic Ocean.

The beaches along the emerald coast along Highway 30-A between Destin and Panama City were spared this round. But all those who have been around for forty or more hurricane seasons sense and are fairly resigned to the reality that it is only a matter of time before a storm comes knocking on your door.

But enough of that for now, while the coast to our east and south have been ravaged by wind and waves, the Gulf waters out back are almost perfect. Still a little warmer than normal as are our daily temperatures. While we won’t break a sweat this morning, you can still get sun burned pretty quick, so hats, sunscreen, and sunglasses suggested.

I’ll meet you out back in five minutes. Make sure to top off your coffee or get one of many other options available at the bar area. Speaking of bars, we’ve got the Rooftop bar of Bud and Alley’s reserved for a private mid-morning brunch. They’re expecting us within the hour so let’s hop to it. See you out back.

I see we are all here. We’ll head toward the water and the lightly breaking surf and take a left, heading East into the early morning sun. As we head that way I’ll remind you we’ve not yet finished overviewing Chapter 5 of Matthew. The first of three chapters (5 to 7) that are referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. We still have at least two and likely three more mini-series before we complete the Sermon on the Mount. That means at least two or three walks on the beach after this one.

Perhaps for one of those walks we can take a road trip over to the Big Bend area to lend a hand with recovery and do the same on another walk on Siesta Key. Participation is not mandatory, but if you have the inkling to go and would like to help let me know as there is a lot of preparation and staging to be done to make our trips beneficial and not an inconvenience for those most in need of assistance in these areas.

We are not at the water’s edge and ready to make our turn to the East. As you go through the text of Matthew, you get the sense Jesus made a similar turn at his baptism by John the Baptist. His turn was from a life in Nazareth which we know little about to a focused three-year life of ministry teaching, calling and training disciples. During this time, he taught with authority, was a miracle healing extravaganza, and demonstrated with signs and wonders power over the created order that testified to his being the Son of God, the Son of Man.

Shortly after his ministry life began he called his first disciples and laid out for them the foundational teaching upon which all his subsequent teaching rested. We call this teaching the Sermon on the Mount. You will discover as you dig into the epistles, the apostles were writing the boots on the ground versions of the principals Jesus was teaching his disciples. These principals deal with living in the kingdom of heaven. Something all believers are doing even today, though not all believers know it.

Let’s do a quick recap of where we’ve been so far in t

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Welcome to Episode #159 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach on Pinkie Swearing as it relates to Kingdom of Heaven living.

Given this is our seventh episode in this mini-series, and some listeners are just joining us, let me do a quick recap and then get right to our text for today. Jesus began his ministry immediately following his forty-day wilderness wandering, fast, and temptation by the devil which had immediately followed his baptism in the Jordan River by John the Baptist.

Jesus reveals the heart of his ministry message in Matthew 4:17 – From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. You will find the rest of the book of Matthew ties into this foundational teaching of Jesus. Again, for repetition, this foundational teaching was, Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.

Jesus then calls his first disciples to join him as he begins teaching in synagogues throughout all Galilee, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. Jesus was a walking Miracle Working Extravaganza. His ministry is described simply in Matthew 4:23-24 – So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan. Jesus became a very bid deal.

We then see at the beginning of Matthew 5, Jesus goes up on a mountain side with his disciples. As Jesus sees the people approaching from below, he teaches his disciples a primer on the kingdom of heaven. Specifically, what life in the kingdom of heaven was to be like. He began with what we call the beatitudes and then addressed specific topics one at a time. These have included the disciples being Salt and Light, Christ came to fulfill the law and unless your righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees you will never enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt 5:20). Speaking of righteousness, Jesus then addresses anger, lust, and divorce.

We’ve spent the first six episodes of this min-series on each of these topics beginning with the beatitudes being our first and divorce being our last. I noted as we began these episodes that life in the kingdom of heaven would be life in the will of God. And that God’s will is reflected in his name revealed to Moses in Exodus 34:6-7 – The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

We then looked at each topic and how God’s name was reflected in Jesus’ topical comments and observations. God’s name is also inclusive in our topic for today, Pinkie Swearing or as it is put in the text, taking an oath.

So here we go. Matthew 5:33-37 – “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ 34 But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35 or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 36 And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37 Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil.

Don’t get tangled up by the many words just yet, let the last

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Welcome to Episode #158 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach on what is today perhaps his hardest test to pass. Marriage is for life.

As with our last episode that addressed our primal urge bent toward abandonment of God in a heated quest for sex, drugs, rock and roll, this is a huge topic. And while Jesus covers this topic in only two verses, it is much larger than can be addressed in one episode. As with our primal urge bent on lusting the topic, of divorce follows hand in hand. We’ll just scratch the surface of this tidbit Jesus dropped into his sermon.

We’re going to jump right into the quagmire and take our time climbing out. If you are one who has experienced divorce either by being from a child of a broken marriage or by going through a divorce yourself, hang in there as you will hear the reason why it is so difficult to reconcile in your life. Remember from the start, God has reconciled all things to himself in Jesus Christ.

So here we go. Matthew 5:31-32 – It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of sexual immorality, makes her commit adultery, and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

Before you turn off this episode, please hear what I read next and then you can turn it off. Part of our problem with Jesus when he says something we don’t like, don’t agree with, or flat out just makes us uncomfortable is we’re not recognizing who he really is.

I purposely said “who he really IS” because Jesus is God, the Son of God, the eternal and ever existent “I AM that I AM” from which and through whom all things seen and unseen in heaven and on earth were created. God in the person of Jesus was incarnated in human form, lived a perfect life, died THE PERFECT DEATH, raised again to life on the 3d day, forty days later he ascended into heaven where he received the glory he had from before the world began, and upon sitting down at the right hand of the Father, God the Father sent His Holy Spirit to convict the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and to rescue those who would believe in Jesus; even in his name. That’s us and there is infinitely more.

I’m convinced we will spend eternity with Jesus and never fully comprehend what he and his Father did to redeem the many of mankind and to reconcile all things in heaven and on earth to himself. Key point here I don’t want you to miss. Please pinch yourself right now. Seriously, pinch yourself. Some of you are still hesitant, I get it. Did you know there are people so lost in the world, they purposefully cut themselves to prove they are alive and have feelings. If you’ve ever seen Fight-Club that’s the adult version of teenage cutters.

Point being, you are alive, you are living a life, you are listening to my voice on this podcast; at least if you’ve kept listening this long. You are human; surprise!! We’ve been here for at least six thousand years and many believe much longer. But six thousand plus will suffice to make my point.

You didn’t create yourself. You have a mother and a father; whether you’re speaking to them or not; your parents had sexual relations, your mother carried you to term without a miscarriage or aborting you, and you’re still living. We have a tendency to think somehow, we just showed up around eight grade; fully formed wth hormones just starting to rage.

It took twenty years from the 1960’s to the 1980’s to seep in, but by the mid-1980’s divorce was in full swing. Many of the obstacles to divorce had been lessened and latch key kids became a reality. Today, you don’t even need a reason to divorce, simply both sign a piece of paper and wait six months and you’re done.

There are se

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Welcome to Episode #157 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be hearing Jesus teach on the deepest of all primal urges. Our passage appears in Matthew 5:27-30.

This is a huge topic, much larger than can be addressed in one episode. This is the central theme running through Scripture, the core message of the Bible, the pearl of greatest price. We’ll just scratch the surface of this tidbit Jesus dropped into his sermon.

Five episodes into the sermon on the mount and we’re only just crossing the midway point in the first of three Chapters. We’re on a deep dive into what Jesus is instructing us as we sit at his feet and listen meditatively to what he is saying.

I think I just lost a few people there so let me briefly pause to explain. Jesus told his disciples in John 14:25-26 – These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Was Jesus speaking only to those disciples gathered with him in the upper room or to all disciples who would seek to learn from him. Remember, Jesus is not dead but is God incarnate now dwelling in heaven. In that regard, the Prophet Jeremiah wrote in Jeremiah 33:23 – Thus says the LORD who made the earth, the LORD who formed it to establish it—the LORD is his name: 3 Call to me and I will answer you, and will tell you great and hidden things that you have not known.

Now imagine disciples not in the room that night with Jesus who also needed to remember what they’d heard Jesus say. Or in the third century when the gospels and epistles were being passed from church to church. What did Jesus really say and what do the scriptures mean?

In the John 14 passage just read, Jesus said the Holy Spirit sent from the Father would teach the disciples all things and remind them of everything he said. Could the disciples call to the Lord as spoken in Jeremiah. And would the Father through the Holy Spirit do what Jesus said. Would the Holy Spirit remind them of what they heard Jesus say, and what he may have said to others?

Two blind men followed after Jesus when he’d passed, calling out to him, Son of David, have mercy on us. Jesus responded to them in Matthew 9:28-29 – When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.” 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith be it done to you.”

I think you could guess what happened. But how did it happen; Jesus didn’t touch them or pray over them; he said, “According to your faith be it done to you.” This is where we’re going.

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Welcome to Episode #156 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at Jesus’ teaching about Anger found in Matthew 5:21-26. When you get this one you may stay on your knees in front of Jesus just a bit longer than you expected.

As I mentioned in our last episode introduction, we’re just getting started in presenting Jesus’ teaching given in what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount found in Matthew 5 to 7. In this sermon, Jesus is teaching his disciples and laying out for them what it means to follow him in kingdom of Heaven living while in a world of darkness.

Entrance into the kingdom of Heaven is a permanent Supernatural transformation from death to life, from darkness to light. Colossians 1:13-14 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Jesus opened his sermon talking about character qualities and associated blessings for living a kingdom of heaven life. Let me quote a verse for you to momentarily consider and then I’ll offer you a prompt to reflect upon in your next meditation.

1 John 2:5-6 – By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.

Oh my gosh, I just heard the firehose pump kick-in as I wrote out that verse and now see the water line go from flax to taught; straining not to burst, eagerly awaiting the nozzle valve to be opened. Let me quickly cut off the compressor. Whew. No need to drink from a fire hose so early in the episode.

Here’s the skinny, I’ll leave it to you to fill in the text references. What John is speaking of in 1 John 2:5-6 is what all the New Testament writers are trying to inform us of. Let me give you the negative first. Jesus was not sent to earth by his Father to make your life easier in this life.

Now the positive, that for some is a turn-off negative and/or a reason to say there is another way to God than through Jesus. Jesus was sent here by his Father to invite his sheep, those who hear his voice and respond, to willingly follow Jesus into his death to this life. Two passages and then a brief comment.

Luke 14:27, 33 – Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. …33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

What we learn in the gospels and epistles and letters is that through assimilation with him in his death by grace through faith we gain eternal life, rebirth in the Holy Spirit, and the opportunity in this life to experience Union with God the Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

That Union with God is what John is saying in 1 John 2:5-6 when he says, “whoever says he abides in him.” Jesus describes this abiding in him in John 15. The significance of this abiding in seen in John 17:21 to 23 where Jesus tells his Father this abiding, our Union with God and Jesus Christ, will be a witness to the world that God sent Jesus into the world.

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Welcome to Episode #155 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at very short teaching of Jesus’ found in Matthew 5:17-20. While short, this teaching is perhaps the pinnacle teaching of Jesus in his humanity. Jesus came to fulfill the LAW.

We’re just getting started in the Sermon on the Mount in which Jesus counsels his disciples on the moral and ethical behavior of believers in the kingdom of Heaven. A kingdom that Jesus brought to earth following his death, resurrection, and ascension. Entrance into the kingdom begins at rebirth in the Holy Spirit and is permanent.

Colossians 1:13-14 – He [God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

I encourage you to listen to our last episode (#154) where I go deep into that topic to address our being Salt and Light. Which was the lesson Jesus taught after beginning his sermon with the Beatitudes. Believers are Salt and Light while we live in the world but are not of the world. Remember, we are living in the kingdom of Heaven, not in the dominion of darkness.

Let me make a brief detour and cover this before moving on. Hopefully this will either affirm what you already know and be an encouragement or get you a little antsy as you do not yet conform to what the text says. I was very antsy once myself; so take heart if that is you. Listen to what the Holy Spirit is telling you as you hear this and then do what He says. I really don’t think he’d tell you to turn off this podcast; but that may just be me saying that – full disclosure.

Now about not being of the world. While Jesus was speaking this sermon to his disciples’ crowds of people “of the world” were gathering on the mountain side below them. Would Jesus have described his disciples as people of “the world?” Think again…

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Welcome to Episode #154 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon on the Mount. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at Jesus’ teaching on Salt and Light found in Matthew 5:13-16.

This short passage follows directly after Jesus’ teaching on the Beatitudes. The manner of living expected of Disciples in the Kingdom of Heaven. With the Beatitudes, Jesus launched into a teaching he could have been teaching all around Galilee.

Matthew 4:17, 23-25 – From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” …23 And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. 24 So his fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and he healed them. 25 And great crowds followed him from Galilee and the Decapolis, and from Jerusalem and Judea, and from beyond the Jordan.

I emphasized on our last episode, Jesus proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom in the Galilean synagogues. And, how Jesus validated that His good news of the kingdom was coming from God by performing miraculous healings beyond anything ever seen. John 3:2 – This man [Nicodemus] came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.” John 14:10-11 – Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

Believe on account of the works themselves was not just meant for them then, but also for us now. What kind to works is God doing today through Jesus that believers should be wakened into a new reality? If you are a believer this sign has already been given you. God has already transferred you from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his Son, the kingdom of light, the Kingdom of Heaven. The Kingdom has come where God’s will can be done on earth as it is in heaven. You are already living in that kingdom!!

Don’t believe that? Read the opening Chapter of Ephesians and then read the rest of the book and discover who you are. Read the books of Philippians and Colossians and discover what the life you now possess is supposed to look like.

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Welcome to Episode #153 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our Twentieth mini-series entitled, Sermon. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at the setting of the Sermon on the Mount and Jesus’ opening foray with the Beatitudes from Matthew Chapter 5.

On this mini-series I’ll be briefly presenting my observations from Meditative and Contemplative prayers of this Sermon as I sat at the feet of Jesus. My prayer for listeners during our last mini-series was that they would explore and put into practice meditative reading and contemplation prayer practices such as found in St. Ignatius and his spiritual exercises and/or Lectio Divina. As part of my encouragement for jumping into running conversation (prayer) with Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, I read the entire Sermon on the Mount between Episodes 1 to 7 but did not comment at all on the text while reading.

Today, I’m going to present my brief commentary on this, perhaps the most important text in the Bible for believers. In this Sermon that spans a mere three chapters in Matthew, Jesus summarizes what a believers life should look like in the kingdom of Heaven. Paul tells us that all believers are transferred by God into that kingdom.

Colossians 1:13 – He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son

I say perhaps the most important text because it concerns the day-to-day life in the kingdom of heaven which was the central theme of the earthly ministry of Jesus. You will hear affirming passages to that last comment of this perhaps being the most important text for believers from the opening and closing of the book of Acts.

Acts 1:3 – He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

Acts 28:30-31 – He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

With that as our short introduction, let’s jump into the text. We’ll start in Matthew Chapter 4 as this introduces where Jesus finds himself when he speaks his sermon.

Matthew 4:12-17 – Now when he heard that John had been arrested, he withdrew into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth he went and lived in Capernaum by the sea, in the territory of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: 15 “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles—16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.” 17 From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

We see Jesus beginning his ministry after John the Baptist was arrested. The focal point for most of his ministry work was in Galilee and not in Jerusalem. He was fulfilling the prophecy found in Isaiah 9:1-2.

What’s the big deal about Isaiah 9:1-2 and Galilee? John the Baptist came in fulfillment of Isaiah 40:3 – A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

John’s ministry beginnings to announce the coming of the Lord are mentioned in Matthew 3:1-2, 11-12 – In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”… 11 I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff h

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Welcome to Episode #152 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eight of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son. On today’s episode we’ll be taking A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and exploring some of the ramifications of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount and living in the Kingdom of Heaven.

So with that very short intro, let me get right to the action at the beach house.

WaHoo to you too. I know right!! What’s that? Exactly. OK… Hopefully we’ve been able to satisfactorily address local beach buzz concerning the recent drownings and shark attacks along the emerald coast. Now to why we are gathered here.

First, I’m so glad you’ve come out in force today. This may be our largest group. I see a number of you have invited guests. I would like to meet and greet each of you and will hopefully do that when we return from our walk. It is my hope we can discover today or later that we are brothers and sisters in-Christ. Members of the forever family of God. His dearly beloved children. Joint heirs of Jesus Christ our Lord.

It’s another glorious day awaiting us on the beach outside. I saw the sun had fully risen a few minutes ago from the upper deck before coming down to join you. I’ve made it a habit to be on the upper deck, weather permitting, an hour before sunrise every morning I’m up there to spend time in conversations with Father and Jesus through the Holy Spirit. This is something I do every morning no matter where I am.

Just a reminder, it's a bright and warming sun dayd, so make sure you have sunscreen on whatever is not covered. I see I’m not alone in wearing a long sleeve SPF 50 top picked up off the back porch table. Tommy and Irwin splurged and put out the swag gear on the table for whoever is interested. Hat’s, sunglasses, suntan spray cans, and SPF 50 shirts. Thank you Tommy & Irwin!!

As always, the beverage and snack bars are open for topping off before we head out. I’ll meet you at the bottom of the stairs out back and we’ll be on our way.

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Welcome to Episode #151 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son. On today’s episode we’ll be looking at the Reckoning of Faith as told to us in Matthew Chapter 7 by Jesus Christ; Son of God and Son of Man.

On this mini-series we’ve been reading the Sermon on the Mount as recorded by Matthew in his gospel in Chapters 5 to 7. My prayer for listeners during this mini-series has been that they would explore and put into practice meditative reading and contemplation practices such as found in St. Ignatius and his spiritual exercises and/or Lectio Divina. Why?

Jesus and the New Testament writers make it very clear that disciples are to learn from Jesus; be disciples of Jesus; and walk with Jesus in daily life. Jesus is not dead and useless in this regard. Jesus died yes. But he rose again, breaking the power of death, opened the way for believers to enter the kingdom of heaven through rebirth in the Spirit, ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, and God the Father sent the Holy Spirit to indwell all believers.

The Holy Spirit is our guide through the word of God to remind us of all that Jesus said and did; to illumine wisdom, understanding, and the knowledge of God; to sanctify us through the renewal of our minds and guiding us in obedience to Jesus commands discerning good from evil. Our sanctified lives should reflect the pursuit of good and rejection of evil.

I’ll be reading the entirety of Matthew 7 near the end of this episode. Please take the time to reread the text again in a quiet place and allow Jesus by the Holy Spirit to provide you with an interpretation and application in your life today. You’ll discover if you haven’t already these quiet times are not typically quiet as intimacy with the Holy Spirit involves a lot of back and forth banter. As you seek, call out for wisdom, and yearn to possess the knowledge of God the Holy Spirit always without fail delivers…

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Welcome to Episode #150 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

Wait a minute. Did I just say our 150th episode. That deserves a WaHoo for no other reason than it is a milestone number. I’m not sure what it is a milestone number for. And now that it has been mentioned the memory of it is already getting foggy and the glory quickly dissipating.

And snap we’re back on the treadmill Hades gave Sisyphus of pushing a huge bolder up the steep hill in Tartarus. It’s the way of the world, the way designed by the evil one who is in charge of this age.

The devil points us to a high mountain of our own vein interests and promises us glory, fame, fortune, sex, drugs, and rock and roll if we can summit the peak. We map out a strategy, identify milestones along the way, pack up equipment and provisions, and begin.

As we travel, we meet many people along the way. Some people we help and many more we harm as we keep our eyes fixed on the prize. The people we hire to help us reach the peak never share in the spoils of the conquest that we seek.

Undaunted and unwearied we fight and struggle until finally the peak we summit. We look with awe at sights and wonders of that long sought summit and from the peak immediately plummet. Our thoughts are cloudy and fall a tumble as we ponder our humbled life now a squander.

Is this all there is? We ask standing and gasping where the air is so thin. And then we feel the pang of emptiness deep from within; and hear the serpent laughing at the immensity of our sin. We too laugh then cry seeing the peak of our conquest vein pride of own making.

Most say no matter the folly, no matter the plight, we glory in accomplishments and with rivals’ fight. Few discover the truth not found in riches, honor, or fame.

Who craves a pure heart and a soul in which there is no stain? Has there ever been a time when there was no pain? Such a thing was seen in the Garden of God. In a couple, Adam and Eve, who in a pride filled quest for wisdom, glory, and fame put forever mankind to shame. What started as a dream story to tell ended in all the offspring destined for hell. BUT GOD…

Now where did that come from? That’s right our 150th episode. Best to just leave it at that.

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Welcome to Episode #149 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

At the end of this episode, we’re going to hear Jesus teach his disciples relevant lessons for those who choose to follow him. These lessons include giving to the giving to the needy and prayer.

My prayer for you is that you accept my challenge and reread these passages in conjunction with a Spiritual Formation exercise. I personally use the prayer practices taught by St. Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercises, and there are others such as Lectio Devin.

What I’ve discovered over the past eight months is that something I used to have difficulty approaching regularly has become an integral and passionate part of my daily life; prayer. I’ve come to learn prayer is merely speaking with God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord continually throughout my day. It is what we were created to do and how we were fashioned to be – in union with our God and doing his will.

Spiritual Formation exercises are ancient, well studied, and proven effective by many over the centuries who have used them. In their writings they describe daily interaction and intimacy with Jesus Christ and his Father though the Holy Spirit. Life lived now in the kingdom of heaven/God on the earth transformed and in union with God on a continual basis.

I was formally taught in seminaries and learned from personal interactions with pastors and laymen within a non-denominational evangelical faith community to be suspicious of those who claim such a reality was available today. Possibly a work of God for the super Apostles and saints but not for the simple common believer.

My experience for the past twenty-five plus years as a believer was to daily read the Bible for personal edification, study the Bible for greater understanding, and to teach lessons from the Bible that encourage others to engage the word themselves. Often, I was given revelations of the Holy Spirit while reading or studying the text and enjoyed a long season of opportunities to teach the word of God to others.

Over these years I’ve visited and been invited to attend numerous charismatic churches in the area and have attended services at many of them. My experience within them was pleasant. I sensed movement of the Spirit more readily in these churches but also sensed a lack of Scriptural foundation. During this time, I’ve also known and am still friends with many who made the switch from a conservative evangelical church to a conservative charismatic evangelical church. All was good.

In October 2023, as a result of seeking the Lord on the subject of Union with Christ, I was introduced to the St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises. Using a Jesuit written workbook ordered from Amazon I spent thirty-two consecutive weeks immersed every morning in the word, seeking God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.

I now attest, that I too, NOT A SUPER SAINT, just a normal Philip, have come to know and experience for myself daily intimacy with Jesus Christ and Father through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit and the living and active word of God. Most listeners are likely how I used to be, finding it had to pray and skeptical of anyone who said otherwise.

I’m openly saying otherwise as I cannot deny what I have experienced and know to be true. That God really does love us and desire intimacy with us through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. I was under the impression this intimacy happened in heaven after I die. I now know Jesus has been waiting for me since I was a child to speak with me and introduce me to his and our Father.

Will you join me on this journey? Listen to the rest of the episode and adapt a Spiritual Formation exercise of your choosing. Let me know if you need any help in getting started.

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Welcome to Episode #148 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

At the end of this episode, we’re going to hear Jesus in the remainder of Matthew Chapter 5 as he teaches lessons that have demonstrated over the centuries to be Hard to Follow even within the church. The lessons address the topics of Divorce, Oaths, Retaliation, and Loving Your Enemies.

As with prior episodes in the mini-series, my hope and prayer for you is that you would reread these passages on you own this week while practicing some form of prayerful meditation and contemplation. You can use the prayer practices taught by St. Ignatius in his Spiritual Exercises, others prayer practices suggested by proponents of Lectio Devina, and/or other spiritual formation prayer practices.

The most important thing is that you learn not from me about what these passages say but allow Jesus through the Holy Spirit to be your teacher. Allow the living word to come alive in your heart, mind, soul, and strength as the love of God pulses through and energizes you by the power of the Holy Spirit given just for this purpose.

We have not come to believe and base our faith on a dead God or an inanimate statue or an idol of our minds. We believe and have been born again into a living hope made possible by Jesus our Lord and Savior who rose from the dead and ascended into heaven. Jesus was glorified upon his return to heaven and now sits at the right hand of the Father. He is 24/7 interceding on our behalf and praying for our continued fullness of his presence in our lives.

The sequence of events surrounding the death of Jesus, him being falsely accused, condemned, crucified, buried, and raised from the dead by the Holy Spirit, was a cosmic game changer. “Literally.”

Before we get there though, as believers we must stop listening to naysayers, deniers, unbelievers who refuse to believe in God because they’ve heard he’s angry and vengeful. Or believe in a God who chooses people for salvation. Or believe in a God who allows people to make their own choice which results in them being condemned to hell.

We all were one of these unbelieving naysayers before we came to saving faith. We all came to know it was not because of anything we did but by God’s grace that he plucked us out of the world, granted us repentance and saving faith, had us reborn in the kingdom of God by the Holy Spirit, adopted us as his children, and given us the Holy Spirit to indwell us and be our comforter and guide along the WAY to union with God.

Please bear with me as I unpack some passages you need to “hear” before listening to what Jesus is saying in his Sermon on the Mount discourse. In this discourse, Jesus is speaking of what life in the kingdom of heaven is supposed to look like. But first, we need to know how we went from living in the world to living in the kingdom of heaven/kingdom of God. And what happens to everyone else…

To the surprise and disbelief of all in heaven and all on earth God demonstrated in the fullest terms possible the capacity of his name. God declared his name to Moses as he passed by while Moses was standing on a mountain side. Exodus 34:6-7 – The LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation.”

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Welcome to Episode #147 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

On this episode, we’re going to hear Jesus address Anger & Lust as recorded in the book of Matthew from what is commonly referred to as the Sermon on the Mount. On our last two episodes #145 & #146, we were introduced to the beatitudes, the disciples being salt and light, and Jesus coming to fulfill the LAW. Let me clarify what I mean by being “introduced to.”

For the past two mini-series, and even before, I have been emphasizing the benefits of engaging the scriptures in some form of meditative prayer for the specific purpose of spiritual formation. Paul noted this spiritual formation in terms of mind transformation in Romans 12:1-2 – I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 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.

I came to understand through my own experience that these are not merely pretty words of religious traditions penned by Paul or his scribe. So much to say here but not enough time to cover in a sound bite; but I’ll try and be brief.

Paul describes and illuminates the path of all believers as established by Jesus himself in Ephesians 4:11-14 – And he [Jesus] gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.

FULL STOP: This means stop all movement and assess the situation. Very few, I would even go as far to say extremely few, who read this passage stop to consider what Paul is saying. When I got to this verse in my Podcast overview of the book of Ephesians the Holy Spirit showed up and gave me a FULL STOP. I’ve never been the same since the Holy Spirit opened my eyes to see and my ears to hear.

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Welcome to Episode #146 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

On this episode, Salt, Light, and the LAW, we’re going to continue the introduction of the Kingdom of God as revealed by Jesus in what is called the Sermon on the Mount recorded in the book of Matthew. On our last Episode #145, I read and encouraged the listeners to use a meditative reading technique to chew, swallow, and digest the rich serving of Blessing presented at the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:2-12.

In this passage, Jesus spoke of the blessing of everyday life of a believer in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew is the only gospel writer to use the term kingdom of heaven. He also uses the term kingdom of God in his text. Many scholars believe these two “kingdom of” phrases of heaven and God mean the same thing. Could be interchanged in the text without consequence of loss of meaning.

Other scholars believe Matthew, as guided by the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, used kingdom of heaven to refer to the time of the Millennial reign of Jesus when he returns to judge the world. When the rule of heaven will be brought down to earth as is suggested in the Lord’s prayer. These same scholars believe Matthew as well as the other gospel writers use the term the kingdom of God to refer to God’s sovereign rule over all of creation which he has always held and will never relinquish.

I personally hold to this view and believe Jesus is going to bodily return to earth, judge the nations, and set up a kingdom with King David as prince ruling over Israel. Jesus will live in a new temple to be built on the highest mountain in the world just north of Jerusalem and rule the nations with an iron scepter. All nations will come to this mountain and bring offerings and worship Jesus for 1000 years. After which will be another rebellion led by the devil, the destruction of the rebellious by Jesus, the final great white throne judgment, and the permanent and eternal separation of evil from the new heaven and new earth eternal state God will create.

All that to say, I believe Jesus is referring to the kingdom of heaven all believers are born into when they are born again. When Jesus the God/man ascended into heaven and was given glory and dominion by God over the heavens and the earth, Jesus opened the way to submit under his authority as a disciple in the kingdom of heaven on earth. The afore mentioned passage I read last week, commonly called the beatitudes, refers to those who live in the world but are no longer of the world, but citizens of the kingdom of heaven.

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Welcome to Episode #145 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our nineteenth mini-series entitled, The Vineyard Owner’s Son.

On this episode, The Blessed and Happy, we’re going to introduce this mini-series and then identify the blessed and happy in the Kingdom of God. This is our second mini-series to encounter the God/man Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels.

I want to encourage all of my listeners at the outset of this episode and for all future episodes to discover for yourself, if you have not already, the practice of Lectio Divina and/or contemplative prayer. I personally was introduced to both through the St. Ignatius Spiritual Exercises. These are all huddled under the academic heading of Spiritual Formation.

Spiritual formation is ubiquitous in the world and is not limited to Christianity. Every person of every tribe, language, and nation is individually created by God in his own image and likeness. Into each person, God gives a spirit. It says in Ecclesiastes 12:7 – the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.

Both the Old and New Testaments clearly indicate a result of sin is the death of this spirit to God and his commands. Jeremiah 17:9 – The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately sick; who can understand it? Romans 8:7 – For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot. Ephesians 4:18 – They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. Colossians 1:21 – And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds.

While dead to God and his commands due to sin, this spirit given by God is not dead to the world and the powers and authorities that control it. The formation of this dead to God spirit is at the heart of all rebellion on earth. Read Romans 1:18 to the end. In this passage you’ll have a very good picture of how this dead spirit to God leads mankind into ever increasing darkness and eventually literal death. In this downward spiral, the scriptures note three milestones which cause God to turn mankind over to the next iteration of self and self-destruction.

At the heart of all this is Spiritual Warfare. Paul notes in Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

We learn the nature of mankind in: 2 Timothy 2:26 that mankind is captured by the devil to do his will; Hebrews 2:24 that mankind is held in slavery by the devil because of our fear of death; Mark 10:18 – No one is good except God alone.

The devil is called the prince of the power of the air (Ephesians 2:2), the ruler of this age (John 14:30), and the whole world is under his power (1 John 5:18). With that in mind spiritual formation in and of the world is accomplished through deceitful spirits and demons. And these were both to be anticipated in the church. 1 Timothy 4:1 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, We are well into those later times in 2024.

Here's the issue today. For two hundred years or more, the focus within the protestant churches in the West has been primarily on Soteriology which deals with who is saved, by whom is one saved, from what is one saved, and by what means is one saved. Little or no emphasis in the church has been placed on sanctification, being made into the image of Christ.

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Welcome to Episode #144 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our last of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series, Son of God and Son of Man. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore together the intersection and conflagration of all things when God and sin converge. There can be only on God; and in the end that reality will be self-evident.

So glad you could accommodate a change of locations on such short notice to join me at the Gulf World Marine Park in Panama City for our walk on the beach. As you could see when you pulled in the parking lot, we’re across Front Beach Road from the beach with a huge condo complex between ourselves and the water. Both of which we’ll be visiting after we leave here. But not before our talk and a surprise. I hope you all brought your swim suits.

This is our eighteenth walk, and while it is gorgeous on the beach right now you have to admit sitting here in the first and second rows of the dolphin arena is pretty cool as well. On several of our previous walks we’ve seen pods of these guys swimming alongside the sandbars, but now we can see them up close and personal. To understand why I’ve brought us here is the topic of our walk so let me metaphorically jump right in.

I had the intention when starting this mini-series of beginning to go through the gospel’s week by week and episode by episode to expose the foundations of Jesus as the Son of God and Jesus as the Son of Man. What I was not expecting were the revelations being given to me by the Holy Spirit as I too walk along the path of discipleship following Jesus.

The revelations concerned a deeper understanding and insights into the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. These were regular, almost daily revelations, as we all walked through the Lentin season culminating in Holy Week and Easter Sunday just a couple of weekends ago.

Covering the Holy Week topics from the perspective of Jesus being both the Son of God and the Son of Man seemed to be a keyway for God dropping bursts of understanding into my daily morning meditations and podcast preparations. Everyday I’m constantly encountering that this world we live in is not all that it seems and certainly not all that there is. The earth and the world that dwells upon it is infinitesimal in comparison to the enormity of the heavens and the beings God has created to inhabit them. And they too are infinitesimal compared with the enormity of God within whom all things exist. But I digress.

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Welcome to Episode #143 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode, THE KEY of Faith, we’re going to tie together why we are exploring the life of Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels. This exploration has begun already and will takes several more mini-series to complete.

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he was not hesitant to let people know his identify as the Son of God and as the Son of Man. More often than not he would perform miraculous signs and wonders to authenticate that he was Son of God while verbally articulating he was the Son of Man prophesied in Daniel Chapter 7. At his trial before the Sanhedrin, He admitted openly to the chief priests and rulers of Jerusalem that he was both the Son of God and the Son of Man; and because of his admission he was condemned to die.

Mark 14:61-65 – Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” 62 And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” 63 And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? 64 You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. 65 And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

We know what happened next regarding the death and burial of Jesus. Given our time constraints of one episode, we’ll only be addressing what happened on the third day after Jesus was crucified. He didn’t just rise and ascend. He bodily appeared to his disciples over a period of forty days after his resurrection to speak to them about the kingdom of God. We’ll address those days, Lord willing, on future episodes.

The resurrection of Jesus is found in all four gospels. I’ll be reading passages from Matthew and Luke for the resurrection and from the book of Acts for His ascension. As I read, and when you later read these same passages for yourself, picture yourself in the account. Allow the Holy Spirit to guide you through the action. He was there and an eye witness. This was not a normal day.

Paul emphatically expresses the importance of the resurrection of Jesus in the full Chapter of 1 Corinthians 15. We’ll only take a look at a brief snippet.

1 Corinthians 15:12-20 – Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

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Welcome to Episode #142 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode, Mutual Comfort, we’re going for a trilogy of one-episode sidebars on our exploration of the life of Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels. We’ll be exploring the fallout of following the resurrected Jesus and the benefit of experiencing such fallout.

With that short introduction we’re going to jump right into it. What you’ll see in the book of Acts and then spread throughout the epistles is that becoming a believer in the resurrected Jesus was serious and dangerous business. At a minimum you were persecuted and intimidated. If Jewish, if you didn’t observe the sacrificial laws and ordinances, you could be kicked out of the synagogue and ostracized by the community. You would be considered dead by family and friends.

If you were a gentile, you would be prevented from conducting any business in public markets as Christians didn’t offer the required daily sacrifices to the gods. Not honoring the gods was grave and could put you in the grave.

Alexander the Great made a special dispensation for the Jews as a protected religious class. The Romans continued that tradition. The Jews made sure the Romans knew Christians should not be mistaken as a Jewish sect, but rather a false religious cult.

As a gentile Christian you became part of an unprotected religious class within Rome. That designation opened you up to the full gambit of rejection, persecution, punishment, and even death for dishonoring the gods of Rome. It wasn’t long before it became acceptable and rewarding to arrest, persecute and even kill Christians while confiscating all their goods as plunder like spoils of war.

This persecution went on for three centuries, and at times was promoted and unhindered by the emperors of Rome. There are lot of well-respected scholars and experts who have investigated Christian persecutions by Roman emperors, and it was a dirty business. An evil and darkness that was dispelled in the early fourth century.

In the mid to late 19th Century this darkness and persecution of Christians emerged back into the world through atheistic philosophers and agnostic and atheistic scientists. By the 20th Century the emergence of darkness empowered the rise of atheistic leaders who instigated wars and revolutions killing over 180-million people. It was the bloodiest century in human history, by far!!

After WWII, a global philosophical shift occurred that allowed Christian persecutions to reemerged in predominately Muslim nations. This was almost immediately followed by the emerging darkness of Christian intimidation, persecution, and ostracism in the public and private sectors.

As we sit here in the Spring of 2024, let us look back to the Spring of 2020 and see what was unleased on the world by dark forces of evil. A global pandemic, daily riots and looting sprees across the country and globally as an expression of grievances.

As the citizenry of the world surrendered most of their rights to governments and special interest groups, by January 2021 the riots and looting mysteriously stopped. Even though none of the grievances that were given for the riots and looting were ever addressed. It was as if it were all arouse to silence the opposition for what is coming.

I don’t know what is coming, revival or global persecution. The signs of the times indicate the latter.

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Welcome to Episode #141 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode, Why They Killed Jesus, we’re going to follow-up our last one-episode sidebar with a second one-episode sidebar of our exploration of the life of Jesus Christ as revealed in the gospels. Having just completed Lent, Holy Week, and the Paschal Mystery of Christ, I thought it appropriate to address the seemingly abrupt and brutal end of his ministry and life.

We are only beginning our exploration on Way of the Bible podcast of the life of Jesus in the gospels. Yet I find myself at this point in time addressing his end. In many ways Jesus’ end, his dying on the cross, was only the beginning of the next phase of God’s redemptive plan for mankind which he developed before time began. And we will get to that after we complete the exploration of Jesus’ life as presented in the gospels.

The term I used earlier, Paschal Mystery of Christ, is reference to the trial, death, and resurrection of Christ. That trilogy of events points to something not plainly clear to an observer. Why would the religious leaders of the Jews demand the Romans to put to death their own Messiah by crucifixion? They demonstrated they had the ability to execute Jesus themselves when these same people stoned Stephen, the first martyr of the faith (see Acts 7:58-60).

What transpired on the cross such that Paul would write in Colossians 1:19-20 – For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

And finally, how did Jesus go from dead and buried to resurrecting and appearing to his disciples over a period of forty days in a physical body of flesh and bone? And how did that flesh and bone body ascend into heaven. Acts 1:9-11 – And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The term mystery is a focal point of Paul’s doxology at the end of the book of Romans. Romans 16:25-27 – Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the MYSTERY that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

First we need to see and UNDERSTAND, the revelation of this mystery to people hearing the gospel is what God is using to bring about the OBEDIENCE of faith. Second and just as important is faith is not an intellectual ascent. Faith involves a change of mind and will in a person that produces OBEDIENCE.

Paul speaks of the origin of faith in Ephesians 2:8-10 – For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

Faith that renders salvation is neither by mental ascent nor by works. Both faith and salvation are given by grace as gifts of God. Or put another way, faith and salvation begin the revealing of mystery by grace that leads beyond the veil of dimensionality and terminates in the mind and will of God.

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Welcome to Episode #140 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode, Fix for Rebellion, we’re going to take a one-episode sidebar. As I’m writing, recording, and releasing episodes I’m also attending to my spiritual journey following Jesus. In October 2023, I started reading and following a guidebook for completing the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises. The author provides instructions and prompts for a seven day a week, thirty-two week journey. I’m just completing week 25 which deals with the trial and death of Jesus.

I was convinced months ago, but God continues to give me daily reminders that He is in absolute charge of everything happening in my life at every possible moment. How is it that I complete the Passion narrative in the book I’m following at the same time I usually begin writing my next podcast that will release next Thursday (I’m writing and recording this a week the Saturday before the Thursday release).

For a number of reasons I won’t go into, I’ve long been a proponent of a Thursday crucifixion of Christ rather than the traditional Friday observation. That means, my podcast episode Easter week is going to be released on what I consider the actual crucifixion day. How is it I’ve been looking at this day for an entire week in my morning meditations sitting before Jesus, the week before this day will be observed globally?

All this to say, we’re going to look at the Fix for Rebellion, God introduced at the beginning of time which will be completed at the end of time as we know it. Given the gravity of the situation we’re dealing with, I will have little to no running commentary and allow room for you and the Holy Spirit to discuss together lessons he has for you today.

With all that, let’s get started. And we’ll start at the beginning.

NOTE: Before the six days of creation on the earth described in Genesis 1, there was a rebellion in heaven by angelic beings against God. The rebellion was initiated by the fall of Lucifer when pride was found in his heart because of his beauty (see Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28). Lucifer, the devil, took a third of the angels with him in his rebellion.

God created mankind to end all rebellion, both in heaven and on earth. Mankind’s rebellion stared in the Garden of Eden. It will end when Jesus casts the devil, his angels, all those whose names are not written in the lambs book of life, and death and hades, into the eternal burning lake of fire. Then He will create a new heaven and new earth… But that comes later. Let’s begin with the rebellion on earth, war in heaven and consequences on earth.

Genesis 3:15 – And I [God] will put enmity between you [the Serpent] and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.

REVELATION 12:7 - Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back.

Ephesians 6:12 – For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.

Ephesians 3:8-10 – To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, 9 and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things, 10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

THE FIX: Colossians 1:19-20 –For in him [Jesus] all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, mak

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Welcome to Episode #139 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series which is entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode, Jesus Surprises/Terrifies Disciples, we’re going to look at some surprises that Jesus showed his disciples that terrified them at times. We’ve been walking with Jesus on this mini-series and hoping to get glimpses of Jesus as the Son of God and Son of Man.

As the Son of God, Jesus is the second person of the trinity. This imagery is seen in Psalm 2:7-12 – I will proclaim the LORD’s decree: He said to me, “You are my son; today I have become your father. 8 Ask me, and I will make the nations your inheritance, the ends of the earth your possession. 9 You will break them with a rod of iron; you will dash them to pieces like pottery.”10 Therefore, you kings, be wise; be warned, you rulers of the earth. 11 Serve the LORD with fear and celebrate his rule with trembling. 12 Kiss his son, or he will be angry and your way will lead to your destruction, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

Jesus as the Son of Man is a reference to the Son of Man seen by the prophet Daniel in a vision. Son of Man was Jesus’ calling card name he used when addressing religious officials. It comes found Daniel 7:9-14 – “As I looked, “thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. 10 A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. 11 “Then I continued to watch because of the boastful words the horn was speaking. I kept looking until the beast was slain and its body destroyed and thrown into the blazing fire. 12 (The other beasts had been stripped of their authority, but were allowed to live for a period of time.) 13 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. 14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.

Mark ties these two names together in a passage from Jesus trial before the Sanhedrin. Mark 14:61-62 – Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Messiah, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62 “I am,” said Jesus. “And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven.”

Jesus was not just a sinless man while on earth; although that would have made him unique in the world. He was the exact image of God in human form. So much so, Jesus told the disciples that when they saw him they had seen God the Father. John puts it like this in 1 John 1:1-3 – That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched—this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.

With that in mind, I thought we’d follow Jesus to see some of the ways he revealed his identity to his disciples that he didn’t plainly display to the public until the very end. What better way to display your unrestrained glory to a small group than in a boat at sea or on a mountain top.

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Welcome to Episode #138 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series which is entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

On this episode we are going to join the disciples of Jesus as they walk along with Jesus. And as we do, let us surely do as they did, wonder together about “who is this man?”

Jesus in his short three-year ministry did a lot of walking. He began ministering and selecting disciples in the region of Galilee which was fifty to eighty miles north of Jerusalem on the west side of the Sea of Galilee. The walk from his hometown of Nazareth to Jerusalem was approximately sixty miles. At a normal walking pace of two miles an hour that would be a thirty hour walk minimum with no time for rest, stops, etc. And that was if you went through Samaria which constituted much of the area of the former northern kingdom of Israel.

The northern kingdom of Israel was defeated by the Assyrian’s in 721 BC. The Assyrian takeover strategy was to export the vanquished to other counquered territories and import foreigners to occupy and resettle the land. The resettling is described in 2 Kings 17:24 – And the king of Assyria brought people from Babylon, Cuthah, Avva, Hamath, and Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the people of Israel. And they took possession of Samaria and lived in its cities.

The text continues and says because the people who were brought to the land did not fear the Lord, God sent lions in among them to attack and kill the people. The king of Assyria ordered that a priest of Israel be sent back into the land to instruct the people. So a priest was found who moved to Bethel and taught the people how to fear the Lord. The result is described in 2 Kings 17:33 – So they feared the LORD but also served their own gods, after the manner of the nations from among whom they had been carried away.

The exiled Jews resettled in Judea did not like the Samaritans for a multitude of reasons. Samaritans were considered unclean and perhaps more unclean than Gentiles. Samaritans recognized this hostility and responded with hostility toward the Jews.

The tension was bad enough that Jews of Judea going north made it a point to walk around Samaria by going east across the Jordan and then north on the king’s highway through the Decapolis till just south of the Sea of Galilee where they’d cross into Galilee. This route to avoid Samaria dramatically increased the duration of a trip north.

I present that as background as we’ll spend the first part of our episode in that region. I’ll comment briefly as I read the text.

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Welcome to Episode #137 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our eighteenth mini-series which is entitled, Son of God and Son of Man.

As a follow-up to our last episode, A Walk on the Beach with DrZ [17], I thought it would be beneficial on this episode to tie into another passage that illustrates Jesus is the same as God in the Old Testament. Jesus – One WITH the Father.

If you’re a long-time listener you know I love to plow not just through a little, but a lot of scripture each and every episode. My words are not the vehicle by which the word of God animates, coming alive as the Holy Spirit guides and teaches us all things both of this life and the life to come. It is by the spoken word of God on this podcast God moves to encourage us in the Holy Spirit to live a life reflective of his divine will. That we would be joyful always, praying continually, and thankful in all circumstances (1 Thes 5:16-18).

Before we get to the scripture, a little background that will help put perspective on why I choose the passages I did for this episode. We’re starting this mini-series in the deep end so take a big breath.

Over the past thirty years plus years I’ve been reading the Bible every year, teaching the Bible, leading Bible studies, and learning as much as I could about Jesus. All the while I’ve continued to pursue secular vocational pursuits to fund my Bible habits of teaching, preaching, and earning two seminary degrees. The secular pursuits were shut down by the pandemic in 2021 and are just now being revived.

During the shutdown I launched this podcast and began to pursue my passion of introducing people to the entire Bible, book by book. While writing, recording, and editing episode after episode of the entire Bible I confirmed I knew a lot of information about God and Jesus Christ his Son as revealed in the Bible.

I also knew by revelation and Holy Spirit rebirth I had intimacy and a personal relationship with both Jesus and God the Father. I’ve had sporadic and dramatic encounters with Jesus and Father that have involved miraculous events, dreams, and visions. And that is what I thought was normal for a believer to encounter along the way. And perhaps that is, BUT:

During my podcast overviewing of the books of the Bible I had a progressive revelation as I went book by book. I knew something was different this time through the Bible when I read 2 Kings 23:1-30 for the umpteenth time in preparing the episode for that book. This section is entitled in the ESV, Josiah’s Reforms. That title says little about what I saw. While it seems I’m digressing, and perhaps I am just a bit, I think it is important enough that I continue. I pray you bear with me as I do.

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Welcome to Episode #136 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our last of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore together the undercarriage of the God/Man Jesus Christ.

Jesus is likely the most well-known and most misunderstood person in history. What does it mean he was fully God and fully man? Even theologians have found it impossible to fully define him. Rather the doctrinal definition of who Jesus was, is, and forever more will be is called Mystery.Welcome to Episode #136 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our last of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore together the undercarriage of the God/Man Jesus Christ.

Jesus is likely the most well-known and most misunderstood person in history. What does it mean he was fully God and fully man? Even theologians have found it impossible to fully define him. Rather the doctrinal definition of who Jesus was, is, and forever more will be is called Mystery.

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Welcome to Episode #135 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ.

So far in this mini-series we’ve looked at the divinity of Jesus, his incarnation and early life, his transition into public ministry, his big Miracle Extravaganza splash, and the calling of his first disciples. On this episode we’re going to look at the Ministry of Jesus among the people.

I’ve also been addressing on this mini-series my own spiritual transformation. I’ve been a born-again Holy Spirit filled believer of Jesus Christ for almost thirty years. And for thirty years before that a believer in Jesus, but I did not know him. While producing and recording the earliest episodes of this podcast I began tracking the relationship of good and evil in regard to intimacy with God. What I discovered by the end of the Old Testament was intimacy with God was hindered by sin. Sin fosters lack of belief and disobedience of God’s commands. It all goes back to God’s counsel of Cain (see Gen 4:7).

I had a gut check when I finished the Old Testament. I believed in God and what he has done, is doing, and will do through Jesus Christ. Yet I did not feel the intimacy I knew others had written of feeling. Think of Teresa of Avila, John Wesley, Brother Lawrence, George Muller, Jonathan Edwards, George McDonald, C.S. Lewis, Mother Teresa, Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson. What did they know that I didn’t. What had they encountered with God that I had not.

Now that I know what I know now [that which I did not know before I knew what I now know] is something I knew others had experienced but I thought was just for the “super” saints. Continual, weekly, daily, hourly, moment by moment intimacy with God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. Then I started with the New Testament.

When I started with the New Testament, I continued looking for good and evil in relationship to intimacy with God and also began including belief and obedience. It was a muddled picture until I hit the book of Romans. Paul laid it all out for both good and evil and belief and obedience. Intimacy is directly related to belief and obedience. By the power of the Holy Spirit temptations and desires to do evil and “sin” are muted while eagerness and earnestness in doing good are amplified.

There is a whole lot there, much more than can be covered in one mini-series much less the introduction to one episode. Let me cut this short and say I crested the mountain when I got to Ephesians 4:11-13 – And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Paul was saying we are all to attain ultimately to the fullness of Christ. That is Union with God in-Christ; something that Jesus prayed for all believers in John 17. If we are all to attain to the fullness of Christ “ALL” includes all believers not just “super” saints. I’m one of the “ALL” so how do I get to Union with God?

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Welcome to Episode #134 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to look at what the scriptures reveal about Jesus calling disciples and choosing some to follow him. Jesus said in Matthew 22:14 – For many are called, but few are chosen.

Last episode we looked at Jesus traveling with several of his disciples and demonstrating to them and to large crowds his Miracle Extravaganza. This week we’re going to look at the earliest disciples called by Jesus and how they started following him.

Over the past few episodes I’ve mentioned a method I’ve been using to develop intimacy with God our Father through Jesus Christ called Lectio Divina. This method was developed in the third century and used for almost two millennia to encounter the living word of God (scripture) and in so doing be in fellowship and union with God our Father through Jesus Christ our Lord.

The best description of Lectio Divina I’ve encountered is in the late Eugene Peterson’s 2009 publication, “Eat This Book.” I highly encourage the reading of this book front to back. Lectio Divina provides the guardrails that allow you to enter into the living word of God and find Jesus alive, well, and talkative. The guardrails include the assimilation, integration, and synthesis of text through reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation.

There is little rigidity regarding the order these four guardrails (reading, prayer, meditation, contemplation). They are engaged as one is led by the Spirit through the text. Go with the flow of the Spirit is the best counsel I could give.

As I go through the passages on this episode there will be little to no running commentary as I do not want to unduly influence your time with Jesus. That’s right, I pray you to take the opportunity of spending time and have back and forth conversations with Jesus.

This was not something I thought was possible until about four months ago. Since discovering the Lectio Divina method with the aid of an Ignatian Spiritual Exercise book I can testify that my prayer life and intimacy with Jesus have been dramatically improved.

What I’m encouraging and praying you do is not to know more information about Jesus (which is not bad), but in the here and now to know the living Jesus more intimately, to love the living Jesus more intensely, and to following the living Jesus more closely. I’ve found these three pursuits of grace recommended by St. Ignatius to be very fruitful.

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Welcome to Episode #133 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to look at what the scriptures reveal about Jesus’ entrance into ministry. He didn’t start with a whimper. To demonstrate the kingdom of God he was proclaiming Jesus kicked off with a Miracle Extravaganza!

Before getting into our text today I want to frame the foundation of the podcast episodes for this and the next several mini-series. Jesus in his ministry called people to follow him; to become his disciples. He trained his disciples to show other people also how to follow him [Jesus] after he returned to heaven. The disciples of the disciples “all” following the same Rabbi, teacher, Jesus trained others how to follow Jesus up to today.

But how is one supposed to follow a guy that lived over two millennia ago? Jesus had that covered from the very beginning. He told his disciples in John 14:16 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. John tells us in 1 John 2:27 – But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie—just as it has taught you, abide in him.

From these two passages we learn that the Holy Spirit that abides in believers will teach them all things, bring to remembrance all that Jesus said, and teach them about everything. All things, all that Jesus said, and everything are pretty all inclusive.

Jesus disciples literally followed him around listening to his preaching, seeing and hearing his interactions with people, and witnessing his performance of great signs and wonders. He would question them from time to time as to their thoughts and provide feedback. He had his disciples participate with him in the feeding of the multitudes. He eventually sent his disciples out two by two to do what they had been seeing him do. They went and did as Jesus had done, and they all returned amazed.

Paul tells his disciple Timothy, his follower of Jesus he’s training in 2 Timothy 3:14-17 – But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

By the third century, monastic monks had formalized a discipleship they practiced to follow Jesus. It included the reading of scripture in the Spirit, prayer/conversation with Jesus through the Spirit regarding the text read, meditation on the text with the Spirit’s guidance, and finally contemplation of the text throughout the day. With the Holy Spirit as your guide, it is simply sitting at the feet of Jesus and learning from him through his word. The name of this practice is Lectio Divina. Look it up as there is a lot written that is helpful to get you started on the Way into the heart of the Father.

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Welcome to Episode #132 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to look at what the scriptures reveal about Jesus’ transition from a private secluded life in Nazareth to active ministry in Galilee.

On our first episode of this mini-series, I introduced biblical Christian discipleship. Salvation, often promoted as the central message of Jesus, is only the entrance into eternal life in the Kingdom of God now! Jesus brought salvation. He taught about living life in the Kingdom of God as a child of God, saved by grace through faith (i.e. Salvation). This type of living is described in Hebrews Chapter 4 as entering the seventh day rest of God. Hebrews 4:11 - Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. (Unbelief).

Central to our entering that rest is to walk in the yoke of Jesus through our interaction with the living and active eternal word of God; the Bible. The word of God, the Holy Spirit, and the presence of Christ where two or more are gathered, all guide us.

In the yoke, I am not to be pulling Jesus to my messes and telling him to clean them up. In the yoke, I am not to demand my wants telling Jesus he owes me. Jesus is doing all the pulling and heavy lifting. I simply walk in his presence and follow where he leads.

What about learning from those I’ve been listening to? What about you listening to me right now? For us both, our learning and rest come from having Jesus are our primary teacher and burden bearer. That’s the first huge oyster to swallow; but it goes down easy.

Does it mean we stop listening to others or that you turn off this podcast; NO! We are to take every thought we have on our own or gained from another and make it obedient to Christ. How can we do that if we don’t know what Jesus said.

The apostle John said in 1 John 2:6 – whoever says he abides in him [Jesus] ought to walk in the same way in which he [Jesus] walked. What does that mean? As we walk out each day, let us walk in the manner of Jesus, doing what Jesus does. And we’ll know what Jesus did by studying and meditating upon the gospels. We will offer our bodies daily as living sacrifices holy and pleasing to God and allow him to transform the way we think so we will know his good pleasing and perfect will.

For the past seventeen weeks I’ve been following prompts of Spiritual Exercises and daily Scriptural readings from a workbook called The Ignatian Adventure, by Kevin O’Brien, SJ. In this workbook, The Spiritual Exercise prompts provide the bible passages to read and what to consider for prayer and meditation. Central to the Exercises is the ancient Lectio Divina method of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's word. This method was first practiced by the monastics in the 3rd Century and has been carried forward to the 21st Century as I am a witness and now practicing.

Lectio Divina does not consider Scripture as something to be studied for information’s sake. Rather, it considers Scripture as the living word of God. The living word that calls out to mankind to encounter and plumb the depths of God’s revelation. These depths are bottomless, containing “ALL TRUTH” God has deemed profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. To the end that in discipleship by the word and in the word we would, “all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:13)

I encourage you after this episode to go look up Lectio Divina. It is not Bible Study where you interpret the Bible theologically or historically. It is a personal one-on-one conversation with God throug

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Welcome to Episode #131 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to look at what the scriptures reveal about Jesus from his birth until he started his ministry. As we’ll see there is not much in volume of text but what is there is rich in content.

The title of this episode is Babe to Son of Man. As we covered on our last episode, Jesus was incarnated in the womb of Mary by the Holy Spirit. His birth was prophesied by the angel Gabriel who visited Zechariah, John the Baptist’s father. Gabriel prophesied in Luke 1:16-17 – And he [Zechariah’s son to be, John] will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Shortly after John was born Zechariah prophesied over his son at his circumcision ceremony. Luke 1:76-77 – And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people.

As a reminder, what we’re doing on this and many mini-series in the future is to look more closely, go more slowing, and examine more fully the life and ministry of Jesus Christ our Lord. How can we follow one we do not know. Knowing is gained by seeing in the gospels HOW Jesus did, What he did, Where he did, When he did, Why he did and with Who he did all the things recorded for us.

I will present Scriptures for us to consider this episode with little running commentary. I encourage you to purposefully carve out time regularly (daily, weekly, etc.) to intentionally spend time with God in prayer, meditation, and fellowship and discuss with him one or more of the texts you hear. Allow Jesus to be your teacher through the Holy Spirit given to you for just that purpose.

As we read, pray over, and meditate on the gospel scriptures we want to be having a running conversation with our Father and Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. We want to allow our mental imagery and all five senses to experience the accounts with the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In our meditations let the Spirit teach us what we need to know about Jesus for our own faith journey ahead. Then in fellowship ask our Father and Jesus Christ what you are curious about. Give them time and room to respond; as surely they will.

With all that as a brief introduction let’s get started.

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Welcome to Episode #130 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to examine scriptures that reveal Jesus was not unexpected. We noted often throughout our 112 episodes that overviewed both the Old and New Testaments that ALL scripture speaks of and points to Jesus.

The title of this episode is Guess Who’s Coming to Earth? The Jewish religious elites knew someone was coming but they did not receive Jesus as the promised Christ. Rather, they shut the door in his face, claimed he was possessed by the devil, and had the Romans impale him on a cross.

Beginning with this Episode we are starting down the PATH of Christian Discipleship and/or Spiritual Formation. We will be traveling along the WAY that leads to intimacy and union with God. Along the WAY we learn to remain in the yoke of Jesus while walking in the kingdom of God. We learn to live under the reign of God and obey his commands through the power of the Holy Spirit. We learn to live in the world but not be of the world. We learn that living in the will of God results in a life that is joyful always, prayerful continually, and thankful in all circumstances for God’s will is good, acceptable, and perfect.

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Welcome to Episode #129 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our seventeenth mini-series, The Man Jesus Christ. On this episode we’re going to Introduce to topic of Christian Discipleship.

Beginning with this mini-series, I’ll be starting weekly on-line discipleship Zoom meetings. The first meeting will be to go deeper together in the materials covered during the current episode. The second meeting will be for general podcast questions and sharing of faith and prayer. Both meetings are meant for our mutual encouragement in the faith and deepening our knowledge of the Son of God.

If you’re interested in attending either meeting, please go to the Contact Page on my Website, WayoftheBible.com, and let me know of your interest in one or both meetings. I’ll send more information and weekly updates with meeting days, times, and links for meeting entry. There is no requirement to attend the meetings, just know I’m available if you’d like to grow in grace and faith together.

I didn’t record or release a podcast during the month of December 2023 and the first week of January 2024. I took the time normally spent on this podcast to complete the manuscript of a Christian fiction book I hope to publish this Spring. In that regard, if any of you know of an editor and/or literary agent for a Christian publisher please let me know as I’m in the market for both. I self-published a coaching book on Amazon in 2021 and would prefer to work now with a professional; I know my own limits.

During December I also did additional study into the topic of Christian discipleship. It was in additional studies a new facet of a well-known but unexplored reality opened to me. Not just opened, but enveloped and swallowed me. That reality has to do with Jesus making available life in the kingdom of heaven/God now; where God reigns over my heart, mind, soul, and strength. Point being, Jesus not only brought salvation to mankind, he made available the reign of God in the lives of normal humans like you and me.

Christian discipleship is a life-long process of learning directly from Jesus and the Holy Spirit the lessons of Jesus that allow us to walk as he walked in obedience to our Father and his commands. As we learn from Christ we transformed more and more toward what Paul called in Ephesians 4:13 – to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ.

Christian discipleship is not about following rules, checking boxes, or meeting a standard of behavior identified by an individual, committee, or denomination. It is about submitting to the Lord Jesus Christ as his student and being responsible only to him for learning, transformation, and assignment of calling. This is what Jesus called his disciples to do – to make disciples of all nations.

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Welcome to Episode #128 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our last of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore together The Obedience of Faith. This is only the beginning, Lord willing, of a journey that lasts generations of lifetimes…

So glad you could join me for our walk on the beach this afternoon. It is crystal clear outside. The cold front that blow in last night dropped the temps into the upper thirties early this morning. After my early morning rise and quiet time it was a brisk and chilly walk to the water and immediately retreating back inside for my second cup of coffee. But I’m pleased to say it’s up to 58 now. Pleasantly chilly with a high afternoon warming sun for our walk.

We’ve got a couple of decanters of mint, milk, and dark hot chocolates and fresh ground medium roast coffee’s on the bar. Fill up you own decanter or take one of our souvenir Walk on the Beach insulated cups. Long story but Joe made these hot/cold cups available for our walks at his own expense. His hope is that when we drink out of these in the future we’d be reminded to be always following Jesus and walking with God.

Let’s take another ten minutes to mingle and greet our last few arrivals and meet on the back deck at 2:00 pm.

Great to see such a big crowd on a weekday for our afternoon walk. We’ll head to the water and go to the right with the sun and the breeze in our face. Given we may get a chill in the next little while, I’ve got a little surprise for us at our turnaround spot that I think you will all enjoy. So let’s get to it.

I went back over the episode show notes for this mini-series to refresh myself as I’d thought we’d covered a lot of scripture. My refreshment revealed in-fact we had covered a lot. Some of which I’ll share again on our walk this afternoon. The main point of them being they all indicate our response as a believer in Christ is much broader than what most, including myself, have encountered in our walks of faith.

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Welcome to Episode #127 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going to have a conversation with Magan Cavalier about discipleship toward spiritual maturity in-Christ. Magan is a global mission’s leader, disciple maker, spiritual advisor, homeschooling mother of four, miliary wife, and servant to her community.

As I was completing the mini-series fourteen and the overview of the Bible, God placed a passion in my heart for future podcast mini-series. That passion was to pursue the topic of spiritual maturity in-Christ. This topic came to the forefront of my mind as I was overviewing the books of Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

Way more here than I can even hope to introduce. It was clear before I started these four books that living a new life in-Christ was available starting on the day of one’s salvation. I personally had experienced that.

In the progression through these four books the Holy Spirit impressed upon me, convinced me, and convicted me that spiritual maturity in-Christ was to be sought and lived out in all believers until we are called home. This was something I’d often wondered about for the past 25 plus years of being a believer, but never fully investigated. I’ll get into this much deeper on our upcoming Walk on the Beach with DrZ.

As I was considering who to contact about having as a guest speaker to address the mini-series topic of The Obedience of Faith one name clearly popped into my mind. Magan. When I thought why Magan, I remembered it was she who I called to find out more about Saint Ignatius, Dallas Willard, and spiritual formation. We talked briefly and she recommended a workbook she was going through herself that followed the pattern of the Ignatius Spiritual Exercises.

As I considered this thought, more rushed into my mind that made Magan the obvious choice. She was a mature Millennial (greatest generation in human history). She’d recently completed the Master of Arts in Christian Spiritual Formation and Leadership at Friends University in Wichita, Kansas (a degree program heavily influenced by the late Dallas Willard and James Bryan Smith). And since middle-school she’s been progressively active and developing as a missions leader and disciple maker.

With all this as a brief introduction, let me get Magan on the phone and have her fill in some more details before beginning our conversation.

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Welcome to Episode #126 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going to look at an example from scripture of The Normal Christian Life.

We’ve been exploring on this mini-series what the obedience of faith involves. Jesus made it very clear to his disciples the expectations of one choosing to follow him included discipleship for sanctification into maturity in-Christ. We’ve been using Ephesians 4:11-16 as our guide for what this discipleship and sanctification looks like.

The gospels indicate Jesus called his disciples into service with him and they followed. The epistles and letters allude that many if not most of those who came to faith by the preaching of the apostles and disciples did not go beyond salvation in pursuit of discipleship for sanctification. They kept doing what they’d been doing if possible. The epistles and letters seem to be trying to correct the disconnect between salvation and continuing as a member of the body of Christ into good works of salvation.

Fast forward to 2023. If an onlooker or someone within Christianity today tried to discern what The Normal Christian Life should look like where would one start looking? Perhaps they would look toward the two oldest Christian denominations: The Roman Catholic Church and the Greek Orthodox Church.

Both of these churches are global and trace their lineage back to Jesus Christ and the apostolic empowerment that was given by the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Roman Catholic Church was founded in Rome with Latin as the common language. It is called the Western church. The Eastern church is Greek Orthodox, founded in Constantinople with Greek as the common language. These two churches held the monopoly on Christianity until the 16th century.

In the 16th Century at the height of the Renaissance the Protestant Reformation was initiated in northern Europe. Five major denominations came out of the Protestant Reformation: Lutheran, Presbyterian, Methodist, Baptist, and Anabaptist (i.e. Mennonite, Quaker, Amish). Concurrent with the European Reformation was the English Reformation that birthed the Episcopalian/Anglican Church.

What started out as large group reformations in the 16th Century resulted in exponential splintering of the church during and after the Enlightenment of the 17th and 18th Centuries. According to the Center for the Study of Global Christianity about 31% of the world's population (2.5 billion people) identify as Christian. There are now over 45,000 denominations globally, 200 of which are in the United States.

Trying to tie down the similarities and differences in the 200 denominations in the United States could be difficult. But, at least six categories or buckets have been identified that generalize these churches as Contemplative, Charismatic, Evangelical, Holiness, Incarnational, and Social Justice. The basis of Christian faith and doctrinal differences within these buckets are most commonly associated with varied reliance upon Scripture, traditions of the church, and human reason.

With over 45,000 denominations worldwide there are likely many more buckets globally than the six just listed. Trying to tie down The Normal Christian Life in 2023 from the witness of members of any of these denominations would be difficult if not impossible.

Fortunately we don’t have to accept impossible, we can simply look at what the Bible says. What would the Bible have to say regarding The Normal Christian Life that would be relevant in anyway in 2023. Listen and Find Out!!

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125 Welcome to Episode #125 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going to look at Jesus as a shepherd and the sheep who follow him.

Shepherding the sheep is rooted Biblically after mankind’s expulsion from the Garden of Eden. But to get the significance we start at the beginning.

Gen 1:26-31 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. 28 And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. 30 And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. 31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Gen 3:17-19 – … cursed is the ground because of you; in pain you shall eat of it all the days of your life; 18 thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you; and you shall eat the plants of the field. 19 By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Gen 4:2-5 – “Now Abel was a keeper of sheep, and Cain a worker of the ground. In the course of time Cain brought to the LORD an offering of the fruit of the ground, 4 and Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat portions. And the LORD had regard for Abel and his offering, 5 but for Cain and his offering he had no regard. So Cain was very angry, and his face fell. 6 The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” 8 Cain spoke to Abel his brother. And when they were in the field, Cain rose up against his brother Abel and killed him.

Why this isn’t just a passage to breeze over and blow off is found in Matt 23:34-35 – Therefore I send you prophets and wise men and scribes, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and persecute from town to town, 35 so that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah the son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the sanctuary and the altar.

Jesus calls Abel righteous. This would indicate Abel was righteous in his life, in his offering to God, and his subsequent conversation with Cain in the field. That life, offering, and conversation resulted in his brother Cain killing him. Does this remind you of something Jesus said of himself and to his disciples who “follow him.”

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Welcome to Episode #124 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode I hope to encourage believers to break through barriers to sanctification that read, “THIS FAR ONLY.”

I opened with episode with a strawman to shed some light on the lack of discipleship for sanctification within the church that is in accord with how Paul described Jesus equipping his church. Ephesians 4:11-13 – So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Let’s take this a bite at a time…

What did Jesus give to his church? Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers

Why did Jesus give these to his church? To equip his people for works of service.

Why equip people for works of service? So that the body of Christ may be built up

For what purpose? Until we all reach unity in the faith

And, in the knowledge of the Son of God

And, become mature

Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

Today in the church those “works of service” may be identified as being a Sunday School teacher or to work in the nursery. Or perhaps to be parking lot attendants and/or welcome guests. To help set-up the sanctuary for the upcoming Christmas program, and whatever else needs done around the church.

While all these are well and good, I do not believe these were in mind when Paul wrote this in the first century. Well before the organization of denominations and mega-churches. While these service areas within the church are helpful for people attending worship, Paul is addressing a much larger service mandate for all believers.

Let’s look at the purpose for building up the body of Christ again,

Until we all reach unity in the faith

And, in the knowledge of the Son of God

And, become mature

Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ is Union with God. One with the Father, and with the Son by the Holy Spirit in this life you are currently living. It is what Jesus prayed to his Father for us in John 17:20-21 – I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in me through their word, 21 that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

Why would Jesus want believers to be One with the Father, the Son through the Holy Spirit? Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his [God’s] workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. And by our doing these works of service the world would believe the Father sent Jesus into the world.

Those darned Scriptures, they keep saying the same thing. An often-repeated encouragement in the New Testament is for believers to be discip

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Welcome to Episode #123 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going to explore what it means to be “Like the Teacher.”

Jesus’ dropped a Truth bomb in Luke 6:40 - A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone when he is fully trained will be like his teacher. We’ll see as we progress, being a disciple and discipleship in general can be problematic and touchy in certain Christian circles of faith. For this reason, and many more, most just ignore being fully trained to be like Jesus, our teacher!

I’d ignore it as well, but I care about the Truth that Jesus gave us. That truth was witnessed by countless male and female disciples over the history of the church who endured persecutions and martyrdom to preserve and prolong the truth. This truth Jesus gave us leads to intimacy and into Union and Fellowship with God our Father through Jesus Christ.

In today’s post-modern church, many have given up even drinking the spiritual milk mentioned in Hebrews 5:11-14 - About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

The writer of Hebrews tells us what was considered spiritual milk in Hebrews 6:1-2 – Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

What is not preached in most churches today includes: Going on to Maturity in the faith, Repentance from dead works, Washings, Laying on of hands, resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. Now that I look at it, the only universal [I use this term very loosely] elementary doctrine taught in the church as a whole is faith toward God. I’d call 1% fat free milk. Others may consider it almond or coconut milk based upon negligible faith in the God of the Bible preferring rather faith in a god of their own understanding.

I believe we are living in what Jesus considered the age of the church of Laodicea. He instructed the Apostle John to write to that church in Revelation 3:15-19 –“‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. 17 For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. 19 Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent.

Jesus IS going to spit the church out of his mouth; it’s just a matter of time. At the time that happens, the church’s claim to fame will be I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing. Certainly not God or Jesus… That’s all the world needs is an intolerant God who claims there is only one way to Himself, through Jesus, in a world filled with gods, all with an equal voice and equal standing. In this world of tolerance, all religions are the same and lead to the same place. Disagree with that and be canceled. God and Jesus, you’re both canceled.

Jesus says of the church, you are wretched, piti

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Welcome to Episode #122 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going try and discern the Way of VIBRANT LIFE in the SPIRIT Jesus was inviting people into when he told them to: “Follow Me.”

What did following mean and what would be the cost?

When we overviewed Jesus’ insights of the Parable of the Sower on our last mini-series we encountered Luke 8:18 – “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.” Although I’ve read this passage well over 100 times in the past, I never “heard” what Jesus said in this passage – “Take care then how you hear!”

Most have likely heard the euphemism, “In one ear, out the other.” That applied to my own readings of the Parable of the Sower in Luke 8:4-21, and misappropriation of the context of Luke 8:18. It was not until this year that it was revealed to me “taking care how I hear” was being applied to the word of God and my response. Game Changer.

This was a HUGE revelation that is still unfolding in my life. It is illuminating the importance of meditative and inductive reading of scripture rather than just devotional reading. Plowing as I did through the Bible in overview mode of major thematic elements for our first fourteen mini-series I was shown once again the WAY of VIBRANT LIFE in the SPIRIT.

It is not that I didn’t know the WAY existed or that I haven’t encountered the WAY. Rather, I rediscovered Jesus WAY of VIBRANT LIFE in the SPIRIT today, right now, as I’m recording this podcast. Right now, as you are listening to this podcast episode.

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Welcome to Episode #121 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our sixteenth mini-series, The Obedience of Faith. On this episode we’re going explore the topic of obedience and determine if it is optional for the born-again believer. On future episodes within this mini-series we’ll look at multifaceted ways obedience manifests itself based upon graces and faith given to individuals according to the measure of God’s provision.

Before we get started in our text for today, it is best to backup and look at what we learned in our last mini-series as our faith is built upon the foundation of Jesus Christ. We’ll use the following three key scriptures.

Hebrews 5:8-9 – Although he [Jesus] was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,

2 Cor 5:21 – For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Hebrews 10:11-14 – But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

Jesus the man, was made perfect because of his obedience to God and death on the cross. Paul explains the significance of this obedience in Philippians 2:5-11 – Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus, the Second Adam, the NEW man, God has exalted in heaven to sit at his right hand and made Jesus Lord of both the heavens and the earth. The subjects in the dominion of Jesus Christ either obey him or rebel against him.

Hebrews 5:9 tells us Jesus became the source of eternal salvation (a salvation that will never end) to all who “OBEY HIM.”

That eternal salvation is possible when we believe in Jesus and have a rebirth by the Spirit into new life. Our old life is gone, our new life has come. In our new life, Paul told us in 2 Cor 5:21, Jesus made it possible for us to become the righteousness of God.

Not only do we become the righteousness of God, Hebrews 10:14 tells us, he [Jesus] has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. We were made perfect, we are perfect, we will always be perfect - those who are being sanctified. And that sanctification is in the truth by the Father through the Spirit; God’s word is truth (John 17:17).

Sanctification in the word by the Spirit pushes us all toward maturity in Christ as Paul described in Ephesians 4:13 – until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. Paul had explained why God was sanctifying us in Ephesians 2:10 – For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

We introduced this topic of obedience throughout our previous mini-series anchored in the L

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Welcome to Episode #120 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our eighth of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and assimilate, integrate, and synthesize the many lessons we’ve learned on this mini-series into a single thought from which all other thoughts originate.

Thank you for meeting with me here once again at the beach house on this amazing early fall morning. It was in the mid-60’s this morning and will be in the mid to low 50’s this weekend. With high’s in the mid-80’s this is almost paradise. Paradise along the Emerald Coast is mid-70’s during the day and low 50’s at night. Shorts & short sleeves during the day and beach bonfires at night. But already I digress. Before I get back on track, I invite you back this coming weekend for a nightly beach bonfires Thursday through Saturday. This will be the only time I mention this so don’t forget.

Most of you know the drill by now. If you’re new with us today, and I see a few faces I don’t recognize, we gather to mingle for moment in the house and then head to the beach to begin our walks and talks. Now’s the time to use the restroom, get a beach walk beverage from the coffee bar or cooler, and then head to the back porch to apply sunscreen, and put on hats and sunglasses. I’ll meet you out on the back porch in a few minutes as I’ve got some mingling to do myself with the first-time guests and learn their names at a minimum.

So glad to see everyone read my email and is ready to hit the beach wearing clothes you don’t mind getting wet. It’s just past 9:30 and the sand is cool so kick off that footwear and enjoy direct connection with the electromagnetic resonance of the earth.

We’ll be heading straight for the flat surf today; walking, standing, or sitting in one place allowing the warm lapping water and cool coastal breezes to buffet us. There’s a lesson were going to learn today I hope you never forget.

We’ve got the beach to ourselves this morning so let’s spread out a bit. I want you each to be no further in the water than one or two feet at a maximum beyond the receded surf line. I’m going to wade out here to about mid hip depth for the teaching. When we get done, I’ve a special surprise for us all to enjoy.

I want you to think for a moment why you think this mini-series is entitled, “It’s All About JESUS.” If you don’t mind, two or three of you please shout out what you’re thinking.

· That’s good, the whole Bible is about Jesus.

· LOL, You know it’s a squirrel, but you think I want you to think everything is about Jesus. While funny, there’s more truth to that than we know.

· What’s that, the “it’s all about” refers to our faith, and the object of our faith is Jesus. That’s a good one too.

All these are very good reasons for this mini-series title, and there are more, I’m sure. On this surf emersion walk, stand, and/or sit I’m going to guide us through the reasoning I used for the title, “It’s all About JESUS.”

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Welcome to Episode #119 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus. On this episode we’re going to take a look at the centrality that Righteousness plays in The Way to Maturity.

In this mini-series we’ve been unfolding TRUTH associated with Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-21. A key verse in this passage we’ve been launching from is Luke 8:18 – “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

On our last episode we looked at The Way to Maturity and discovered we are not to remain children in-Christ. But we are to, “all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ (Eph 4:13).

The key to how we get there is revealed in Hebrews 5:11-14 – About this [Supremacy of Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word [LOGOS] of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

On this episode we’re going to do a high-altitude overview of the LOGOS [word] of righteousness. In short, the LOGOS of righteousness is Jesus who is revealed from the first to the last verse in Scripture. In Jesus are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. Yet because of our temporal surroundings, our sinful flesh, a mind at war with the mind of the Spirit, our living in a dark world overseen by spiritual beings who are rulers, powers and authorities all aligned and under the devil’s leadership, who is the prince of the power of the age and the god of this world, it is only with great effort, trials, failures, and interventions by the Spirit we approach apprehending the reality of HE [Jesus] WHO IS THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE.

Spoiler alert. We won’t get there today. But we will establish the starting point where all journeys of The Way to Maturity begin. My hope for you today is that you will discover the ground under your feet has begun to shake. The goal is to reach ground that cannot be shaken in this age or in the age to come. We will discover along the way that unshakeable ground is only found when abiding in-Christ.

So let’s get started.

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Welcome to Episode #118 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus. On this episode we’re going to take a look at what the letters and epistles say is the way to maturity in the faith.

In this mini-series we’ve been looking at unfolding TRUTH associated with Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-21. A key verse in this passage we’ve been launching from is Luke 8:18 – “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

We learned on our last episode there is a way to apostasy that has been in the church since the beginning. That way is promoted by false and deceptive teachers purposefully leading away members of the flock for their own purposes.

Paul noted in Eph 4:14 the need for ALL to mature so as to avoid remaining as children and being tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. He again emphasizes this in Col 2:8 – See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

The problem is not in the world where we would expect trouble. But it is in the church amongst us as Paul notes in Romans 16:17-18 – I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. 18 For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.

You will also find Peter, John, and Jude making similar warnings in their letters regarding false teachers and deceivers entering the flock in their day and beyond. Jesus pointed this reality out in his Parable of the Weeds where he told his disciples the devil will plant his children alongside God’s children both in the world and in the church. The devil’s children will not be removed until the end when angels from heaven will do the reaping and binding for burning.

For those who may not have listened to previous episodes, there is a significant difference between being a child in the faith and being mature. Hebrews 5:11-14 – About this [Supremacy of Christ] we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word [LOGOS] of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Children in the faith are living on milk and unskilled in the word [LOGOS] of righteousness. Mature in the faith are living on meat and skilled in the word [LOGOS] of righteousness having their powers of discernment trained to distinguish good from evil.

The obvious question becomes how does one go from being a child to being mature?

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Welcome to Episode #117 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus. On this episode we’re going to take a look at what happens when the church does not pursue maturity in the faith. That lack of pursuing opens The Way to Apostasy as described by Jesus and his Apostles. Apostasy is an anticipated reality in the New Testament and has been seen throughout the history of the church.

In this mini-series we’ve been looking at unfolding TRUTH associated with Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-21. A key verse in this passage we’ve been launching from is Luke 8:18 – “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

We’ll start where we left off on our last episode with Hebrews 5:14 – But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. As we walk this out on this episode we’re going to be in high altitude overview mode to expose you to the wealth of passages that are on point for this topic (The Way to Apostasy). It’s easiest to see good as being the TRUTH and evil being the LIE. The character of God and the redeemed in the light possessing eternal life are on one side of the line in the sand. The devil and willful mankind still in darkness and death, enslaved by the devil to do his will are on the other side of the line in the sand.

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Welcome to Episode #116 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus. On this episode we’re going to take a look at mature fruit not seen in Jesus’ Parable of the Sower. We get a sense of what this mature fruit looks like from Jesus’ high priestly prayer in John 17 and Paul’s description of the unity of the body in Ephesians 4.

On our last episode we looked at Jesus’ explanation of the Parable of the Sower to his disciples in Luke 8:16-21. In his explanation of the parable Jesus gave his disciples both encouragement and a warning regarding spiritual maturity in Luke 8:18 – “Take care then how you hear, for to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that he has will be taken away.”

We are going to be in overview mode as look at the passages today from the book of John and the book of Ephesians. I want to encourage you to do your own reading, meditation, study, and discussion of these passages with fellow believers to begin to experience how deep and crystal clear is the call to spiritual maturity for all believers.

The New Testament indicates Jesus’ disciples and apostles were taught by Jesus how to follow him. After the Day of Pentecost these disciples and Apostles were given instructions and guidance by the Holy Spirit to teach others how to replicate following Jesus in new disciples.

The letters and epistles indicate the four soils were present in the first century church. The writers of the letters and epistles provide instructions for how to start where you are and strive daily toward spiritual maturity and pitfalls to avoid that people take wandering off the path. Jesus explained why people wander in his Parable of the Sower and it has to do directly with how they “HEAR” the word of God and what they do in response.

With that as a brief introduction, let’s get into the text.

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Welcome to Episode #115 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus.  On this episode we’re going to take a look at the often overlooked explanations of the Parable of the Sower presented by Jesus in Luke 8.

On our last episode we looked at the parable, Jesus’ reason for parables, and Jesus’ interpretation of the parable all presented in Luke 8:4-15. On this episode were going to see how the passages described as a Lamp Under a Jar and Jesus’ Mother and Brothers found in Luke 8:16-21 illuminate the central theme of the parable up to verse 15.

In addition to presenting different aspects of the parable on our last episode I weaved into the discussion how the narratives of the fall in Genesis 3 and of Cain and Abel in Genesis 4 are reflected in the parable. What is plainly seen in the Bible is Jesus. From Genesis 1:1 to Revelation 22:21, the entire Bible from cover to cover is all about Jesus. 

Here’s a short side-bar before I continue. If I’ve learned anything from the word of God it is to get over myself; a reality I still struggle with to this day. It is a daily battle of resisting the flesh to please, impress, inspire, and keep at bay people I don’t even know and to a lesser extent people I do know. How crazy is that? Or should I ask, “How normal is that?” 

I’m vividly aware as a born again believer, in-Christ, sanctified, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit I should constantly be yielding to the Spirit in all aspects of my life. Yet I can forget who I am as the cares, riches, and pleasures of the world press in. I can forget whose I am as persecution presses in. And I can forget where I am when I expose myself to those who trample the word of God underfoot.

In each of these instances, the only thing that awakens me out of temporary slumber is the heart piercing and thought discerning word of God. It is not an awakening into condemnation, quite the opposite. It is an awakening into the power of the right hand of God to silence and bind-up any and all that would come against me. 

We are each in our own way deeply entrenched in spiritual warfare not against those we know and see but against powers, principalities, and dark spiritual forces in the spiritual realm. We now know their presence as we are no longer part of them. At one time we were part of them being enslaved by the devil to do his will and locked down tight in darkness and death. But now, by the redemptive power of the Gospel, we were set free into true life, into light, into eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ by the grace and mercy of God our Father. We are to constantly remind ourselves we died, we were purchased with a price, we were adopted into God’s family, and we live a new life not of the flesh but of the Spirit.

And in this new life the list is likely endless of the things we’ve become and inherited. A short list I presented by Paul in Ephesians 1:3-14. In this passage Paul tells us in-Christ we are: Blessed, Chosen, Predestined, Adopted, Accepted, Redeemed, Forgiven, Enlightened, Given an Inheritance, Sealed by the Holy Spirit, and Assured of our Salvation. And there’s more much more than these, and given time, LORD willing, over the life of this podcast we’ll explore many of them. 

This change from who I was to who “I am,” and then to who I will become takes the rest of this life as Paul and others epistle writers make plain. I encourage you to join with me on this quest to fully Believe God and Follow Jesus and be immersed in the Way of the Bible that leads to life, fellowship, and Union with God through Jesus Christ. And it can all start with this seemingly simple Parable of the Sower. END OF SIDEBAR

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Welcome to Episode #114 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series, It’s All About Jesus.  On this episode we’re going to take a closer look at Jesus’ Parable of the Sower presented in Luke 8:4-21.

On our last episode I had a conversation with Pastor Chan Willis concerning the idea and/or expectation in the scriptures that Christians are to mature in faith. Related to this topic was Jesus’ parable of the sower and interpretation found in Luke 8:4-15. In this parable Jesus mentions the sowing of the word of God to people who “hear.”

Jesus illustrates and then explains four different ways (the soil) people hear the word of God and respond. Similar versions of this parable are also found in Matthew 13 and Mark 4.

I’ll summarize the parable beginning with an insight by Jesus and the key that opens that insight. I’ll then introduce each of the four soil parables and their respective interpretations in order of appearance.

In addition, I’ll also weave in how events in the Garden of Eden, the consequence of sin, and mankinds first offerings may have direct relevance to this parable. My hope is that you hear and begin to see for yourself, the Bible is a Unified book. 

Jesus was not just a guy walking the earth teaching thoughts and insights about God. Jesus is God incarnate in human form, born into the world to reveal the need for what he offered of himself; salvation through his name. Critical to our maturing in faith is belief in his word as well. Listen to Jesus. Believe and simply follow him and his word. Let’s get started.

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Welcome to Episode #113 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our fifteenth mini-series.  On this episode we’re going to have a conversation with Pastor Chan Willis of First Presbyterian Church in both Lake Charles and Welsh, Louisiana on the topic of Seed to Fruit Bearing Faith

The primary launch text for this topic comes from Jesus’ Parable of the Sower found in Luke 8:4-15. In this parable Jesus mentions the sowing of the word of God to people who “hear” and are planted in four types of soil. Similar versions of this parable are also found in Matthew 13 and Mark 4.

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Welcome to Episode #112 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our final of eight episodes in our Fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode we’re going to take a Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore what culminated in life of Jesus that had him have his disciple John write the book of REVELATION.

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Welcome to Episode #111 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, Not Destined for Wrath, we’re going to dig into 1 Thessalonians 5:9 – For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. And provide a little more insight of some of the signs of the times in which we are living.

We’ve just finished overviewing Revelation and I can fully sympathize with many who likely grew weary of the extent of the wrath of God unleashed on the earth. I think the takeaway should be that even severe wrath of God could not get unbelievers to repent,

Following seven seals and six trumpets we find on earth… Revelation 9:20-21 – The rest of mankind, who were not killed by these plagues, did not repent of the works of their hands nor give up worshiping demons and idols of gold and silver and bronze and stone and wood, which cannot see or hear or walk, nor did they repent of their murders or their sorceries or their sexual immorality or their thefts.

The hardness of mankind continued through the fourth and fifth bowl judgments. Revelation 16:8-11 - The fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and it was allowed to scorch people with fire. They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory. The fifth angel poured out his bowl on the throne of the beast, and its kingdom was plunged into darkness. People gnawed their tongues in anguish and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

The punishment and wrath of God described in the Bible are not intended to bring about repentance, nor can it do so. Punishment and wrath of God are the result of righteous judgment, sentence, and application of the penalty for an offense.

Paul tells us where repentance comes from in Romans 2:3-4 – Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

Nothing demonstrates the love and kindness of God greater than the gospel. The gospel received produces Godly repentance and by grace through faith in Jesus, salvation. Salvation means freedom from judgment and condemnation. Jesus started his ministry with this in mind, Mark 1:14-15 – Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

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Welcome to Episode #110 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, THE ETERNAL STATE, we’re going to overview Chapters 21-22 of the book of Revelation. And with this overview we will have overviewed every book in the Bible from Genesis to Revelation!! 

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Welcome to Episode #109 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, The Kingdom has Come, we’re going to overview Chapters 19-20 of the book of Revelation.

On our last episode we covered the fulfillment of the seventh trumpet, the pouring out of seven bowls of God’s wrath on the earth and the destruction of ecclesiastical and political Babylon which ruled the world for the first and second halves of the tribulation respectively. 

Where we find ourselves in the text is Jesus has defeated all the kings and the spiritual rulers of the kings of the earth and has claimed his dominion over all the nations. Babylon has been wiped off the map. The coming world leader and the armies of the nations under his direction are gathered at Armageddon to lay siege to and destroy Jerusalem.

Based upon significant background study, the following is a plausible chronological sequence of the Campaign of Armageddon and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. It can be divided and studied as:

1. Assembling of the Allies of the Antichrist
2. Destruction of Babylon
3. Fall of Jerusalem
4. Armies of Antichrist at Bozrah
5. National Regeneration of Israel
6. Second Coming of the Messiah
7. Battle From Bozrah Ends at the Valley of Jehoshaphat
   1. During which Antichrist is slain by Messiah
8. The Victory Ascent Upon the Mount of Olives

I encourage you to do your own studies and discover the passages that go with these divisions as they’re in the prophetic texts. We’re going to focus today on what we find in today’s readings from Chapters 19 to 20.

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Welcome to Episode #108 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, Bowl Judgments & Destruction of Babylon, we’re going to overview Chapters 15-18 of the book of Revelation.

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Welcome to Episode #107 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, Mid-Tribulation Events, we’re going to overview Chapters 10-14 of the book of Revelation.

As a reminder to listeners, my running commentary on Revelation are personal views based upon over 25 years of research and study of both the Bible and this particular book. My views have been shaped by the Bible and theological books, commentaries, lectures, etc. of gifted and well recognized scholars, pastors, and authors.

I take a futurism approach to Revelation which assumes God’s word is trustworthy and that God will fulfill for Israel all the promises contained in Old and New Testament prophetic texts. It is my belief based upon the culmination of my studies that the church (those in-Christ) will be snatched out of the world as stated in 1Thessalonians 4:13-18 prior to the tribulation.

There are many prominent and respected scholars and pastors who take different positions than I do and I’m good with that. Only God the Father knows exactly the when and how all prophecies will have their final resolution in and through Christ.

I encourage you to do your own research and study the Bible and it’s culmination in Revelation. Let this overview give you a taste of things to investigate. Experience for yourself the promise of Revelation 1:3 – Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear, and who keep what is written in it, for the time is near.

One such person who did that was Sir Isaac Newton who is accredited with writing over a million words of notes on the Bible. A book on Revelation was compiled and published from his notes six years after his death. You can still find it on-line. Observations Upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John.

PUSH PLAY and Enjoy the Listen.

DrZ

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Welcome to Episode #106 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, Seal and Trumpet Judgments, we’re going to overview Chapters 6-9 of the book of Revelation.

Key to understanding the prophetic events timeline is the unique relationships of Israel and the church with God. They are very distinct and have different destinies. 

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Welcome to Episode #105 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our fourteenth mini-series entitled, Book That Blesses | Revelation. On this episode, Jesus’ Prologue to Things Coming, we’re going to overview the first five Chapters of the book of Revelation. An impossible task to do in any depth on one episode. So if you want to be blessed yourself, as we’ll see in a moment, you’ll read it on your own after you listen.

Revelation is a book of eschatology. Eschatology is a part of theology concerned with the final events of history, or the ultimate destiny of humanity. This concept is commonly referred to as "the end of the world" or "end times".

There are Four Main Approaches When Studying Eschatology:
Preterism, Historicism , **Idealism, and Futurism

Futurism** contends that New Testament prophecies (including those in Revelation) refer to real people and events yet to appear on the world stage. Early church futurists were Justin Martyr, Irenaeus, Hippolytus, and Victorinus. The futurist approach is the best approach for following the principles of literal interpretation of the Scriptures.

In this overview of Revelation, I’ll be using the Futurism approach, as I am convinced by scripture it refers to real people and events that may soon come to fruition in human history.

The book of Revelation was written by the Apostle John in approximately 95 AD while imprisoned on the Isle of Patmos. It is the only prophetic book in the New Testament as compared to 17 prophetic books in the Old Testament. John is the only writer in scripture to reveal God’s presence in the farthest spectrums of Eternity past (Jn 1-3) and Eternity future (Rev 21-22).

As we’ll see, Revelation is the end point of all prophetic scriptures. If you read the Old Testament prophetic writings, you’ll likely be scratching your head wondering if and when the prophecy was fulfilled. If it hasn’t been fulfilled yet, it will be. In Revelation, all hanging prophecies are resolved and all promises of God are fulfilled. Jesus ends all rebellion in heaven and on earth, and reconciles all things to God. God then gives all things back to Jesus and God’s children who are co-heirs into eternity with Christ.

Revelation draws more on the Old Testament text than any other book of the Bible. Direct references in Revelation come from Isaiah-49; Daniel-34; Ezekiel-31; Psalms-23; Exodus-21; Jeremiah-16; Zechariah-10 (that's 184 text quotations!). Revelation also draws from Genesis, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Kings, Proverbs, Hosea, Joel, Malachi, Amos, Job, Maccabees, and Micah. Counts of direct references and allusions to OT passages range from 400 to 500+.

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Welcome to Episode #104 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our final of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode we’re going to take a Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore what the epistle and letter writers of the New Testament were telling us about our new life in-Christ. 

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Welcome to Episode #103 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode we’re going to have a conversation with Dr. Nathon Jones.  Dr. Jones is the Internet Evangelist of Lamb & Lion Ministries headquartered in McKinney, Texas. 

The topic of our conversation centers around the blessed hope of Christians, ”the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” [Tit 2:13].

Given we just completed overviewing every book of the New Testament, save one, I thought it would be a great topic to discuss before we complete our overview of the entire Bible. On upcoming Mini-series 14 we’ll overview the book of Revelation.

At least 17 of 39 books in the Old Testament mention Jesus’ return.

Jesus’ return is spoken of in 23 of the 27 books in the New Testament.

Taken by chapters in the New Testament, Seven out of every ten Chapters refer to his return. Or in other words, one out of every 30 verses in the New Testament teach Jesus is returning; and by inference, encouraging us to live in a manner expecting his return at any moment.

With all that as a brief introduction let’s get Dr. Jones on the line.

Contact Dr. Jones at https://christinprophecy.org/

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Welcome to Episode #102 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, “Straight to the Point,” we’re going to overview the books of 2&3 John and Jude.

ShowNotes: Episode Script available upon request at https://wayofthebible.com/contact

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Welcome to Episode #101 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, To The Family in Christ-Part 2, we’re going to overview the last two chapters of the book of 1 John.

To request a copy of the show notes, use the contact page on the website:
https://wayoftheBible.com

Grace and Peace, DrZ

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100 Welcome to Episode #100 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, To The Family in Christ, we’re going to overview the first three chapters of the book of 1 John.

John the Apostle, the disciple who Jesus loved (Jn 21:20), is believed to have written his gospel first, then the epistle of 1 John, and then the book of Revelation sometime between 90 and 100 AD. He noted in the gospel of John, that it was written in hopes the readers would believe in Jesus and have eternal life in his name (Jn 20:30-31). He noted in the epistle of 1 John, that it was written that the readers would live eternal life now believing in Jesus’ name (1 Jn 5:13). And in the book of Revelation he noted, that is was written for believers to see the things that were, that are now, and the things that are to come (Rev 1:19).

We’ll see what John addresses is not, the life in the body (the church). The other epistle writers addressed this topic in great detail. John is addressing how to live eternal life in the family of God. Or put another way, what family life in-Christ should look like. 

Having just studied out the book of 1 John for this episode my sense is the Holy Spirit through John encapsulated the entire new testament from Matthew to Jude in one short five chapter book. The spirit would bring remembrance to me passages from the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the epistles by Paul, the writer of Hebrews, Peter, James, and Jude. And of course all these tie back hidden passages of the Old Testament revealed in the New. All this to say it is one packed book that is best studied verse by verse. My hope on this episode is to give you a flavor of what to expect on your own journey into the book of 1 John.

With that as a brief introduction, let’s jump into the text. 

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099 - Welcome to Episode #099 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, Knowledge of the Truth, we’re going to overview the book of 2 Peter.

It is believed Peter wrote both of his epistles of 1 & 2 Peter something between 64 and 67 AD. He was martyred sometime between this period as well. Most scholars place the writing of 1 Peter in approximately 64 AD. They also believe 2 Peter was written shortly after his first letter and shortly before his death.

2 Peter is very similar to Paul’s final letter of 2 Timothy; their final letters knowing they were soon to see the glory of their hope immediately after their deaths. Both warn the church that the apostasy they warned about was soon to come, and in-fact had already begun. Much like the puff of a cloud Elijah’s servant noticed in the sky after the test between the god of Baal and the God of Israel on top of Mount Carmel. That puff was soon a torrential thunderstorm of lightening, thunder, and rain. Paul warned the members of the body, while Peter warned the Elders and teachers. As both in joyful adoration spoke of their impending deaths, they also noted the only defense against apostasy were the teachings found in sacred scriptures.

The tenor and language of 2 Peter is markedly different then his first. Much the same as Paul’s differential in 2 Timothy compared to Romans. Two passages in 2 Timothy correspond directly to the kernel of the matter of apostasy also highlighted in 2 Peter.

2 Timothy 2:24-26 – And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, 25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will. Notice the need for God to grant the hearer, repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. Why would that be important?

2 Timothy 3:6-7 – For among them are those who creep into households and capture weak women, burdened with sins and led astray by various passions, 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Go back and read of this passage in context (3:1-9) and you’ll see the apostasy and affect. 7 always learning and never able to arrive at a knowledge of the truth. Again, why would having knowledge of the truth be so important? We go refer back to verse 26 of the 2 Timothy 2 passage and discover the reason. 26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

We discover the world is captured and held in bondage in the snare of the devil to do his will. And the only way to escape that bondage is by having a knowledge of the truth. But why is all of mankind since Cain, captured by the devil and held in bondage to do his will?

We learned the reason in a prior episode found in Hebrews 2:14-15 - Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.Join DrZ as he overviews 2 Peter and the importance of possessing a Knowledge of the Truth, believing the scriptures, and not falling prey to false teachers.

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098 Welcome to Episode #098 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our second of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, Your Inheritance Kept in Heaven, we’re going to overview the book of 1 Peter.

It is believed Peter wrote both of his epistles of 1 & 2 Peter something between 64 and 67 AD. He was martyred sometime between this period as well. Most scholars place the writing of 1 Peter in approximately 64 AD.

Having just covered the book of James, you’ll hear many similarities, as in James regarding how the Jewish Christians. Which is different, although not doctrinally, as the writings of Paul who was addressing both Jewish and Gentile Christians in his epistles. We’ll see through the book of Jude, and even into our next mini-series on Revelation, this distinctive that a Jewish Christian recipient was primarily in the mind of the writer.

Also as with James, Peter is writing to Jewish believers of the dispersion and afterward. I cannot emphasize it enough that those dispersed where dramatically impacted by the rapid and vicious turn from Jewish Christians being a nuisance within Judaism to being a blasphemous heresy that must be snuffed out and destroyed. Imagine in your minds refuge camps you’re seen on the news of Christians fleeing persecution even today by Muslim extremist groups trying to exterminate entire African nations of Christianity.

The initial shock and grief of the dispersed lasted a lifetime and was passed onto subsequent generations. These were Jews how had been taught from the scriptures their whole their lives to expect the Messiah to come. He came, they saw, they heard, and they believed. And yet they who had received eternal life from the Messiah by grace through faith were the ones run out of Jerusalem. Away from family, friends, the synagogue, and temple worship. Why?

With that as a brief introduction, let’s dive into the five Chapters of 1 Peter.

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097 Welcome to Episode #097 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our thirteenth mini-series entitled, General Epistles | James to Jude. On this episode, Faith Without Works is Dead, we’re going to overview the book of James. James was the half-brother of our Lord Jesus Christ, brother by the same mother, and the head of the church in Jerusalem.

While two of Jesus’ disciples were named James, his half-brother also named James is mentioned as the brother of Jesus twice in the Gospels (Matt. 13:55 and Mark 6:3). It is believed that while half-brother James was not a disciple of Jesus during his earthly ministry, he likely obeyed the command of Jesus to wait with his disciples in the Upper Room until on the Day of Pentecost they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. When Peter left Palestine (Acts 12:17) is when most scholars believe James became the leader of the Jerusalem church. 

James was martyred in 62 AD. While some scholars date this book closer to his death many believe this may have been the earliest New Testament writing sometime between 46 and 49 AD. The reasons given include Gentiles believers are not mentioned by James with Jewish Christians. There is also little agreement of the allusions of Jesus’ verbal teaching to those contained in the Synoptic Gospels. James interchangeably uses the Greek term for synagogue and church which indicates at the time of writing the organization of the church was made up of simply elders and teachers as was the pattern of synagogue worship. And finally, James makes no mention of the Jerusalem Council found in Acts 15.

If you were to compare the literary style of the five chapters of James with Old Testament works, it could be called the Proverbs of the New Testament. And just as the book Proverbs is difficult to outline because of its many subjects, so too is the book of James. And also, like Proverbs, James’ focus and theme throughout the book is on Christian ethics in relationship to their justification.

Many people have mistakenly argued that in regard to justification, James and Paul are in disagreement. That is simply not the case. They both make the same claim that a person is justified by faith that saves, and saving faith that justifies produces good works. We are not justified by works but justified for good works. 

With all that as a brief introduction, let’s get into the book. 

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096 Welcome to Episode #096 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our final of eight episodes in our twelth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode we’re going to take a Walk on the Beach with DrZ and explore what the Apostle Paul instructed in his pastoral letters and the writer of the book of Hebrews instructed regarding how we the church were supposed to live out our new life in-Christ.

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095 Welcome to Episode #095 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode we’re going to have a conversation with Pastor Joey Stutson of Unite Fellowship church in Mandeville, Louisiana.

The topic of our conversation centers around the question, “What does Christianity offer that the post-modern world cannot.”

Given we just completed overviewing the last six of Paul’s thirteen epistles and the book of Hebrews, I was looking for the perfect guest to answer that question. Paul was planting churches and writing them letters reminding them of sound doctrine, instructions, and encouragement. All these churches were planted in totally secular and post-modern cultures Roman style. 

With that as a brief introduction, let’s get Joey on a call and get his take on answering that question. I’ll be back to close out this episode once we end the call.

CONVERSTATION STARTER questions I sent to Pastor Joey when we scheduled a call.  

• What “clicked” in you to leave a secular job, a position at a thriving church, and plant a new church in your community?

• Culture constantly evolves following the natural course of the world in line with entropy which drives all things of higher order to lower order and eventually chaos. We are somewhere near that chaos stage nationally. What does Christianity offer that the world does not to fight against chaos?  

• Let me back up even farther? Is chaos worth fighting or do we just let it happen?

• How would you answer this question. “Why hasn’t God made himself more fully known?” Several very significant and influential writers and scientists have said this will be their first question of God.

• How are you at Unite Fellowship going to engage the culture to make a difference in people’s lives?

• Tell us a little about your fellowship and plans for a community launch in September…

Pastor Joey’s church website: UniteFellowship.com

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094 Welcome to Episode #094 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, The Walk of Faith, we’re going to overview chapters 10 to 14 of the book of Hebrews.

In our overview of Chapters 1 to 3 we saw the Supremacy of Jesus over the prophets, over the angels, and also over Moses. We also saw the writer telling of a Sabbath rest of God offered to the Israelites in the wilderness for believing God and his promises.

In the opening of chapter Chapters 4 we saw how faith in Jesus was the entry way into the Sabbath rest of God. And then in the remainder of Chapter 4 to 10:18 we saw the Majesty of Jesus seen in his being appointed by God as high priest, His qualification as being God’s son, His eternal priesthood in the order of Melchizedek, and his better and new covenant established by his own blood sprinkled in a better sanctuary and from a better sacrifice. All this is Jewish and related to the Old Covenantal Law of Moses.

On this episode we’re going to look at the walk of faith of a believer. Remember, the book of Hebrews was written to Jewish believers in the church. Their culture and faith as Jews had lasted 1500 years. And their ancestorial heritage stretched back 2000 years to the Patriarchs of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

The Rabbis’ and Sanhedrin had determined that Jesus was a blasphemous religious heretic and had him killed by the Romans for this transgression. They viewed Judaism and Christianity as being mutually exclusive; you could not be both.

Believing Jews were persecuted by the Jewish religious leaders, their families, and friends. The temptation to simply return to temple worship brining animals to the priest for sin sacrifice was palpable. This was their danger and the reason the book of Hebrews was written.

Jesus told parables about old and new wineskins and cloth. He says of the wineskins in Matthew 9:17 – Neither is new wine put into old wineskins. If it is, the skins burst and the wine is spilled and the skins are destroyed. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.

Judaism and Christianity, the old and the new, are not mutually exclusive. Rather Christianity is belief in Jesus who fulfilled all the legal requirements of Judaism, then died as the perfect sacrifice for sin, placing his own blood in a better sanctuary in heaven, and establishing a better covenant in his blood. Jewish believers are not abandoning Judaism, but are completed in Judaism by faith. Jesus is the king of the Jews is also the source of eternal salvation for all Gentiles who place their faith in him.

Hebrews 5:7-10 – In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. 9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, 10 being designated by God a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.

Judaism, the old, was preserved after the birth of the church and still exists today. Given the temple was destroyed in 70 AD, they had to adopt to a teaching and festival keeping practice absent of any sacrifices. This will continue until Jesus returns to take his bride off the earth at the resurrection of the righteous (dead in Christ and those still alive when he returns). The Old Testament saints will remain in their graves until the wedding supper of the lamb when they will be resurrected.

With no believers on the earth after Jesus’ aerial return for his bride, the restrainer of evil will have been removed and the time of the Day of the Lord will be at hand. We’ll cover all this in our mini-series on the book of Revelation. Jesus will return bodily

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093 Welcome to Episode #093 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, Majesty of Jesus, we’re going to overview chapters 4 to 10 of the book of Hebrews.

In our introduction to Hebrews on our last episode I noted how Hebrews was written for those Jewish believers in the church who were feeling somewhat unsettled given increased persecutions of Christians. Elders were having to guard the sound doctrine of the apostles’ teachings against false teachers trying to lead the sheep away. It was likely enticing for some to consider simply returning to a synagogue and reengaging in familiar temple worship with former friends and relatives so as to escape persecution and avoid the doctrinal conflicts going on with the church.

Hebrews was likely written 30 or more years after the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost. The church in the early years grew and spread rapidly throughout the world by the apostles, prophets, and disciples preaching the gospel and making disciples through power of the Holy Spirit. These early years were all spent without the New Testament writings seen in today’s Christian canon. These books were being written shortly before, contemporaneously, and/or just after the book of Hebrews. The scriptures they did have for reference were the Old Testament scriptures available in the synagogues and possessed by Rabbi’s and Scribes. 

The first five books of the Old Testament (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy) were written by Moses in the wilderness wandering. These books  reveal the character of God, the condition of mankind, and the way to God through works of the Law. All this was presented in a historic narrative. Beginning with creation these books describe the fall of man, the wickedness of mankind and a global flood, the rebellion of mankind against God at the tower of Babel, God choosing to covenant with Abraham through whom a seed would come and bless all nations, the Patriarchs of Israel – Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the birth of a nation Israel with their exodus from Egypt, God covenanting with Israel and the giving of the Law through Moses, and Israel’s rebellion against God in the wilderness refusing to enter the land. The Old Covenant was the ten commandments along with many statutes. 

The remainder of the Old Testament concerns Israel’s entrance into the promised land and their continual rebellion against God and his covenant. God is constantly raising up prophets and judges in their midst to get them back on the right track. All the while God has prophets recording historical narratives, poetry, prophetic texts, and wisdom literature all of which point to the seed of Abraham that is coming into the world.

The book of Hebrews is tied directly to the Old Testament scriptures and is filled with illustrations from and prophetic fulfillment of these same texts in Jesus. It is for this reason, the best overview of Hebrews is to read the full text and not miss the cross referencing to Old Testament scriptures. These are the sacred scriptures of Judaism. Jesus is the king of the Jews. Yet, Jesus initiated a New Covenant by his death and this New Covenant instituted significant changes that were new not just to the Jews but the Gentiles as well.

With that little bit of background, let’s get into today’s episode where we left off after overviewing Chapters 1 to 3. 

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092  Welcome to Episode #092 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, Supremacy of Jesus, we’re going to overview the first three chapters of the book of Hebrews.

The author of Hebrews and the date of its writing are both unknown. However, it is conjectured based upon one of the earliest church fathers, Clement of Alexandria, and other clues within the text itself that Paul was the author. But this is up for much debate among scholars.

As to it’s date of writing, based upon it references to sacrifices at the temple in Jerusalem, and Timothy being released from prison it is believed to have been written before 70 AD when the temple was destroyed by the Romans. Many scholars suggest a date of writing between 64 and 66 AD.

While it is a New Testament book helpful to both Jews and Gentiles in the church, it is especially directed at believing Jews in the church. Many of whom because of intense persecution and isolation from their former communities of faith and family were considering turning away from salvation by grace through faith and returning to a works of the law faith and temple worship.

Paul’s epistles majored on the particulars of the mystery of Christ and sound doctrine as given by divine revelation. He would include Old Testament proof texts to confirm his teachings. 

The writer of Hebrews, who I consider to be Paul, majored in using Septuagint translations of Old Testament texts to demonstrate the supremacy of Christ the God/man, the majesty of Christ and his works, and the excellence of the Christians walk of faith. 

Just as the book of Romans was a treatise of the Christian faith for Gentiles. Hebrews is likewise a treatise of the Christian faith to the Jews. We see in Hebrews a reflection of Jewish religious and cultural practices seen in the sound doctrine and discipline of Christianity. Jesus the God/man is presented as Prophet, Priest, and King. Both his deity and his humanity are equally and forcefully asserted. There are over twenty titles in the text used to describe his attributes and accomplishments including “heir of all things;” “Apostle and High Priest;” “Mediator;” and “Founder and Perfector of our faith.” Hebrews unapologetically tells us that Jesus offers a better revelation, position, priesthood, covenant, sacrifice, and power than found in the Levitical Sacrificial system of Judaism. 

The sound doctrine of Hebrews is presented in chapters 1 to 10. The supremacy of Christ the God/man is found in chapters 1 to 3 by showing Jesus was above all the prophets who came before him, over the angels of heaven, and even over Moses. The majesty of Christ and his works are illustrated in chapters 4 to 10 showing Jesus having a better priesthood, bringing a better covenant, and offering a better sanctuary and sacrifice. 

The discipline/walk of the faith is described in Hebrews chapters 10 to 13 and includes the assurance of faith, the endurance of faith, and the call to love. With all that as a brief introduction to the book of Hebrews, let’s get started and overview chapters 1-3. 

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091 Welcome to Episode #091 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, A Common Faith, we’re going to overview the books of Titus and Philemon. These are the last two of thirteen epistles written by Paul in the New Testament.

Titus is the third of Paul’s three pastor letters; the first two being 1 & 2 Timothy. Titus is a short book of only three chapters.

Paul wrote to Titus who was his apostolic representative left on the Island of Crete to organize and supervise churches Paul had planted. Paul had been briefly ship wrecked on Crete during his voyage to Rome (Acts 27:7-13) and was likely not able to plant a church at that time. Scholars believe Paul returned to Create with Titus to plant churches after his release from his first Roman imprisonment. It is believed Paul wrote Titus around 63 AD.

Paul provides instructions and encouragement in this letter for Titus to organize and supervise the churches under his oversight. Titus was to appoint elders and set things in order. The overall goal was to protect and practice sound doctrine in a setting where opposition on several fronts was constantly a battle.

Philemon is the fourth of Paul’s four prison epistles written while Paul was under house arrest in his first Rome imprisonment. The other three epistles being Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

This book is a letter to Philemon who was a resident of Colosse. Philemon likely became a Christian at the preaching of Paul during his third missionary journey while Paul was in Ephesus. Philemon’s house became a meeting place for the church in Colosse and his son Archippus was one of the church leaders.

One of Philemon’s slaves, Omesimus, ran away with some stuff and escaped to Rome where he somehow he came into contact with Paul who was under house arrest. Omesimus became a Christian and began to look after Paul’s needs.

Paul was sending Tychicus with the letter to the church at Colosse and decided to send Omesimus back as well with this letter to Philemon. What is interesting is that Paul in doing so was in direct violation of Deuteronomy 23:15 – You shall not give up to his master a slave who has escaped from his master to you.

I think you’ll hear in this letter Paul’s reasoning for sending him back, and the price Paul was willing to pay if Philemon had a problem. Remember we all at one time were held in slavery to the devil. But through the grace of God and faith in Christ, Jesus freed us for freedoms sake. Paul was not returning a slave to Philemon but a brother in Christ who was useful and desiring to do good works.

With that as a brief introduction, let’s get into the text.

ShowNotes: https://www.wayofthebible.com/resources

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090  This is our second of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, Finishing Strong, we’re going to overview the book of 2 Timothy.

2 Timothy is the second pastoral letter Paul wrote to his son in the faith and protégé. In each of its four chapters Paul encourages Timothy to persevere in present trials and endure in future testing’s. 

Paul was practicing and demonstrating what Finishing Strong looked like in this letter to Timothy. It is believed that Paul was executed in Rome at the command on Nero the same year he wrote this letter (67 AD). This about four to five years after he’d written 1 Timothy.  

Much like Jesus words to his disciples in John chapters 13 to17, this letter contains Paul’s last passionate words to his disciple Timothy knowing death was at hand. If you want to know what Jesus was all about, read the aforementioned section of John. If you want to know what Paul was all about, the central and true nugget around which all else was done, read 2 Timothy.

Each sentence and section of 2 Timothy is dripping with meaning central to the sound doctrine of faith Paul was preaching and teaching. It’s almost like poetry where the more you read it and meditate upon it the clearer and more vibrant the mental images appear. Obviously, in overview mode we don’t have the time to do that. Even when done expositorally, verse by verse, our minds cannot contain at one time all that Paul is telling Timothy. I encourage you to read this short book often as well as John 13-17. They will change the way you think about Jesus, God our Father, your salvation, and other people.  

With all that as a short introduction, let’s get started with 2 Timothy. I’ll make short comments along the way as I read.

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089 Welcome to Episode #089 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our first of eight episodes in our twelfth mini-series entitled, Shepherding the Sheep | 1 Timothy to Hebrews. On this episode, Empowering Responsibility & Authority, we’re going to overview the book of 1 Timothy.

1 Timothy is pastoral letter Paul wrote to his protégé. The letter is divided into six chapters. In each chapter Paul exhorts and empowers Timothy with responsibility and authority to establish and govern churches. Each chapter address a specific area of responsibility and ends with an empowering charge from Paul.

Paul and Silas met Timothy while they were in Lysta (Acts 16). Timothy was a disciple and the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer but whose husband was Greek. Paul wanted to take Timothy with him on his travels. Given Paul was ministering with the Jews and wells as the Gentiles, he had Timothy get circumcised. We see Timothy following Paul in the book of Acts and quickly becoming Paul’s spiritual son and protégé in ministry. Paul assigned Timothy to lead the church at Ephesus and subsequently wrote his first letter to Timothy in or around 63 A.D.

In this letter Paul warns of the dangers of false doctrine in the church, provides directions for public worship and leadership, tells how to preserve true doctrine, speaks of the churches duties to others, and addresses pastoral motivations. So with all that as a short introduction, let’s get started with 1 Timothy.

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088 Welcome to Episode #088 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our final of eight episodes in our mini-series eleventh mini-series entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we’re going to take a Walk on the Beach with DrZ and delve in the mystery of Christ and see if we can envision what an authentic Christian life should look like in 2023.

On this walk we'll be touching on the building blocks of walking out a grace by faith life and not works of the law life. Integral pieces for this walk are found in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

PUSH PLAY and Enjoy the Walk!!

SHOWNOTES:  https://www.wayofthebible.com/resources

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087 Welcome to Episode #087 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our seventh of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we’re going to overview the topic of resurrection. What is it and why is it significant.

What we will be examining today are passages from both the Old and New Testaments that speak of a coming resurrection of all who have fallen asleep, or put another way, have died. The passages we will be looking at are not exhaustive but are a sufficient sampling to help us understand what God has said about this coming reality.

Resurrection is different than resuscitation. Resuscitation is merely the revival of life into the same mortal physical body that will eventually die again as is the cursed course of this world. Death came into the world as a result of Adam disobeying God’s clear command given in the Garden of Eden found in Genesis 2:16-17 – And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”
Paul tells of the significance of this disobedience by Adam in Romans 5:12 – Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned. While we can choose to ignore this reality, truth is whatever death is we’re all going to experience it unless we’re snatched away by the Lord when he descends from heaven to call his church home.

We have many examples of resuscitation in both the Old and New Testaments when prophets raised people from the dead. All of those so raised eventually died again and were buried. The one who was in the grave the longest before his resuscitation was Lazarus. John 11:39 - Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.”

What is interesting, is that in the scripture’s death is not annihilation but rather spoken of as being asleep with the soul of a person traveling to a holding place until the resurrection. In the Old Testament this holding place was referred to as Sheol and it had two compartments (hot and cool) separated by a chasm that couldn’t be crossed.

In the New Testament, while the hot side of Sheol is still being populated and occupied, the scripture’s indicate Jesus emptied the cool side of Sheol and took those there into a place Jesus called paradise. Paul speaks of the destination of those who die in Christ in 2 Corinthians 5:8 – Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. So wherever Jesus is, upon our falling asleep there will we be also; forever with the Lord.

We will see in the texts covered today that the resurrection we are speaking is typically associated with God’s final judgment of a person. Solomon spoke of this coming judgment as his concluding remark in the book of Ecclesiastes. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 – The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. The entirety of scripture is replete with similar warnings.

Our resurrection bodies will be individually and uniquely assigned as are our fingerprints and genetics. And fitted to eternally inhabit our destiny of either glorification with God in the eternal state or eternal destruction away from the presence of God in the lake of fire.

With all that as a brief introduction, let’s

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086 Welcome to Episode #086 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our sixth of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode, Man of Lawlessness, we’re going to overview the book of 2 Thessalonians.

2 Thessalonians is a short three-chapter follow-up letter Paul wrote shortly after 1 Thessalonians was received by the church. In this letter Paul encourages the church in their persecutions, explains the Day of the Lord, and exhorts the church to remain steadfast and not to stop working.

What we covered in our overview of 1 Thessalonians and what we’re covering today is something few in Christendom today are aware of and yet it is central to the teaching of the Bible. God’s desire from the beginning has been to dwell on the earth with humanity into eternity. The omni-everything God dwelling with mankind which he created in his own image and likeness for just this eternal purpose. But Adam fell…

Adam’s fall was God’s A-Plan to reconcile all things in heaven and on earth to himself through Jesus Christ. The punishment of sin of all mankind for all time was settled at the cross of Christ. Reconciliation and justification of mankind to God since the cross is through placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ. All that is clearly communicated in the Bible.

What is not clear to most Christians is what God is going to do about continued wickedness in the world. Some think the solution to wickedness is the spread of the gospel to all the world with the hope of everyone believing and wickedness ending. At that time, Jesus would return to establish his eternal kingdom on earth and rule a world already living at peace. That is not what the Bible says.

The Bible clearly says the world will continue in wickedness until the spiritual rebellion in heaven by Satan and his angels is dealt with once and for all. That will not happen until the Great White Throne Judgment in Revelation 20 when the devil, his angels, death and hades are all thrown into the eternal lake of fire where they will remain forever into eternity. After which the eternal state with God dwelling with humans on earth starts.

In Genesis 11, God disinherited the nations because of their rebellion at the Tower of Babel. In Genesis 12, God chose Abraham through whom a descendant would bless people from all nations. God chose the descendants of the promise to Abraham, Israel, and covenanted with them to be a light for the nations. Through the line of Judah, and king David, Jesus was descended.

When deaf and blind Israel rejected Jesus as their Messiah and had him put to death on the cross God opened the door to salvation to people of all nations of the world through the faith of Abraham. By grace through faith anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.

Once the full number of the Gentiles comes to faith along with believing Jews, then a great tribulation as never experienced before in the world will commence leading to the much-prophesied Day of the Lord. This what 2 Thessalonians is dealing with.

The Day of the Lord is a central focus of Old Testament prophetic texts. It is a day of God’s wrath when He will judge the world in righteousness. Paul makes it very clear in 1 Thessalonians, that Jesus is coming back before the great tribulation to take his bride (the church) to himself.

In 1 Thessalonians, Paul addressed the imminence of Christ’s return to get his bride, the church. He specifically mentions the return of Jesus it at the end of each chapter for a total of five times in the text. The purpose of Jesus’ return Paul was mentioning had to do with the church not suffering the wrath of God to come.

1 Thessalonians 1:9-10 – For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and tr

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085 Welcome to Episode #085 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode, In View of His Return, we’re going to overview the book of 1 Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians is likely Paul’s earliest epistle he wrote. It is believed to have been written in 51 AD while Paul was in Athens or in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Thessalonica was a Roman colony of great importance to the Empire being the chief city of Macedonia.

Paul was in the city less than a month teaching in a synagogue there on three successive Sabbath days. Acts 17:2-4 – He reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. Jealous Jews gathered with some wicked men and formed an angry mob. Paul and Silas, at the urging of the brothers, were sent away by night to Berea.

His departure occurred during and as a result of turmoil and persecution of the church he’d just started. Later in his missionary travels, Paul sent Timothy to Thessalonica to check on the condition of the church. Paul was so encouraged by Timothy’s good report upon his return that Thessalonica became a model church he would suggest others to follow.

1 Thessalonians is five short chapters in which Paul ties his commendations and instructions to the anticipated return of Christ. The first three chapters address Paul’s reflections and commendations to the Thessalonians. His instructions for the church are included in the last two chapters. At the end of every chapter Paul mentions the return of Christ. A topic familiar to the church and likely emphasized by Paul during his ministry there.

With all that as a little bit of background, let’s get into the text.

PUSH PLAY and Enjoy the Listen...

ShowNotes: https://www.wayofthebible.com/resources

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084 Welcome to Episode #084 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fourth of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode, Jesus Beyond Dimensionality, we’re going to overview the book of Colossians which many have noted as the most Christ-centered book in the Bible. In this overview we’re going to see the Supremacy of Christ, our Submission to Christ, and discover more insight into the Mystery of Christ.

Colossians is one of Paul’s four prison epistles written while he was under house arrest in Rome. The other three being Ephesians, Philippians, and Philemon. It was likely written between 60-61 AD.

Colossae was a minor city about a hundred miles east of Ephesus and about a mile from Laodicea. What makes that significant is Laodicea is the last of the seven churches in the area Jesus dictated his own epistles to in Revelation 1-3. It is not thought that Colossae exerted any significant influence on early church history, so why the letter?

Many scholars believe Paul was arguing against the teaching of Gnosticism, a Christian heresy that didn’t really become widely recognized until the second and third centuries. Others see Paul arguing against influences by several streams of thought including Hellenistic Greek speculation, Jewish legalism, and Oriental mysticism. But to tell you the truth, you get no sense of either of these scholarly arguments being mentioned by Paul in the text for the occasion of the letter.

Paul hammers home in this letter to the church at Colossae the preeminence and sufficiency of Christ in all things, and the implications of a believer’s union with Christ. Jesus Christ is the creator and Lord of the cosmos and we have been hidden in him until he returns. THIS IS HUGE!!!!

I can’t describe to you how much I’ve grown in grace preparing for and recording these podcast episodes. When I finished prepping and recording the Ephesians and Philippians episodes my mind reached it’s limit as I tried to comprehend all that we have in Christ. I can honestly say while studying out Colossians I discovered how to go beyond the limits of my own mind. It was something Paul mentioned back in 1 Corinthians 2:16 – But we have the mind of Christ. Our own minds simply could not contain it all but the Holy Spirit within is our hardwire to the mind of Christ. To God be the glory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

PUSH Play and Enjoy the lesson.

ShowNotes: https://www.wayofthebible.com/resources

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083 Welcome to Episode #083 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series. This mini-series is entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we’re going to overview the book of Philippians which has been noted as one of Paul’s most personal letters.

Philippians was written by Paul around 62 AD while he was in prison in Rome. In four short chapters Paul gives an account for his prison circumstances and then appeals to the Philippians to have the Mind, Knowledge, and Peace of Christ. When reading it you get the sense that Paul was writing to genuine supporters of his ministry who he hoped to encourage and bring joy into their own adverse circumstances.

Paul openly expresses his affection for the Philippian Christians as they have demonstrated consistency in their testimony of Christ and financial and prayerful support for he and his ministry team. He lovingly encourages them to continue their pursuit of both the person and power of Christ through their thoughts and actions.

While we are in overview mode, if you’ve done much work in discipleship, you’ll likely recognize many of the passages we’ll be going over today. So sit back and enjoy the listen as we get started with Paul’s opening salutation. 

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_59f113df39ad4a169a7d47667c3ee1e0.pdf

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082  This is our second of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series. This mini-series is entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we’re going to overview the book of Ephesians which has been noted as the most carefully written New Testament presentation of Christian theology written to believers.

In our last episode on the book of Galatians, we learned believers in Jesus are a new creation in Christ. On this episode we’re going to hear what it means positionally to be in Christ and how we are supposed to walk out in faith who God says we are. And we’ll continue to see how the unveiled mystery of Christ works in our lives in that regard.

This episode is merely an overview of the book that will include extensive passage reading with a few comments made along the way. The best way to discover the treasures hidden in this book is to sit with pencil/pen and paper and begin to outline and/or structure the book. Taking time with each verse to understand and pray for comprehension of what is being said. 

I encourage you to use word study tools you may have handy or find on-line. This is a book that can be plumbed deeply, and no bottom found. Go beyond what you’ve heard from others regarding words and concepts, and discover what the entirely of scripture has to say regarding these same words and concepts. You’ll see consistency and clarity of meaning shining forth. 

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081 This is our first of eight episodes in our eleventh mini-series. This mini-series is entitled, Mystery of Christ | Galatians to 2 Thessalonians. On this episode we’re going to overview Galatians which has been noted as the single most important book that fueled the reformation of the church.

Now to the book of Galatians. Galatians was the key text that fueled the reformation of the church and its seminal doctrine of justification by grace through faith. Both Martin Luther and John Wesley noted the significant impact of this epistle on their lives and ministries.

Paul wrote the letter to the church in Galatia either from Ephesus between 53-56 A.D. or from Macedonia in 56 A.D. Many scholars consider the book of Galatians as a condensed version of Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Paul is believed to have written the book of Romans from Corinth in 57 A.D.

The location of the church receiving the letter in Galatia is not known as Galatia refers to a Roman political province in southern Asia Minor; the northern Mediterranean coast of the country of Turkey today. Paul visited this area planting churches on his first missionary journey with Barnabas. And again, returned to this area on his second and third missionary journeys.

The issue Paul was addressing in this letter were problems being raised in the church by the false teaching of Judaizers. These Judaizers were Jewish believers who sincerely believed a gentile had to become a Jew first, be circumcised, and then having faith in Jesus follow the law of Moses. They were instructing the Galatian believers to give up their freedom in Christ and return to bondage the Jews had lived with under the law. Paul adamantly rejects this false gospel of works and demonstrates that justification is by grace through faith, apart from works of the law.

The epistle is only six chapters and can be divided into three sections. In Chapters 1 and 2, Paul defends the gospel of grace. He explains the gospel of grace in Chapters 3 and 4. And finally, he describes how the gospel of grace is applied in Chapters 5 and 6. With all this an as introduction, let’s get started with our overview of the book.

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080.03  This is our last of three short episodes in a special Christmas 2022 mini-series entitled, Jesus | Prophesied, Arrived, and Returning. On this episode we’re going to take a brief look at the anticipated return of Jesus.

Prophetically what Israel was looking for was a warrior and savior king who would wipe out all of Israel’s enemies, reestablish the throne of King David, and rule all the nations of the world with an iron scepter in an earthly kingdom that would have no end. This coming warrior/savior king and kingdom are seen in most of the prophetic books of the Old Testament. 

Jesus fulfilled over 300 prophecies in his first coming. There are over 700 more prophecies concerning the coming warrior/savior king and kingdom in the Old Testament prophetic books that were not fulfilled by Jesus.

Numbers 23:19 – God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?Jesus is going to prove God’s faithfulness to Israel and return once again to fulfill the promises God had made to Israel in those prophecies.

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080.02 This is the second of three short episodes in a special Christmas 2022 Mini-Series. On this episode we cover the prophetic words spoken by people filled with the Holy Spirit and angels from heaven concerning the arrival of the one prophesied!!

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080.01 This is the first of three short episodes in a special Christmas 2022 mini-series entitled Jesus | Prophesied, Arrived, Returning. Join DrZ as he reveals just a few of the prophecies to Israel that there was one coming who would be a savior.

A descendant of Abraham and of the line of David one was coming who would establish for God a kingdom on earth that would have no end. But why didn't Israel believe him when he came?

Press Play and Enjoy....

Grace and Peace to you.

DrZ

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080 On this beach walk DrZ addresses the relevancy of the gospel in our culture enmeshed in the throes of post-Modernism deconstruction. When nothing is considered to be true absolutely, beyond one's own personal perspective, how is one to communicate the true truth contained in the scriptures?

Romans and 1&2 Corinthians provides the background that what we are experiencing is not new. The gospel God provides in the scriptures has a power of its own to overcome any deception of man or dark spiritual forces. 

Man has been searching for millennia to answer five ultimate questions about life. 1) Where did everything come from? (Origin); 2) What does it mean to be human? (Identity); Why are we here? (Purpose); How should we live? (morals/ethics); and Where do we go when we die? (Destiny). DrZ answers each of these questions from both the perspective of the world and by the word of God.

PUSH PLAY and enjoy the listen.

DrZ

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_49c857a940f747169d78287230118eb7.pdf

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079 This Conversation with Pastor Andrew Reilly is a must listen to episode if you are a college student or younger! Parents and grandparents, if you have kids or grandkids who are college students or younger this is a must listen episode!

Andrew completely nails post-Modernism, the disconnect culturally that is totally devastating our most precious resource in colleges across the country. The ferocity at which post-Modernism is tearing apart the precious lives of Gen-Z students cannot be over emphasized.

I completed an organizational doctoral leadership program five years ago specifically looking at the mindset and worldview of Millennials and Gen-Z as they entered the workplace. I wrote a 400 page dissertation based upon my research and later a book on this topic. What I discovered culturally about these two generations was so shocking I completely altered my vocational path in an attempt to warn others of what is coming our way. What we are seeing in 2022 is just the start of something much darker coming our way.

Andrew nails the issue during our conversation and presents very practical means of binding the open artery draining the life blood out of our youth. You will hear truth in this conversation that will cause you to quake if you’re a believer. I cannot emphasize enough the importance of listening to what Andrew has to say.

PUSH PLAY and listen… you’ll never think the same way afterward. Pray, pray, pray for the Lord to rescue his vulnerable sheep and save us from the whirlwind to come.

More on Andrew Reilly go to RefugeLSU.com or theChapelBR.com

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_c9eeb47cf1864a978f5ed982de3b8fa6.pdf

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078 This is our sixth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Paul’s Treatises | Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. On this episode we’re going to overview the last six chapters of the book of 2 Corinthians in which Paul addresses the collection of an offering and vindicates his apostolic ministry.

Paul was demonstrating for the Corinthians the reality of a New Life in Christ that he taught, preached, and lived-out. Assuring the believers in the church that they too possessed this New Life. And earnestly encouraging them to embrace and live this New Life.

Central to this New Life is freedom in-Christ. Freedom from death, the penalty of sin. Freedom from the law, the power of sin. Freedom from condemnation and the wrath of God. Freedom from the bondage of Satan, and the doing of his will. Freedom to live in the light and do good, accumulating treasures and rewards in heaven. Freedom to overcome evil with good. Freedom to love others, blessing those who curse you. Freedom to live at peace with and in the will of God, being joyful always, praying continually, and thankful in all circumstances.

Key to living this New Life is to recognize the difference between the seen and the unseen. The seen is temporal, experiencing corruption and decay, and passing away. The unseen is eternal and shone in our hearts, giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The world cannot see what you know in your heart. Paul puts it this way in 2 Cor. 6:11-13 – We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians; our heart is wide open. 12 You are not restricted by us, but you are restricted in your own affections. 13 In return (I speak as to children) widen your hearts also. Paul is telling the Corinthians their Freedoms in-Christ are being restricted by those things of and in the world they are holding onto. And encouraging them to let go of those things restricting them and widen their hearts also to live out what they have already received.

With that as a seg-way, let us to begin this overview of Chapters 8 to 13.

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_f0fe6de027e04c09b2484ed70f76e9fd.pdf

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077 This is our fifth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Paul’s Treatises | Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. On this episode we’re going to overview the first seven chapters of the book of 2 Corinthians in which Paul addresses his character, the collection of an offering, and defends his apostolic ministry.

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076 This is our fourth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Paul’s Treatises | Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. On this episode we’re going to overview the last ten chapters of the book of 1 Corinthians in which Paul answers questions of the Corinthians regarding difficulties they were having in their gatherings as a body.

We need to remember this was all new stuff for believers gathering to worship the Lord. The church included Jews and Gentiles both coming from backgrounds ranging from temple to idol worship to agnosticism and atheism.

Corinth was a cosmopolitan trade city filled with luxury and a culture seeped in the worldly trappings of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. To “Live as a Corinthian” meant to live in gross immorality reinforced and encouraged by prostitution practiced at pagan temples. Of course this was no different than cultures throughout the history of mankind where every man was allowed to do whatever was right in his own eyes.

What Paul had been teaching in Corinth while he was with them and founding the church, and now reinforcing in this letter was counter cultural then and has remained so to this day. As we covered in our last episode on the opening six chapters, Paul was teaching believers how to live as people not of the world but in the world; surrounded by people living in a culture who were in the world and of the world.

When Christ set us free from sin and condemnation, from the penalty of the law and death, and from Satan and his dominion what did he set us free to do? This is what Paul is addressing in this letter. Conflict in this freedom arises from two extreme sides.

From the Gentile/pagan side comes the thought that given God’s grace is unlimited we can now do what you want to satisfy the desires of our flesh without consequences from God as the grace of Jesus covers everything we do. Maybe not all-in to immersion, but at least up to our knees and waist in the squaller of pleasures. This thought has remained in the church to this day.

From the Jewish side comes the thought of legalism and adherence to the law. When we were held in bondage to sin we were not capable of keeping the law. But now set free from sin we are obligated and capable of adherence to the law which will be the measure and standard for behavior within the church. This thought has also remained in the church to this day.

Paul was letting the Corinthians know, and is letting us know today, that nothing has changed since the beginning. God who is holy, chose and redeemed us in Christ who were dead in our trespasses and sin, to be his sons and daughters and co-heirs with Christ in a coming kingdom. God is going to dwell with us into eternity on earth in a kingdom of God that will have no end.

God through Jesus by the Holy Spirit has given us everything we need in this life to live a godly life. Yet when we first become believers, while we know something has happened and we’ve been changed, have lived no other life other than our formal life of sin and corruption. Paul is instructing the Corinthians and us today how to live our new life in Christ that is wholly antithetical to our former life when we were in and of the world.

Even in 2022 we buck against Paul and God arguing we know a better way. Who was Paul anyway, telling the Corinthians and us what to do and how to live. Ancient culture and modern times are judex opposed. We’ve evolved morally and culturally to accept sex, drugs, and rock and roll and rebellion against the order God established for creation. We have the big bang theory, evolution, and humanism all of which the science and psychology academies accept and endorse. So we’ll believe in Jesus, receive his grace, and do what we want no matter what Paul and God say.

With all that as an introduction, let’s get started.

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075 Welcome to Episode #075 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Paul’s Treatises | Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. On this episode we’re going to overview the first six chapters of the book of 1 Corinthians in which Paul addresses Divisions and Disorder in the church.

This is our first of two episodes on Paul’s treatise of the problems, pressures, and struggles of a real church called out of a pagan society. On our two episodes (#073 & #074) we over-viewed the book of Romans where Paul laid out the foundational bases of our faith, Sin, Salvation, and Sanctification, the status of the people of Israel, and how believers are to serve in love and spiritual fervor. But what does this really look like in practice? 

Paul addresses what an assembly of Jewish and Gentile believers looks like when they leave their historical religious practices to worship God through faith in Jesus Christ. We’ll discover Paul was not only writing to the church at Corinth, but this letter has likely had application in every Christian church who has read it over the past 2000 years. How to do Church 1.0. 

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074 Join DrZ as he overviews the last half of the book of Romans. On this episode, Paul addresses the topics of God's Sovereignty over who believes the Gospel (i.e. why the majority of Jews reject the gospel)  and the Service the faithful should demonstrate in walking out their faith.

The Sovereignty of God  as presented by Paul is a very controversial topic in Christianity today, dividing many across strict doctrinal lines. On this episode are presented just the words of Paul and the cross references Paul uses from the Old Testament to support his position. Resolving the question within the church has filled many books and churches that follow those writings.

Paul then addresses what Christian service looks like in a world of darkness. Children of light living in the light surrounded by those in the darkness observing their clear behaviors. Given the service is not based upon works of the law but on grace the lines can be very blurry. Paul presents excellent guard rails and cautions to keep one on the path of faith by grace and not formal legalism based upon the law.

Push Play, Listen, and Enjoy

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_2a7a9682251e41ffa248cf221430cb3a.pdf

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073 This is our first of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Paul’s Treatises | Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians. On this episode we’re going to overview the first eight chapters of the book of Romans in which Paul addresses to topics of sin, salvation, and sanctification.

The book of Romans was written by the Apostle Paul likely while he was residing in Corinth around 57 AD. It is considered by many Christian and non-Christian scholars and theologians to be the greatest treatise every written on the Christian faith.

In this one book, Paul comprehensively and logically addresses five major themes of the Christian faith. Sin, Salvation, Sanctification, Sovereignty (of God), and Service (in the faith). On this episode we’ll cover the first three themes of Sin, Salvation, and Sanctification.

The key phrase used throughout this book and that runs through the entirety of the Bible is the righteousness of God. In most simple terms, Biblical righteousness refers to the condition of a man as he ought to be, the state necessary to be acceptable to God. Trying to get our minds to envelope the full meaning of the word righteousness is a herculean if not impossible task. Because of that it is best to stick with the simple understanding that righteousness is perfection in everything you can imagine.

Paul had intimate scholastic and working knowledge of the entire Old Testament and mastery in all the teachings and traditions of the pharisees. It was this man who Jesus chose to reveal the mystery of God, namely Christ, hidden in God since the creation of the world.

Adam failed. Cain failed. Mankind failed with only Noah and his family preserved through the flood. Noah’s descendants failed at Babel. Israel failed. No one person or people group was able to overcome the power of sin God had revealed to Cain in Genesis 4:7 - If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Join me, DrZ, and discover how Paul nails down the conclusion he used to open the book of Romans. Romans 1:16-17 - For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_2345a33a535644e4b854c85245fc5d41.pdf

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072 Join DrZ for a walk on the beach as he highlights the significance of the gospels in our lives today! You may be surprised by what you discover.

God did things through Jesus to fulfill prophecy, to do something unexpected, and introduce something new. It's the new thing believers are connected together in today. But the time to get in may be drawing to a close...

And of course there's a little sightseeing along the way.

Listen, Share, and Enjoy.

Grace and Peace, DrZ

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071 This is our seventh of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. On this episode we’re going to have a conversation with Dr. Kevin McKee who serves as the senior pastor at The Chapel on Campus in Baton Rouge.

Kevin’s life plan began with a bachelor’s degree in computer science before God redirected his steps into full time ministry. He got a ThM at Dallas Theological Seminary and a DMin from Gordon Conwell seminary. Dr. McKee has served in ministry at the Chapel for 28 years, the last 11.5 as the lead pastor.

I contacted Kevin a couple of weeks ago after hearing in the Chapel the first sermon of a short three sermon series entitled What We Want for You. The sermon was entitled, Self-Feeder and Relationally Accountable.

Having just completed on this podcast our overview of all the Old Testament books and nearing the end of completing the gospels, the subject matter of the sermon really resonated within me. I had to get Dr. McKee on the podcast for a conversation.

I’ll give you details at the end of the podcast on how to listen to this sermon on-line as it was worth a listen. What made it so amazing was the almost radical shift of addressing what matters most for a believer – an authentic Christian life and what that looks like.

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_908cb8acf3eb4fccb1b6b8e751dc9099.pdf

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON PASTOR MCKEE AND SERMON
The Chapel on the Campus: thechapelbr.com

Self-Feeder and Relationally Accountable - Sermon LinkLink: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1epg08jFnB8Ecdmd0K5Gsq?si=b17314029e95477d

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070 This is our sixth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. This is our second of two episodes overviewing the book of Acts. On this episode we’ll cover chapters 15 to 28 looking in particular at the Apostle Paul as he testifies of Jesus as the Christ to Jewish religious leaders, councils, officials, courts, and kings. In these testimonies will learn about what was empowering Paul to stand firm as the Apostle to the gentiles.

We first encountered Paul, also called Saul, on our last episode as the coats of those stoning Stephen were placed at his feet. After the stoning of Stephen, great persecution against believers broke out within Jerusalem. It says of Saul in Acts 8:3 – But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison.

Later, Saul obtained letters from the high priest and was on his way to synagogues in Damascus to arrest Jesus followers and return them to Jerusalem for prison and punishment. While on his way Jesus interrupted Saul’s journey in dramatic fashion. As a result of his conversion Saul dedicated the rest of his life to active full-time apostolic duties to Jesus Christ and to his church.

On this episode we’re going to focus on what Paul did and said as he interacted with both Jews and gentiles, believers and haters. It is important for us to understand who Paul was and why he did and said the things we have recorded in Acts. He was not one of the original twelve Apostles and yet he wrote at least 13 and perhaps 14 of the 27 New Testament books.

Paul’s life and ministry are not unimportant. The churches understanding and theological underpinnings of many of the doctrines of the Christian faith are found in Paul’s writings. The book of Acts provides the backstory for many of Paul’s books we’ll cover on later episodes. And with that, let’s get started.

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069 This is our fifth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. This will be our first of two episodes overviewing the book of Acts. On this episode we’ll cover chapters 1 to 14 looking at the Holy Spirit in Action.

Before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus promised his disciples that he was not going to leave them alone. John 14:26 – But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

The Holy Spirit not only reminded the disciples all of what Jesus had said, recording his words in their gospels, but the Holy Spirit ignited and fueled the conversion of thousands; launching what we know today as the Church Age. And ever since, the Holy Spirit has been at work fulfilling the purpose for which He was sent.

John 16:7-13 – Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me; 10 concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father, and you will see me no longer; 11 concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged. 12 “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.

Given this is an overview we’ll cover a lot but certainly not all of what the Holy Spirit did in the first fourteen chapters of Acts. My hope for you is that you have ears to hear what the Holy Spirit is telling you as you listen to Him. As a believer, the Holy Spirit indwells within you to teach you all things, guide you into all truth, and will declare to you things that are to come!

Shownotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_92471f80519f4ab68e2b9b5b782bfb2e.pdf

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068 This is our fourth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. We’ll be overviewing the book of John, our fourth book in the New Testament today.

I’ve entitled this episode, Jesus in His Own Words. The gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke focus on signs, sayings, and parables of Jesus in his Galilean ministry. John focuses on long discourses of Jesus and events in Judea.

The Apostle John, the brother of James and son a Zebedee, is believed to have written his gospel while residing in Ephesus. John noted of himself in John 20:21, 24, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” He was in the inner circle of Jesus’ Apostles, and while Jesus hung on the cross he assigned John to care for his mother Mary (see Jn 19:27).

The purpose of John’s gospel is not a mystery. John tells us in John 20:31 – these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. With this purpose in mind, many who are exploring the claims of Jesus and seeking to know more about him are encouraged to begin their reading with the book of John.

My point in these gospel overviews is not to cover the entirety of each book. Rather, I’ve been tracking a theme through each book, trying not to repeat parallel passages. The goal is to cover as much of the whole of what the four gospels combined convey about the life, ministry, lessons, persecution, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our LORD.

In Matthew we followed the theme, the Son of Man. For the book of Mark we followed the theme, Jesus Encounters. With Luke we followed the theme of Jesus’ Hard Lessons.

The theme we’ll be following in John is Jesus was Sent. Jesus being sent was a fulfillment of God’s words to Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18-19 – I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. Twice in this passage God uses the phrase “my words.” And that’s just where John starts his gospel.

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067 Interspersed throughout the gospels Jesus teaches Hard Lessons in both plain talk and parables. I refer to them as Hard because when anyone, believer or not, hears or reads them they get real convicted and defensive. We try to re-couch his words to be less biting and less demanding of obedience.

The theme of this overview of Luke is specifically set to look predominately at some of the Hard Lessons presented in this the longest of the gospels. Let me give you just two to see what you think.

Luke 6:46 - 46 “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?”

Luke 14:26-27 and 33 – “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. 27 Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple… 33 So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.”

I believe Jesus is telling us something hard to accept because it means our total and utter separation from our idolatries with the things of this world. And when we get to the epistles, we’ll see this is exactly what his Apostles and disciples believed Jesus had commanded; and that they did. Yet, we tarry at the door…

Listen to this overview of Luke and hear and believe the Hard Lessons Jesus delivered. Enjoy the listen and let me know what the Spirit stirs up in your heart and mind.”

Grace and Peace… DrZ

DrZ@WayoftheBible.com

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_eb517c1299e840a4b67c1108e4e00be6.pdf

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066. This is our second of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Greatest Victory EVER! | Matthew to Acts. We’re just beginning our foray into the New Testament having overviewed the book of Matthew on our last episode. On this episode we’re going to overview the book of Mark.

The book of Mark is the shortest and most concise of the gospels speaking more of Jesus’ actions than his teachings. It is a face paced book with Mark using the Greek word euthus, which means immediately or suddenly, more than all the books of the New Testament combined.

John Mark, although unnamed in the text, is believed to be the author. Mark accompanied Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey and later was associated with Peter.

Scholars believe it was written in Rome around 65 AD and written for a face paced Roman audience. This gospel takes readers quickly from action-to-action recording people’s reactions to Jesus encounters along the way. Mark’s emphasis is on the last eight days of Jesus’ life, which accounts for forty percent of the text. 

You’ll see on these overviews of the gospels, my point is not to overview the entirety of each book. Rather, I’ll track a theme through each book. I’ll be trying not to repeat parallel passages in these gospel overviews. The goal is to cover as much of the whole of what the four gospels combined convey about the life, ministry, persecution, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ our LORD.

The theme were going to track on this episode involve Jesus encounters. You will notice throughout all the gospels people who encountered or heard about Jesus had one or two responses. The either were humbled and loved him or were insulted and rejected him. No one who encountered Jesus was indifferent about him; for example, saying “whatever.”

Once we get through the Jesus encounters, we’ll take the opportunity of Mark’s face paced book to focus on the passion of Christ found in Mark 15 to 16. We may add to this account from Luke and John, but the bulk of the passion account will be covered on this episode.

The pace of the book of Mark is made clear at the beginning. Mark opens with John the Baptist appearing in the wilderness preparing the way for Jesus preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus is baptized by John then tempted by the devil in the wilderness. And finally, John is put in prison. All that in the first fourteen verses. 

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_6b3b217109de45d1a06a053579cf34b3.pdf

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065 Join DrZ as he  overview Jesus as the Son of Man in the book of Matthew.

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_259c60aebb6049998693b823cdeee59f.pdf

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064 This is our final of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Major and Minor Prophets | Isaiah to Malachi. On this episode we’re going to take A Walk on the Beach with DrZ and discuss what we’ve discovered from Genesis through the Major and Minor Prophets that encourage believers in 2022.

This walk on the beach completes our eighth mini-series of eight episodes each and completes our overview of the Old Testament. The first two mini-series addressed Things to Know About the Bible, specifically the foundations of the Christian faith. The next six mini-series addressed the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament, Genesis to Malichi. A full listing of the Mini-Series and Episodes are found at the end of these Shownotes and on the landing page of the podcast website, WayoftheBible.com.

There are a several special and unexpected events that happen on this beach walk you won’t want to miss. Click play and enjoy the walk. 

Listen, share, and enjoy. I would love to hear your feedback at DrZ@WayoftheBible.com

Grace and Peace to you…  DrZ

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_38bb841f76454e62ac644560eb42710d.pdf

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063 Join me [DrZ] for an engaging conversation with Boyd Bailey on the topic of wisdom. Boyd is the president of the Georgia chapter of the National Christian Foundation and the founder of Wisdom Hunters, a ministry whose daily devotional emails help more than 100,000 readers connect with Christ.

Over the past thirty years I’ve read, studied, and heard a lot about wisdom. I can say without hesitation, this conversation with Boyd was the best summary on the topic I’ve ever encountered. Boyd has a way of putting handles on wisdom that take it from the ethereal to practical everyday application.

This is one episode I’m sure you’ll listen to several times, as I have already. And begin to apply what Boyd has learned and so graciously shared.

Here a just a few nuggets Boyd reveals during our time together.

· When considering an issue where wisdom in needed Boyd leads by keeping two key things in mind – empathy and comfort.

· Boyd’s working definition of Wisdom: “Wisdom is the right use of knowledge; is gained through experience; and is found in Christ through his Word.”

· “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom” (Psalm 111:10). Recognizing this, Boyd seeks wisdom from Christ with a posture of humility, and reverence, and worship in the fear of the LORD. Then the LORD has Boyd in a trustworthy position to receive that wisdom; wisdom and humility go hand in glove.

Enjoy the listen. Then let me know of the sound bite nuggets that the Spirit stirred up in your heart and mind.

For additional blessing, visit Boyd’s ministry website: WisdomHunters.com.
To email Boyd directly,: Boyd@wisdomhunters.com

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062 This is our sixth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Major and Minor Prophets | Isaiah to Malachi. On this episode we’re going to look at the last six books of the minor prophets, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi.

Covering six books on one episode is going to require just brief touches of huge nuggets of prophetic text in each book. Hopefully you will be encouraged to pick up your Bible and read them.

We’ll be covering a lot of scripture that has great significance in the study of eschatology or the end times. While I could comment on how each of these passages fits into the end times puzzle, I’ll save that for another mini-series where I can show how all the pieces together from the book of Revelation. If you’re interested in chasing some of these down on your own, just download the show notes and put the passages into a google search with a phrase something like, eschatological meaning.

SHOW NOTES: https://www.wayofthebible.com/_files/ugd/ec4c20_494e73d413bb4f3d89e752cd596aa9c6.pdf

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061 Welcome to Episode #061 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our fifth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Major and Minor Prophets | Isaiah to Malachi. On this episode we’re going to look at the first six books of the minor prophets, Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, and Micah. These prophets prophesied to the Northern Kingdom of Israel, the Southern Kingdom of Judah, and several of the surrounding nations in the times of the Assyrian invasion of the north and the Babylonian conquest to the south.

The Assyrian invasion was one of destruction to the uttermost of the northern kingdom with remnant survivors dispersed throughout the Assyrian empire. The Babylonians invaded and conquered Judah in stages, taking captive into exile remnant survivors of each stage back to Babylon. Israel’s vassal kings kept breaking their agreements with the Babylonians eventually forcing a massive offensive that sacked Jerusalem and leveled the temple.

The minor prophets all address coming judgment of God because of wickedness, idolatry, and apostasy. Some of the minor prophets also speak of a coming day of the LORD’s vengeance against the whole world such as never has been seen or will again be seen in the future. While some of these prophecies may reflect the Assyrian or Babylonian invasions to a point, these prophecies also indicate there is a judgment yet to come on a global scale.

What we learned in Daniel was the promised land was to be ruled over by gentile nations until the fulness of wickedness of the gentile nations had been reached. At this time God would return with a final global judgment and reestablish Israel in their promised land.

Given we’re covering six individual books on one episode, we’ll not going to linger long in any one book. This overview is to give you a taste of what these books contain, and to perhaps encourage you to read these books for yourself. Psalm 34:8 – Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

When you read these books you will see Western culture has reached the same pinnacle of worldliness, idolatry, and apostasy as the northern and southern kingdoms of Israel. Excess wealth of some with no end in sight, 21st century military might, and loss of even obligatory Christian religious practices. While we see the world enclosing around us with its sex, drugs, and rock and roll 24/7 and opiates for the masses, we also see a shift toward totalitarian control on a global scale.

Are we now in a slide toward a similar judgment by God which he rendered on the apostate and idolatrous Israelites? Let’s get started and see

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060 Join DrZ as he provides an overview of the book of Daniel that has served as the framework for all prophetic studies of the last days, the Day of the LORD, the Time of the End. These studies and prophetic proclamations concerning passages in the book of Daniel have been going on for millennia.

We happen to be living 2000+ years after the birth of Jesus Christ and have seen a lot of global history pass since these texts were written. You may discover on this episode we may be living near the pinnacle of the appointed time for the LORD’s return.

Israel has been regathering in the promised land since 1948. Global calamities and a pandemic have world leaders considering a “new” form of unified government. National and business debt crises formed in 2008 will crater with rising interest rates making many consider an equity/debt reset with a new global currency. And finally, Russia and Iran are making plans for their future.

History has proven Bible prophecy comes to pass exactly as written. And all those things written above are included in those prophecies. Daniel, unlike any other book in the Bible, provides a lot of the details of what may soon be coming to pass in our lifetime.

The LORD Jesus Christ is coming back to establish an earthly kingdom in Israel that rules the world. Daniel 7:13-14 - 13 “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. 14 And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.”

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Grace and Peace to you... DrZ

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_83c7d52057024bcdbe336c08e481064e.pdf

Listen, Share, Enjoy.... DrZ

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059 The book of Ezekiel is one of the most revealing prophetic books in terms of visions behind the veil, events in Israel leading up to the great tribulation, and the mountain top temple to be inhabited by Jesus during his millennial reign on earth. Three times Ezekiel is sees the glory of the LORD and reveals much about the majesty of God.

Ezekiel was called by the LORD and sent to reveal to the exiled Israelites in Babylon their wickedness and the wickedness of the house of Israel remaining in Judah and Jerusalem. And that Judah and Jerusalem would soon be destroyed by Babylon and everyone they knew remaining in the land would be killed. The LORD through Ezekiel made clear this was a just and righteous judgment for the idolatry and apostasy of their leaders, priests, false prophets, and people of the land. None would be spared except those who grieved over the wickedness.

Of even more emphasis in the text is the LORD's message to the exiled Israelites that judgment was not the LORD's last word. In fact, through Ezekiel the LORD reveals many marvelous works that will be done to bring united Israel back into the land in the future. And once there a new temple for the LORD will be constructed and occupied by the LORD forever.

Never again will Israel waiver in faith as the LORD will be give them a new spirit and a new heart that will always stay faithful to the LORD. Their land will have peace forever and truly return to a land filled with milk and honey.

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Grace and Peace... DrZ

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058 Join DrZ as he provides an overview of the books of Jeremiah and Lamentations. Jeremiah is a followup to God warning Israel through Isaiah that destruction was coming from Babylon if the people did not repent of their idolatry and return back and follow God's commands. The people refused in Isaiah's day and Manasseh, King Hezekiah's son, took apostasy in Judah to a level beyond the northern kingdom of Israel and any of its surrounding neighbors.

Jeremiah is commissioned by God to tell the people the promised Babylonian invasion and devotion to destruction of Judah and Jerusalem is coming. They will be completely wiped out clean as a bowl, leaving the land uninhabitable. The peoples sin is great yet they refuse to acknowledge God's coming judgment and instead try on several occasions to kill the messenger. God protects Jeremiah and allows him to be the witness of God's vengeance as he uses Babylon as his instrument to devote Judah and her neighbors to destruction.

God gives the people several chances to repent of their ways but they refuse to listen. He provides an escape announcing on several occasions that by surrendering to Babylon and being taken captive they would live. Very few choose this option, instead they believed the lying prophets who were proclaiming God would deliver them. Only 4600 Judeans made it to Babylonian captivity, the rest perished experiencing horrific deaths.

Lamentations is Jeremiah's laments for Judah after the Babylonian hordes did their thing. It's a worthwhile read to recognize the consequences of our sin without God's gift of grace.

After preparing for this episode, I had one thought whirling in my mind. Will the wind the Baby Boomers sowed by abandoning God and offering our children over to the gods of secular atheism for money, fame, sex, drugs, and rock and roll result in a whirlwind of less magnitude from God? I think it's time for Baby Boomers to get on our faces and repent for the sake of our children and grandchildren.

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ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_ea04525913064d448f2db33aa63baaf6.pdf

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057 The book of Isaiah is perhaps the most significant book in the entire Bible. It presents in one book the entire plan of God for salvation and entrance into the eternal state.

Join DrZ as he explores Isaiah and discover why it is such an important book both for Jews and Christians.

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056 Join DrZ for A Walk on the Beach as he discusses how to consider the Fear of the LORD in your walk today. And if it's worth sharing with a neighbor!!

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055 On this our seventh of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Fear of the LORD | Job thru Song of Songs, DrZ has a topical conversation with Pastor Pete Kennedy to get his take on the Fear of the LORD. Fearing God is not something  we hear much about in church and Pastor Pete provides us his insight on the significance of this missing message.

When something is repeated in Scripture it typically is interpreted as something that will happen. The more times it is repeated, the more significant the topic and eventually adopted as central to the storyline of the Bible. Such is the case with the topic fear of the LORD found in the first four books of the Wisdom literature (Song of Songs does not include a reference). The following are the topical mentions found in our mini-series text. A full listing of the verses are included in the Shownotes for this episode.

12 verses of Job (10 of 42 chapters)

63 verses in Psalms (40 of 150 Psalms)

20 verses in Proverbs (16 of 31 Chapters)

6 verses in Ecclesiastes (5 of 12 Chapters)

With that as a brief introduction, listen to the call with Pastor Pete Kennedy and get his input on the topic of the fear of the LORD and application in a believer’s life today.

Listen, Enjoy, Share…

Grace and Peace to you - DrZ

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054 This is our sixth of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Fear of the LORD | Job thru Song of Songs. On this episode we explore King Solomon’s third of three books found in the Wisdom literature; Song of Songs. Solomon is noted in 1 Kings 4:32 to have written 1,005 songs of which the scriptures only record one.

The title of this one song, Song of Songs, suggests it is the most highly regarded of his songs in the same sense as the phrases King of Kings and Lord of Lords. The highest or most venerated of many of the same.

The Jews include Song of Songs in a collection of five books called the Megillot (five scrolls) which also includes the books of Ruth, Esther, Ecclesiastes, and Lamentations. They read it every Passover and call it the Holy of Holies of Scripture. For the Jews it sets forth the heart of a fulfilled husband and faithful wife.

But why is this song so highly venerated and included in the scriptures at all given it does not explicitly mention God, except possibly in Song of Songs 8:6 when referring to a very intense flame. Song of Songs is one of four Old Testament books which are not quoted in the New Testament. The other three books are Esther, Obadiah, and Nahum. Esther does not mention God at all.

History has demonstrated time and again God superintended inclusion of every book in the Canon of scripture we still have today for a reason. I believe God speaking through the pen of Solomon beautifully put into poetry in the Song of Songs that emotional and undefinable intimacy and bonding connection between man and woman who marry becoming husband and wife and one flesh; naked and not ashamed.

The effects of the fall smeared the true image of love and marriage as the man and woman realized they are naked and in the shame of exposure hid from each other with coverings of fig leaves. Listen and discover through Song of Songs the significance of marriage in God’s eyes.

Why is marriage a BIG DEAL? 1) Marriage was instituted by God in the Garden of Eden; 2) Marriage is the means for a husband and wife to become one flesh in the Spirit; 3) Marriage is the source of Godly offspring; 4) Marriage is not called vanity by Solomon in his book of Ecclesiastes but rather something to be enjoyed; 5) Marriage reflects a man’s love for his wife; 6) Marriage reflects God’s love for Israel; 7) Marriage reflects Christ’s love for his church; and 8) Marriage reflects Christ’s love for the individual believer.

Grace and Peace to you... DrZ

ShowNotes: https://www.wayofthebible.com/_files/ugd/ec4c20_a26010e1b6134141b2e909056aac9a3e.pdf

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053 Discover on this episode the answer to the meaningless of life for the atheist and nihilist found in the book of Ecclesiastes. Life without God is truly vanity, a chasing after the wind. Discover what God desires for what many consider toil - you may be surprised by what the text reveals.

Everything in Ecclesiastes terminates in the End of the Matter found in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 - The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. 14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.  

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Grace and Peace to you.... DrZ

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052 On this episode DrZ presents an overview of the book of Proverbs written by Solomon as the primer text to take his sons from childhood to adulthood. Solomon reveals the foundation of life should be the fear of the LORD upon which wisdom and understanding take their stand.

Good and evil are real and their is a judgment coming where all will stand before God and have to give an account of what has been done in the body whether good or evil. This is not something we invented but was a consequence of the fall of Adam. And ever since Cain, mankind has not had an excuse for not knowing the situation we all find ourselves.

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051 Welcome to Episode #051 of Way of the Bible podcast. This is our third of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Fear of the LORD | Job thru Song of Songs. This episode, All About Jesus, is the second of two parts on the book of Psalms. On this second part we’ll discover the Psalms are all about Jesus from first to last. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

We begin by exploring the history of the Psalms from scripture being used in temple worship during kings Solomon, Joash, Jehoshaphat, and Hezekiah's reigns. Next we'll remind ourselves of the significance of prophecy, and why the prophecies of Jesus first coming should make us all the more assured he's coming back.

There are many prophecies about Jesus' first coming in the Psalms. We'll list them along with their Old Testament address and fulfilled New Testament address. Finally, we'll look at four messianic psalms in full - 2, 22, 69, and 118. Each of these Psalms describe a different aspect of Jesus' earthly ministry.

Listen, Share, Enjoy...   DrZ

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_415334ce5277450a881c7cea8f0393f5.pdf

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050 On this episode DrZ introduces the book of Psalms and addresses several topics of the storyline of the Bible we're following in Psalms.

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049 On this episode DrZ explores what many have noted as the masterpiece of literary poetic work in the Bible or elsewhere in literature, the book of Job. While most don’t recognize the literary significance of this ancient book what they hear or think about Job is a misnomer – “Why do bad things happen to good people at the hands of a mean and vengeful God?” This could not be further than the truth of what is revealed in Job. Yet, that may be why the deceiver of truth, the father of lies, keeps this opinion first and foremost in a person’s mind.

In Job you will discover the deep pit of darkness (i.e. pride) that binds those who think they have escaped judgment because of their own righteousness earned by self-sacrifice and doing good works. Perhaps this is the cause for intellectuals of the highest order finding it most difficult to believe in the foolishness of God by which he confounds the wise.

Job was no one’s fool but his own; as are we all. And he demonstrated and argued his foolishness to three of his friends that only dug a deep hole deeper. Then a mediator stepped into scene when Job and his three friends had run out of words. The mediator described how pride in self-righteousness keeps man from recognizing the significance of past sins; and that those past sins are still festering an unpleasant judgment. Man’s righteousness or sin does not affect God who shows no partiality or favor to anyone but gives to all what they deserve.

Trials, the mediator described, are used by God to awaken a person to the reality of what their past sins and active sin of pride deserve (good works do not cancel out the sin!!). In these trials the prideful call out to God claiming they are unjustly suffering in light of their own righteousness. God pays no attention to their pleas. Pride in his beauty is what corrupted Lucifer’s wisdom and caused him to think he could ascend to the throne of God and be like God most high.

The resolution is found when man apart from his pride recognizes the signifance of sin and the justice of God. Those that repudiate their sin, are in anguish of their transgressions, and repent of their sin with their whole heart and pray to God – God hears their prayer and restores them. Those that continue to consider their sin as of no account on the basis of their own righteousness face utter destruction. The difference between these two responses is one sees God and repents, the other sees only themselves and the world around them.

The response of a man when he sees God or Jesus (who is God) becomes what the Bible describes as “being undone.” Best example is Isaiah’s response when he sees the LORD high and lifted up, Isaiah 6:5 - “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.”Listen, Enjoy, Share… DrZ

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_8ff7e7992a164319bc6dd5dce1c05e5b.pdf

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048 Join DrZ on a walk on the beach as he describes how the mini-series on Israel's conquest of the land, their abandonment of God, and the consequences from God compare to where we find ourselves today in 2022 as believers. This is a MUST LISTEN episode if you are wondering what the Bible is all about!

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_dfe8e2fd23e64cdea4ed27d9323b3193.pdf

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047 My annual Bible reading begins with Genesis and ends in Revelation every year. Every year I’d get to the end of Esther and ponder how to reconcile what I’d read in the Pentateuch versus what I’d read from Joshua to Esther. These two groupings didn’t seem to go together. Not until just this year, doing this podcast, did I realize the disconnect I’d been seeing.

To understand the conquest of the promised land and Israel's great failures it is important to see their purpose in the world as established by God from the beginning. On this episode, DrZ starts at the beginning of Genesis and points out major storyline elements that continue to the end of the Bible. These story elements run straight through the conquest of Israel and highlight their downfall.

In a nutshell, the reason you don’t see much of what’s commanded in the Pentateuch being followed from Joshua to Esther is because the commands weren’t being followed. That’s the reason God disbursed the northern kingdom throughout the Assyrian empire and took a remnant of the people of Judah into Babylonian captivity. Now I can more fully appreciate the long suffering, grace, and mercy of God.

If you can remember anything, let it be God's words to Cain before he kills his brother Abel, and God's words to King Saul after God acknowledged his regret that he had ever made Saul king. The passage for Cain is Genesis 4:6-7 - The LORD said to Cain, “Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? 7 If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is contrary to you, but you must rule over it.” The passage for Saul is 1 Samuel 15:22-23 - Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams. 23 For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.” [TakeAway – Do What is Right by Listening and Obey.]

Soon after entering the promised land on conquest Israel began to experience mission failure. By the time you get to Judges (just the second book in), the people had cast God and his covenant to the wind as there was no king in Israel and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. If you want to know what was up with Israel after entering the promised land and why God finally had enough, this is a must listen episode.

Thank you to all the loyal listeners who encourage me in my faith each and every podcast as I prepare, record, edit, and release the episodes. Next stop after A Walk on the Beach with DrZ (Episode #048) we’ll be doing a mini-series on the Wisdom Literature (Job to Song of Songs).

Grace and Peace to you... DrZ

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ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_9453a0a4ea434314ae5afc7b57b332b8.pdf

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046 Join DrZ as he provides a return from captivity overview of the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. In these books the repentant prayers of Ezra and Nehemiah are powerful reminders for us today to recall the past, repent of our waywardness, and return whole heartedly to Jesus our first love.

DrZ also discusses the book of Esther and the plight of the Jewish people set apart from their promised land. The serpent from the garden has been chasing them down their entire history. Jesus is coming back soon to reclaim them as His own.

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045 This episode deals with the books of 1 & 2 Chronicles and is a companion episode to #044 which addressed 1 & 2 Kings. Both episodes, #044 and #045, deal with HUGE leadership and faith issues found in the kings of Israel to either take their people into prosperity and joy or conflict, devastation, horror. Kings deals with the bad endings of people with bad kings. Chronicles deals with good kings who recover their people from calamity and lead them into prosperity. Of course, a return to calamity is only one king away.

Listen and examine your own leadership and walk of faith principles and influences you respond to in guiding others or just yourself. Proverbs 29:2 – “When the righteous increase, the people rejoice, but when the wicked rule, the people groan.” Find out who is rejoicing and who is groaning in your organization and then look for the “influencer.” 

The difference between righteous and wicked is significant and should not be ignored. Unless of course wickedness allows you to get your way. Because in today’s culture, as in times past, doing wickedness is “just” if you get what you want.

Listen, Enjoy, Share…   DrZ

SHOWNOTES: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_e58ba80d1ddb419cbc3959d551020eb0.pdf

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044 God does what He says. God warned the people of Israel through the prophet Moses that if they abandoned God and worship other gods they would be severely disciplined.

Join DrZ as he explores what happens in Israel after the death of king David. Beginning with Solomon who had a great start, the downward spiral to utter corruption beyond repair begins. God sends prophets to the people to warn them of their waywardness and promises consequences for disobedience. And the prophetic words of God are fulfilled in accordance with what was spoken.

There is a powerful message for believers in this episode. It is time to examine our lives and see if we are no better today than Judah at the time of Josiah near their deportation to Babylon. 

Listen, Enjoy, Share... DrZ 

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043 When you have a moral or ethical problem, do you seek wisdom of man or consult God’s word and the Holy Spirit? What if you’re required by the government to do something egregious in God’s sight and would perhaps cause other believers to stumble? Both questions are relevant in the world today.

Join DrZ as he explores 1 & 2 Samuel and provides an overview of the lives of Samuel, the last judge of Israel, Saul the first king of Israel, and David, the king of Israel who’s house and throne will last forever on earth. Obedience is a strange thing and is directly impacted with human exultation to positions of great power. There is a twisting that goes on, turning one’s eyes and heart away from the one who is known but not seen toward the world and all the things it offers to those people highly exult. 

Learn the consequences of not staying close knit with God; even if you're one after God's own heart. And also learn to be thankful continually for the grace, mercy, and forgiveness God freely offers to those who love him. You don’t want to miss listening.

Listen, Share, Rate, Review…   DrZ

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042 Once in the promised land and resting peacefully in homes they did not build, eating food they did not plant, and drinking water from wells they did not dig the people of Israel soon whored after the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of the gods of the surrounding nations. The angel of the LORD showed up and he was not too pleased with their rebellion.

Join DrZ as he provides an overview of the rapid fall of the people of Israel into the worship of the gods of the nations and idolatry found in the opening chapters of the book of Judges. And then what the angel of the LORD does in return. There are consequences for disobedience. Praise the LORD, he is a merciful and long suffering God who abounds in steadfast love as he did not destroy the people of Israel, but preserved them through their sin for the next stage of the story he wrote in space-time history.

DrZ also provides an overview of the book of Ruth which illustrates the significance of having a kinsman redeemer. Learn a bit of the wildness of the bloodline of Jesus in this episode.

Thank you for listening.

Enjoy, Share, Rate and Review the podcast…  DrZ  

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041 This is our first of eight episodes in our mini-series entitled, Conquest and Fall of a Nation. As the title suggests in this first episode we’ll be looking at look at the conquest of Canaan in the book of Joshua that hand “giant” problems that needed clearing. With the commander of the Lord’s army as front and rear guard, Joshua and company had little problems taking care of business. But as it turns out the business they were doing (devoting seven hotspots of giant activity to destruction) has caused many who know not the background to reject the God of the Bible.

Join DrZ as he provides the background issues that needed resolving before God could establish his people as a kingdom of priests and a holy nation in the land. And while fierce and effective in battle the reality of the toll of war, the luxuries of the land, and loss of focus may have made the effort all for naught. Actuation of a long fall from conquest and exultation will become more in focus on future episodes of this series.    

The sons of God who gave up their heavenly habitation to have relations with the women of mankind, and produce offspring, Nephilim, were killed in the flood along with wicked mankind and all living creatures on the face of the earth. But as foreshadowed in Genesis 6:4, they show up again in and around the promised land of Canaan. 

This is just another attempt by the serpent and other rebellious heavenly beings trying to forestall or prevent God’s carrying out of the decree that the serpents head would be crushed by the seed of the woman (see Gen. 3:15). Either get God to destroy the offspring of the woman (from God’s heritage of Jacob) or so contaminate the genetic bloodline that a “true” human offspring would be impossible. Listen and find out what happens. Spoiler alert, by the end of this series it will appear the former rather than the latter was more effective in light of Exodus 22:20 - “Whoever sacrifices to any god, other than the LORD alone, shall be devoted to destruction.” 

And as a sign of the times, Jesus noted a sign time of his return would be as in the days of Noah. Have you noticed anything special about the disclosure of the reality of UFO’s/UAP’s and possible seeding of human women for hybridization with an alien race… We’ll address this at some point on this podcast Lord willing.

Listen, Enjoy, Share… DrZ

Website: https://www.wayofthebible.com/

ShowNotes: 

https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_cd36a3e386c0481497aa27b1382c25d5.pdf

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040 What does the Pentateuch have to do with a Christian’s life today? Learn the answer is this week’s episode, A Walk on the Beach with DrZ. This is a fast paced and scripture filled walk tying together the beginning in Genesis 1 and the new heaven and new earth in Revelation 21.

Christian brothers and sisters, you were not called to be a part of the world and inherit death. You were purchased out of the world by the blood of Jesus, have already entered the kingdom of light, and possess eternal life now. Our inheritance is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, being kept in heaven to be revealed in the last time (1 Ptr. 1:4-5). 

This episode addresses the three realms revealed in Genesis 1-3 (heaven, earth, and the Garden of Eden), the beings that occupy them, and the final judgement that will purify them for eternal habitation of God with humanity. During this reveal, DrZ illuminates what Jesus expects of his followers as we await our arrival into his presence.

Listen, Enjoy, Share…  DrZ

Website: https://www.wayofthebible.com/

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_9730e78b128f455cb735898223fca6f3.pdf

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039 When you hear about the book of the LAW in the Bible, it is much more than the Ten Commandments. Typically, the book of the LAW is considered to be writings of Moses found in the first five books of the Bible; Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy. Collectively they are called the Pentateuch.

Join DrZ as he provides an overview of the significant observations made in the first six episodes of this mini-series that addressed each of the books in the Pentateuch. You may be surprised about the story the Bible is telling.

Listen, Enjoy, Share…  DrZ 

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038 Why is there a choice? If God is good, why doesn’t He just give life to everyone? Both great questions that are answered in the Bible.

Answering the second question first; God has already given everyone life, forming each person in their mother’s womb and determining the exact locations and times they would be born. The problem is the life they possess is corruption and death due to the sin of Adam, and their own transgressions against God in living. Mankind is not born into something imperishable, but perishable and destine for the dumpster fire of hell (Note: I do believe children under the age of consciousness of sin who die go straight into God’s presence). 

Answering the first question; God desires that all would come to a knowledge of the truth and be saved. God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. The problem is because of sin our natural bent is against God and His will and toward ourselves as the masters of our own souls and will. God has placed eternity into the hearts of all men and has clearly revealed Himself and our problem of separation since the very beginning. The choice for eternal life revealed in the New Testament is made by grace thru faith in the remedy God provides – Jesus.

Join DrZ as he describes the option given to Israel in Deuteronomy. It is much more than simple knowing that God exists. Israel was to willingly (whole heartedly) be obedient to all of God’s commands while forsaking the sex, drugs, and rock and roll involved in the worship of idols and the gods of the nations. God repeats this over and over in Deuteronomy, and yet how quickly we forget…

Listen, Enjoy, Share… DrZ

Show Notes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_d90311c0cb624d7fb7b29c732bc80ff2.pdf

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Episode #037 It's been said that repetition is the soul of education. Or put another way, seven repetitions makes us learn almost anything. This maxim has several layers of application in the book of Numbers as God repeats instructions, Israelites grumble, complain, and rebel at every opportunity, and God demonstrates that Not Trusting Truth Has Consequences.

Join DrZ as he presents a face paced high altitude overview of the book or numbers and reveals a critical defect which will certainly end in disaster for Israel. With God living in the midst of the camp you'd figure success would be a no brainer. But when given the option to submit and obey or rebel and play, mankind's track record is dismal; and Israel is no exception.

Discover in Numbers connections to Bible stories you know by heart but whose origin and context are vague in mind. And discover for yourself, we are all just like those Israelites...

Listen, Enjoy, Share...

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_f25caa69e8de4152b977e9e983d63342.pdf

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036 The Israelites are free of Egypt!! They are camped at Mount Sinai where Moses went up the mountain to speak with God. God instructed Moses to tell the people, ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6 and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation’ (Ex. 19:4-6)

The Israelites enter into covenant with God at Mount Sanai. Moses read them the Book of the Covenant and all israel responded, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do, and we will be obedient” (Exodus 24:7). What exactly obedience was to look like the Israelites did not yet know but that was to be revealed in the book of Leviticus.

In the book of Leviticus God provides the Israelites instructions on how a people who are God's treasured possession should live and what a kingdom of priests and a holy nation should reflect to the world. Central to the narrative is God's provision of atonement (covering over) of sin and the command that the people were to be holy (set apart, sanctified) as the Lord their God was holy.

Their moral and ethical character was to reflect and uphold the name of their God. “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, 7 keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, but who will by no means clear the guilty, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children and the children’s children, to the third and the fourth generation" (Exodus 34:6-7).

Listen, Enjoy, Share... DrZ

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_6c21d150412b47ce8438f64935ded434.pdf

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035 The book of Exodus is at the heart of many of the redemption themes that run through the Bible. In this narrative text, God reveals his authority, power, and will through the exodus of Israel out of Egypt. He establishes a moral code for humanity to faithfully observe leading to righteousness - wherein obedience leads to life and abundance, and disobedience leads to rejection and destruction.

God also introduces Israel as a priesthood that will serve him, provide purification for the people, and act on behalf of the covenant people with God. And finally, God designed and had constructed a portable replica of his throne room in heaven in which He tabernacles with his people, Israel. 

Enjoy, Rate, Review, Invite, and Share… DrZ

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034 Jacob’s beloved son Joseph experienced a trial filled life that led to triumph. While tested, Joseph never sinned against God, his faith didn’t waiver, and his favor with God progressively increased. The telling of dreams led to: a pit, slavery, serving in a house, being falsely accused, serving in a prison, serving in a kingdom, and rescuing his family, a nation, and the world.

The fulfillment of Abraham’s descendants sojourning in a foreign land for 400 years of enslavement was about to begin as Joseph relocates Jacob and his entire family from Beersheba to Goshen. They enter by invitation, seventy of Jacob’s line. They will exit by deliverance as a nation of millions.

Join DrZ as he explores this narrative which gives meaningful insight of two key New Testament verses regarding testing and trials of believers. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:3-5). “’Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1:2-4).

Enjoy, Rate, Review, Invite, and Share… DrZ

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_e668a93bbce04cdca265d3c10bc16f9e.pdf

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033  Throughout history of mankind God has done great things, world changing things, beginning with One faithful person. While fruit of the faithful seed may not be seen for years the impact of mature fruit bearing harvests are seen for generations.

The covenant God made with Abraham and confirmed through Isaac and Jacob is a continuing testament in 2022. The nation of Israel, reconstituted in 1947, and the presence of over six million Jews back in their covenantal land demonstrates the faithfulness of God to promises he makes. But what exactly did God commit to in the covenant with Abraham?

Join DrZ as he explores the details of God’s covenant made with Abraham found from Genesis 12 to Genesis 35. God personally confirms the covenant with Abraham’s son Isaac (second born – son of the promise) and then Isaac’s son Jacob. You may be surprised by what it says and covers. 

Listen, enjoy, and share. Grace and Peace to you… DrZ 

Website: https://www.wayofthebible.com/

ShowNotes: https://47d800ed-2293-49f4-b1f4-6964b8bcb082.filesusr.com/ugd/ec4c20_77f503915da5438284b139b0c8c1c752.pdf

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032 On this Walk on the Beach, DrZ address the confluence of influences at the intersection of the heavenly and earthly realms. Since the very beginning, God has been seeking those who trust Him to be enough. Mankind, however, is not inclined to  admit reliance but rather declare independence into self-rule. By Genesis 11, God and mankind had a final division.

Listen and discover who's behind the spiritual realm and religions of  the world. Explore what's in a name and  confess the name you serve. Learn the REST of the bible and present day reality hang on Genesis 1-11. 

Listen, rate, review, subscribe. Enjoy the podcast! DrZ

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031 Why does the Bible divert from a narrative of God’s watchful care over the descendants of Adam and Noah to a focus solely on the patriarchal offspring of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob, the nation of Israel? The answer to this revealed on this episode of Way of the Bible podcast.

Most believers, while they have a familiarity with the narratives presented in the bible, have a limited perspective on the overarching message God has revealed to the world. In the first eleven chapters of the bible, mankind fails three times to freely enter into the will and plan of God for his imagers (i.e. to embrace the responsibility for dominion over the animals and care for the earth, to be fruitful in reproducing and fill the earth, all the while living in the knowledge and will of God as creator).

Strike 1 – Adam eats the forbidden fruit (Genesis 3)
Strike 2 – Wickedness and condition of heart only evil all the time (Genesis 6)
Strike 3 – Building a tower to create a name in the heavens for themselves (Genesis 11)

At the end of Genesis 11, God introduces the man He is about to choose as the father of nations and a blessing to peoples of all nations. And through whom the Messiah, our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ would descend.

Adam on his own failed…
Noah’s descendants failed…
Abraham passes the test of faith, his descendants hang-on to the law, and his seed [Jesus] became and IS the Savior of the World.

Listen, share, enjoy… DrZ

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030 The Old Testament, written in one of the most ancient of languages, Hebrew, presents most of the stories we remember from the Bible. On this episode, DrZ has an engaging conversation with Dr. John Oswalt of Asbury Theological Seminary about the Old Testament and the Hebrew language.

Topics include: What God wants us to know about himself in the Old Testament; The mystery hidden in the Old Testament revealed to the Apostle Paul; The Old and New Testament God is one in the same - one not two different Gods; Comparison of Hebrew and Greek; Use of Semitic religious texts to aid interpretation of Hebrew; Hebrew word study tools and commentaries. A great conversation.

Enjoy the listen! 

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029 Imagine you and your family getting on a three-level windowless barge filled with animals on any given day of the week; nothing unusual happening. The door closes, and you find yourself riding out a forty-day torrential rainstorm. Once the storm ceases, you drift around for another one hundred and ten days before grounding-out on a mountain top. Each day you wait for the door to open. That day does not arrive for another two hundred and twenty days. And finally, once the door is opened, and everyone and everything gets off the barge, you look around and there is nothing anywhere. Everything you observed as normal before getting on the barge has been wiped out… Time for New Beginnings.

In Episode #029 of Way of the Bible podcast, DrZ explores the narrative of Genesis 8 and 9 which include the long float on the water, disembarking, a sacrifice, a covenant, and New Beginnings for mankind. “Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth” (Genesis 9:1).

This is the fifth of eight episodes of the mini-series entitled, Failure to Launch. In the narrative from Genesis 4 to 11, the case is made and the table set for the spiritual and literal split and conflict between the nations of the world and God’s chosen people, Israel. This split and conflict will not be end until the eternal state is manifest as described in Revelation 21 to 22.

Listen, enjoy, share, and be blessed… DrZ

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028 God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19). In this episode, DrZ unveils in a discussion of the flood narrative of Genesis 6-7 three important points for believers. First, God will bring judgment against the wicked, their wickedness, and their wicked words against God using a means and measure appropriate for the situation. Second, God always announces what He is going to do to his prophets. And third, God will not destroy the righteous with the wicked.

The first point is seen in Genesis 6:5-7 - The LORD saw how great the wickedness of the human race had become on the earth, and that every inclination of the thoughts of the human heart was only evil all the time. 6 The LORD regretted that he had made human beings on the earth, and his heart was deeply troubled. 7 So the LORD said, “I will wipe from the face of the earth the human race I have created—and with them the animals, the birds and the creatures that move along the ground—for I regret that I have made them.”

The second point is seen in Jude 14-15 - Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about them: “See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones 15 to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.” And in Genesis 6:13 - So God said to Noah, “I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth.

The third point is seen in Genesis 7:1 - The LORD then said to Noah, “Go into the ark, you and your whole family, because I have found you righteous in this generation.

There is a coming judgment against the wicked which may be coming soon as Jesus’ return is indicated by the signs of the times. As were the days of Noah, so the days are now…

Enjoy, share, and be blessed… DrZ

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027 In this exploration of the first half of Genesis Chapter 6, DrZ expounds upon what Jesus noted would be the sign of his second coming - "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man" (Matt. 24:37). What we discover is that the days of Noah angels were having hanky-panky with the daughters of man and having hybrid offspring! These hybrids show up again in the promised land as the Israelites prepare to enter. And guess what, they're reported to be back again doing the same things as in the Days of Noah...

Hold on to your seats and cast away your tin hats and conspiracy theories. The Bible is revealing in Genesis 6 what we're experiencing today. Could it be the return of Jesus Christ is at hand? Listen and you may believe this to be the case.

Grace and Peace... DrZ

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026 The Gospel of God is a pretty simple message communicated throughout the Bible. Basically it contains these elements: 1) I am God, there is no other; 2) I created everything seen and unseen; 3) I created mankind in my own image and likeness; 4) Mankind sinned/rebelled against me and is under condemnation and my wrath; 5) I will judge the rebellious (mankind and the heavenly creatures) and eternally subject them to my wrath; 6) I don’t want you to be condemned but repent, turn to me, obey, and live; 7) I’m making it simple for you by judging all sin and appeasing my wrath on a substitute, my own Son Jesus; 8) Simply believe me (God) and follow Jesus by faith.

You’ll see in Genesis Chapter 5, God hid this message in the genealogy from Adam to Noah. If you’re like me, when you hear this for the first time you might utter – “You’ve got to be kidding?” It is that unbelievable. Enjoy the podcast. Grace and Peace… DrZ  

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025 This Way of the Bible podcast episode starts our fourth short series . The series is entitled Failure to Launch, and reflects what happens in the world when there are no rules except what the strong man makes up and enforces. Truth is non-existent and the fear of non-compliance with unknown or ever-changing rules manifest conflict and chaos. This all began and was recorded for us by Moses in Genesis chapters 4 to 8.

Episode #25 addresses Genesis Chapter 4 and details the entrance of Adam and Eve and their progeny (Cain, Abel, and Seth) after expulsion from the Garden of Eden. What Adam and Eve encountered in a world where Satan is the ruler of the power of the air and holds the power over death quickly takes their experience of Conscious life from Bliss to Chaos. Their firstborn child, Cain, kills his brother Abel over a sacrifice to God. We'll see, it only goes downhill into the sewer after this; but God preserves a remnant.

No matter the circumstances in the world or your workplace, God always has a remnant hidden in plain sight who will carry the message of Jesus to the next generation. While the masses cower to the fear and threats propagated by a very small minority, followers of Jesus stand firm in their faith: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind (2 Timothy 1:7). Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus - “I [Jesus] have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Grace and Peace… DrZ

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024 Reconstituting the Ekklēsia in a Post Mars Hill World

Following a recommendation of a close friend, I begin listening to the Christianity Today podcast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill; hosted by Mike Cosper. On the one hand it is an extremely well-produced and executed program regarding the cost/benefit analysis of a rocket ride that manifested mega-church size and celebrity fame of Seattle’s Mars Hill Church pastor Mark Driscoll. On the other hand, as a believer, it is very disheartening and at times disturbing to listen without thinking I’ve been led into the Roman Colosseum to watch Christians being mauled by wild lions, tigers, bears, and dogs. Images of St. Augustine’s friend Alypius fill my mind now even when writing this (see St. Augustine’s Confessions, Book VI, chapter 8).

On Way of the Bible podcast Episode #024 | A Walk of the Beach with DrZ, I consider life in the Messianic kingdom to come as a model of how life as a believer in the world today is supposed to look. And when believers gather together to pray and worship it is the church (i.e. ekklēsia). (Note: From the very beginning of the church, it has never been perfect and needs constant oversight and care. And once turned by human will toward the world very difficult to turn back).

The church, according to the Bible, is not a building or even a gathering of people in a building. The church is the gathering of the body of Christ (i.e. individuals in whom Christ dwells) for the purpose of prayer and worship. And when gathered (two or more) Jesus is there amongst His body ready and able to minister, guide, supply, and address concerns of the body.

Things to consider in a world being turned upside down. Especially knowing God is allowing this turning to accomplish His purposes in the world. Enjoy and share the listen… DrZ

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023 Beginning about ten years ago, if someone wanted to do business or serve mid-size to large corporations it became very taboo on business and social media platforms to have anything out there identifying as a follower of Jesus or Christian faith in general. Seemingly overnight all other religious practices were tolerated and some celebrated while total vanilla secularism was most preferred. This condition still exists and has ramped up considerably in the past two years.

If you sense this pressure and are just going along with the flow because of fear of losing your job, or missing out on business opportunities, you are not alone. Episode #023 of Way of the Bible podcast addresses this issue head-on in a “Conversation with Marcus Jackson.” Marcus, a talented and gifted entrepreneur, describes his faith and the reasoning behind his unashamed Jesus and Christian content on everything he puts out there. 

Halfway through this conversation, Marcus is joined by his mom, Madeline Jackson, as they describe the book they recently co-authored, “Christians, God Says You Are Priests! 1 Peter 2:9.” Together, they reiterate the calling on all believers to be a light that attracts those God is calling. And through everyday practice of Simply Believing God and Following Jesus, some of those who are attracted by the light will be birthed into the kingdom by the working of the Holy Spirit.

During the trial of Jesus at the high priest’s house Peter denied knowing Jesus three times. This was mere hours after Peter told Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” What happened? Peter’s boldness in private was tested in public. 

Yet, after Jesus’ ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit, Peter became the chief spokesman before the Jewish leaders. Peter followed Jesus unto his own death on a cross; albeit upside down. What happened? The Holy Spirit empowered Peter to not deny the light, following the way that leads to death. Rather, to allow the light to shine and follow Jesus in life eternal wherever He may lead. Enjoy and share the listen… DrZ 

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022 On this episode, DrZ explores the significance of Genesis Chapter 3 in the Creation narrative and the impact on mankind and creation from a cratering to simply Believe God and follow his command. This chapter contains the first of three key passages that tie together mankind and the God of eternity.

Eternity Lost - The fall of mankind in Genesis 3
Eternity Redeemed - Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus in the Gospels
Eternity Found - Entrance to the eternal state in Revelation 21

While the fall of mankind is central to the Chapter and our lives today, the chapter also addresses the role of Satan and his schemes in the world, the daily life consequences of the fall on mankind before death, God's first act of redemption, God's mercy and blessing to mankind, and the mystery of the tree of life.

The creation itself was also impacted by Adam's sin; now held in bondage and decay. It awaits the revealing of the sons of God so that it too can be restored.

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021 In this episode DrZ explores Genesis Chapter 2 and the account of Mankind | Naked and Not Ashamed. Chapter 2 of Genesis takes a closer look at the Creation of mankind, his work in the garden, a command and warning from God, the creation of woman from man, and their status in eternal bliss – Gen. 2:25 Adam and his wife were both naked, and they felt no shame.

DrZ opens this discussion with two passages that speak of eternity – the place where God dwells in fullness. God has set eternity into the human heart. That’s why we know in our hearts there is something beyond we are experiencing here. And could it have been through this portal into eternity that God breathed into us the breath of life and we became living beings.

Chapter 2 opens with God resting on the seventh day from all his work he had been doing – the seventh day did not have an evening or morning – His rest remains open. Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

We next see that vegetation had not yet appeared on the dry ground and that there was no one to work the ground. After which God creates man from the dust of the earth and breaths the breath of life into him, and he became a living being. God then planted a garden in the east, Eden, and placed man in the garden to work it. Eden, I believe, was a dimensional reality beyond our own. And it was in Eden God planted in the center of the garden the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

While Adam was given the right to eat from any tree including the tree of life, he was commanded not to eat from the tree of knowledge of good and evil or he would die. God recognized it was not good for man to be alone so He decided to create a helper for him and paraded all the other living creatures before Adam, which Adam named, but none was found suitable. So God created woman from man; such that the two when joined become one flesh. In total innocence and bliss of existence, while man and woman were naked, they felt no shame.

From this point forward thru Revelation 20 is the account of God redeeming mankind to reenter this eternal state of innocence and bliss forfeited by Adam when he ate the forbidden fruit. And while work is what we were created in God’s image and likeness to do, you may be surprised by the work God requires. And we’ll look at that work at the end of our next Episode #022.

In regard to the top five philosophical questions we’re answering in the Genesis Creation narrative. Where did everything come from? (Origin) God is the creator of everything we see.

Why are we here? (Purpose) Mankind was blessed by God to be fruitful and multiply, fill the earth, and given dominion over the earth to rule and reign – We’re about to see in Chapter 3, that Adam lost our dominion but the blessing and purpose remains; although delayed in fullness.

What does it mean to be human? (Identity) Mankind was created in the image and likeness of God

How should we live? And where do we go when we die? Are answered in Genesis 3.

As with Chapter 1, we’ve merely scratched the surface of the surface of what can be discussed. I encourage you to start your own study of this Chapter and discover for yourself the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ you’ll encounter.

Grace and Peace to you...

DrZ

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020 Join DrZ as he explores the Genesis Creation narrative in Genesis 1 covering Days 5 and 6 (see Genesis 1:20-31). On Day 5, God created teaming life in the seas and birds in the sky. On Day 6, God created the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals.

Before approaching the Genesis Creation narrative it is important to see how our view of creation has likely been heavily skewed by erroneous secular humanistic teaching of science on this subject. DrZ spends the first few minutes of the podcast setting the table for knowing  and believing the Genesis Creation narrative is to be taken literally and by faith. 

Over the past fifty years science has proven evolution as proposed by Darwin and which continues to be taught in school, never happened. And that there are many things which science cannot explain given self imposed paradigm of a closed system of scientific discovery and reference. Many if most of the unanswered questions could be answered if the door were open in science to consider influences from beyond our space-time reality. 

All modern in-roads of science point back to a beginning similar to what we encounter in the Genesis Creation narrative. Most of these in-roads are contained in the presentations of the facts and problems Intelligent Design scientists resolve in Genesis. 

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019 DrZ picks up the creation narrative with days three and four on which God has dry ground appear, ground produces vegetation, and God places lights in the vault of the sky. For completeness, I encourage you to also listen to the creation narrative for day one [separation of darkness and light] and day two [separation of waters] presented on Episode #002 | Why Believing God as Creator Changes Everything.

What you'll learn on this episode [#019] is not only the creation narrative not a myth, but because of recent scientific discoveries, the creation narrative is both reasonable and rational. And this is incredibly important as the narrative also provides great insight into the purpose of life and the nature of work.

God’s desire was to provide mankind the ultimate environment in which to experience union with Him through innovative and creative care of the world He created for us. This narrative defines where everything came from (Origin), why we are here (Purpose), what it means to be human (Identity), how we should live (morals/ethics).

And finally, God provides mankind the freedom to choose to live in this union with him forever [eternal life] or to strike out on our own with the consequence being death. And through the narrative God defines where we go when we die (Destiny).

What you’ll discover in this series is we were created for a fulfilled life AND experience of purpose through satisfying work prepared in advance for us uniquely to do. While you know the end of the story – mankind chose independence and death – God still provides for those who choose, the blessings of a fulfilled life of purpose experienced through satisfying work prepared in advance for us uniquely to do. Are you interested?

Listen and learn how to make the days ahead the best days of your life, EVERY-DAY.

Grace and Peace to you… DrZ

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018 The Creation narrative presented in Genesis 1 to 3 provides the most complete answers to the ultimate questions asked about life. Where did everything come from? (Origin); Why are we here? (Purpose); What does it mean to be human? (Identify); How should we live? (Morals/Ethics); and Where do we go when we die? (Destiny). Join DrZ as he discusses the significance of the Creation narrative and how scientific discoveries over the past 100 years indicate it happened just as it was written by God in His word.

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017 DrZ introduces eight major divisions and twenty inner division narratives in the Bible in order of appearance. Each of these divisions and narratives formally play key rolls in God's providential hand in the history of mankind ultimately culminating in the Eternal State.

These divisions and inner division narratives will be topics of future episodes and include:

Division 1. Time of Innocence
Inner Division 1. Six days of Creation
Inner Division 2. Mankind in time of innocence
Inner Division 3. The fall of mankind and expulsion from the garden

Division 2. Time of Human Conscience
Inner Division 4. The first death - Abel
Inner Division 5. The grave was opened to receive mankind
Inner Division 6. The lines of Seth and Cain
Inner Division 7. Enoch, Noah, and the Flood

Division 3. Time of Human Government - Babel

Division 4. Time of the Patriarchs - Abraham, Issac, Jacob

Division 5. Time of the Law
Inner Division 8. Exodus from Egypt
Inner Division 9. Judges, Kings, Kingdoms, Prophets, and Rebellion

Division 6. Time of the Church
Inner Division 10. The mystery of Grace in the church age.
Inner Division 11. The scattering of the Jews among the nations
Inner Division 12. The time of the gentiles - Daniel's 70 weeks
Inner Division 13. Jesus' aerial return, first resurrection, and translation of saints
Inner Division 14. Judgment Seat of Christ
Inner Division 15. Daniel's 70th week and the judgment of the Jews
Inner Division 16. The marriage supper of the Lamb
Inner Division 17. The Second coming of Jesus Christ to judge the nations

Division 7. Time of the Millennial Kingdom
Inner Division 18. Second resurrection of the dead and Great White Throne Judgment

Division 8. Time of New Creation
Inner Division 19. Renovation of the heavens and earth with fire
Inner Division 20. New heavens and new earth

The Bible is telling a single story that involves the reconciliation of all things in heaven, on the earth, and under the earth to God through Christ's blood shed on the cross. All along the way of human history since Adam, God has been rescuing people off the earth for life in His eternal kingdom that shall have no end.

What a person believes has "eternal" consequences and determines their eternal destination. What a person does, good or evil, will be judged and used to determine rewards in the Millennial Kingdom or level of punishment in hell.

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the duty of all mankind. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil."

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016 Join DrZ as he takes a stroll on the beach and discusses the reality, not just possibility, of hell and place of eternal torment in the lake of fire. This is not a conversation based upon fear tactics but rather an honest examination of human experience and the revelations in Holy Scripture.

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015 Join DrZ in this engaging conversation with Pastor Lee Shipp as they talk about the importance of an eternal perspective for believers. Many prophetic signs of the times spoken of by Jesus and prophets of both the Old and New Testaments are being fulfilled and/or just blooming that all point to the return of Jesus Christ. While cultural turmoil and global instability have always been around, the current global crises and unrest are "biblical" in proportion and indicate something big or someone important is coming soon!

The episode launches with the following passage from Titus 2:11-15:
"For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. These, then, are the things you should teach. Encourage and rebuke with all authority." DrZ and Pastor Shipp are in agreement that our waiting for the blessed hope, the return of Jesus Christ, may be soon turn into joy at His appearing.

The conversation is structured around four primary questions and flows along courses as the Holy Spirit directed. These questions include:

Question 1: Is what we are experiencing in terms of cultural and global unrest just a historical cycle or is something unusual going on?

Question 2: We are told in the Scriptures that trials, suffering, persecutions, and the testing of our faith are not only to be expected, but somehow beneficial to our lives now. Is this right?

Question 3: What would a believers typical lifestyle look like culturally today if we really said “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and lived self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age?

Question 4: When you think with an Eternal Perspective – what do you see in and about the future that changes your attitudes and behavior today? And, Does it always work?

Be encourage in this episode to follow the direction from Hebrews 10:25 regarding the gathering of believers (the ecclesia). "Not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (NIV). Pastor Shipp encourages us to be the ecclesia - even in the face of persecutions and public ridicule in the days ahead.

Pastor Lee Shipp can be contacted at The First New Testament Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Their website is: FNTChurch.org.

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014 In this episode DrZ introduces and reads what the Bible has to say about God's Eternal State in Revelation 21 and 22. These are the only two chapters in the Bible, the last two chapters no less, that actually describe the eternal state.

At the end of all things when God reconciles everything to himself, things in heaven and on earth, by making peace with Him through Jesus Christ's blood shed on the cross both Old and New Testament saints will dwell into eternity with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We will be resurrected in eternal human bodies and dwell in a new heaven and earth.

The Bible says, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has in store for those who love Him. Even what is presented in these last two chapters of the Bible will pale in significance to what we will inherit as co-heirs of Jesus Christ.

Come, even now Lord Jesus - Maranatha.

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013 DrZ reveals New Testament revelations concerning God's eternal purpose in Jesus Christ for populating the eternal state with those who receive salvation by grace through faith. Until the final confrontation between God and Lucifer in Revelation 20, God is constantly rescuing humans out of slavery to the devil and adopting them into His eternal family.

Numerous theological and faith based terms believers regularly encounter are defined and scripturally supported in this episode. The understanding of these terms and the implications to the church as revealed in scripture illuminate the manifold wisdom of God being manifest to the authorities and powers in the heavenly realms. God through Jesus Christ reconciled everything on earth and in heaven to Himself and provided the means for a creation without corruption that will last FOREVER!!

A full listing of the scriptures and notes for this episode can be found on the resources page of the podcast website, WayoftheBible.com. 

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012 DrZ reveals how the rebellion begun by Lucifer in heaven is resolved by God on earth. In Revelation 20, we see Satan being cast into the Lake of Fire along with the dead whose names were not written in the book of life. The dead going into the Lake of Fire had been judged based upon what they had done written in books opened at the great white throne judgment.

In Genesis 3, after the sin of Adam, we see God addressing the serpent [Lucifer]. God tells the serpent he's going crawl on his belly and eat dust of the earth all the days of his life (mankind is made of dust of the earth). And, his head would be crushed by a seed of the woman while his seed would bruise the woman's seeds heal. The woman's seed was Jesus!!

Lucifer, who had been given dominion over the earth, accepts the challenge of God. The war Lucifer began in heaven by his rebellion was going to be waged on the earth between he and God, using humanity as the front line troops for both sides.

The Old Testament records the working out of battle lines and initial skirmishes as Lucifer tries to wipe out mankind and the opportunity for the coming seed to be born. God is always in front of Lucifer preserving a remnant.

God chooses Abram as the man through whom He would build a nation of people and provide them a land to be a witness to all the earth of God's existence. Then God narrows the bloodline to the seed of the woman to a descendant of King David. Jews looked for the coming Messiah who would rule the world.

Try as he might, Lucifer was unable to get ahead of God and destroy the bloodline of David. Jesus fulfilled at least three hundred prophecies at His first coming. There are another 1900 prophecies yet fulfilled which will be fulfilled at His second coming.

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011 Genesis 1:26-27 tells us God made Mankind (male and female) in His Image and Likeness. Jesus tells us in John 4:24 that God is spirit. In this episode, DrZ unravels the conundrum of reconciling  how the Image and Likeness of God who is an eternal being and spirit can be manifest in a created being existing in a four dimensional physical reality.

For millennia theologians have struggled to fully define and understand from the Scriptures the metaphysical characteristics of God. And what metaphysical characteristics of God define his Image and Likeness in physical mankind.  

The bookends of mankind are pretty well established while yet not fully defined and/or understood. These bookends are the body of man, which is physical, and the spirit within man which is metaphysical. Within these bookends of mankind are the metaphysical mind, soul, heart, and strength (see Deut. 6:4-5; Luke 10:25:28; 1 Thess. 5:23). While much has been written and debated on each of these characteristics, DrZ only addresses them in a summary fashion; keeping it simple and to the point.

To reveal more would be a spoiler of this episodes mega surprise for believers. Enjoy the listen and the blessing of knowing you are truly created in the Image of God and included in His forever family through faith in Jesus Christ...

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010 On this episode DrZ explores the origin of evil in the heavenly realm by zeroing in on Lucifer | The Guardian Cherub of God. When God created Lucifer, God created him as the Seal of Perfection, Full of Wisdom, and Perfect in Beauty. Lucifer is commonly referred to as Satan and the devil with several other aliases.

Lucifer was in Eden, the garden of God, covered with precious stones in gold settings which were prepared the day Lucifer was created. God appointed and anointed Lucifer as a Guardian Cherub and he was on the mountain of God walking among the fiery stones. Lucifer was blameless in all his ways from the day he was created till...

Wickedness was found in Lucifer as pride welled up in his heart because of his beauty and he corrupted his wisdom. As a result, God banished Lucifer from among the fiery stones. And at some point God gave Lucifer a kingdom on earth and the power over death. From Chapter 3 of the Bible, it becomes very plain that Lucifer was a very critical component of God actuating the eternal state found in Revelation 22 and populating it with humans who would love God and never rebel.

Until the end of this Age when God deals with Lucifer, his angels aligned with him, and those whose names are not written in the book of life, God has given Lucifer great latitude here on earth to work mischief and cause havoc among mankind.

Jesus warned his disciples that as he, the Son of Man, sowed seeds in the world of people of the kingdom, the devil would be following behind sowing people of the evil one in their midst. Paul, Peter, Jude, and John all comment on the infiltration of demonic influences into the early church and that strange doctrines taught by demons would be prevalent in the church in the latter days. And here we are.

Lucifer is real, alive, still beautiful, disguising himself as an angel of light, and roaming around looking for someone to devour. And with a heavenly host of disembodied demonic and evil spirits he controls, can cause great divisions between us believers.

Trust God, His word, and hold onto the Truth as you Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. The Holy Spirit in you will help guide you on your way in Truth!

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009 DrZ introduces the four main classes of heavenly beings revealed in Scripture. Three of which are embodied spirit beings (seraphim, cherubim, and angels) and the fourth are disembodied spirits (demons/evil spirits). God who "is" spirit created all the heavenly host through Jesus Christ and maintains their existence.

Each class of being has a different role in heaven. The seraphim are around the throne of God acknowledging the holiness of God 24/7. Cherubim, are the guardians and carriers of God's throne. Angels are ministering spirits of the redeemed and the executioners of God's judgment on the wicked during the Great Tribulation. Demons/evil spirits are disembodied spirits who work mischief through individuals and communities.

Spiritual warfare is ongoing in heaven and on earth. Paul tells us in Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." These powers and spiritual forces have wrecked havoc in Christian communities since the establishment of the church in the book of Acts. And they have a ruler, his name is Lucifer, and we'll learn more about him in our next Episode - #010.  

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008 Join DrZ on an early morning walk along the beach as he describes the reality of the supernatural/spiritual realm as revealed by science. During the discussion DrZ tears down the roadblocks to faith - atheistic philosophy and scientific materialism. Both of these lines of teaching have blinded and indoctrinated minds to believe a supernatural and/or spiritual realm do not exist, negating the existence of God, spirits, or supernatural events (miracles).

Scientific discoveries over the past 100 years provide evidence that not only are we not living in a closed physical universe but likely exist in a multidimensional reality. These discoveries make it possible to say with assurance that belief in the supernatural/spiritual realm existing beyond the limitations of our own space time reality is both rational and reasonable given the affirming evidence.

The slices of evidence discussed on this episode include:
Why "things" in our vacuous space are holding together rather than flying apart.
We are living in pixelated space-time "digital" universe. Thanks to Planck's constants for length and time we now know there are space-time openings in the fabric of our reality that allow the crossing of nonphysical energy between dimensions. We are not living in a closed boundary system as assumed by our outdated science textbooks.
The boundary curtain to the 5th dimension is merely 1.6E-33 cm from any given point and is crossed in 5.4E-44 seconds. That means the supernatural and/or spiritual realm is immediately accessible everywhere in the universe. Heaven is not "out there." Rather, we are living in its midst - it is all around you. The possibility of an angel or demon standing next to you, or even in you , is not a fantasy or fairytale but a possibility proven by science. And when we die, while our bodies can slip through the fabric, our spirit immediately slips across the boundary to the other side. For believers, we will immediately be in the presence of Jesus.
The language of DNA proves life did not evolve from undirected impersonal causes plus time and chance. Whatever created DNA has a mind and the power to create. Believers call Him LORD God Almighty - who was/who is/who is to come!

Please follow, write a review, and join DrZ on the Path to discover the treasures of wisdom and knowledge hidden in Christ. For show notes, to join the Path, and to contact DrZ go to the website: WayoftheBible.com

Be blessed my brothers and sisters... DrZ

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007 On this episode, DrZ explores the topic of Purpose and how it relates to the Path we are to be following. To introduce the topic, DrZ 's presents relevant scriptures which illuminates Purpose in a context we may not have perceived from how it is understood culturally. He then introduces and interviews his special guest Beth Townsend - author of the book "Life on Purpose," speaker, and television and podcast host and personality. Specifically, DrZ wanted to discover what Beth observed during her numerous encounters and interviews with believers on the topic of purpose.

This is a rich program filled with nuggets of purpose wisdom and knowledge revealed by believers to Beth; all of whom noted they experienced trials and difficult times before they discerned purpose. It says in James 1:2-4 - "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything." and in Romans 5:3-5 - "Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Purpose and trials seem to go hand in hand.

Two proverbs make the connection between trials and purpose and this podcast's tag-line Simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. Proverbs 19:21 - "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails." Proverbs 20:24 - "A person’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand their own way?" Believers have a tendency to think we know what God wants us to do, so we get off the path to do it. What we forget is when we lead we are not following. That's a very hard lesson to learn... John 15:55 - "...apart from me [Jesus] you can do nothing."

The core foundational element to both believe and follow is TRUST in who you believe and in who you follow. Our TRUST is based upon our faith [Hebrews 11:1 - "Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see]. We are told to have full confidence and assurance to believe and follow. And when we get off the Path, our Faith to follow and not lead is increased through trials and tribulations. Ultimately, we must know by Faith and TRUST that God has the power to do what He has promised and then fall back and follow...

You don't want to miss the end of this episode following Beth's interview as DrZ reveals a special regular feature beginning with our next Episode #008 - A Walk on the Beach with DrZ.

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006 Explore with DrZ the person and work of mankind as typified by Adam , the first man, and Jesus, likened unto Adam. The entirety of the Bible centers around the work each of these two men completed and the consequences their completed work had on the rest of mankind.

Adam was a real historical person. Created by God from the dust of the earth with animate life and spirit breathed into him by the Holy Spirit. He was sinless in person at his creation and had no knowledge of evil. The work God gave Adam was to obey a very simple command that had a catastrophic consequence for disobedience (death). Of his own free will, Adam disobeyed the command and sinned, and death thru sin came upon all mankind.

Jesus was a real historical person. While Jesus was born of a woman (Mary) his father was God. Jesus was sinless at the immaculate conception of Mary thru the Holy Spirit. The work God gave Jesus was to live in full obedience to God his father including the entirely of the Law of Moses. Jesus was completely obedient to his father to death on a cross; sinless at his conception and knew no sin all the way to his death. As a result, Jesus earned for mankind righteousness (condition necessary to be accepted by God for eternal life) for those who obey him.

After what man do you follow: Adam who leads to death; or Jesus who leads to eternal life?

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004 Since eternity past, the Godhead has always been personal and relational by his nature. As revealed in Scripture, God is One in essence and Three in persons (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). What DrZ describes today is that Jesus has been working in unity and unison with God the Father since the beginning of Creation. Jesus is not just a New Testament revelation of God, but has been very active since the beginning, creating all things seen and unseen, and holding all things together. His holding together includes the wiring of the technology on which this podcast is hosted.

This is a massive topic (i.e. the entire Bible concerns Jesus). Given that, after a brief intro of Jesus, DrZ focuses on the work of His FatherJesus completed while here on earth. If you are a believer you can shout "Hallelujah - Thank You JESUS!!" If you're on the sidelines and want in on far beyond the best thing that can be imagined, seek God and He will be found by you. Then, do as He says.

Sidebar to be covered in more depth on a future episode about Jesus holding everything together. If Jesus were to stop his speaking that is holding everything together, everything would immediately let loose of what binds it and return to its most elementary state (atomic element type small). Then the matter within atoms themselves would dissolve and return to a pure energy state. The energy state would then turn into light and return to the dimension from which it was called forth by God in the beginning. Science has already proven nothing is really here in reality beyond light energy in it’s purest form. What they don’t know is how this light energy gathers to create a mass, then particles, then atoms, then elements, then compounds, then things we can see.

There is coming a day when Jesus will stop the speaking, the heavens and earth will flame out and dissolve, and God will call forth new heavens and a new earth. In this new creation, the children of God will dwell into eternity with God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. We’ll discover the role of the Holy Spirit on our next episode.

Subscribe, keep listening and discover God is not trying to make it difficult. The Bible, God’s word, tells us to simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. Future episodes will reveal how we complicate the simple by what our minds seem to think is good and right at the time.

For the show notes that includes the Scripture references from this episode go to our Resources page on our website: https://wayofthebible.com

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#005 DrZ tackles the Holy Spirit on this episode and reveals why He should not be overlooked and an often misunderstood person of the Godhead. The Holy Spirit has been in unity and unison with God the Father and Jesus Christ since the beginning of Creation. The fact that you are “alive” today is due to the live-giving power which He exerted into the creation to animate all life on this planet. 

As with our last episode on Jesus, one episode, much less a lifetime of episodes would never exhaust what can be known about the person and work of the Holy Spirit. So DrZ focuses his attention during this one episode on what we can learn from the Holy Spirit acting in Jesus that is applicable to the Holy Spirit in us. 

It is this divine power from the Holy Spirit that empowers us to live a godly life in Christ Jesus. And so much more…

Subscribe, keep listening and discover God is not trying to make it difficult. The Bible, God’s word, tells us to simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. Future episodes will reveal how we complicate the simple by what our minds seem to think is good and right at the time. 

For the show notes that includes the Scripture references from this episode go to our Resources page on our website: https://wayofthebible.com

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003 – Join DrZ as he reveals why you can fully trust the truth and reliability of the Scriptures. DrZ recognizes and has read many apologetics works in print publications and on-line that provide excellent defenses in regard to the historicity, accuracy, and preservation of the Scriptures. However, on this episode DrZ reveals God’s signature of authorship on the Bible containing sixty-six books written by forty different authors over a 1500-year period. The evidence God put in the Scriptures themselves proves these are not mere human thoughts but were authored by an eternal being from outside our space-time domain. DrZ is convinced that God did not merely present ideas and/or provide the words for the prophets to write, but actually provided each individual letter themselves.

After listening to this episode you’ll be inspired to do your own research and discover as DrZ has that you have in your possession the very words from God. Once you realize that, then you’ll have to make a decision of what to do next. 

Subscribe, keep listening and discover God is not trying to make it difficult. The Bible, God’s word, tells us to simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. Future episodes will reveal how we complicate the simple by what our minds seem to think is good and right at the time. 

For the show notes that includes the Scripture references from this episode go to our Resources page on our website: https://wayofthebible.com

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002 - On this Episode, DrZ explores the importance and blessing of understanding that God is the Creator of EVERYTHING. From the very first verse in the Bible, God answers the worlds question about where everything came from. God did not create everything from "Nothing," and the Big Bang as theorized never happened. God spoke and it was…

During the first two days of creation God separates his light from darkness (day 1) and separates non-life giving waters on earth with living water in heaven (day 2). Darkness and non-life giving waters still exist on earth and will exist until God creates new heavens and a new earth which we will inhabit at the end of this Age. God uses these two themes, light vs. darkness and non-life giving water vs. live-giving living water, throughout the Bible to contrast a life lived in darkness and dying and a life lived in light and living.

Spoiler Alert – God has made it such that no one can prove by science who or what created everything. However, God does reveal his eternal power and divine nature through what has been made so that people are without excuse for not knowing He exists. Belief that the origin of everything is from God, natural material causes, or positivity of the universe are all “faith” statements. However, science does reveal that of all the possibilities ever conceived, only the God option is viable. This fact may still be rejected by one’s faith in another possibility, but in the end, God wins.

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001 - Believers in Jesus Christ - WELCOME!! Join us as Dr. Philip Zimmerman (DrZ), our Bible teacher and guide, takes us on the paths through Scripture that reveal God's eternal plan that includes you and your life lived now. Each episode will inspire and empower you to drop all the baggage and simply Believe God and Follow Jesus. You can find out more about DrZ, his calling, your future, and this podcast on our website: https://WayoftheBible.com.

In this INTRODUCTION, DrZ gives an overview of the podcast, describes the intended audience, reveals a little bit about himself, provides a quick peak at the next few episodes, and presents a self-test to determine if you are in the will of God. The program ends with a request to subscribe to the show and invite your friends to join us on this journey to discover the Way of the Bible that leads to life in the will of God.

If there is a takeaway, it is to know this: God has a plan - it is an eternal plan. God is working the plan to perfection - He is not wringing his hands about what is going on in the world. God's plan includes rescuing from this world filled with darkness his children, whom He has known from before the foundation of the world, and bring them to a new heavens and new earth to dwell into eternity in His kingdom of light. And while we tarry here awaiting our arrival in heaven, God's eternal power provides us everything we need to live a godly life in this life. A life filled with joy, prayer, and thanksgiving; living as a child of light overflowing with living water in the will of God.

We hope you enjoy this WELCOME and INTRODUCTION episode. Please be sure to subscribe and invite your friends to join us. You will find the show notes and the Scriptures referenced by DrZ on each episode, on the Resources page our website: https://WayoftheBible.com.