Family Together: Recent Episodes
Andy Byers
As followers of Jesus we are called to love one another, to be a family. Join our family as we walk through the Bible together.
We can’t follow Jesus half-heartedly. We need to be all-in or we might as well be all-out.
We need to continue to pursue Jesus and not just go through the motions of ritual and routine.
Revelation has so much to digest, but don’t miss the focus on who Jesus is and the fact that He wins and He is all we need.
John writes to share the things that he knows, that he has seen and heard and experienced.
God knows exactly what He is doing. Don’t mistake his patience for leniency or forgetfulness.
We were bought with the precious blood of Jesus. We should never take that for granted and treat it as something less.
Jesus endured suffering and opposition while He was on this Earth, and as His followers we can expect the same and trust Him to see us through it.
We aren’t called to just sit back and only worry about ourselves. When we know the right thing to do, we need to step up and do it.
Faith is only good if it’s used. We have to put it into action, otherwise it has no real value.
James calls us out for our sin and reminds us that we do it all ourselves, it’s not anyone’s fault but our own.
Jesus resurrection is a truth that can change your life. It certainly had an impact on his own family.
Faith is meant to be a shared experience, we don’t do this on our own, we are part of something bigger and greater.
We don’t have to be afraid or worried about going to the Father with anything, He loves to hear from His children.
Jesus is both the author and perfecter of our faith, we need to learn to rest and let Him do what only He can.
Jesus is better. That’s a whole sentence by itself because no matter what you tried to add to it, it’s always true – Jesus is better.
Jesus stepped into our problem and paid our debt, Paul follows that example and offers to do the same for Onesimus.
Paul doesn’t openly attack the idea of slavery, he talks about something deeper and greater.
Followers of Jesus don’t run from their mistakes, we face them, knowing that we aren’t defined by them, our identity is in Christ.
Paul wonders if there was a deeper purpose, a greater hand at work that brought everything together.
Philemon is given a choice. Paul doesn’t command him what to do with Onesimus, he appeals to him based upon love.
By living out our faith, letting other people see our relationship with God, we can encourage them to want their own.
Paul reminds both Titus and Timothy not to get caught up in other things, but to continue to love Jesus and follow Him closely.
Paul’s relationship with both Timothy and Titus reminds us that the church is meant to be a family. That we need to be passing on our faith to those closest to us.
A brief introduction and overview of Paul's pastoral letters of 1st & 2nd TImothy, as well as Titus.
Sometimes it feels like there is no reason to continue to follow and live as God has called us to live, but there is always someone watching, and we should never grow tired of doing good.
Sandwiched between Paul’s commands to be joyful and to give thanks in all circumstances is the key to being able to do it – Pray continually.
We all experience pain, heartache, difficult times. But if we know Jesus, then we can always have hope, even in the midst of those things.
Sharing the Gospel is about more than just showing people facts about Jesus. It’s about sharing our lives with them, letting them see how Jesus has changed us.
These three virtues are so important to our lives, and Paul shows the Thessalonians how we can see them in practical ways in our every day life.
There are so many ways that people can be divided and split up, but none of those things matter compared to having the most important thing in common.
Jesus knows all our sins, all our failures, and not only has He paid those debts, but He took them and nailed them to the cross, and they no longer have any power over us.
Baptism is more than just being washed clean. It’s a symbol of our old life being dead and buried, and now we have a new life in Jesus.
Not only did God create everything and cause it to exist, it’s all for Him, it’s all about His glory.
Nothing compares to how amazing Jesus is. Just knowing Him is worth more than anything we could ever do on our own.
Christ shines his light on us so that we can follow his example of humility and serve the people around us who are living in darkness.
Meeting Jesus and receiving salvation is just the beginning. We should always keep moving forward and learn how to use this amazing gift that God has given us.
Paul is thankful for the people he has met and the memories that he has made along the way in his journey with Christ.
God provides us with everything we need to stand our ground and face the difficult things in our life.
The way that we live and work when no one is looking reveals who we are truly living to please.
Paul shows us that marriage is about so much more than just two people falling in love. It is a way for us to show the world what God’s love looks like, and how we can enjoy a relationship with Him.
We are called to live differently, to live wisely, to be children of light. But we don’t do all that out of fear, we can do it because we know that we are dearly loved children.
Because of Jesus and what He has done, we have been chosen, made alive and brought near to God. It’s not something we did. He did all the work.
When we allow the Spirit to live inside us, it will change us, it will grow “fruit” in our lives – and it’s fruit that no one will find fault with.
The things that God gives us, especially the freedom He gives, is not meant to just be kept to ourselves, it is meant to be used to serve other people, to show them His love.
We have been set free from the law by Jesus. Don’t go back into it and let someone take away your freedom again.
Don’t try to redo the work God has already done by trying to justify yourself by the law.
Paul calls out Peter for giving into his fear of the Jews and acting differently when they are around. He wasn’t acting out of faith and love, he was living out of fear.
If we have different hobbies or interests than the person closest to us, that doesn’t mean the relationship can’t work – but Jesus isn’t just some hobby – He’s the foundation of our lives, and we need to share that with the person we share our life with.
Just like every good sports movie has a moment where the team becomes united, we as the church should be united as well. That’s why the motivation, the driving force behind how we worship and use our gifts should always be love.
Not everything that we are allowed to do and able to do is a good thing. Sometimes it can be harmful to me, and sometimes it can hurt the people around me. We don’t need to misuse the freedom we have in Christ.
None of us would settle for eating turkey and gravy baby food on Thanksgiving. We also shouldn’t settle for still being on spiritual milk when we need to grow up and eat solid food.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that it isn’t about being on Team Paul, Team Apollos or Team Peter – but it’s all about following Jesus.
We were all introduced to Jesus by someone, and once we meet Him, we should be introducing other people to him as well.
God desires a personal, intimate relationship. One so close that even when we don’t know what to say, He understands what we mean.
When we meet Jesus, we should live differently. We shouldn’t just keep doing things the same way when it leads away from Him.
Paul longs to visit the believers in Rome, not just so he can share with and encourage them, but so he can learn from them and be encouraged by their faith as well.
Nothing can steal Paul’s joy – not even being arrested – in fact, it’s just another tool that God uses to spread the Gospel.
God is always at work, moving multiples pieces at the same time, all so He can bring things together at just the right moment.
Philip is in the middle of an amazing movement of the Spirit when God calls him to go stand on an empty corner and wait for one man.
Most of the time the religious leaders don’t seem to get it, but Gamiliel actually has so wisdom, even though things don’t go how he wants.
When the disciples are arrested the religious leaders can’t help but take note that these men had been spending time with Jesus.
Jesus shows Peter an incredible amount of grace, asking him 3 times if He loves Him to mirror the times that Peter denied knowing Him. He’ll show us that same beautiful grace.
Even in the midst of enduring the cross and His own death, Jesus still cares about the people He loves, He still takes care of the little things in their lives.
There’s nothing accidental about where Jesus goes. Even when it’s somewhere that most people would avoid, Jesus is all about His Father’s business and He goes where the Father leads Him.
I admit I’m biased, but Andrew has an amazing approach to things – just take them to Jesus.
We all have lots of identities, lots of ways to define ourselves, or that we are defined by others, but none of them are as true or as amazing as the fact that we are loved by God.
The story of the lost son relates to all of us, whether we’re the wayward son, the forgiving father, or the bitter old brother, there is a something for each of us to learn.
Luke records multiple people getting to meet the baby Jesus, and even when He is still in the womb He is a cause of great joy for those who meet Him.
Luke records multiple people getting to meet the baby Jesus, and even when He is still in the womb He is a cause of great joy for those who meet Him.
Luke gives us so many amazing details about the birth of not only Jesus, but also John the Baptist. It shows us just how amazing God is, and how He had a plan all along.
Simon of Cyrene has a small but unique role in the story of the Gospel, but it has a lasting effect on his family.
Just like we learn to pick up on small details about the people we are closest with, Peter’s retelling of Jesus life and ministry reveals the closeness they shared.
Jesus is constantly at work in the book of Mark, constantly on the move. By contrast, many of those who oppose him seem to only speak and not do.
Not all relationships start the same way, and that includes having a relationship with Jesus.
Matthew points out that the death of Jesus was all the doing of the religious leaders, that Pilate literally washed his hands of it, and it was what they wanted. Just like us, they needed to understand and take responsibility for what they had done.
We can’t just stare at the ball, we need to lift our head up and see that there is a whole game going on.
Matthew reveals the parts of his past that most people would try to hide. He knows it’s not about his own perfection, but about how amazing Jesus is.
The Wise Men coming seeking the King of the Jews. Matthew is the one to share that part of the Christmas story because he is pointing out that Jesus is King.
By knowing and remembering God’s Word we can have hope for what is ahead. We might not know all the details, but we know who is in control.
God tells us to put Him to the test when it comes to money and wealth. If we put that in His hands and put Him above that, He will give us a life greater than we could have on our own.
Our God is unchanging. That means we can count on Him, we can build our lives on Him, because that foundation is never going to change.
God deserves the very best of us. When we only give Him our leftovers it shows that our heart is not truly seeking after Him.
When we bring our praises and offerings to God we need to be sure we are doing it for Him and not just for ourselves.
We don’t have to be afraid to ask God our questions. He loves to hear from us and He loves to teach us and answer our questions.
God is completely able to take care of us, beyond anything we could imagine. He is in control and everything belongs to Him.
The right motivation changes everything for us. God’s presence is the best motivation we could ever ask for.
Just like we need to eat real food and not fill up on junk, we need to make God a priority and not fill our lives up with other things.
Seeing God work and move in and around us should be something we can’t wait to share with other people, something we absolutely cannot keep quiet about.
When God brings the people together to rebuild the wall, they are able to do this incredible task in a short amount of time. We are capable of doing more when God brings us together and works through us as a family.
Nehemiah is given status and position, but he uses it the way God wants us to and lifts others up, instead of putting them down to make ourselves higher.
Nehemiah’s prayer life is simple and beautiful. We should learn to just ask like he does.
God shows He is in control in the way He works. Three groups left Jerusalem and went into captivity, He brings them back in three groups, showing He is in command.
Ezra doesn’t just go through the motions, he leads the people to truly repent and take their lives in a new direction. He says it like he means it.
There might be all kinds of things that we think we need along the journey, but God is the real need, He is the real necessity.
God teaches us and gives us knowledge and insight so that we can pass it on and share what we learn with others.
Ezra begins by reminding us that this was God’s plan all along, that Jeremiah prophesied about the very things that Ezra is writing about. God is in control and Ezra uses that as the context of everything that is happening.
After the people are saved, they set aside a special time to remember and celebrate it. We should do the same for what God has done in our lives.
God loves to do things in such a way that He accomplishes even more than we could imagine.
There is a cost to following Jesus, to doing what is right. We need to be willing to accept the consequences of obedience.
God is working all around us. He has placed us where we are, when we are for a purpose.
We can easily get caught up in the details of prophecy, but never forget that it reminds us who wins in the end.
We don’t measure up to God’s standard, but thankfully, it’s not up to us when we place our trust in Jesus.
Even when things don’t seem to be going our way, we should continue to trust God and be who He has called us to be.
Everyone is responsible for their own choices, but as followers of Jesus we are called to share His message with those around us.
Our worship is not based on what God does for us, but simply on Who He is, just the fact that He is God makes Him worthy of everything we are.
Worshipping idols does as much good as talking to your favorite team on the television.
God doesn’t always give us the answers we want. He doesn’t share the whole plan with us. He asks us to trust Him. He wants us to follow Him, not a road map.
All of us are made to be used by God. How humble and obedient we are determines what kind of tool we are.
When everything seems to be falling apart – God is still in control – we can and should turn to Him even when it feels like He isn’t paying attention.
God does a new thing by sending Jesus. We need to let go of the old way, so we can enjoy the new.
God does have a plan, He’s in charge. But we need to remember that He does His plan in His time and in His way – not ours.
Even though we cause the consequences of our sin, God doesn’t like seeing his children suffer, he doesn’t take pleasure in it. We should feel the same way about seeing others deal with their consequences as well.
God uses the circumstances and the things of this world to show off who He is. That’s why He does things in His way and at His time.
We may grow to a point where we no longer need our parents to do certain things for us, but we never outgrow our dependence on our Heavenly Father.
We need to remember that God is the one in charge. It is his job to discipline and He will do it, we just need to trust Him and not try to do His job.
Jealousy is typically a negative thing, but when God is jealous it is both appropriate and a blessing.
God’s Word is always right and true. When it makes us uncomfortable that doesn’t mean the message needs to change, it means that we do.
God pursues us relentlessly, despite all the times we reject and all the ways we turn away – He keeps pursuing us because of His amazing love.
God wants us a close relationship with us, one that we enjoy every day, not just on special occasions.
Our pride gets in the way of following God. We often overlook all that God does for us.
God doesn’t just bring down the wrath, He warns his people, repeatedly before He disciplines them.
Sometimes we start to tune out the voices that are most familiar to us – be sure to never tune out the voice of God.
Our faith influences the people around us – we have to decide if it’s a positive influence, or a negative one.
God’s glory, His renown is the motivation and reasoning for how He works.
He wants everyone to know He is the One True God
God wants our hearts to be his, not just for us to go through the motions on the outside.
Our emotions are something God made us with, and we shouldn’t ignore them, but we also shouldn’t be ruled by them.
There are things that God says it would be better for us not to do, sins we should avoid. But when we know the right thing to do and we don’t do it, it’s just as bad.
God keeps His promises, and He will right all the wrongs when He decides it is time, not when we want to see it.
Just like a wedding is just the beginning of a marriage, salvation is just the beginning of our journey with God – we need to keep pursuing Him.
God looks at us and sees something amazing, something beautiful, something fearfully and wonderfully made in His image.
God made us to be part of a community, a family, to have people around us who hold us accountable, guide us, and who we share our lives with.
We need to trust God and follow Him when He says to, not when we think everything is perfect
There is nothing new under the sun, God has seen it all and knows what is coming. We can trust Him and not be tossed around by the chaos of life.
Discipline can be hard to take at times, but in the end it’s an act of love that we should appreciate.
God gives us guidance and wisdom to help us make decisions, but the decisions are still up to us.
The Word of the God is the foundation, the beginning of our knowledge, just like learning our ABC’s
No matter what is going on around us, we have something sure, steady and certain to cling to – Jesus, Our Rock.
When we chase after God with everything we have, He promises that we will find Him, and that there will always be more for us to discover.
God wants us to be open and honest with Him, no matter what we’re feeling, he can handle it.
God does incredible things around us all the time. We need to remember to stop and look around.
Job’s friends try to help him, but they start off with a bad foundation for their arguments.
Job’s response to the worst day ever is to worship. Despite what happens to him, God hasn’t changed at all.
Satan doubts Job’s motivation for following God. We should make sure we are following for the right reasons too.
Heritage and bloodline don’t determine our standing before God, our personal faith does.
When Josiah finds the Book of the Law, he reads it to the people so they will know how to live a life that pleases God.
Elisha’s servant sees the army surrounding them and thinks they have no chance, but God opens his eyes and shows him that they have all the help they need.
Naaman gets angry when Elisha gives him simple instructions, but God heals him through simple means.
Solomon asks God to be able to hear his voice so that he can rule the people with wisdom.
David’s sin with Bathsheba begins with him being in the wrong place. We often have the same problem.
Saul sees David as his enemy, but David chooses not to treat Saul as one. You and I have that same choice with those who oppose us.
When the Ark of God is captured, God reminds Israel and the Philistines who the real God is.
The people of Bethlehem welcome Ruth into their community and rejoice with the new family that is formed. We should be just as welcoming.
When Boaz takes Ruth as his wife, when he redeems her, it gives us a beautiful picture of what Jesus has done for us.
Ruth is an amazing example of the Proverbs 31 woman, and a great example for all of us to follow as we give our lives to Jesus.
Naomi faces numerous difficult things, but she perseveres and gets to see how amazing God is.
Chesed is a Hebrew word that describes the loving kindness of God, and it is all over the story of Ruth.
Judges concludes with the fact that “everyone did was right in their own eyes”. We don’t have to rely on ourselves or on any human authority to decide what is right, Jesus is the real truth.
Jephthah reminds Israel’s enemies that God was the one who gave them the land, and it is God that they will have to fight against to take it back.
Sometimes the things that we think make us different are exactly the things God will use.
In the book of Judges we see the people of Israel go through the same pattern over and over again, but more importantly we see God continue to be faithful.
God made us for community, to be part of a family. The things we do, both good and bad, effect more than just us, they effect the whole body.
Caleb is 85 years old when it is finally time to claim what God promised him, but he is still just as passionate and just as ready to follow.
Rahab does not come from the greatest background, but because of her trust and faith in God, she gets to become a part of the family.
God parts the Jordan River and has the people gather rocks to remember not only that moment, but to remember all that God has done to bring them this far, and to remind them that He goes with them.
God tells Joshua and the people to not be afraid, to be strong and courageous as they take over the land. But isn’t because of how strong the people were, it was because God would be with them.
God is clear about the consequences of not following Him, but He still gives us a choice and asks us to trust Him.
Our faith is not meant just for ourselves, it is something to pass on to future generations.
Love and obedience go hand in hand, each leading to more of the other and bringing us closer to God.
One of the things that really sets our God apart is His desire to be close to His people. He longs to draw close to us, for us to know Him and be known by Him.
God tells the Israelites to clear out the people from the land as they enter it. He doesn’t want them to be influenced or get tangled up in things that will pull them away from God. He wants that same thing from us. He wants us to be able to run after Him and not get dragged down.
King Balak has things out of order. He thinks if he says the right thing, or asks Balaam in the right way, or if they ask God in the right place, that he can get what he wants from God. He thinks there is a magic formula. God is the one in charge, we follow Him, not the other way around.
In the midst of a difficult time God asks the Israelites to look up to Him instead of down at their problems. He asks us to do the same thing today.
God desires not just obedience, but more importantly trust. He wants us to trust Him enough to follow Him even when we don’t understand.
God uses seemingly minor details to point to the truth, to point to Jesus. If He can work in those details, He can work in our details as well.
The Sabbath is intended as a day not only of rest, but of remembering that it doesn't all depend on us, but on God. Not only did God give the people the Sabbath once a week, He also gave them other instructions to remind them of this important truth.
There are things in our life that God wants to use, to redeem them, to restore them, but there are also things in our lives that God simply wants us to let go of, to leave behind when we follow Him.
As followers of Jesus we are not bound to the dietary laws on clean and unclean animals, but understanding what made an animal clean or unclean still reveals God's desire for who he wants us to be.
When people brought sacrifices to God they were supposed to be animals that had nothing wrong with them, they were the very best.
Far too often we try to take care of other things first and then bring God what is left. We should start with God, and let Him take care of everything else.
Often we think of Leviticus as a book of outdated rules that no longer apply to those of us under grace, but there is so much we can learn from this book about worship, about following Jesus, and about being His people.
The nation of Israel needed everyone to fulfill what God had for them. The body of Christ, the Church, is the same today, it needs all its parts working together.
Moses looked different after he met with God. The same should be true for you and I as well.
God heard the cries of the Israelites when they were slaves in Egypt. He always knew how and when He was going to free them. He hears us as well, and knows just the right time and just the right way to work in our lives too.
When God speaks to Moses, He reminds Him that being in the presence of God is a special thing, it is Holy Ground. That same thing is still true for us today.
God reveals an incredible plan to Abraham and his family, but it's a plan that only God can make possible.
What did it cost Noah to follow God?
Who were some of the people that didn't go with him?
How do we follow his example?
The first outward, visible consequence of sin was putting on clothing, covering ourselves up.
While clothes are a good thing, God wants us to live openly and honestly with Him and with each other.
God speaks the world into existence, and His Word can still speak and change our lives today.
Welcome and introduction to our new podcast that will take us through the entire Bible over the next year.