Danny and Phil discuss how knowing God's truth, and being assured by grace, helps us deal with inevitable difficult times in these last days.

As recent world events have reminded us, life isn't easy. Trials have a way of finding us, and when they do, questions often arise: Why did God let this happen? Does God really love me? Can I know it for sure? Theology makes a big difference in answering these questions, as we discover in this week's episode of Assured By Grace.

Biblical prophecies of the first coming of Jesus, which we focus on at Christmas, were fulfilled literally. But alongside those prophecies are other prophecies that point to a yet-future time, when Jesus will come in power and authority, defeat the forces of evil, and reing in a time of peace and righteousness. Just as Old Testament saints were assured by faith in the coming of the Messiah, so we too today can be assured by faith in the return of Christ in fulfillment of Bible prophecies. This is our blessed hope as we enter another new year.

The Christmas story is a story of hope, a wonderful reminder of how God humbled Himself as He came into this world to create a path of Salvation for all mankind. However, the Bible's story of Christmas didn't just start back at the beginning of the first century. Scripture throughout many books of the Old Testament predicted aspects of the birth of Christ centuries before He was born! In fact, many of these prophecies of Christ's first coming are comingled with prophecy of His Second Coming. Looking back at a few of those original hints of the Christmas story in an Old Testament book like Isaiah can help us all to see how God keeps his promises and serves to remind us that the rest of the story is yet to come! Merry Christmas!

Parables are often a minefield for Christians; some pastors and theologians interpret them in ways that undermine assurance of salvation. We discuss the parable of the Hidden Treasure, showing how John Piper's misguided interpretation destroys assurance of salvation, and providing two better interpretative options which fit the context of Matthew 13, and motivate believers in their Christian lives.

We all experience pain and suffering in this life. Many books and articles attempt to answer some basic form of the question, why do bad things happen to good people, though most of their answers fall flat as authors pitch platitudes to excuse God while clinging to a deterministic view of His sovereignty. Yet, is this really even the right question to be asking when facing such problems? Join Phil and Danny as they take a closer look at who is really to blame for suffering and where true comfort and assurance can be found in times of trouble.

Calvinism is a system of theology that destroys assurance of salvation. John Piper exemplifies the teaching of Calvinist theologians in his writing, and today we expose the flaws in that theology, and the despair and hopelessness it creates in the lives of believers.

For many believers it is difficult to confidently stand in faith when facing larger-than-life challenges. Yet, how was David able to confidently confront Goliath? In this episode, our hosts take a closer look at how the promises of God provide strength and assurance to modern day believers in the midst of troubling situations.

Have you experienced a bit of dread as you've looked at the news lately? Are you worried about any of today's problems including disease, political instability, or debt? In a time when an overabundance of information can draw our attention to all that is wrong in this world, how can we protect ourselves from being swept away by fear and insecurity? Join our hosts, Phil and Danny, as they delve into Psalms for a timeless answer to the problems of our time.

Many Christians today have little or no knowledge of the Rapture, and often this goes hand-in-hand with a lack of assurance. After all, a person who is uncertain where they will spend eternity will probably view an event that inaugurates the next life with apprehension, not anticipation. In this podcast, we 'connect the dots' between assurance of salvation, and looking forward to 'our blessed hope' of Jesus' appearing!